A Great Man

59 years ago today, my dad Wayne was born. He is the fourth of five boys to William and Gertrude West. I would meet him when he was 30.

I don't believe there is anyone out there like him. I have two sisters so he was in a house full of women. He has always been a quiet man. Letting us ladies do most of the talking. When he talked though, we listened.

I can't recall a childhood memory where my dad wasn't present. One of my earliest memories of my father is when he worked for Foremost Dairy and he would bring home ice cream.

Wanting a better life for his family he decided to start up his own business. I didn't know it then but man times were tough. We wouldn't see it in our father though. He worked sun up to sun down and to this day he still does. He has always taken pride in a good days work and providing for his family.

He loves baseball and started collecting cards as a child. I can't tell you how many baseball cards he has, lets just say there are closets full of them. I loved watching my dad sort his cards. I wasn't allowed to touch most of them but watching from a distance was just fine with me. We would sit in there for hours. We used to go to card shows on the weekends. I remember him waking me up at 3 a.m. to head to a show in Oklahoma.

One Sunday morning when I was nine I remember my dad sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper while eating his breakfast. He looked up and asked me if I would want to tryout for a traveling softball team. I did, I made it, and I traveled with that team for nine years with my dad right there with me, usually coaching first base.

I played basketball in high school and he had a certain whistle to get my attention while I was on the court. It didn't matter how loud that gym would be I could always hear it and would look to see what advice he had for me.

The most recent memory of my father is him walking me down the aisle, and with a soft peck on my cheek he gave my hand to Jarad.

I have his nose, hands, feet, and lips. Along with those I got his competitiveness, temper, love for sports and the outdoors, fighting for what I believe in and so much more.

He is a great man and I am proud to call him dad.

Happy Birthday Dad! I love you.