Father's Day

Father's Day is a tribute to the men in our lives. "A dad is a son's first hero and a daughter's first love."

My dad has always been the quiet, gentle giant of our family. He was my first hero and to this day, remains my idol. He is the man I've always emulated and wanted to be. My dad served his country in the US Air Force. His highly skilled intelligence and ability to solve complex problems led him to be Director of Far East operations for a large military defense contractor in his mid-20s.

Career

His specialized work moved us frequently around the world where he was responsible for installing navigational aids and communications in third world countries. As a result, we called Morocco, Virginia, Honduras, Panama, Philippines and Missouri, "home."

We were fortunate to experience the world at a young age. We we immersed in different cultures, forced to learn the languages and try different cuisines. More importantly, we learned to appreciate and respect other people.

My dad was my hero. Born in rural southern Illinois, he's always been the strongest man I know. He could tear a phonebook in half with his bare hands. Yet, I recall the way those strong hands lovingly cradled my baby brothers.

My dad managed hundreds of people and multi-million dollar projects throughout the 1960s-70s. I grew up with everyone looking up to him. His kind and reserved demeanor earned the respect of his employees, his clients and the dignitaries of the countries in which we lived. He was my idol.

Always Giving

Dad always brought back a suitcase filled with the latest toys from each overseas trip. He would bring back boomerangs from Australia, the latest trinkets from Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.

When we returned back to the US, he quit his defense contracting job to pursue his entrepreneurial dream. He started a chemical company and a Fish and Chips Restaurant to name a few. He was always open to a new idea and hard work. After a few years, he went back to his electronic roots and started a satellite TV company. We began making mesh satellite dishes way before their time.

Then an opportunity came to purchase a tool and die company. That was going well until Kansas City was hit with a flood in the late 70s which ruined the machinery. Yet, he never let up. He repaired and replaced what he could and we were back in operation.

It was at that time, that he relaunched the satellite TV company and we started making dishes out of fiberglass. It eventually grew from residential sales to commercial sales. We provided cable companies their equipment in the 80s and 90s as they started to gain a foothold. That company would grow to become Kansas City's 5th fastest growing company in the early 90s. He soon sold the company and retired in his early 50s.

Every Day is Father's Day

Dad has been our rock, business advisor, and the most doting grandfather. Now his grandchildren know him as the same quite, gentle giant we knew. However, to me, he has now become a larger than life, superhero. Happy Father's Day Dad! ad120

I hope you will enjoy some of his favorite recipes with your own dads and husbands too.

Wishing you and your Superheroes a Happy Father's Day!