My Dad

My Dad... Father, Friend, Councilor, Mentor... Man of God...

He loved talking to people... He listened to them... and always loved an interesting conversation...

Growing up my Dad was at everything I ever did. He fixed everything I broke, instructed me in life and knew how to do... everything else. I always looked up to MY DAD.

When I was very young, I remember being in the garage in winter and He was cutting out a Santa Claus figure to put on our roof. It was about 8’ tall and I was riding around the saw horses on my tricycle waiting for him to finish... He always did fun stuff for me... what kid doesn’t want his own 8’ Santa?

He was my Sunday school teacher in third grade. He was teaching us the books of the bible... He called on me to recite them...I didn’t get them right. He had made a DUNCE cap... He put it on me... I looked like Dumbledore from Harry Potter... he made me sit in the corner on a stool with the hat on. Later we laughed about it but... the next week everyone got all 66 books correct, even me.

When I was about 10 he had weekend job in Beverly Hills building a new family room out of Brick. I worked for $5 day (slave labor) washing and carrying bricks. The deal was...whatever I earned and saved...he would double so I could buy a Honda 50 Mini Bike. Cool Dad Huh? I finally got that mini bike...

He would take me most Sundays to ride my new mini bike and even let me sit on his lap and drive the old Ford Station Wagon...so much fun.

My Mom and Dad were always chaperones for...cub scout trips, marching band events or anything else I was involved it. They were both always present. Dad was even the coach of my little league team... I sometimes wonder how he did it... He played Rugby and Cricket... Go figure??... he was still a great baseball coach.

In Middle and High School my Dad would take me out to play tennis at least three days a week. He was patient, even when I knocked balls over the fence or occasionally hit him... he coached me to improve and finally make the varsity team. I remember the day I beat him for the first time... I was so elated... I often wonder if he let me win just to continue to encourage me onward...

He taught me how to do construction, work on cars, be a Gardner and lots of other stuff too. Always telling me “it's good to know how to do things”... it gives you a choice for the future... fix it or hire someone...always knowing what it would take or cost to do yourself.

He always talked of working Hard. “even if” you’re the boss, continue to work hard and don’t ask anyone to do anything you’re not willing to do yourself. He told me what Grit was and showed me how to get it.

I had a part time job in college but most weeks he would still give me a few bucks to take my girlfriend out to a movie and dinner... He was always generous with me.

He was an immigrant from Wales. They came HERE for a “better life”. He had a good job in Wales as a bus mechanic, He had a new house but... off they went to the New World as he sometimes called California.

There was no work here in the beginning but he did anything to make money. He told me one particular day of digging ditches all day and being so frustrated that Him and his friend Jim Sullivan went to a Bar after work and spent all their money on Beer... He went on to sell cars, dig more ditches, and then got a job as a construction guy.

He ended his career in the Movie Industry as a Construction Coordinator with sometimes as many as a few hundred guys working for him. I knew many of the key foreman and also the laborers. Both came to our house and spent time with our family along with many movie stars he met along the journey. All were Welcome. He worked on many shows and movies. He did the Incredible shrinking woman, all Airplane and Jaws movies, Dukes of Hazard, Simon and Simon and Quantum Leap and many others. He went on location to Hawaii, Texas, Florida, Martha’s Vineyard, and travelled many times by limo and private jets to “scout” locations. My Mom was often with him so it was a good life. He also had a speaking part in one of the Jaws Movies.

All through my career, Dad would call me most days to check on things. He would give me advise, encouragement on how to proceed, or was a sounding board when I was ticked off at something or other.

The last three and half years, Dad has lived life with me and my family. He has gone to every event that the Boys were in. He travelled to Wales last year to see family. He travelled to a few Singing Festivals on the East Coast by himself (amazing). He was planning to go to Michigan this Sunday, in His Kilt I'm sure with our family to see my Friend John and Sharon. He had been planning to go to the Gymanfa in Rochester at the end of August again by himself on a plane. Crazy at 87 years old but I couldn’t stop him from doing what he enjoyed most.

He rarely told me what to do, He only suggested... and No matter what the situation was he would say.. “it will all work out”. His actions were kind, peaceful and thoughtful.

Over the years He did many oil paintings and has given many recent works away. He had requested a few years ago that I turn His Enclosed Patio into “His Art Studio” He was pretty excited. He then got a stereo and a turntable so he could listen to his hymns and old records. My Dad loved Music. He had many opportunities to conduct singing festivals, leading choirs at the Mayflower Club and in the army and also being on the Queen of England’s Birthday Ball committee and conducting that Choir too.

My Mom and Dad travelled a lot, they were always meeting someone. On one trip they met Maggie Thatcher... and at an earlier time had Lunch on the terrace at the Houses of Parliament.

My Dad spoke Welsh, liked a scotch at dinner with the family at whatever restaurant we went to. He would call me most Friday afternoons and say “its Friday are we going out to Dinner tonight, so Jhaiyn does not have to cook” then he would tell me it’s his turn to pay... which was every week ... god forbid if I tried to get the check, then it was Discipline Dad... some mumbo jumbo about don’t bug me on this “I'm your father”..... wasn’t worth arguing.... Just Dad being Dad.

He recently bought a Kilt...Two actually...”Dad what the heck are you doing in a man dress” ... he mumbled something in welsh... Im doing what I want to do...When he told me how much they cost I thought he had finally snapped...However, he wore it to church, football games, the ballet, concerts... he became known as the “Bad Ass Grandpa” at Granada High... and people just came to know him as the “guy in the Kilt”. He loved telling people about His Kilt and His tarten...Crazy Dad.

Couple years ago, I was stationed at Shepherd of the Hills Church Brentwood... Every Sunday my Dad would make the trek with me...even though we might be gone a good portion of the day. He would just say...I'm coming with you. Today I realize once again... Dad was being Dad and looking out for me, walking with me in my new position...probably... making sure i did it right for God.

Recently some friends and I started New Life Church... I think it reminded him of the church where he grew up, Ebaneezer in Gorseinon. His Dad was a Decon and his mom was in the choir. We went to see that Church together last year...he recalled many of the good memories growing up in that Chapel.

My Dad was a gentle soul, loved life, loved his grandsons, and mostly loved me in the deepest sense by showing me How in all that he did...

He wasn’t sick, he was as strong as an ox and fought like crazy in the hospital. I held his hand to the very last breath surrounded by a loving family, loving friends and a loving church... Ive had the last three and half years to live life with my friend, My Dad.

He will be missed...mostly by me.

But, he has gone home and is once again singing and dancing with my Mom and Jesus... its not goodbye, just...Ill see you later as my son Gareth said to me at his passing.

Dad, I love you, and you will remain in my heart until we meet again.