Folks Of Interest What did your father do?

CC camps, changed his birthday 1 year to join the Army. Ranger shot 3 times Anzio, PW, coal miner short time, machinest most of his life, engineering last few.

 

My dad was too tall for service in ww2 (6' 9") so he served in the merchant marine in the pacific supporting the invasion of the islands on freighters and tankers. He told me once about a sub that surfaced next to a tanker he was on and no one wanted to ask they crew of it if they we US or not so they just refueled it at it left. He said they all thought that it was German. he was born and raised it Santa Barbara, ca. He went to the first drag race. he went to the first Bonneville. He was all round the early hot rods and race cars of all kinds. He showed me how hard work and effort could accomplish any thing.
Here are a couple of pictures of he and his partner Lee Hammock's jalopy race car it 1956. They race at the Thunder Bowl in Carpenderia, Ca. They won the track championship in 56.

 

my Dad was born in Canada in 1925. some time before 1930 his father died and Mother and sister and he moved to California. he joined the Army at the very beginning of WWII where he got a purple heart in Japan. I believe he had post traumatic stress before it was a thing. not an asshole or mean or anything, he had his issues though.. he drove a truck for a laundry service when I was little, liked to drink and gamble. he got stabbed once in a bar fight and came home all bloody.... he was a boxer in the military. he taught my brother and I absolutely nothing, and lead by a bad example.
he disappeared when I was 12, and died at age 70. when I found out he had died it meant absolutely nothing to me.

Happy Fathers Day to those who actually had one.

 

RJT 1915-2007
Weather man in WWII
Worked a wire weaving company then unloaded giant iron ore boats to feed the Cleveland steel mills
Played violin his entire life. Taught me the love of woodworking classical music and nice automobiles
Jack of all trades master of none
Raised 5 kids on a Joe Lunchbucket paycheck
We lived in a nice house, all went to Catholic school, never went hungry and had class
“Money don’t buy class”


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Put me down in the "Thank God for Grandpa!" column.

He was my dads dad and turned 65 a few days before I was born and mostly lived with us until he died when he was 87 and I was I was 22. He was a carpenter by trade.

He treated my two brothers and me like the individuals we were, and he could read all of us like a book. My oldest brother was a car nut early, so grandpa gave him a 8 year old Dodge when he was old enough to drive, and taught him how to keep it running. Our middle brother was really into hunting and fishing so Grandpa gave him fishing gear and then, when he was old enough to hunt he taught him how to use a shotgun, which he later gave him. I loved watching/helping him build things so I got tools and training on how to use them. I'm not sure giving a 10 year old a table saw was "normal", but we had a ton of fun building little things as he taught me how to use it. I'm not sure my Mom knew she needed all those shelves and little boxes

Grandpa wasn't shy about pointing out what he perceived as our sometimes ... uh ... "goofy" behavior. He also wasn't shy about bragging us up to his friends, especially when he didn't think we'd hear about it (his friends sometimes told us about that).

He's been gone over 50 years and I still think about him pretty much every day.

Yeah, our father was in the house, I'll leave that part there.

 

My Dad was a mechanical engineer mostly for McDonald-Douglas Aircraft. He could build or fix anything and often did. He remodeled our family home, built a lot of the furniture, built our inboard ski boat from scratch and of course repaired whatever I broke. We built Heathkit radios together. I learned a lot from him but many times we didn’t get along very well.
He loved sports. He was hoping for a sports standout son. I was good at sports thanks to his coaching but I never had a love of sports, still don’t. I loved cars and mechanical things.
When I retired I had hoped to finally get to spend some quality time together, especially since we had both mellowed, but several illnesses and old age took a toll and we only got to do a few things before he got too ill to get out and about. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten something done in the shop and I thought, “I’ve gotta show Dad!” but........ I miss him.


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My dad was a hard man, like many of you have spoken about. He couldn't get along with his father when he was younger as gramps was also a hard man so he left home at 15 to go work running heavy equipment. Met my mother at 19, proceeded to have 8 kids, drank, fought, and basically was a good enough guy when he wasn't drinking, which wasn't often enough. Went from job to job. He worked on the farm, did landscaping, drove truck hauling cattle to the stockyards, was a mechanic running a Texaco station, and then a Mobil. Ran stock cars when he was younger. Was a mechanic at a Ford dealer for a while. Fixed much of his own stuff if he had to but didn't have much interest or time for his 4 sons or 4 daughters. Sober he didn't say much but had a decent sense of humor and played the guitar and harmonica and sang country music. He and I had a nasty knock down drag out battle one night and I left home at 17 and never went back. I hated the man for many years and never wanted to be anything like him. When I got older and realized the kind of pressure an uneducated man with 8 kids must have been under... I forgave him. Turned out to be a much better grandfather than father in his last few years alive. He ended up with lung cancer and died at 63.

 

Ya know reading some of these are pretty eye opening..I’m not ashamed to admit..there’s times I wonder if I’ve been a good Father...but one thing my kids can always say...I was at every event they ever participated in..and I mean everything ..and I have 2 daughters...my Wife is definitely a bigger influence on their life’s..she’s beautiful, loves to shop and take them shopping...I’m the “fun governor” the “no” guy..but I hope that better than the “not giving a shit guy”..they know I’d do anything for them, and would protect all of them with my life..
Like I said my Dad was a good Dad..not the most affectionate Dad..could be his upbringing, and generation, and I know sometimes I have to remind myself to be a little less like him in that area...

I hope for all of you that had that less than stellar Dad..your life has gotten better and you’ve been able to come out better on the other side

 

My Dad was born in 1925 he married my Mom in 1964 he passed away this last Christmas 5 days short of their 55th wedding anniversary so this is the first Fathers Day without him. He was a Civil Engineer he loved to listen to classical music and read. He was a talented artist and I have trouble drawing a stick figure however I did get my creativity and ability to fix things from him. The man was a perfectionist which at times made it hard for me when doing things, he taught me to do things the right way or don't do them at all. My Dad did not share my love for cars however he did support my hobby and at times helped me. Out of all my old cars he only rode in one my 50 Chevy pu since old cars was not his thing I don't think he ever knew how happy he made me feel that day. I was blessed to have had him in my life I miss you Dad.

 

Dad was born in 1920. Has had a long and interesting life. Taught me many things just being who he was, some of which I am still discovering. There are times on the phone with my brothers when I think, "When did we become dad?" One thing, I don't think he ever realized, he taught me has made me a better teacher. Every time I asked him to help me on a project, he would take over because he could do it faster and better. It got to where I would wait until he was gone to do a project. In all the years I have been teaching, I still have to remind myself, "Just get them over the hump. Don't cheat them out of the satisfaction of performing a new skill." He is not a car guy. We were on vacation when I saw my first hot rod and thought it was cool. Then he pointed out all its impracticalities. Its funny how something he said 65+ years ago still colors my thinking. In some ways he is very private. He never had a lot of friends or was very talkative, but always seemed to rise to a leadership position of any group he joined. He was a pack leader, scoutmaster, etc. for all the years we three boys were active. I'm sure being a child of the Depression had a lot to do with who is.

He joined the Navy in time to be a Pearl Harbor Survivor. After the war he used his Machinist Mate training to be a mechanic. In 1950, with 4 kids, ages 5 to not quite one, he sold the house, traded in the '40 Ford 2 door sedan on a new '50 Mercury (the car I learned to drive in), and went back to finish college. During the summers of four years of teaching he earned a Masters in Administration. Then came a job at the Navel Air Missile Test Center, Point Mugu CA, which led him to NASA, where for two of his years there he wrote the Directors weekly letter to the President.
For his final assignment at NASA, he was part of the original Space Shuttle team.

He retired in '75 at age 55, moved and got involved in local politics, traveled, danced, played bridge and took up golf. He skied into his late 60's. The traveling ended in his mid 80's. He and his wife were waiting to board a plane at Washington National the morning of 9-11. He pulled his clubs around a little 9 hole, par 3 until he was 93. The dancing and bridge ended when he had a stroke in the fall of '17.

Last year my brothers and I flew from the east coast to Yakima, WA to visit him for Fathers Day. It looks like this Covid-19 is going to screw up our plans to visit for his 100th birthday in August. The Nurse said they are doing "window visits" with a phone. I talked with him today and everything is normal and doing fine in his world.

I've said this before. Even in his state, he's still the man. My totally competent 46 year old son is still my little boy.
So I guess I'm still his little boy.

 

Dad was Lieutenant JG in the Navy and learned to fly airplanes. He became a pilot for Western Airlines, based out of Los Angeles. Flew the big prop planes in the 1950's. which included the DC-6. I was very young (born 1956) and have just about no memory of his flying days. Mom was a stewardess. Dad died of from complications from alcohol abuse in 1968. He was 52 years old. I was 11 years old.

 

My Dad was born in 1919 and was the eldest of 3 children born into a poor family of homesteaders in western Saskatchewan Canada. He managed to get through grade 10 then went to work with the B&B construction gang on the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Along comes WWII and he enlists in the Signal Corp as a dispatch rider...(Harley 45's, BSA's and Matchless motorcycles) sent to England and waits there until June 6th, 1944. Dad was sent to France on a boat during the second wave of the invasion and survived the war (lucky for me) and remained in Europe until the end of the 'conflict'.

After WWII he worked for Quaker Oats in Saskatoon working in the boiler room/power generation part of the facility. He was clever enough the figure out there was a future in power generation and became a stationary steam engineer, working his way up the ladder into management, providing a comfortable life for our family.

He taught me how to be respectful of others, build and fly kites, gokarts, ride a bike, ice skate, play hockey & baseball. The best time we had were camping all over western Canada, especially fishing & bird hunting in western Saskatchewan. He was an amazing man and coached Midget ice hockey well into his 70's.

Dad has been gone now for 11 years and I miss him every time I'm in the garage where he used to hang out with me and my friends...providing us with personal stories while sipping on rum 'n cokes. He was special...very special and I miss him and my Mom every day.

For those of you reading this and still have your parents, give them a special hug on both Mother's Day and Father's Day.

 

Thank you all for sharing. I had to read 'em all.

What did your father do? Dad worked. Whatever it took in a small town to make a living for a family with 4 kids. Born in '33, he helped on the family farm, went to high school, worshiped the Lord, joined the US Army, stationed in ST Louis, served as in the Medical Corps in Korea.

Married Mom in '56. Farmed 80 acres for many years. Worked for others, delivering for farm implement dealer. Factory work building tractor cabs.

Bought his own business in early 70's, a garbage collection route. Route came with a '47 IH Binder pickup with buckboard sides (to increase load size) and a cable driven hoist to lift the dump box. Grew his business into bigger, regular trucks with Leach Packmaster garbage box. People throw away the most interesting stuff. If it was repairable or possibly worth something, Dad saved it. Accumulated "it" to the point of having to park his garbage truck outside the shed, because the shed was full of stuff.

I read a lot of car magazines as a kid without having a subscription. The dime store would cut the date off the cover of the magazine for credit and throw out an otherwise perfectly good readable magazine. Dad would alway save those for me. Also got a lot of model car parts and projects from the trash.

Dad would save alumium, copper, steel, all to recycle when we had enough to take a load to the big city.

Garbage route doesn't pay the bills? Dad got a second job driving school bus, then a 3rd job as school janitor. He would get up way before sunrise, do some janitorial duties at school, then drive morning routes, then haul garbage, then drive afternoon bus routes. No wonder he would fall asleep in the chair watching Johnny Carson at night.

Dad was a toy collector, started with cast iron antiques, then later got into farm toys. I went to a lot of auctions with my Dad when I was growing up. Flea markets, toy shows, indiviual's homes, all over the midwest. I look back fondly now at those times traveling in his 66 Ford Pickup. We were always there at the auction for a specific item. We would find it and wait for what seemed like forever, for that item to get auctioned off. Sometime he would get it, sometimes it went too high. Once 'it' sold, I would tug on Dad's shirt and say, "lets go, lets go home", but we would almost always stay to the end of the auction "just to see what stuff goes for". Impatient me would beg the pickup keys from Dad and I would go sit in the truck listening to AM radio. Funny, now when I go to an auction, I will likely stick around to the end to see what stuff goes for, sometimes buying good things at cheap prices.

Dad was a storyteller. Sometimes, something on a roadtrip would remind him of a story, which we would hear. Then, next time we passed that location, maybe 6 months later, or next year, we would hear the same story. Annoying then, but good memory now.

Dad bought me my first model kit at a sidewalk sale, an AMT Watkins refer semi-trailer. He thought it was a whole truck, so after we built the trailer, no paint, just glued the white plastic together, he had to buy the Kenworth tractor at full price. We also built that, no paint, just glue.

Dad would always tell of this '54 Chevy he had. Long story short, I bought a '54 in 1980 with the intention of replicating his car. Never thought life would sidetrack that goal for soooo long, but I did accomplish that, putting my version of Dad's 54 on the road in 2009.

Here's a pic that Mom took of Dad and his '54 on their honeymoon in '56. And here is Mom and Dad on my wedding day in 2015, about 4 months before Dad passed. I miss you and love you, Dad.

 

I understand where you're coming from, Don. I don't have a great relationship with my father, either, and I'm jealous of those here who look to their dad as their hero. My dad was a ticket clerk for NJ Transit, a job he held for over 30 years before he retired. I was a toddler when we moved from the city to the suburbs, and dad left shortly thereafter, leaving my Mom to work full -time to support our family while trying to raise me. Mom worked 2 and sometimes 3 jobs while Dad lived a care-free lifestyle of coming and going as he pleased and generally looking for the next good time. I can't think of many good memories I have with my dad as a kid. I remember him taking no interest in anything I was doing. I remember bleeding from the nose and mouth after he punched me in the face when I was 14 because he said something shitty to me and I told him so. I remember later him asking me at my college graduation what I graduated in. I remember a time when not only did I have to bail him out of jail, the head partner at my office did me the solid of defending him in Court, which was embarrassing on so many levels. Looking back, I don't really know if he ever really wanted to be dad, or whether getting married and having a kid was just something you did then.

Most of all I remember Father's Day when I was 18. I had my 57 Ford, and there was a Father's Day car show locally. He came by to say hello, and I told him I had the day planned to go to the show and we could go get dinner. He smiled, said "Thanks, but no thanks, I have plans", then left to go with his girlfriend. That hurt then, and it still hurts now.

Even though we weren't, and still aren't, close, my dad has been a great example of what a father should be. Dad taught me to be present for your family, and not just physically there. Dad taught me to never stop learning and striving to be better in everything I do. That the bonds of a close relationship with parent and child are forged at the beginning. To be proud, but never complacent. To follow through with what you start. To value your friends and family. To be passionate about things/interests in your life that you love and pursue them zealously. To consider the feelings of others, especially those close to you. To be a provider. That you reap what you sow in this life. To be someone that your family is proud of by being someone worth being proud of. Dad taught me this by showing me what not to do.

Sorry to be a downer. Here's a pic a buddy grabbed of my wife, daughter and I from a Cars and Coffee yesterday. Happy (belated) Father's Day to all the good dads on here.

 

My Ol' Man was a wrench. I am a wrench.
There are other things that he did and was that has influenced my life aside from working for a living. But the fact that he was a wrench is good enough for anyone who don't know me well.

 

My Dad started life as a farmer, learning mechanics as a necessities.
He volunteered for the Navy in WWII, serving on the aircraft carrier Enterprise, CV6. There he learned aviation mechanics. After the war, he came back to the family farm in Oklahoma in 1957 and built it into the ranch it is today. He lived to be 91, we buried him on Pearl Harbor Day , Dec,7, 2012. A fitting day for a true patriot!
He taught me everything I needed to make a successful life for myself. He only went to about the eight grade, but was the smartest man I ever knew. Since he was limited in his education, he insisted on his three children to get four year degrees in college. We did what our father said!
There was never a man that loved life, his family and his country any more than my Dad. I miss him every day!








Bones

 

Dad built and flew model airplanes as a teen, then worked as a machinist for NASA for 35+ years building airplanes for wind tunnel testing. Worked on his own cars, built his house, and raised three sons. I learned a lot from him, everything I accomplished in life I owe to him.

This photo is he, my youngest brother, and a close friend out on Dad's boat. It was one of his favorite pass-times, and this was his final ride. I lost him in 2011.

 

My Father hired on as a lineman for "Ma Bell" at 19 years old, eventually worked his way up to management and saved enough to retire at 50 years old. He was always into cars, hot rods, motorcycles, boats and anything mechanical. He was also into woodworking as a hobby and could build anything from a fine rocking chair to the nicest handmade 1911 grips you've ever seen. Dad was more than competent in carpentry, plumbing and even electrical work and taught me all of those things as well when I bought my own home. He taught me everything a man could want or need to know and the importance of doing things the right way. We grew really close the past 15 years working on cars together and some of my best memories are with my old man wrenching on hot rods and talking about everything you could imagine. In fact he built a shop a few years ago for us to do just that as often as possible. Unfortunately my "Pops" as we called him passed away from pancreatic cancer this past February at 66 years old. Sitting here eyes welled as I share this w Hamb family. So glad to have had 39 years w him but damn this fathers day has been a tough one. Thanks guys for taking the time to share all the stories good and bad about your fathers. Reading them is kind of therapeutic in some way.

 

Added a pic of Pops and a couple of his hot rods.

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Well...I’d say ya turned out pretty damn good....a Lawyer....and your Mom should be held to the highest for her sacrifices..

 

Like a lot of you mine to was a product of the Great Depression...Drafted into the Navy and served in the Pacific as a aviation mechanic...After the war he was hired as a civilian mechanic on US Air Force jets where he stayed and retired....He was a very good man didn't drink and liked hunting and fishing....He didn't do much with cars except keeping them running but after he retired he got a Model A which was like the first car he was driving when he got back home from the Navy...He restored it and I still have it....He was a jack of all trades...I miss him everyday...

 

My father was a mechanical engineer. Interests were wood working and fixing things. No interest in cars. Viewed a car as an appliance. But many tools - drill press, grinder, taps and dies. There was a time when I used these things more than he did. He was amused that I could mix up parts - Chev engine, Buick trans, and Pontiac rear in a Model-A. This was in 1960.

 

I have to say my dad and I have a good relationship he was always a good roll model he thought me everything I know about cars if he was in the garage I was their with him. I can remember him always having hot rods around 55, 56 chevys, novas, impalas u name it he had it but his favorite was a 57 Pontiac. I can still remember the whipping I got from busting out the windshield with a rock I was 7 years old. I remember he said this is gonna hurt me as much as u. I didn’t think it did for years but I guess it did I was the oldest of 5. 4 boys and 1 girl . He only got a 5th grade education his father was a farmer and would pull him out of school to plow and harvest. So he preached at us to at least get a high school education. I finally did after getting in a lot of trouble got expelled several times but he stayed after me till I straightened up. So at 16 he got me my first car a 64 falcon we built it together and that’s when I learned body work and paint. He is 83 had 2 strokes and 1 major heart attack but he is a tough man. He has leukemia and has went from being a big guy to maybe 130 lbs now. I stop by every couple day after work and sit and talk with him and drink coffee with him mom says he will sit and look out the window watching for me if I’m late getting their. Sometimes I will take him up the hill to my place so he can sit with me in my garage while I work on his old dodge truck so we can talk and have private time together I have all his old tools and stuff he gave it all to me several years ago when he got to where he couldn’t use them anymore. I cherish every moment I get to spend with him I know he won’t be with me much longer. I noticed yesterday he has starting to forget a lot and can hardly walk he is stumbling around and falling. He tells me to make sure to spend as much time as I can with my adult kids and my grand daughters that they will be grown soon and won’t to go do their on things. I hope I was a good father to my kids I tried to give them a good life. I’m 53 my sons are 33, 28, daughter is 27 she lives in China teaches English and math, middle son works for car fax, the oldest works in textiles with me he is the car nut like me.


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Built, bought, sold Hot Rods, worked on other people's Hot Rods.

 

Thanks bro. Mom is the best, talk to her basically every day.

 

My Dad, Big Band, Radio and TV Musician, grew up in the depression, went to WWII, worked at NBC in Hollywood corner of Sunset and Vine in Hollywood. Always drove a convertible - Auburn Speedster, 39 Merc, 49 Ford, 52 Ford, 55 Buick. A Cat before Cats were Cats. Don't put too much on here the Feds will read it. HAHAHahahah!!!

 

Law enforcement for nearly 40yrs

 

I think he worked in a salt mine. Cuz every morning he would say, "back to the salt mine" as he left for work.

 

My father, born in 1940, graduated high school in 1959, first car he had was a 1942 Chevrolet sedan wound up getting hooked (addicted that is) from that time on. After college he hauled freight all over Seattle for nearly 30 years. His current hot rods are a 1934 Plymouth PE 2dr deluxe, a 1959 Dodge Coronet 2dr hardtop and a 1939 Plymouth convertible ( long story). In between the job and the cars he married my mom, had 2 kids ( my brother and myself) and ultimately retired so he could enjoy the cars and his family. Love ya Dad.


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My "real dad" was long gone before I was 2 years old. I don't know much about him other then I have a 1/2 sister 6 months younger then I am. I've never met her, and I never got to know him.
My "dad" married my mom and adapted my year older sister and me when I was 4. He did cement work, did basement walls and stuff. He worked hard and provided a good life for my mom, my sister and me. When I was in 6th grade, mom & dad built a new house, mom still lives in it. I have a younger sister that was born when I was 11. Dad started his own jackhammer business when I was 13 or so and worked it until he retired.
By the time I was 15, my older sister was a bit on the wild side, but it seemed to me my dad's unhappiness about that came down on me. Dad and I butted heads many times after that on almost everything, until I moved out of the house and got married right after I got out of high school at age 19. I'd say my dad and my relationship was tolerable with each other after I moved out, probably more because of me rather then because of him.
He was somewhat less then impressed when I got into cars, and I wouldn't say he was very supportive about my career choice. His life was more about his daughter (my younger sister) and her life then it was anything concerning my older sister or me, at least in my eyes.

As rough as our relationship was, in my eyes, I did learn a lot from him concerning life, responsibility, and doing what is right. It probably wasn't until I was in my mid 30s and had a major health issue before dad and I started growing closer together. I would say the last 20 years he was alive, we were finally getting along and things between us really improved the last 5 or so years of his life. Sadly, I learned a lot more about him 5 years ago, after he had passed away, then I ever knew before.

These days I do a lot of self reflecting. I have 2 fully grown children, both in their 40s. I know I wasn't a very good dad to them. I had no patience with them, and I had a short temper. I also worked a lot, and frankly, I was more concerned bout what I was trying to accomplish for the family then I was for what the family really needed. To say that all 3 of use survived each other is probably about the most true statement I can make, and all 3 of us will agree to that. Its a good thing they have a great mother. Everything that have accomplished was because of her.

About 13 years ago I became a born again Christian. I can honestly say that my children and I are on the best terms then we have ever been. Had I done that much earlier in my life, my dad and I could have had a better relationship too. Gene