Today on Father’s Day I honor and remember my Dad, Jacob William “J.W.” “Walt” Walters.
Dad was born on a farm, the last of 7 children, on March 13, 1923. The year before he died, on one of our Memorial Day trips to honor his ancestors (all buried in the same Catholic Cemetery), Dad found the house where he was born and showed Mom and me. It was as if he was on a reminiscence journey.
I think Dad learned to be a Dad on the job by parenting my brother Richard and me! What must it have been like to become parents to two babies in less than a year, often have to be gone on the road 5 days a week and leave us alone with Mom who could not drive then, and be the sole breadwinner till we were teens?!
Dad finally got a permanent position and we as a family helped finish our family home, planted and tended enormous gardens, went to the drive-in, and so much more!
In addition to his 39-year career with Southwestern Bell, Dad worked a second job painting houses. Eventually, he taught himself plumbing, electricity, and whatever else it took to flip old houses, renovate them, and then sell them.
And yet he never missed one of my brother’s baseball games or any of our school functions. He often quietly supported us when we had life problems, even though it hurt him and he did not like some of what happened. He could also firmly give us his life wisdom and advice too if he thought we needed it! He was there for us! In short, he loved being a Dad!
He even built a Hi-Lo camping trailer for us to go camping in when we were young, till he graduated to an RV and later a 5th wheel in retirement to spend winters with Mom in Arizona, which he loved! We had so much fun in our biweekly get-togethers, sightseeing trips around Arizona, and morning walks. Dad was happy in retirement and got the most out of life!
Probably the most life-changing and meaningful event for my Dad was when our entire family was baptized together by immersion in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Dad almost did not make it as the 5′ 6″ minister dropped his 6′ frame and the Baptistry curtain had to be closed quickly! Fortunately, they both survived!
The last 10 months of Dad’s life were filled with illness after illness, and finally, he had 2 totally different kinds of cancer, including two surgeries for thyroid cancer. His last cancer had spread from an unknown source so surgery was not possible. He did have chemo which greatly weakened his body. I made it home to the hospital in time to see him for only 30 minutes the night before he died.
But in that short time, the Holy Spirit was present and directed me as I simply asked, while he shook from a 105-degree temperature,
“Dad are you afraid?”
Dad, shaking, “No!”
Me: Dad, are you praying?”
Dad: “Yes!”
Me: “Dad, is Jesus with you?”
Dad, who loved Jesus as his main man, with tears in his eyes, and with what strength he had left, declared, “YES!”
That exchange, which was our last, has sustained me throughout the years since he died and made the pain of his dying and death a little easier to bear😪
You were loved by many Dad, with your quietness, your sharp observations, your sense of humor, those sky blue eyes, and that wide grin and joyous laugh which I often see flash across the Arizona skies!!
WE LOVE YOU DAD NOW AND ALWAYS!
STAY TUNED ON JULY 4TH FOR THE STORIES OF MY OTHER DAD FIGURES WHO WERE MY UNCLES AND SERVED THEIR COUNTRY!
Blessings!
Carolyn
