Sunday, December 9, 2018
We love you Cathy!
I first met Jack a long time ago, but not so far away when I was 8 or 9 years old (you know just a day or two ago). Jack was dating my mother Irene and they had plans to marry. One of my earliest memories of Jack is that he loved children. As I saw when he spoiled me on my first birthday with him.
Jack taught me many things. He taught he how to put up and take down a real canvas pup tent one summer, which he had bought me. He taught me a love of fishing and looked on in silence while I tried to land a fish on shore from a dock. With that he taught me that sometimes you have to stand back where children are concerned and let them make some mistakes. He taught me that there is goodness in ever one you meet. He did that by never having anything bad to say about anyone. Jack taught me that having a set of wheels, a bike meant freedom (he bought me a 10 speed bike) and later taught me how to drive a car.
Jack taught respect for alcohol. As a teen I was allowed to drink alcohol and he offered to buy it for me as long as it was at home. Jack taught me how to pluck and clean ducks and other water foul. Jack taught me how to cut up a deer, make sausage, clean and scale a fish, BBQ a mean steak and cook a chicken stuffed with catchup rice (yum, yum).
Jack believed in me and I in him. I often heard him telling my mother that she didn't have to worry about me I was doing just fine. Jack saved me twice; once when he married into my family which suffered from depression and once when he saved me from a teen pregnancy when he gave me sound advice about dating a young married man seperated from his wife.Jack liked people in general, a good game of cribbage or cards, visiting with family and friends and especially with his Mom and Dad every Sunday, children, playing golf with his buddies, lasting friendships, curling, Western movies, sports on TV, family time at Cochan and Meeting lake, reading the news paper to keep up on current events, discussing and solving the problems of the world, a good days work, helping others, travel, being needed (he always gave me great advise), a good steak, watching the grand children play sports, and last but not least Cathy, her laughter, companionship, her warm smile, and her children and their families.
Jack was not perfect, after-all he was just a man. But he was my loyal friend and step-father. I love him, even still. Thank you Jack for all you are/were to me and my family.
Your step-daughter, Shelly
