Today I'm thinking of your journey home
The sweet memories that I have of you
How lucky I was to have you for so long
But when the end came near, I knew.....
How you longed in the end to go
How tired you had gotten...
What faith you had that life went on
And what reunions awaited you in Heaven
My first memories of you Daddy...
Still so alive in my head...
So tall, so dark, so handsome
And always the love you had for me
I remember your big hands placing me up....
I begged you for those pony rides...
Round and round I would go in a circle
And always you standing there with a big smile
I wanted to be a cowgirl...
You made my dreams come true..
Everyone who had a horse...
Would get a visit from me and you..
My best vacation was when we went
To stay at your friend's ranch...
I got my own private mule
To me he seemed to move fast...
You bought me boots and a cowboy hat
So that I could be a part.....
Of life on the ranch with the real cowboys
Who left imprints on my heart
You took such good care of me
All those years as I grew
And in the end I hope you thought
I took good care of you.
I miss you so much some days Daddy
But my memories of you make me grin..
I know I'll see you in Heaven...
Where we'll share sweet memories again..
With Love, Jean
Copyright © 2005 Jean Daugherty Ilderton
This picture was taken on the day my Dad (age 9)
and his brothers were leaving Dodge City KS to
live in the Wichita Masonic Orphanage after
their Mother died in 1923.
The littlest boy, Floyd, 7 yrs, died within a year
in the Home of meningitis.
My Dad was the last one to leave the Home
when he was age 16.
My Mom and Dad circa 1940
My Dad stood 6'4"
My Dad was about 40 in this picture
I was 3 yrs old...and here's one of the
borrowed horses for me to ride on!
Good thing my Dad had friends with horses
to keep me happy! I was in my usual barefoot
and bareback mode..
Throughout my life this is how I rode horses! :)
Daddy was 75 in this photo ~
working in his woodshop in his
bib overalls. Another sweet memory..
Last formal photo taken of them.
My step-mom died in 1994 and
he lived another 5 years and died
at nearly 85 yrs old.
Miss you Daddy!
