Father's Day 2025: Pictures of Dad

Today is Father's Day.  And more than usual I'm feeling melancholy.  This is the eleventh Father's Day without Dad.  There's not a day that comes and goes, that I don't think about him.  He always had great advice.  What he liked to tell me often was "Always think positive!"  He told me that even though he knew I was struggling with a mind turned against itself.  He may not have understood what it meant to have that but he still abounded in empathy.

Thought I'd share some photos of him.  This first one dates to November 2006.  It's of Dad in his favorite place: his beloved knife shop.  It was really rainy and cold that day and I went by the shop to ask him something.  This is how I found him: reclined back in a chair with his pipe, thinking up new projects.  It's classic Dad.  Click to enlarge:

This next one is one of the best taken of him ever.  This photo, taken in February of 2012, was published in newspapers and websites across America.  It depicts Dad and his friend John Ashe.  This was for a story about John being an independent farmer.  Someday I'm going to get this photo blown up, printed, and framed for my wall.  Click to enlarge:

This is from the day we brought Tammy home in May of 2012.  She was six weeks old.  Click to enlarge:

A look at Dad's more whimsical side. Wearing his Camp Carefree Chili Cook-Off cap:

This was taken for the church photo directory.  I've got this picture framed and on display in my living room:

And then there's this one: Dad and I together on my fortieth birthday:

There is one other photo that I'm trying to find.  I'll post it here if I can locate it.

Edit 06/16/2025: I knew I had it somewhere!  For many years this pic hung on the wall in Dad's shop.  On the left side of the photo is George Herron, a master of crafting folding knives.  At center is Dad  On the right is Bill Moran, the gentleman who rediscovered the art of making Damascus - that is, folded - steel.  This picture was taken during a knifemaker's meeting and as you can see it depicts Dad, George, and Bill standing outside smoking their pipes.  There's a real sense of belonging and camaraderie among the knifemaking community.  It comes with sharing a love and passion for the art.  This photo captures and conveys that beautifully.  I've come to know a lot of knifemakers over the years, they come in practically all varieties of people.  George and Bill were some of the best and Dad was very honored to have gotten to know them.  A few days after Dad passed I was in his shop and saw this picture up on the wall, and I couldn't help but imagine George and Bill and now Dad up in Heaven with their pipes in their mouths and talking about their mutual love for the craft.  Anyway, here it is:

Categories: dad, family, fathers day, photography