Eighty-Five years ago today, a little red headed boy was born to his parents on the coast of Florida, down in Wakulla County.
How can it be that long?
Since you all seem to have fallen in love with him, I thought you might like to know a little more about the man I call Dad.
The years are flying by and I can’t let today go by without talking about the man who has had the most impact on my life than just about anyone else (except my mama!). I have the most wonderful parents in the world. Not perfect parents, but they certainly are close to it. We had an idyllic childhood growing up. We were not wealthy by any means, in fact bordered on downright poor in my younger years, but we didn’t know that, my sister and I. We were blissfully unaware of our social status.
We were rich with love from our parents and those were the memories that mean the most to me. Not what we had or didn’t have. I always thought I had just enough of everything.
Dad was born down in Wakulla County, FL and grew up on the coastal waters, fishing and oystering as a young boy, with his large family. With 10 children in the family, they were poor and lived off the land. His dad got sick when my dad was around 12 and they moved to Panama City, FL where his older sisters had settled after marriage and that’s where he spent the rest of his young life growing up. Back in 2008, our whole family took a trip down to my dad’s birth place to see it all, since we girls had never been down there. That link above will take you to one of the posts I did from that trip, a very memorable one for all of us. We are so glad we took the time to do the trip and see where my dad was born and raised, a place etched in his memory and shared with all of us over the years.
I got my crazy unruly, thick hair from his side of the family.
He met my pretty mama, also a native of Florida in the Plant City area. They both attended Bible college in Lakeland, FL, (my sister and I also attended) where they fell in love and got married in 1953. Mom got her MRS degree and has put that thing to good use. 🙂
This pic was in my mom’s home church in Durant, FL, 1953 when they got married. Weren’t they a handsome couple? Dad is a tall drink of water at 6’5”, red headed and full of life. He can tell a good story and entertain crowds. When we were young, I loved sitting around the table with the grownups, listening to them tell funny stories. As a pastor for 40 years, the people (most of them, anyway) loved him and still do. He’s thoughtful and kind-hearted, opinionated and stubborn, all wrapped up into one loveable person. We have butted heads more than once over this house renovation and I don’t imagine it will stop anytime soon.
Our family around 1960 or 61. This pic was taken at a photography studio in Plant City, FL. I was supposed to be a boy. I was such a tomboy and this pic makes everyone laugh, since I sort of look like a boy. My hair was pulled back in a ponytail. I was full of life and climbed on everything, including tall trees. My life was spent outside having fun as a youngster, barefoot and loving life. Mom was in her mid 30’s here. My, haven’t we all changed our ways of grooming over the years. That bun makes her look at least a decade older and check out the flower pin that she made herself. She was a crafter back in the day! You can be sure that she made those dresses we are wearing too. She was and is a homemaker extraordinaire.
My 2 years older sister, Renee, was born a brunette and I was always the blonde. Now we both are.
I love these people who raised me!
My dad’s family was a scrappy clan, fussing and fighting and not the classiest bunch around. He determined when he got married that he wasn’t going to continue that in his own family and we certainly did not. There was not fussing and fighting in our house and I never got used to anyone yelling and screaming to get their point across. He was one of 2 preachers that came out of his large family and I think that was a shock to most of them.
Here you can see my dad surrounded by his girls. These pics were taken around 1987 at Easter, when Lauren was about 5. You can see she is the apple of his eye and still is. She still sits in his lap and he adores her. She quickly wrapped him around her little finger and almost 30 years later, that’s still the case.
Big hair ruled and in those days, my unruly hair was quite in style. Renee had to get a perm to get hers big. Mine was all natural curl.
Here’s that little girl, all grown up now. The almost 30 year old is never too big to sit in her granddaddy’s lap.
Here he is surrounded by all the people he loves last Thanksgiving. And we love him dearly. He’s our daddy and grandaddy and there is not another one who does a better job loving his family than he does.
We are having a cookout today, celebrating 85 years of a good life lived by this man we call Daddy. Lauren is home with her hubby and we’ve invited some of their long-time church friends over to help us honor him and celebrate this big day.
He’s been known to call folks who are close to his age “old people”, as if he has not yet reached that far-off milestone. And we laugh as we always do at his funny remarks.
Here’s to many more years of laughter.
Happy Birthday, Daddy! We love you!
A beatiful tribute to your wonderful dad and family! Hope he has a wonderful birthday celebration!
Rhoda, please tell your sweet Daddy Happy Birthday for me. I stopped by your blog to look at something…trying to size something on mine and needed another blog as a reference. I’m so glad I picked today to come by before this post was off the front page. You have a special Dad! And Mom! 🙂
What a beautiful story. You are so very lucky to have such wonderful parents. I sure miss my mom and dad…thanks for sharing your with us…Happy Belated Birthday to your sweet dad. hug
Hi Rhoda, love this post………I only hope that I am in as good of shape as your Dad at his age….what a guy !!!
Happy Birthday to your wonderful Dad, did you get my tweet ? Your Dad and I share the same birthday………..(Kat’s sister too)
Take care,
Kathy 🙂
Hugs to your daddy! I hope he had a wondeful birthday celebration. And, thanks for often including stories about him (and your mom) in your blog, I think it only adds to the warmth and geuine feelings of all you share.
Rhoda, first off, happy belated birthday to your sweet daddy. I know it was fun for you all to be together for his birthday. I also wanted to comment that I live in Lakeland and of course near Plant City and I’m wondering if they attended Southeastern Bible College (now it’s Southeastern University). I graduated from there a couple of years ago and it would be neat to find out that’s where they went. Your parents sound like wonderful people and remind me so much of my grandparents (I’m Lauren’s age). My Papa always had a bountiful garden growing and Granny canned all the fruits and vegetables of his labor and could cook a southern meal like no one else around. Thank you so much for posting this tribute to your Dad…I so enjoyed reading it.
HI, Kelly, yes it’s Southeastern Bible College where we all went to school. My parents went there & my sister and I did too. I linked above to my post about visiting the school again for the first time since I left. That post was 2008 & I couldn’t believe all the changes! Here’s that post again, you’ll get a kick out of it!
http://southernhospitalityblog.com/more-memories-in-florida/
Thanks for stopping by & reading!
Rhoda, thanks so much for posting the link…it turns out I was attending Southeastern University when you visited. You’re right, the campus is beautiful…the students and faculty kept saying how different it is now compared to how it looked many years ago. It also looks like you walked around Lake Hollingsworth in Lakeland – that’s one of my family’s favorite places to take a walk. Thanks for replying…it was very cool to realize yet again how small the world really is 🙂
FELIZ CUMPLEANOS – what a wonderful life and loving family. Thanking God for all those blessings.
Love & Blessings, Lady Delores.
Thanks for sharing some of your family history. I enjoyed it so much. Reminds me of how blessed I am.
Hi Rhoda, I loved reading about your family especially your Dad. He is a marvel isn’t he !! I was so suprised to see that your Mom and Dad were married in Durant Florida. My oldest grandson just graduated from Durant High School last June and I have another one still there next year. That area has grown so much since your Mom and Dad’s time but thankfully still has maintained some of our great Southern roots. There are still cattle and some of the best strawberry fields in the world just down the street from the school. Wish your Dad Happy Birthday from a fellow old Floridian and I think you have one of the best blogs around! HTH Janet
Happy Birthday to your sweet Dad!!! He is a very talented and hard working man. It’s so nice to see(read about) you honoring him. What a blessing you and he both are to each other. The fact that he is a Godly man, in my opinion is why he enjoys a long life and love and fulfillment ,,,and naps,,,when he wants to : )
Beautiful story telling. It’s good to stop and honor our family and our roots.
So Rhoad is a PK; let me guess Southern Baptist? I’m sorry I missed your Dad’s birthday, I hope that he had a special day spending it with all his family. Did anyone ever tell him that he and Willard Scott from “The Today show” looks a lot alike? Willard remarried recently and I think he spends most of his time at his home in Bald Head Island, NC about 30 plus miles from where I grew up.
I loved your article on building the Billy bookcases. Tell Dad he did a great job. If I read your article correctly, the backing is like cardboard? Did you replace it with something else? We have a lot of Sauder pieces that you put together and you can’t hardly tell them from our expensive furniture. My DH finds their instructions very good and if you are missing even a screw or any hardware that wasn’t included in the pkg. You call their 800# and they will put a new bag of hardware in the mail(usually by UPS or FEDX the next day. Great company to deal with.
The house is really looking good since you finished the paint job. You’re so lucky to have your Dad around to help you with some of your building projects. Do they live close to you?
Your Dad’s garden looks like it is tended with a lot of love and hard work. Silver Queen corn is my favorite and you don’t seem to find it anymore. Maybe if I’d go down to the Eastern Shore(Md). they may grow it still. Those tomatoes on the plate look delicious! I recognized another Southern vegetable from the garden right away(Okra). You mentioned Steamed Okra..My Mother used to cut it up into slices and fry it..oh, that slimy mess and the only way I like Okra is in my vegetable beef soup. What kind of peas were on the table? Field or black-eye peas? Not crazy over field peas but love black-eye peas cooked with some fat back..You know what I mean?
Betty, I think those were field peas,although they grow black eyed peas too. We all enjoy that garden!