A couple a stories about dad that we came up with last night when the family got together.

One was the time where dad was working on the car and it wouldn’t start.  Tim was outside helping dad under the hood.  I think I was inside turning the key.  Dad put some gas in the carburetor and that started the engine and shot out some flames.  Somehow the flames had caught dad’s hair on fire.  He said the “car is started“. Tim was outside and saw dad’s hair smoldering with white smoke.  He said “dad your hair is on fire”.   Dad used a cloth or rag to put it out.  I don’t think he put gas in that way again.

Steiner Rice (Mom’s relative) had passed away and had a few cats that lived at his auto salvage yard.  So Clayton went there found a black and white cat that we named Morris.    We brought him home but the cat was a little frightened and when it was time to go out he ran into the woods. The boy’s went on a search to find Morris but we could not get him to come back.  The next day Tim and Dad found Morris and from what Tim told me Morris came up dad and let him pick him up without a hitch.  Seems, dad had a way with animals.  That cat never left his side for 16 years after that.

Tim and dad had a bicycle accident and dad was hurt bad with a broken arm and many scrapes and bruises.  Tim was only six and was riding on the brace between the seat and handle bars, they hit a bump and Tim’s foot went into the wheel and flipped the bike.  My dad injured got Tim to knock on a few doors but nobody was home, My dad remained calm walked with Tim a half mile telling him everything will be ok until they reached Florence Barter’s house where they got help from Florence and uncle Ken.  Through it all he remained calm made sure my brother was ok and safe. Not worrying about himself.

One time Jeff and I were in Dad’s car.  Jeff just got his license and I was along for the ride.  There was a small patch of ice Jeff got the car sideways and went off the road near the Boothbay post office.  The car must have gone a 100 feet into about three feet of snow.  No way were we getting it out.  Someone called dad who worked at Frizzell’s and he came in 10 minutes with a tow truck to haul us out.  Took a few minutes of winching.  We were out and he never got mad. 

He was always there for us whatever happened and always was helpful to others.

By Alan Grant

Back when I started to drive - around 10 years old I think, my dad had an old 1950’s pickup he used for driving into the woods.  It had chains on the rear tires some big rusty spots and a 3 speed on the wheel, seats with springs poking up through it that you had to put a towel over.  Those were fun driving lessons!  Of course at ten years old what did I know about driving? 

I remember Tim and Jeff and I in the cab of the truck and Dad riding in the bed.  There was a field behind where we live and Dad said to drive around in there for a while. 

So I started driving and doing doughnuts with Dad in the back trying to hold on. My Mom at home was wondering why my Dad was driving crazy with three kids in the truck.  I don’t know if my brothers were scared or having fun.  Finally my Dad jumped out of the bed and told me to let off the gas. 

When he told my Mom it was me driving, let’s just say she was a little upset! That was my first driving lesson and where I learned to listen to my Dad.  

Not that I will be doing any doughnuts in a field again anytime soon, but I will always remember to let off that pedal!

I will miss all the fun we had with him.