- Joined
- Apr 23, 2000
- Messages
- 5,501
My Dad passed away a little over 5 years ago, but his legacy as a father and as an example lives on.
He was a veteran of World War II and served in Germany during the war. Shortly after discharge, he went to church (probably with my grandmother and grandfather) and met my mother there. They were soon married. They both had great jobs in Schenectady, New York and had three sons. Dad felt called to preach, studied and received instruction and eventually became a minister. That changed all our lives. Dad was never well paid by the several small churches he led over the years so he always had a regular job to put bread on the table. He did many different kinds of work over the years, but one was working at Alcas in Olean, New York.
Alcas made Case knives (and many others). In 1971, when I was seventeen, Dad brought home one of the knives he had worked on and gave it to me. I still have it and it is pictured below.
The knife is nothing fancy (and neither was my Dad) but it holds a lot of meaning to me. I don't remember what he said when he gave it to me, but for some reason I kept it. I didn't keep much of what he gave me, but I did this knife. Over the years, I've traveled around the world and lived in a lot of different places - and always kept this knife. I didn't start collecting or buying other knives until many years later.
Dad gave me another gift just before he passed away - that's the Bible the knife is setting on in the photo. I remember what he said when he gave that to me because he wrote it in the Bible.
"To my Son Dean: I hope you will cherish this book and keep it for Chris. It's old but your Dad preached from this Bible. I love you Son, Dad."
When I look at this knife, I think I must have kept it because it, too, was a reminder that my Dad loved me. I hope that my son, Chris, will remember me someday by looking at one of my knives.
So, how about you, do you have "A Knife from Dad" story?
He was a veteran of World War II and served in Germany during the war. Shortly after discharge, he went to church (probably with my grandmother and grandfather) and met my mother there. They were soon married. They both had great jobs in Schenectady, New York and had three sons. Dad felt called to preach, studied and received instruction and eventually became a minister. That changed all our lives. Dad was never well paid by the several small churches he led over the years so he always had a regular job to put bread on the table. He did many different kinds of work over the years, but one was working at Alcas in Olean, New York.
Alcas made Case knives (and many others). In 1971, when I was seventeen, Dad brought home one of the knives he had worked on and gave it to me. I still have it and it is pictured below.
The knife is nothing fancy (and neither was my Dad) but it holds a lot of meaning to me. I don't remember what he said when he gave it to me, but for some reason I kept it. I didn't keep much of what he gave me, but I did this knife. Over the years, I've traveled around the world and lived in a lot of different places - and always kept this knife. I didn't start collecting or buying other knives until many years later.
Dad gave me another gift just before he passed away - that's the Bible the knife is setting on in the photo. I remember what he said when he gave that to me because he wrote it in the Bible.
"To my Son Dean: I hope you will cherish this book and keep it for Chris. It's old but your Dad preached from this Bible. I love you Son, Dad."
When I look at this knife, I think I must have kept it because it, too, was a reminder that my Dad loved me. I hope that my son, Chris, will remember me someday by looking at one of my knives.
So, how about you, do you have "A Knife from Dad" story?
