He was not well educated. Grew up in Mississippi during the depression. I think he read at less than a 8th grade level BUT he worked two jobs to make sure all his children had the chance to have a good education. Until I was an adult trying to balance work/life I never realized how much he sacrificed. And he was a coach on my brothers’ tee ball and baseball team and a scoutmaster. I was his first born, a girl that he spoiled and was so proud of, even if he didn’t understand the subjects I was studying in college.

He was in assisted living, I was working somewhere that had me coming into work and I was worried about passing the virus to him, so I didn’t visit as often as I wanted to. And then, after the vaccines, we thought it would be better but I was still careful. I got to see him on his 92nd birthday in September. Then in November, right before he was supposed to get his booster, he received a positive test. They said he was stable though on oxygen and if we wanted to see him we would have to totally suit up. He had dementia and hearing loss from his work. We decided that it would be too disorientating for him to see us like that. So we stayed away.

And then on November 12th, the facility called to say that he had passed in his sleep. I still imagine holding his still-rough hands, and telling how much I loved the fact that my mother would complain about how whenever he came home when I was I baby all he wanted to do was hold me. I told you I was spoiled.

Sometimes in the middle of the night, I wake up, and it’s almost like I am back in my childhood room and I can hear/feel my father in the next room and everything is good. I am safe and loved. And this is the memory I will hold on to. Forever, my favorite guy from Mississippi.