Marion Conner...My Dad...

I have to laugh, when I see this picture of my Dad... He would NEVER wear glasses... He had this taken, for his chauffeurs license, he drove semi, among many other things....and had to wear them to pass the test... Tho, you can't see them, he had shocking blue eyes, and almost black hair...6 feet tall, 190 pounds, and made of iron...{ he reminded me of Andy Griffith...He walked, and talked just like him, and had the same way of thinking, as the character} He was hardest working man, I have ever know...{ John, is the second...} He worked every day of his life, except Sundays... Holidays didn't mean much to him, and he'd, as my Mother would say, "conveniently disappear', and come rolling in, after everyone had dispersed... Oh well, that was Dad...And I always pretty much knew where I could find him...{ usually out working on an old tractor, or truck, or with the livestock... I know I would have much rather been with him, and not at the gatherings too, but, I think if he would have taken me, on those days, Mom would have skinned him alive!} If Dad said he'd be back on 'Thursday', you had better find out what Thursday, of what week, of what month, and maybe, of what year... He probably wasn't the best 'husband' material, and had 2 failed marriages, but neither my Mom or Dad remarried, after their divorce, when I was 5. They lived on and off together, until he died, and they loved each other, very much... My Dad didn't always put his family first { not good, in my Mother's eyes} and would give his last dime, to a friend who was down and out... Money, didn't mean much to him... People did....}His heart was always in the right place, but...he kind of flew, by the seat of his pants... Literally... He taught himself, back in the 40's, how to fly... He had a little 2 seater airplane, and would take friends and elderly neighbors for rides... He lost his pilots license, when he took a man for a ride, that was his boss, and a real jerk... The man was mean, to all the men, and was always belittling them, but begged Dad to take him for a ride... So... Dad took him for a ride... He flew between the river, and a bridge... and scared the man so bad, I think he had to change clothes, when they landed... oops... Dad was seen, doing this, and lost his license... He was a dare devil, and nothing was impossible, in his eyes... He could look at something, that everyone said couldn't be done, and he'd getter done... "Can't' wasn't in his vocabulary.... He was sharp as a tack,{ with only an 8th grade education, but could out wit, any scholar, I have ever known...} and never knew a stranger... He was loved by all, who knew him...Rich, and poor, alike... He had friends, that were worth millions, and some that were homeless... and loved them all the same... He loved children, and always took time for them...The neighbor kids, always hung around, he'd teach the neighbor boys how to shoot, and work on cars and tractors, and take us girls skating, or help bridle up the horses for us, then stay and watch, and cheer us on.... and I'll never forget my friends telling me, how much they loved my Dad...He put us all first... and spent time with us...Most of my friends parents, had much more money than us...but in all honesty, we had so much more, than they did... and I think all the kids knew it... I never knew any different, and never truly knew, how very blessed I was... I loved being with him... I remember him taking me, to the old farms, where he would be cutting up iron, and I'd sit in the car, all day... It would sometimes be too cold for me to play outside.... He'd show me how to start the car, if I got cold... I didn't care, I was with my Dad... He was long winded, and I'd hear him tell the same story, over and over...But they were always so fun to hear again and again... I never got tired of hearing them... I'd sure love to hear him tell them one more time... Sometimes, he would laugh 'til he cried, and couldn't hardly finish... we'd all be laughing... because he was such a wonderful 'story teller'... We'd all be hanging on every word....He was a good, honest, loving, hardworking man... I sure miss him....