Heart of the Home

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My dad was only 45 years old when he passed away. However, he accomplished many things in the short time he was on this earth.

As a young man, he used to walk the railroad tracks to gather coal so his family could heat their home. He was always taking care of someone. He married my mom when he was very young. They were both raised in a Norman Rockwell-type of town.

Dad was the father of two boys and two girls, and he was always busy. He was a fire chief, on the high school board of directors, and a member of many local clubs. He built a bowling alley for the community and a grocery store for his mother to run.
 
All of this was done while he was running his own businesses - building homes, managing a grain elevator and moving houses.

He employed many people. At one time, he had around 100 employees in his grain elevator business alone.

These were all great accomplishments, but his true character shone when he was helping young people to realize their dreams. Many young couples started their marriage with a boost from my dad.

In the 1950s, when conflict was tearing apart Hungary and other small countries, my father decided to sponsor a family of four and five single men from Hungary.

He arranged for them to come and live in our small town, provided them with a home, a job and support to become independent. There are many stories to tell about how they adjusted to their new way of life - some funny and some very sad.

I always knew I could count on my dad. When I got married, he provided the down payment for our house.

He could do anything, and he was very well-liked by the townspeople. He was my security blanket. I had to grow up fast after he passed away.

I know there are other dads that are wonderful, but my dad was the best in my eyes - and always will be.

Mount Pulaski, Ill.

Call leads to reunion with Dad

The phone rang about 7 a.m. that Sunday.

"This is your father," my dad said. "It's Father's Day, and I've been thinking about you."

He apologized for forgetting about the three-hour time difference and waking me up. I wished him a happy Father's Day and went back to sleep.

Later that day, I realized that as his daughter, I should have been the one to call him on his special day.

Because my parents divorced when I was very young, I hardly knew my father. However, now I was glad he had called. If he really did care about me, we might be able to get to know each other.

I was happily married with two small children, and I thought my dad would like to meet them. My husband suggested we invite Dad to visit us for a few days. This proved to be a good plan.