My dad died this morning.
He lost his father, Francis a week before his 9th birthday. He and his younger brother Dave were raised by their mother Delma and relatives.
He went to Colorado A&M in Fall of 1950 to play football and avoid the army. The Korean War was raging and sending home dead or badly damaged soldiers. He actually wanted to join the army when he graduated from high school but was only 17 and his mother wouldn't sign the papers.
After he graduated from college with a degree in Agriculture he was drafted and went to the army. He complained about it, but also described a life with two buddies both called Ray that was pretty awesome.
He met my mother and they were married within 3 months, in September of '59. They had two girls while he went to grad school at what had become CSU. He left with a Masters Degree in Food Science. And two daughters, Amy (1960) and Beth (1962).
He entered a PhD program at Ohio State but became disillusioned with the position and found a job at Gerber Products Company in Fremont, Michigan. While working there in 1964 I came along. My sister Meg came in 1966 and they called it a wrap.
Gerber wound up sending him to Michigan State University where he got a PhD in Infant Nutrition. His career was stellar. He eventually became a Corporate Vice President and the Director of Research.
He left Gerber to form a consultancy (just him) and he worked for a couple foreign governments and the US Agency for International Development.
During his life he traveled the world. He had a marriage that lasted until my mother died in November of 2021. He never lost his facilities and he never had to go to a nursing home. His life was a success by all measures.
Rest In Peace Dad
