He would have been 82! He now lived only half a life time, to die at 41 is a bummer!
Eighty-two, I cannot imagine him an old man. I guess that is the only good thing in dying young. He left this earth at 41. Forty one years is hardly any time at all to live. But in his 41 years he did so much, and made our family very happy and lucky.
I am honored that my brother took it upon himself to have 3 sons, and those 3 sons in turn now have 12 sons between them to carry on the Kestner name. Also my sister Holly has a son with the Kestner name and he has a son with the Kestner name. I hope each of those 13 young men turn out to be as good a man as their fathers, my brother and my dad. The world will be a better place all around with all those Kestner men in it! Two of the 13 Great Grandsons have the same middle name as my father. An honor I hope they grow to understand one day.
I have been going through slides lately. I found the ones below of my dear friend Tracy, me and Dad. I did not even remember the slide, much less the event. I know Dad came home from his 6 month civilian tour in Viet Nam with a new 35mm camera with a timer in it and he was so tickled to be able to get in the photo. This was very new in 1970 and he loved electronics. He may have been playing with it in anticipation of some family photos we took in the fall of 1970. I am sure he wanted Tracy and I to be his "models". I wonder if he missed getting in the first one, or if it was a "scout" shot to be sure the camera was working. So here we are. I think this was about August 70 (that is what the edge of the slide said). That would make Tracy 10, me 9 and Dad 40. He would not live to see another summer.
Dad would be so into all the electronics, computers, cameras, and cell phones. Even in 1971 he was excited about this new "fangled" thing that one day everyone would own.....a computer. At the time they took up entire rooms. But he was excited about them and knew they were going to happen. He would have so much fun with a digital camera and it's instant gratification it offers. We are so spoiled today to be able to instantly see the image we have captured digitally and not have to wait for processing and development.
As always I'd just like to have lunch with him, or be able to ask his opinion on something. For now I can only dream about him and hope he is having a good visit with Mike.
Happy Birthday Dad. I still miss you tons.
Forever your poochy pants
Oh, wow. Great pictures! It has to be hard to lose your father so young. But I can't help but think about how blessed you must feel to have had him. So many people can't say that their father had a positive impact on their life. Love these tributes to him!
ReplyDeleteMy sister-in-law Sandy sent the following to my Mom about Dad on his birthday. I've taken the liberty of copying it here. She said such sweet things. I'd like them remembered. From Sandy Kestner to Mom: Well, I'm thinking about "cracker eggs"! I'd have some today if I had some Ritz...Also, though, before the day's end, I WILL have a cup of herb tea or cocoa or Pero--HOT and WITH THE TEASPOON LEFT IN THE CUP. Those things I remember..... I also remember Dad holding and gently bouncing David on his knee at the house in PAX. I also remember a picnic on base on the bay or river--was that for Dad's birthday? It was in summertime. Boy! were we ever young then. And I'm thinking about YOU. I don't know how you did it all these years..... Of course, you have kept busy.
ReplyDelete