IN MEMORY OF MY DAD

Clyde Spencer

Aug 7, 1928 - April 15, 2007

As I think back on this date 3 years ago, I remember thinking that I had just witnessed one of most miraculous things that can happen to a human being in their lifetime,..... ‘death’. I admit at that very moment when I watched my Dad slip away from us, all I could feel was sorrow. BUT (and it took a while) I realized that this thing called ‘death’ even though it was a bittersweet experience, it was mostly sweet. I finally came to the realization the way my Dad would have to live the rest of his life had he survived the accident, it was a blessing that he got to go. He was now with all of his loved ones that had passed on before him. What a reunion that must have been. I can just imagine him talking to all of them about all of us. And I am pretty sure he was telling them how proud he was (for the most part) of his ‘girls’ including Mom and Sue. He had lots of grandkids, great-grandkids and one great-great to tell them all about. I often think of the song sung by Paul Peterson on the Donna Reed show. Because I am not a son, but a daughter, I changed the words around a little bit. It goes like this:

My Dad
original words sung by: Paul Petersen

He wasn’t much in the eyes of the world

He never made history

No, he wasn't much in the eyes of the world

But he was the world to me

My dad, now here was a man

To me he was everything strong

No, he could do no wrong, my dad

My dad, now he understood

When I brought him troubles to share

Oh, he was always there, my dad

When I was small I felt ten feet tall

When I walked by his side

And everyone would say "That's his girl”

And my heart would burst with pride

My dad, oh I love him so

And I only hope that some day

My own son’s will say

"My grand-dad, now there was a man"