50+ Lifestyles

Father’s Day

Regardless of the amount of time a dad spends with his children, there seems to be a special bond, especially with daughters. There certainly was between my dad and me!

By Mary Schricker Gemberling

My Dad
“The Greatest Gift I ever had came from God; I call him Dad.”
…Author Unknown

Father’s Day is a holiday celebrated annually on the third Sunday of June. It is a day that commemorates fatherhood (including grandfathers, great-grandfathers, stepfathers, and foster fathers) and their contribution to society. The History of Father’s Day dates back to 1910 in Spokane, Washington, where 27-year-old Sonora Dodd proposed it as a way to honor the man (a civil war veteran William Jackson Smart) who raised her and her five siblings alone after her mom died in childbirth. A bill to nationally recognize the holiday was introduced in Congress in 1913.  In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson went to Spokane to speak in a Father’s Day celebration and wanted to make it official, but Congress resisted, with the fear that it would just be another commercialized holiday. The movement grew for years but only became widely accepted in 1924 under former President Calvin Coolidge.  The holiday gained more popularity during World War II, with many men leaving their families to fight in the war. In 1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday of June to be Father’s Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law.

Since the inception of Father’s Day, the role of fathers has changed significantly. A generation or two ago, dads were often shadowy figures who disappeared at dawn and returned at dusk. Their role in the family was often relegated to breadwinner and disciplinarian. Today, while both parents work in over 60 percent of two parent households, it is imperative that household chores and parenting responsibilities be shared. Today’s children who seldom hear, “just wait until your father gets home,” often spend their day with their stay-at-home father while mother leaves for her job outside the home. It is not unusual to see a dad at the park with his kids or pushing a stroller down the grocery isle. Regardless of the amount of time a dad spends with his children, there seems to be a special bond, especially with daughters. There certainly was between my dad and me!
I grew up in a pretty traditional, middle class family in a suburb of St. Louis Missouri. In a time when most mothers were housewives, my mom worked with my father in a family business. This meant my dad was around the house more than conventional fathers of that time. Otherwise my parents’ roles were pretty normal for that era. My mother’s domain was the interior of our home, more specifically the kitchen, while my dad took care of outdoor chores and other needed household repairs. Most of the time, I could be found outside with my dad, quietly watching or helping whenever he would let me. I don’t remember much conversation with my dad during my childhood days, but as I became an adult we talked often. We discussed parenting, religion, politics, and current events whenever we had the opportunity. During the last few years before his death, with his health declining, I spent as much time as I could with him. Most of that time was in Florida, where we would sit in the sun at the pool or beach, feast on seafood, or just quietly sit on the screened porch at the condo. How lucky I am to have those special memories!

I suspect a combination of environment and genetics both contribute to my being like my dad in so many ways. We both tend to be positive people, who like to see the glass as half full. I am outgoing and love people like he did. My love of travel and spirit of adventure come from him. We favor hot weather over cold, and love the ocean rather than the dessert. In my aging years, as I look in the mirror, I see my dad in both my hairline and the laugh lines around my eyes.

So much has happened in the years since my dad died in 2002. If I had but one day to spend with him these many years later, I would brag about the two fine men his grandsons, Bret and Matt have become. I would want him to meet his beautiful granddaughter-in-laws, Jennifer and Lauren and spend time with each of his great grandchildren. I would want him to know that his grandson Jason (who he taught to play golf as a child) is now a PGA golfer. And last of all, I would introduce him to my husband Gary, who much like my dad, has a real spirit of adventure, loves to travel, is a veteran, enjoys people, has a wonderful sense of humor, and is a man of great faith.

Mary, a former educator and Seniors Real Estate Specialist, is the author of three books, Hotel Blackhawk; A Century of Elegance, The West End Kid, and Labor of Love; My Personal Journey through the World of Caregiving (available at www.amazon.com).