My heart clutched today

Virgil Wayne Carpenter

1931-1991

I woke up this morning and my heart clutched. Today is/was my Dad's birthday.  He would be 76 years old today.   I miss him something fierce even still.

Here are some pictures from his life.  I look at these pictures and I marvel at how much my son looks like him.  They never had the chance to meet, but I think my Dad would have thought Mac was pretty cool.  And I know Mac would have thought my Dad was top-notch.  They'd be fishing buddies. :)  Mac loves to fish, my Dad loved to fish, but they both got stuck in families where none of the rest of us care to fish.  How funny, huh?

The Carpenter Clan, 1990- Back Row- Tina(daughter of A & B), Art (my brother), Betty (his wife), Susan (my sister), Jim ( her husband),  Front Row- Tracy (daughter of A &B), Amelia (my mom), Scott (son of S &J), Virgil, Kendra (mine), Paul (mine) and Me.     This was the last picture taken of the whole family before my Dad died.  Jim died July 1992 in an Army training accident.

Mom and Dad c.1976

Mom and Dad, wedding day, 1955.  My Dad served in the Army during the Korean War.  He was in the same unit as my mother's brother.  They met when her brother brought my Dad home on a long weekend (they were stationed at Ft. Huachuca, just a short drive from Nogales).

Dad, his mother and brother (lower left) c. 1941.  His mother died aprox. two years later.  Her parents raised my Dad and his brother.

Virgil W. Carpenter, age 3 c. 1934

Dad quit smoking a few years before he got sick.  He died of Lung cancer 15 months after they diagnosed it.  We made it home in time to say goodbye. I consider his life a success because he and my Mom raised three children that learned to love and to be family.  We pass that same love and family ties to the next two generations (my niece already has two beautiful daughters).   I can't think of anything better to attribute to my Dad except the success he created in us.

Tags: tribute, love, death, remembrance