I’ve talked about my mom some but maybe not about my dad.  Actually I’ve had 2 fathers, paternal father and step father.

 

When I was about 7 or 8 years old my parents divorced. A couple years later my mother remarried.  With the remarriage not only did I get a new father but my 2 sisters and I inherited 2 brothers. We all became one big family… and in the process I didn’t see my paternal father until I was 18.

 

I still remember seeing him for the first time after all those years. And then over the years after that we got closer.  He liked camping and had a nice motor home just for that.  So When I’d set up surf camp trips he’d sometimes book a site and spend time camping with me and the family. 

My dad moved up to Sacramento during the time I was living in Hawaii. When we returned to Ventura we never got to visit until last year.

 

Last June was when my mother passed. Now 1 year, 1 month and 3 days later my father has passed away.  Even though I was not around my father during my formative years we were able to reconnect and have good family time, work time and recreation time together since we first said hello again some 47 years ago… and now it’s hard to say good bye.

 

RIP dad, you will be missed.

 

D.R.    

 



 

On a surf outing in summer of '92

Me on the left acting like a clown,  which is why my dad on the right and son in the middle are laughing.