DADDY

This picture--and the previous one--were taken at our home on Fox Hollow Road in Eugene, Oregon. You can tell how much Daddy loved us. Cindy and I have always known that his world revolved around us. He never made the mistake of putting work first--even though he always had a strong work ethic. Our family life was central to his existence.

When we moved from Medford, Oregon, to Idaho, Dad traded his car in for a 1960's blue Chevrolet station wagon. He rented a U-Haul to put all our possessions in. Mama made a bed for Cindy and I in the back of the station wagon. Unfortunately, it was snowing heavily, and as Dad drove around a bend near Ventura the car started sliding and very nearly drove off a steep embankment. So Mom and Dad stopped and put tire chains on the station wagon. As they were working, Mom heard something, and they stopped to listen. They looked in the back of the wagon and saw that Cindy and I were kneeling, holding hands, while Cindy "was praying like crazy that we wouldn't slide over the mountain in the snowstorm." (Dad's words)

Dad's territory was from Eastern Idaho to Pendleton, selling auto parts and tools for a warehouse in Portland. Mom and Dad had decided to live in Nampa because it was central for that territory. They searched for a day and a half in Nampa for a rental, then stopped for a snack. The lady that ran the convenience store knew of a rental in Caldwell--the pink duplex. Mom and Dad were always certain we were supposed to be in Caldwell. The pink duplex is still there on Indiana Street.

The pink duplex is now yellow!