I went to visit my Tia Irma who lives with my Gramma and Grampa this Tuesday. I haven’t been there in such a long time - I’m talking years. I’ll have to get into that whole dramatic mess another time. They are my dad’s family. I walked in the door of their brick house, which is two doors down from my childhood home and it was all exactly as I remembered it. I almost cried when I walked in and saw my grandparent’s smiling faces. It was heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time.
We visited with them for several hours, then ran up to Peter Piper’s to bring some pizza back to the hosue to eat for dinner. After dinner my Tia took me into her room to show me something she had made. She compiled about 250 pictures from my father’s childhood and put them on disk for me. Again, I almost cried. I have never had pictures of my father as a child. We went through the entire slideshow and I had to hold my breath at times to keep from crying out. It was amazing. I have this cherished CD in my computer now and I’m looking at memories from his past. I love it! Here are some that I really like.
My Grampa working the fields in what is now Surprise.
This picture is of my dad and 3 of his siblings with my grandpa in the corn fields that they used to take care of. The corn fields, sadly, were destroyed to build all the new houses that exist in Surprise today. My dad is on the left. He was about 6 here.
This shows my dad from ages 9-11
Daddy’s school ID. Notice that back in 1964 Dysart was just called Dysart School and was technically in Peoria. When I went to school it was Dysart Jr, then High School and it was considered to be in El Mirage. He was 12 here.
Daddy riding the horse of one of his Tio’s in Mexico. He was about 14 here.
Daddy mowing his lawn. Age 15.
Daddy, age 17
Daddy’s High School graduation, 1970
Daddy in the Army. He was so handsome.
Daddy’s family with my dad on his visit home from the Army. Check out his sunglasses. They remind me of Maverick’s from Top Gun! LOL From L-R: Tia Frances, Grandma, Grandpa, Daddy, Tio Ernie, Tia Linda, Tia Irma.
Oh wow Tiff….I forgot that face..he was so handsome. Thank you for sharing these. I miss your dad.
He was very handsome. I never met your Dad, but I can sure see the resemblance in you
Can you Jess? I don’t see it. Although, everyone who’s ever met me thinks I’m mexican instead of white (although I’m both) and assume I speak spanish. I don’t think I look like either of my parents. I’m such a mutt.