Your Wrong
because mine is.
He may not know EVERYTHING about everything but he
knows something about it.
In the past few years I've called him about:
my car running hot (just today)
when to plant my garden
what bird makes a certain sound
what size sandpaper I need for a sander
how much to ask for items at my garage sale
which way was 'gee' and 'haw' (don't ask)
how to get rid of ant beds
the best way to strip stain from cabinets
how to fix a water leak in pvc
how to patch a hole in stucco
how to re-wire a lamp
how to tighten a rickety chair
how to make biscuits (yep, you read it right)
what to do about Lulu's drain problem
and the list goes on and on
And never one time did he not know the answer.
Don Geddie is not just our father. He is SO much more! And we aren’t just being prejudice because anyone that is lucky enough to know him, would agree. However in order to be this amazing father he also has to be a:
Christian – Deacon: He is first and foremost a Godly, God-loving man. (“and you always wear your best clothes to church, because you always put your best on for the Lord”, according to Gertie Geddie, his mother.)
Mississippian: born in Jones County, graduated from Central High in Jackson, attended Hinds Junior College and he doesn't understand why anyone would want to live anywhere else.
Gentleman Farmer: He always has some strange collection of cows, goats, pigs, chickens, and whatever else someone gives him. Needless to say no one has to be persuaded to visit Papa. His house is kind of like a kid’s personal petting zoo. As his children, we were always really excited when he came home from working 7 and 7 off shore. However, to be honest, this excitement was not just because we loved it when he was home, it was also in hopes that he would show up our next addition to the “zoo". One time, he brought us each a rabbit. Another time, he brought us all ducks. One of our favorite times, he brought us home a goat, Billy, that thought it was a dog.
Bee Charmer: He is called on all over Pike County to come “Get this swarm of bees!” a talent he learned from his mother and also taught to his daughter.
Fixer of all broken things (“McGuyverisms”): Like all good daddies, we cannot think of anything he has not been able to fix or figure out a way to ‘make it do’. Whether it is a little girl’s doll, a leg on an antique table, or our favorite ‘new’ car, he can make them all wonderful again.
Scavenger: He will take anybody’s ‘good junk’, often found on the side of the road, and keep it until he finds the perfect use for it. Maybe this is why, when it comes to people, he always thinks the best of them.
Speaker: If you tied his hands by his side, he would be rendered speechless, but give him a microphone and a free hand to emphasize with and he is the master of ceremonies ***don’t forget to give him a time limit***
Teacher: Don always told his oldest grandchild, Hunter, “I’m going to college with you when you go so that we can finish together.” Don did go back to college, but this time as a teacher with the work force training program through Southwest Community College. We should never have doubted that he would be a good teacher. Afterall, he and our mom taught us everything we needed to know and loved us for every second.
Worked in the oilfield 43 years with an 8 year hiatus– He left a job he loved, with Exxon, because he felt he was missing half of his children’s life. What a wonderful gift he gave to his children.. himself. He opened a family business so he could be home for all the horse shows, recitals, ball games, beauty pageants and, of course, church.
This doesn’t even come close to summing up our father’s life.
He is without a doubt
the best
father
Every
Day.
He is our ultimate hero!!
April Darlin' mentioned to him, one day, that she knew he
would be so glad when all the kids were out of the house and he wouldn’t have to worry anymore, Papa said, “ I’ll never quit being your father. No matter how old you get, I will always love you and I will always worry about you.”
That's our Daddy and our Papa!!
There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself."
~John Gregory Brown, Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery, 1994