I’m Susan. Robert Barrow is my dad.

This is my family – my husband, Doug and our sons, David and Scott.

In the front hallway, there are photos, mementos and objects. These things represent many things that made up my dad and some of the things that I remember.

First and foremost – is a napkin from mom and dad’s wedding. They were married for 54 years. They stuck it out in the good times and bad. By today’s standards that not too shabby.

The Angora Sweater – I truly don’t remember the event, but my dad was always taking pictures. When I was little, maybe 3 or 4 there is a film of my dad holding my sister, Deb, who was a baby at the time, chasing me on a green lawn. I was laughing and laughing and twirling that white Angora Sweater. The sweater is yellowed now and I’m sure it shrunk because it certainly doesn’t fit anymore – but that home movie is my favorite. And believe me there are rolls and rolls and rolls and rolls of film and boxes and boxes of slides and pictures.

The Suitcase represents the trip we took cross country to California. Boy, we’re we so excited to go. Deb, Kim, and I saved up all of our loose change and birthday money just so we’d be able to go to Disneyland went we got to California. Dad was busy shooting pictures of all the places we’d seen and been to. He was so excited and couldn’t wait for us to see Jenny Lake and Old Faithful Geyser. We panned for gold at Knotts Berry Farm. I have no clue what state where we were in, but dad stopped the car and we went traipsing through a field to see a herd of Elk, up close and personal. Looking back, it was a pretty dumb thing to do, but he wanted us to really see them. Poor, Kim, she was cover from head to toe with so many bug and mosquito bites when we got back in the car we couldn’t count them all. We made it to Disneyland and the funniest moment was when the 3 of us were riding the teacups and Captain Hook “ hooked mom”. You should have seen the look on her face.

The suitcase also reminds me of how dad would pack a car. He had a method. Watching Scott when he packs a car or U-Haul (he’s moved way too many times since he’s been in college) reminds me of dad – both of them have a mean way with a suitcase. I don’t recall dad teaching Scott to pack – but it just must be in the genes.

The Sand reminds me of dad because he liked the beach. Well maybe it was really mom who liked the beach – but we always went there. For years and years, we’d make our way to Myrtle Beach. When Doug and I were first married, we’d go to the beach and we’d take our boys to the beach. I guess we’re a beach type of family – except maybe my son David. He’s not too keen on the beach, but he does like fishing.

Dad taught David to fish or tried to teach David to fish. It was funny watching the two of them, dad would get so exasperated with him because he just wouldn’t listen, he had his own theories on catching fish. Dad knew just how to cast the line, hold the rod, and whatever else you do when you fish. Dad had his way and David had his – but the two of them loved to fish – and when we’d come to visit – that’s what they did.

I also brought a few of dad’s tools, a piece of wood, an apple, a CD and his military hat. Dad’s profession was a teacher- the apple symbolizes his profession.and the tools because he taught shop. The wood, because he had an amazing talent and skill for turning wood into beautiful pieces of furniture. I know he never thought of himself as an artist, but he was. The CD, because my dad loved music. He played trumpet in his high school band, he sang in the church choir – he sang at my wedding, in fact he sang at all of our weddings. The Air Force hat because he served in WWII. Serving his country meant a lot to dad. We’re here today in a church honoring my dad. He felt strongly about his faith. As I was growing up, he brought us to church every week. As a teenager, I wasn’t too thrilled about getting up on Sunday. I asked my Aunt Freet one day about it, dad going to church every Sunday. She said that it was a promise he made to God - that if he came back alive from the war he’d go to church and be thankful that he had survived. He worked hard for what he had. Mom told me that at one time he worked three jobs to support us.

Dad loved all his girls – although he didn’t quite understand us at times. As we got older, he never understood the mall and I guess our fascination with it. There was no fascination – just a place to go and something to do. It absolutely drove him crazy. He always thought we went there to spend money. It’s not that we didn’t shop and spend – but it was more of a girl thing.

The last thing I want to share is about the small chest and the gold coins. Dad never thought of himself as a rich or successful man. The one thing that he always felt compelled to do was to make things better for us three girls and to provide for mom, help others when he could, and be a friend. He believed that he had skills and knowledge to share and pass on. We could just never get him out of his teacher mode… now that drove us crazy. He never thought we listened to him… he never thought we heard him. It broke my heart to hear him say that he didn’t do enough. You just never could get through to him that he did what he had always set out to do.

He and mom saw to it that his daughters were educated. He taught us how to be kind and care about others. He pounded it into our heads to be there for each other and to take care of each other. He taught us to appreciate the things we have. He instilled in us work ethics. He gave us the opportunity to travel and to laugh at the little things and cry over the big things and when we did - there would be someone there to stand with you. He had a solid circle of friends. He never thought we listened or heard him. We heard ya, dad. I do save money – I have a 401K plan, and I do have insurance. I also know the difference between a hammer and a screw driver – I even know that there is a flat head screw driver and a Philips head screwdriver. I don’t know how to use them but I know that Sears makes them and Sears is in the mall.

robert hill barrow