My Daddy

Harold Harkins Schultz

Aug. 1, 1923 ---April 6, 2004

Today I’m writing about my Dad on the third anniversary of him knowing EVERYTHING I do. Yeah before he died I could hide a lot of things from him. Not now though. But now he can’t give me that stern look or get upset with me. Now he plays through my conscience.

Upon hitting the rewind button on my years with dad I think I want to share the things he taught or tried to teach me. Lessons from dad came in two different ways. Each was equally effective though…..I’m talking about words and actions.

A long time before I received my very first paycheck…. a big ole $2.43 an hour at Burger Chef…… dad told me to save 10 cents from every dollar I ever earned. I would never want for anything if I did that. Yup I messed up on that one…..

When I was a young girl, dad taught me to learn one word everyday and to use that word in a sentence three times during that day. He told me that if I did that, the word would always be mine. I loved the words dad chose…I wouldn’t say that he was an eloquent speaker but he sure was interesting! When dad spoke…most people listened. I like to think that he was a large part of my desire to increase my vocabulary.

Dad taught me a good solid work ethic. He taught me that if I really wanted to accomplish something that I could. He believed in me when I started any job or started any business. He was full of suggestions…sometimes I listened and sometimes I didn’t but I always asked for his thoughts.

I remember after his first stroke taking him over to the YMCA and he tried so desperately to gain some mobility back. He worked out on the equipment and in the pool. He was a bullheaded man. He didn’t give up.

I remember driving us to McDonald’s for the first time. I was in my 30’s….fast food just wasn’t something we did much when I was young. I remember daddy saying, “That’s ridiculous! You can get a 10 pound bag of potatoes for that price!” Always the penny pincher.

When we moved from middle class suburbia to farm land USA back in 1972 I was just a young girl. But I remember helping to tear down and rebuild a farmhouse that was nearly 100 years old. I remember stacking slate roofing and only being able to carry maybe four pieces from the house to the barn at a time. I remember using a hammer to knock plaster off walls and learning about mud and straw insulation. I remember clearing out fields of those God forsaken multi flora bushes. I remember guiding the posthole digger into the ground as dad sat on the tractor. I remember jumping up on the fender of that Massey Ferguson that we still have and holding onto the back on the seat.

Daddy gave me his 1972 MG convertible maybe about five or six years ago.
It needed alot of work done and we pretty much rebuilt the entire thing back when first got it. Expensive little car to redo but it was a riot to drive! I really want to get it running again. My feet barely reached the clutch and I had to have a pillow behind me! I remember one time getting caught in a storm out in the middle of nowhere and I was unable to fasten the roof OR get the wipers to work!

Dad loved chocolate. It wasn’t often that you didn’t see it in his beard or on his tummy. Hmmm… perhaps that’s why he wore dark brown so often? He couldn’t figure out how mom always knew. Quite often I would see the chocolate on him and take care of it. But then mom would find the wrappers in his pockets!

I could go on and on as more memories flood my thoughts but then I wouldn’t get anything done and after all….Dad’s watching so I better get back to work! Oh oh oh one more thing....the nurses had checked on Dad about an hour before he died and he was in bed just resting and smiling in need of nothing. When they went back about 40 minutes later two doves flew from his room. He was gone...peacefully yet unexpectantly gone.

Hugs, Happiness and Harmony!

Julie