We lost a special guy today…

My dad was pretty special... don't get me wrong...  he had his good days, his bad days… and a whole bunch of days in between.  He could be a bit of a bear when he was younger… when we were kids… Might ‘av been his time in the Navy.. during the war… WWII.  Could have been the days and weeks and months he spent with the ‘youth of the day’ as a high school teacher.  There are many you know… many fellows who remember my dad from their high school days… They remember him as a tough guy who was pretty smart… and who had some reasonable advice on what they should do with their lives.. at least those first few years out of high school anyway… and several of those fellas.. well they ended up in the police force didn’t they.. making something of themselves.. doing something with their lives.. hmmmm, wonder if I got the same advice they did.. a few years later?

And, I've heard from a good authority that our Dad had just as many mentees or followers or folks that looked up to him... on the naval side of things. Most of that was before my time... but there is no doubt the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve played a huge part in his life. Anyway, he was a guy who knew what was right… he had his limits, he set the standards, and he pretty much demanded we all  tow the line... which, in the end, turned out to be pretty good training.

Bottom line… my Dad lived from May 9th 1923 till January 20th 2013… (89 1/2 years)… That’s a very long time.  And during those 89 years, his life… his sense of humour...his adventurous spirit, his sense of…  I don’t know.. what’s right and what’s not right...  him… he... The Father… the Great White Hunter… Tom… Ted… and Taddy Dumb Ellsworth…  he touched us all….and we will never forget. 

Nor will we forget the bond between Mom and Dad…  High School sweethearts, married young, sailors from the start;  Mom and Dad shared a love most never find. Together, they created a life for their children that was magical in some respects (Christmas Eves for instance), terrifying in others (“Do you think it’s time to take down some sail??” asked the father…) and all-encompassing always… (a place at the table, no matter what… no matter when… with love).  These were our folks.. our Mom and our Dad.. and… we pray they are now together….  finally…. up there somewhere… with the wind at their backs, the sails well balanced… and the setting sun drawing them ever closer to a new horizon…..  we loved you then, we love you now.. we’ll love you forever….