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Happy Birthday Dad. I Miss You.

By Karen Anne Stone

Real Estate Agent with New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County

January 23, 2011 11:57 AM

Today is my Dad's Birthday. He would have been 92 today.

For much of last night, and much of this morning, I spent quite a bit of time thinking about him. Actually... I think about him a lot more often than that.

Once again... I found myself on YOU TUBE… listening to some of the songs that were popular in the 1940′s… when my Dad was in his early 20′s and my Mom was two years younger than that.

There were so many songs there… songs that surrounded Dad and Mom… way back then.

I was mostly listening to songs from WW2. My Dad was “over there” when I was born early in 1944. I have a letter that my Mom send my Dad… showing him a picture of her holding lil ol’ me… newly born.

The songs were almost all sung by Vera Lynn. Two of them were… “You’ll Never Know” (Vera Lynn, 1943) and "When the Lights Go On Again” by Vera Lynn .

They were followed by Ms Lynn… who became Dame Vera Lynn… singing After The Rain, and We’ll Meet Again , and the incredible When I Grow too Old to Dream . The list goes on and on and on. You get the picture.

And then I found an interview with Dame Vera. Dame Vera Lynn on GMTV . It was just simply amazing. You Tube… in many, many ways… almost makes the past “live again.”

All songs celebrated “the troops”… with the fervent hope and intent that they would someday return.

It’s quite ironic… how the older I get, the more my Dad and his memory mean to me… and the more I realize just how much he went through… to finally come home to me and my Mom… as we waited for him in Cleveland.

Happy Birthday Dad. I miss you.

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Karen Anne Stone

New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX

Fort Worth Real Estate

Anna: How absolutely incredible that your Mom and Dad were married for over 60 years. My Dad didn't tell very many stories from his years in the Service. I think he spent an awful long time putting distance between himself and those terrible times. The "softie" I am... I just don't know how he made it through all those awful things he had to do. It had to be done, and he did his part, and my respect for him is endless for that part of his life.

It sounds like you have had two wonderful role models. So often when one parent of such a longtime couple passes... the other just is never the same until they are together again. This reminds me of a similar, yet very different story that I will have to write a post about. Ah yes... my Dad telling me "that's my girl !" How I would just love to hear him say that. <crinkly smile>

Jan 23, 2011 05:19 PM

Karen Anne Stone

New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX

Fort Worth Real Estate

Kirsten: What kindness you offer me... just before my beddie-bye time. How I truly would love to hear him say those words. Maybe, just maybe, I'll see him in my dreams tonight... and can hear those words for myself. That would be such a great Birthday Present for both of us to share.

Jan 23, 2011 05:23 PM

Eric Michael

Remerica Integrity, Realtors®, Northville, MI - Livonia, MI

Metro Detroit Real Estate Professional 734.564.1519

Great tribute, Karen Ann. Not sure why, but I associate certain songs to my Dad, too.

Jan 23, 2011 10:18 PM

Toni Weidman

Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL

20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

What a great memory, Karen Ann. It's true, I think, that as you get older you tend to think back more on how your parents were and what they did and, Eric is right: I associate certain songs and singers with my Mom (she's been gone 14 years).

Jan 24, 2011 12:33 AM

Jill Sackler

Charles Rutenberg Realty Inc. 516-575-7500 - Long Beach, NY

LI South Shore Real Estate - Broker Associate

I'm sorry for the losses you've experienced. Memories are so bittersweet. A while back, Karen, you wrote something that left me with the impression that we were not going to hear as much from you from now on on AR. I, for one, am very happy that you're around just as much as ever.

Jan 24, 2011 02:02 AM

Lisa Coates

Level Ten Construction Consultants - Halifax, NS

Residential Home Sales Specialist

Karen, I think it' really great you keep the memories of your father alive. Not all of us have the courage or strength to do it with such a strong passion as you. Reading your post has sparked a flame in me to attempt to do the same. Thank you

Jan 24, 2011 02:07 AM

Liz Wallace

Century 21 Sherlock Homes - Rockville Centre, NY

Broker C21 Sherlock Homes, Rockville Centre, LI, N

You write beautifully and I guess by the multiple posts you know how well you touch people, that's a gift. Thank you for bringing Big Joe (my dad) up front today. He liked to do the two step and I remember them dancing to "When I Grow To Old To Dream" I was young enough to think them goofy and now I remember them as wonderfully in love.

Jan 24, 2011 02:46 AM

Robert Vegas Bob Swetz

Las Vegas, NV

Hello Karen and I am a day late for you fathers birthday and I miss him just from reading your post ... "Take Care"!

Jan 24, 2011 10:32 AM

Cara Marcelle Mancuso

Golden Girls with SW Desert Homes - Tucson, AZ

Call a Marana neighbor, I'm THERE!

Awww, how sweet! Got all misty and missing your dad too! My step dad of my life since I was ten years old passed away 18 years ago, and he would have been 80 today - His favorite artists were Buck Owens, Patsy Cline, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette -- growing up, family time meant Hee Haw and the Lawrence Welk Show!!! Thank goodness for our memories, huh. It's so hard to lose family.

Jan 24, 2011 12:51 PM

Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS

Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA

South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

My dad was born in 1919 also, small world and yes I miss him too...

Jan 24, 2011 03:33 PM

John Mayer

Oikos Realty, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach Florida - Cocoa Beach, FL

Your Beach Area Expert

Karen Anne - That is so touching! You are such an open, loving person. I think of my Mom a lot and my Dad may join her soon. He's 87 and on Dialysis right now and pretty much bed ridden. I talk with him every chance I get because tomorrow I may not be able to.

Jan 24, 2011 04:14 PM

Ted Tyrrell

RE/MAXCamosun (Chatterton) - Victoria, BC

Selling Homes in Beautiful Victoria

Karen Anne, your dad would be proud of his daughter. My dad was born in 1913 and he wanted to fight for our side side, but apparently he had flat feet and was not accepted. He kept the homefires burning here on the continent.

Jan 25, 2011 04:51 PM

Karen Anne Stone

New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX

Fort Worth Real Estate

Ted: I hope and pray that he is proud of me. Things were so very different for my Dad, and for your Dad as well... way back then. It was a totally different world. Totally. In many ways it was a much simpler world... yet in other ways it was just about as crazy as the world you and I live in.

Jan 25, 2011 05:13 PM

Stephanie Stringer

First Choice Loan Services NMLS#210764 - San Antonio, TX

Mortgage Loan Originator

Karen, You just made my masscare smear! That was a nice tribute to your father and I bet he is so proud of you! My dad passed when he was 43 years old. His birthday was on Flag Day so every June 14th, I look up at a flag and salute it for my father! Take care....

Jan 26, 2011 05:54 AM

Karen Anne Stone

New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX

Fort Worth Real Estate

Stephanie: Well... that's what ya get for not wearing smudgeproof mascara. Gotta follow these fashion trends, my dear. <smile>

Wow... so sorry your Dad passed so early in his life. You both missed so much of each other. And... passing on Flag Day... and then looking at the flag and saluting. I am glad it works for you. Me... I would be in tears every June 14th.

Thank you for reading this post. I will go to your blog and subscribe. I invite you to do the same. I wrote a similar post about my Mother last Mother's Day. It was a "tear-jerker" as well.

Jan 26, 2011 06:08 AM

Lanre-"THE REAL ESTATE FARMER" Folayan

ERNAL REAL ESTATE GROUP with Samson Properties - Bowie, MD

I don't make promises.I deliver results.SOLD HOMES

Happy Belated Birthday to your Dad Karen. Very touching post. Your affection towards your father shows how much you miss him and love him. Great post.

Jan 26, 2011 04:16 PM

Maria Couto

RE/MAX Premier - Berkeley Heights, NJ

Realtor with "Results That "MOVE" You'

Very moving post, very personal and more than likely painful to write. I feel for you and your family. I'm not American born, and sometimes I think I appreciate American soldiers more than most: without them where would I be, hopefully not hungry, but probably barefoot, which was the case when I immigrated.God Bless.

Jan 26, 2011 04:38 PM

Teral McDowell

Referral Patners LLC - Murphy, TX

A sweet tribute to your dad; my dad was "over there" too only not before I was born as he was 11 yrs older than my mom. I sometimes think about how old my dad would be and I can not imagine him that frail. Happy Birthday to your dad, Karen Anne.

Jan 27, 2011 05:03 AM

Joyce Godwin, Realtor, CRS

RE/MAX Elite Properties; Serving Cypress, Spring, Tomball, NW Houston - Houston, TX

RE/MAX Elite Properties

Hi Karen, I know what you mean about missing your mom and dad. You have some very special memories! Thanks for sharing them. I lost my dad in 1988 and my mom in 1997. Doesn't matter how long ago it was, we still miss them, don't we? My mom would have been 91 last week and my dad would have been 101 last October.

Jan 27, 2011 07:40 AM

RhondaHeaslip NanaimoRealEstate

RE/MAX of Nanaimo - Nanaimo, BC

Karen Anne, My Dad was born in 1925 and we lost him to cancer in 1992. Not a day passes that I don't miss him. My baby was 28 days old and he only got to hold her once. Now she's 18, stunning, brilliant and in her first year of pre-law. He would have been so proud and it tugs at my heart strings when I think of what he's missed...and what she's missed by not being able to have him in her life.

Funny you should write this as I have been thinking about him a lot lately. I am training competitively again and going to my first Canadians since the mid-nineties. My father never would have missed this; He attended several of my world championships. We all adopted him as the team Dad. So many of the other Dads were unable to attend.

I know he's with me this time, too.

Thank you, my friend, for writing this one :)

Jan 27, 2011 11:24 AM