I want to wish all the fathers a happy Father’s Day. Men are often ignored on this day. I want to honor you as I reflect on my dad and the many who stepped up and did a father’s job when my dad passed.
My dad was diagnosed with cancer when I was 12. He was given six months, but he was a fighter and lived 3½ years. He never once complained and worked until the day before his last hospital stay. He left an amazing legacy. He served as City Attorney of Anaheim and was responsible for the contracts on the Stadium and Convention Center among his many other legal accomplishments. He was a decorated Navy Pilot, earning two Navy Crosses and a Distinguished Flying Cross in lieu of a third Navy Cross. He was fearless.
He loved to play cards and any game, and he won most of the time. Golf was his pastime. He was unable to golf after his third bout with pneumonia after cancer was removed from his lungs, and his friends bought him a pool table so they could come after golf and join him for a game.
I wish I remembered him more; it’s been over 50 years. The legacy he left me was to be fearless, to play to win, and to never complain. He was a great man, and I am lucky to have a dad I am proud of.
After he died, others stepped up. A police officer friend taught me to drive. Many (all joining him for golf in heaven) were there just showing me what good men do. They helped when my mom needed something done around the house, gave wise advice on how to invest the small life insurance policy, and were just there as I grew up and became a lawyer following in my dad’s footsteps. Most of these men had children, but a few did not.
So whether you have a child or are just an example of a good man, happy Father’s Day.
