Dad and Grandpa

I wasn’t even a sparkle in my Dad’s eye in 1936. He still had high school to get through then after graduating from Renton High in 1940 he was off to the Army and World War II. Dad was sent to England, the Normandy Invasion, and later served under Patton in the Battle of the Bulge.

This is my family (circa 1936) with Grandpa George Fabre, left, Grandma Pauline, her mom, my Great Grandma Celine Boulanger Longville Delaurenti, Grandpa’s brother Jules and his sister (playing the accordion) Louise, my  Dad, Al, and his older brother, my Uncle Georgie...

I’m thinking they're celebrating the purchase of this vacant lot. Grandpa will soon build their new home here on Tobin Avenue. 

With Father's Day coming up this weekend my Dad and Grandpa are crossing my thoughts. Both were self made men. Grandpa, after several years of working the area coal mines up and quit one day and became a contractor. He built many beautiful homes in the area. Dad was a professional musician and played the Seattle nightclub scene and around the area for over 46 years before he passed in 1998.

Dad and Grandpa were very different personalities from each other, yet in many ways, certain things were very much the same and constant. I've never known two more hard working men with great big hearts. They both enjoyed the simple life and the company of family, friends, and neighbors. Both were very generous, almost to a fault. Neither liked anyone making a fuss over them and from both I learned it was most important, always, to do the right thing.

We new without a doubt we were loved and all these years later on those occasions I take a moment to look up that ole river of life, I'm grateful the memories bring smiles and remind me from where I've come.

Thank you both.