Legacy of a Father

These last two weeks plus have afforded me the opportunity to reflect on and grieve my father’s passing, which occurred almost 14 years ago. At that time our family was living in Russia, and after I returned to Russia following my father’s funeral, there was no time for grieving. I was thrown full throttle into trauma of a new sort. My former husband had abandoned my son and me in that foreign communist country. My two grown daughters were living in the states, the oldest one married with two babies and the other one in her first year of teaching high school English and History.

While spending time at the nursing home with my mom during recent days, I was encouraged by the memory of two men there. The first man was living at the nursing home, and one morning I encountered his daughter in the parking lot. I knew she was very familiar, but I couldn’t remember who she was. When I asked her name, my memory was jolted. Actually I had spent much time playing with her at the swimming pool as a kid. Her dad had owned a furniture and appliance store. When I made a visit to his room, he told of the time my dad made a purchase and paid the bill with an old cigar box full of silver dollars. His family is still in possession of this precious payment – a reminder of a man who managed his business with integrity, honesty, and much forethought – my dad.

One day while eating lunch with my mom in the nursing home dining room, I noticed a couple who were familiar, but again I couldn’t quite bring up the name. As I inquired, I realized I had attended high school with their son. This man comes to the nursing home each and every day to feed his wife her lunch as she is unable to take care of herself. When I told him who my dad was, his response was, “They don’t make men like your dad anymore! He was a fine man of integrity.”

While attending to my mom during these weeks, we made all of the final arrangements concerning the services and I also selected the flowers. While ordering the flowers at a new shop in a small town nearby, the lady seemed familiar to me. After some discussion of how we would know each other, she realized who my father was. Then she told me a story. About 35 years ago, my dad retired from a company he had worked with for about 30 years. He started his own business at this point and began to purchase materials from a local business. A young married lady about 30 years old, who simply worked at this business, assisted my dad with his purchases and got to know him pretty well. One day she told my dad that she and her husband had decided to start a new business and that she was worried about making a living from it. My dad told her his business motto, “Do what you say you will do when you say you will do it, and you will never lack for customers.” Her husband arrived and popped in to verify the story and how it has been the motto for all of their businesses. Then their 30 year plus daughter came in and explained how she had heard my dad’s name her whole life and this motto had been taught to her for her whole life. Tell the truth. Have integrity. Be honest. All of these were true of my dad. Imagine how this encouraged my heart. I knew my dad was this type of man. I didn’t know how far reaching his beliefs went. I didn’t realize that they had actually influenced a community. Both the lady who owned the flower shop and I sat there and cried together. She was so happy to meet me and know that I was my dad’s daughter. My husband then told the lady that I truly was my father’s daughter in many ways. I felt so proud of my dad. I am so thankful for the man my dad was and all the good character that he represented consistently throughout his life. I am thankful that his foundation was based on God’s Word.
P.S. I will update you on my mom soon.