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Show Feature rui SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS WEDNESDAY JUNE 12, 1996 Day to all Faftlh In By Barbara Pyles The third Sunday in J une is set aside for honoring fathers. In 1909, Mrs. John Bruce Dodd persuaded the Ministerial Society of Spokane, WA to honor fathers with special church services. She got the idea while listening to a Mothers Day sermon. President Woodrow Wilson officially approved the idea in 1916. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recommended that the nation observe the occasion to establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children, and to improve upon the full measure of their obliga-tion.I- n 1972, Congress declared it a national holiday. When you see a white rose, know that it is recognized as the official Fathers Day Flower. Just two days short of his 74th birthday, my father, Henry William Gaube, passed away. My heart broke in a million pieces. The memories of the sacrifices he made, the things he taught me, and the knowledge that everything he did for his family was done out of love are still with me. Because of the hard times ofhis generation, Dad left school at an early age to help his family make a living. During the Depression, he was lucky enough to have a job. My dad became the sole support of his mother and other kin. For this reason, he didnt marry until he was 32. People told me, I was marrying too late in life to have a large family, he once said. He had five children. It was common in the early 30s for children to be born at home. My dad helped bring me into this wqrld so it seemed only right that we would have a close relationship. At times, I was my fathers boy. When he took me fishing, I thought that I would die of pure joy. But I can hon estly say that my dad made each of his children feel special and he gave affection to us all. Dad would sit at the head of the table with the youngest member of the family on his right. He insisted on good table manners. My dad came from a strict German family who didnt believe in sparing the rod. Yet, he never raised his hand to any of us. We always attended church, but most of the time Dad dropped us off at the door. We never felt abandoned. Our dad believed in God, but he marched to his own drumbeat. Both Mom and Dad insisted we attend parochial school, and we never questioned their decision. Dad instilled in us so many of the good values in life. I was a bashful child, but my father always demanded that I try. From him I learned: Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. And I can still hear him say, always give 100 percent plus ten. Lying was not in my dads vocabulary. I recall once when my younger sister smacked my cousin: She did not, I lied. I did too, my sister insisted. My sibling wasnt punished. I had to spend the day in my room for lying. (Back then, rooms didnt have many frills.) My sisters and I spent the summers playing barefoot outdoors. We had no television or expensive toys. Our swing was a wooden slat and two ropes, and our playhouse was the trees in the backyard. Sometimes we ran out of fun things to do. Dad came to the rescue, taking us for an k ride in the country. On those Sunday drives, adventure seemed to lie around every corner. (Ofcourse, during World War II, this routine ended.) One of my most vivid memories of my dad is when I was about six. Dad took my oldest sister and I to the amusement once-a-wee- & Things Nursery All Vegetable Ponv & Jumb Packs - Buy one & get 2nd one at 12 price! St-xT Wrt 1 Arts Art? '' & (iV This Friday & Saturday, June 15 & 16 from 9 pm and 5 am-- 1 pm-- 8 pm Open Saturday 10 am to 8 pm 1.1 t c )m M Ojl- - o X' Jirt (0 I); So hurry while supplies last! Sorry, no rain checks on sale items. of light. When it stopped, my brave sister hurried aboard. My entire body became rigid. Dad bent down, smiled and with his strong arms gently lifted me and placed me besides my sister. Dad climbed in and secured the buckle around us. Ready? he whispered. I will always remember how he made that moment special for his little girl. My dad was good at everything. Honest, he really was. Take keeping secrets for instance: The Christmas I was in the fifth grade, I wanted a puppy. On Christmas morning, I awoke with a puppy on my bed. Father was standing next to me with a grin on his face. So, Laddy became a member of our family. A year later a car hit my dog. My father held me in his dladl arms while I cried. And another example of a fathers love came when our mother died. Although his heart was breaking, he cooked, washed clothes, and helped us through a very tough time. On my wedding day, I saw tears on his checks. Ive often thought of how close I felt to my dad at that precious moment. And on Fathers Day, my dad always sounded convincing when he said that he was delighted to have another tie. I realize today that fathers are very good actors. My father was a quiet man and full of fun. He put a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs and food on the table. But his greatness lies in the time he spent with his family. Ofcourse Dad wa9 only human and he made his share of mistakes. But my dad will always be my childhood hero, and the wisest man ever. I love you Dad. Gazebo the at Nkht Wednesday 1996 Gazebo Schedule Every Wednesday night at Father's Day Special Trees yu park for our first ride on the wonderful Ferris Wheel. The three of us stood for a moment, listeningto the music and watching the wheel rotating in a circle June 12 June 19 June 26 July 3 July 10 July 17 July 31 Aug 7 Aug 14 Aug 21 7:30 p.m. Angel Canyon Singers Tanner "Stages" Solos Kanab Civic Orchestra "The Desert Roses" (Sherran, Rosalie & Bev) Kortney's Combo Color Country Cloggers The Downward Family Holly Orton Centennial Stage Band Ice Cream Party Arizona Strip Cloggers Amy & Cheryl Johnson 13 |