Happy Birthday, Dad! My Dad would have been 97 years old today, and I always baked him a ‘Wild Mountain Blackberry’ pie, it was what he always asked for.
My Dad’s family moved from Cherry Lane, North Carolina (where I still have many Caudill relatives today) at the top of the Blue Ridge mountains to the wide open prairie of Nebraska and my dad, Will, was born on July 12. He passed away a number of years ago, and is buried in Tahoma National Cemetery near Maple Valley, WA he was a Tech Sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II. Besides his legacy for my sister and I of good morals, faith in God, hard work and a notion not to take oneself too seriously, he worked as Flood Control Foreman for King County during the years that all the flood control dikes were built along the Green River to provide flood protection for the communities in (ie: Auburn, Kent, Renton) the Green River Valley. Every time I take my dog for a walk down one of the dikes, I always think of the years he spent building them.
Taken a few years after WWI, this old black and white photograph shows the school grounds of a one-room school in rural Greeley County, Nebraska when my Dad would have been about nine years old. Included are my Dad, some of his family and school mates – my Dad, Will, (back row fourth from the left) his older brother Alfred (to the right), his brother Roy (next to Alfred looking away from the camera), his brother Dean (second from right front row) and his sister Dorothy (holding Dean’s hand) and lastly his brother Lloyd (holding Dorothy’s other hand). 
Thank you Dad, for your quiet faith, your belief in hard work, your laughter and for your love. I miss you every day, I love you… Happy Birthday! I’ll be baking that blackberry pie soon… What gifts did your Dad give you?
Thanks for an interesting, thoughtful post. The most important piece of advice my dad gave me was to “Think ahead.” Hard for a child to do, but so important as an adult! The most cherished behavior he taught me was to “stop and smell the roses” – look around and appreciate nature every day.
Thanks for your comment today.. honoring your Dad and mine.
Bet you miss him lots
Yes, yes I do.He was a real anchor in my life.
Really nice tribute to honor your father.
Thanks Rob.. he was a good man, so worth remembering and honoring.
What a wonderful man and father! Love the old photos
Thanks.. he of course had his faults, but he was a good man with a steadfast character ..love the old photos too. So glad I took the time many years ago to go through the box of old photos and have Dad tell who, what and where a out each one.