My Daddy...

.....was born on February 6, 1930 in Blackwell, Oklahoma during the Great Depression to Olin Randall and Blanche Bottenfield Randall.  He was the middle child.  The family consisted of Olin, Blanche, Richard, Max, and Neal. (I wish I had a childhood picture of him with his family)  A major event occured in My Daddy's life when he was three.  He was helping his mother wash clothes when his right hand and lower arm was caught in a heated, ringer above the wash tub.  In those days they just couldn't save his arm so they had to amputate it below the elbow.  The event traumatized his parents for a long time but my Daddy just went on with his life and learned to adjust.  My Daddy even played football in high school.  He could do just about anything with that arm and he was especially good at tickling people (especially me) with the stub.  Even though I screamed a lot when he tickled me I think I liked it.

My Daddy had to move as a teenager when his father bought the Ford Motor Company in Perry.  He was not happy about moving but he must have found something to like about Perry since he's lived there ever since.  My Daddy worked hard every day in the Ford tractor and car business to make a living for us.  Later, he worked for Ditch Witch until he retired.

Here are some of my favorite memories spent with My Daddy...

•  Waiting at the corner of Rainbow Dr. for my daddy to come home from work.  The other neighborhood kids and I would then hop on the his pick-up side boards for the short ride to the house.
•  Riding out to the country to see friends with billows of dust following the pick-up.
• Picking up the "dog food/slop" from behind Kumback Lunch every evening. 
• Eating breakfast with him before going to school.
• Daddy driving me to junior high every morning in the "Jitney". (Another truck with the dog boxes on the back)
•  Taking a trip to Texas with him in the big semi-truck rig.  He had a code word for when I was supposed to give him another cigar from the glove box.
•  Putting together the first shed that we had in the backyard.
•  Swimming with Dad at hotel pools and watching him see how long he could hold his breath underwater. 
• Sitting on the tailgate of his pick-up truck watching Mom and Dad and the other couples square dancing in downtown Perry.  
• Helping Daddy plant okra in his garden.

I got my red hair and freckles from My Daddy.

He was dressed for Square Dancing.

This is Daddy's old Ford pick-up.

His hair was always wavy...here it was waving him "good-bye"!

My high school graduation in May 1977.

A sweet moment on Grandpa Randall's lap.

His chair was big enough for all three.

My Daddy on his 80th birthday.

Having a meal together last Thanksgiving.

My Daddy... I Love You!
Happy 81st Birthday!