...my dad....

... would have been 80 today---he passed away Feb 18, 2001 from complications of diabetes---heart disease, cardiovascular disease---just yuck....those last two years were nasty....health is such a decider in how your later years go---and he got the short straw---he was just 72.

but---had he lived to be 80-

---with a modicum of health

---he would have been the old man sitting on the second row of the Gospel Doctrine class---questioning everything you said, sitting with his large-print quad on his lap---nobody could pull a questioning face like Ace Ensign--cocking his head to the side and pursing his lips, brow furrowed....he would clear his voice and, in a very respectful manner, let you know his understanding of the verse you just read---and you would believe him---he had that way...then he would come up to you at the end of class and congratulate you on a job well-done and pat you on the back.

...had he lived to be 80---he would be thrilled with his family---so many missions, temple marriages, great-grandkids---his family was his biggest joy.

...had he lived to be 80---he would have every toy---the GPS, the webcam, digital everything....he came in just too late for all the guy toys we have now---he collected calculators---imagine what he would have done with cell phones and PDA's! He didnt like chat rooms, but I think that was because he didnt feel well and couldnt follow all the random comments---but he would have loved webcams.

...he loved nice cars---so a camera to show what was behind the car---absolutely...cherry red with a really nice stereo for his Anita Kerr or Andy Williams' cds...power everything, cruise control---with the whitest white-wall tires you ever saw....and at some point he would have had a convertible (he told me he always wanted to get a convertible for Mom---yeah, dad, whatever).

....he would have loved the cruise to Alaska 3 years ago.

...he liked motorcycles---so one of those big cruising bikes---altho he wouldnt be able to get mom on it! he loved his bikes...and his helmets....he took good care of whatever he had.

...he liked nice clothes...shiny shoes, co-ordinated ties/belts---but he liked polyester---so I hope he would have adjusted with the times---he wore cardigan sweaters all the time---had one of every color.

...temples---he would be so thrilled at the number of temples---and then point to the maps where temples arent dotting the earth! he'd be encouraging all of us to get to the temple more often....and he'd see us there.

but---if he had lived to be 80

.....he would have hated 9/11----that would have really upset him----he loved to study 'signs of the times'---and that would have been a biggie to him...all the upset in the middle-east.

...the politics and lack of ethics---the scandals---that would have raised his blood pressure--he was such a man of honor that to have others not having the same integrity---too much.

.....the cost of gas---he'd be ranting! as much as he liked nice cars---he'd have a manual transmission little nothing for around town to show that he was saving gas.

.....weather/natural disasters----dad loved to point out that weather is used in the Scriptures all the time to humble the people....so between tsunamis, hurricanes, droughts, tornadoes, earthquakes....yeah---he'd be preaching humility.

had he lived to be 80----I could with him happy birthday and tell him i love him