My Daddy - A VTT Tribute

My Daddy (as all good S'uthern Girls refer to our fathers as "Daddy" no matter how old we get) had his 83rd birthday last Saturday.

My Sister couldn't get hold of him.

Neither could I.

As usual he was out gallivanting.

Drives us crazy.

We worry.

He'll call us back in a day or two.

Last week an ol High School buddy sent me the May 23, 1969 newspaper clipping you see above.  His Dad in the tall feller on the left of the front row, Mr McMillian, our former Parole Officer.  I don't mean ours personally.  Mr McMillian served our County.

Daddy is the feller in the light suit on the other side of the front row. 

Cecil Lee Porter has always been a fashion plate. 

I bet that was a nice linen suit.

The guy in glasses on the back row was the North Wilkesboro Town Clerk. The other two youngsters on the back row were Daddy's law partners. Mr Connor was the only person I ever "let" call me Rebecca.  He'd sing-song a silly "Rebecca of Sunny Brook farm" at me. Mr. Johnson decided that he's rather be out enforcing the law rather than behind a desk practicing it. He joined the NC Highway Patrol.

My Daddy has been practicing Law since he graduated from Wake Forest Law School in 1951.

He says he will keep practicing until he gets it right!

I think all the ladies in the Court House have crushes on him.

Wicked blue eyes and charm!

He is a funny guy. Quick with the one liners and always ready with a (often inappropriate) joke.

When driving us to school he would sing along with the radio and make up new lyrics to the songs.  Think Robert Goulet singing " 'I Believe' for every drop of rain that faaallllls, a flower groooowwws" But Daddy would sing it - very dramatically - "I believe for every drop of rain that faaallllllls, there is a splat!"  Straight face. 

Seriously.

He was also prone to writing funny things on the bulletin during Church service.  We always sat on the left hand side back row of First Baptist Church.  Often the choir members and even the Preacher would see our faces red with trying not to laugh and know that Daddy was up to mischief.

Daddy proudly paraded Baby Me around in 1960 whilst having me tell everyone to "Bote Kenkey!"  I was almost one year old, my English was sub-par but he had already indoctrinated me in to proverbial smoke-filled back rooms of the NC Democratic Party.  I was urging all to "Vote Kennedy!"

There is so much more to the story of and stories about my Daddy.  

He helped raise us to be Wake Forest Demon Deacon loving bleeding heart liberal Democratic Southern Baptists.  I know that is nearly impossible, right?

Happy Birthday Daddy!

We'll catch up with you when you slow down for a few minutes.

Please be sure to stop by Suzanne's Coloradolady blog for links to more Vintage Thingy Thursday blogs!