My Dad

Being as it is Fathers' Day weekend, I am posting the last picture of my Dad and I.  It was taken September 2003 about a month before my Dad died.  I miss him. 

He was such a strong man; he had such determination to fight for what he believed in.  My Dad was a plumber/pipefitter and worked out of Vancouver, B.C. through UA170.  He always seemed to be in turmoil with that union. 

I recall one time my Dad received worked through the union on a job in the city where we lived.  There was some uproar over travel time, I can quite remember the issue.  My Mom had left to attend a relations wedding in another province.  My Dad, my brother, and I were on our own.  On the second day after my Mom had left; my Dad came from work and said - we are going out for supper.  He explained the contractor on the job was to supply him with meals/accomodation.  Off we went to the hotel room.  My Dad placed the food order 4 steaks with vegetables and all trimmings and a raisin pie.  Oh my, it was delicious.  We went there for about a week.  Then one day, my Dad came home from work and said, my job is no longer.  We asked what happened and he replied; the contractor did not appreciate all I had to eat.  (Yep, like my Dad can eat 4 steaks). 

My Mom returned home to find my Dad is not working but that she has an assortment of new platters.  My Dad explains in more detail than I have written what exactly has transpired. 

What is priceless about this writing is years later, I was employed at a pulp mill.  One day while sitting at my desk I noticed a contractor out in the hallway looking at my name on the door my office.  I asked him, do you require assistance?  He said, Beverlee Traxler.  I replied, yes, that is me and how can I help you.  He says his name and I knew immediately who I was talking with.  The contractor that supplied my Dad with those fine restaurant meals for a week.  His name was John and he asks me if I am a relation to Bert Traxler; I said why certainly, I am his daughter; and how would you know my Dad.  He replies, it is a long story.  I laughed and proceeded with my day.

Needless to say, in seconds of sitting down at my desk I was on the telephone to my Dad.  I still remember the conversation.  Dad was laughing saying ... remember the raisin pie, Bev - then we'd laugh (geez, I am laughing right now). 

Moments with Dads' are so precious.  Happy Fathers' Day!

Photo - I do not have a scanner; so I took a picture of a picture - a picture in a picture show -- oh, oh