On this Father's Day in 2009, I am thinking of my sweet Daddy. My Daddy was Simon Edgar Banks. He was born on October 5, 1889, and died in May, 1969, at the age of 79. If Daddy were alive today, he would be 119 years old! For you see, Daddy was 53 years old when I was born!!!! What a shocker! ha.. (Mom was 42.)
BUT---I was Daddy's little girl, and he adored me. I remember Daddy taking me to the local pharmacy where he would buy me some ice cream. We'd sit at the counter in that old drug store, and eat our ice cream in a cute little glass bowl. What GREAT memories!!!!
Daddy loved the New York Yankees baseball team. Back in those days, it was hard to get the scores of the games. Daddy would go to the local pool hall where they had a ticker tape ---giving the scores as they happened. One time, Daddy took me with him to that old pool hall to get his score. MAN---you should have heard my mother fussing at him for taking me to THAT place!!!! ha ... (He never did it again!)
One year for Christmas, "Santa" brought me a new sliding board to go with my swing set. WELL---since Santa couldn't get the sliding board down my chimney, he did the next best thing. He put the sliding board on our side porch--and left me a note telling me where it was. That was alot of trouble for Santa to do--but it made a little girl VERY happy!
I had Daddy wrapped around my little finger--as the saying goes. As I got older, I knew I could talk Daddy into anything. If Mama said NO, I'd go to Daddy--and he'd always let me have my way. I have said before and I'll say again, that I was spoiled ROTTEN... My wonderful husband spoils me now like my Daddy did then.
I miss my Daddy so much. He was such a gentle, kind man who worked hard his entire life to give our family such a great life. I wish Daddy were here today to meet George. Daddy would LOVE him so much, and Daddy would be so happy that his 'little girl' was so very, very happy.
The picture above was taken of my Dad from his office at the Interstate Railroad Company in Andover, VA. I'm not sure when it was taken--but I think it must have been in the late '50's. This is exactly how I remember my Dad. More pictures are below.
Daddy quit school and joined the Navy in 1909.. While in the Navy he got to sail around the world. He was in the Navy for four years. Once he returned, he attended Draughan's Business School in Knoxville. He went to work for the Interstate Railroad as Assistant to the President in 1915 and worked there for FIFTY years.
Dad met Mom sometime after 1915----and they were married on Sept. 6, 1919. If Dad had have lived a few more months, he and Mom would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. He died in May of that year (1969).
Another picture of Daddy ---taken at his work place
Mom and Dad raised three children. I was the youngest and the only girl... This is Daddy with his Princess.
This is another picture of my Daddy ---taken in the '50's.... Like that HAT?????? He loved his hats!!!! Again, this is exactly as I remember Daddy.
Sorry about the terrible quality ----but this was my Dad's retirement party. Like I said, he worked for the Interstate Railroad for 50 yrs. and at age 75---he was forced into retirement. WELL--like so many people, Dad had no hobbies and didn't know what to do with himself after working for so many years. He was dead FOUR years later at age 79. Sad, isn't it????? But---he did live a long life, and will be remembered as a hard-working Christian man whom I adored.
For those of you who still have your Daddy with you, take a minute and give him an extra hug for me! Besides my father, I have many other wonderful fathers in my life (my husband, my father-in-law, and my sons). God Bless them all.
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Today I feature this gorgeous white rose from our yard (SWEET FREEDOM) in memory of my father, Simon Edgar Banks (1889-1969). Daddy, I love you dearly and miss you more than life itself!
Happy Father's Day to ALL.
Hugs,
