Thanks Dad

JJ_Colt45

JJ_Colt45

Platinum Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Messages
6,564
Hey fellow knife enthusiast ... I know dad can't read this now ... but I like to believe he knows I'm writing it ...

I know a few of you knew my father was ill and I have spent the better part of a year spending all the time I could with him and trying to help out ...

My dad passed on Tuesday May 22 while I held his hand after a fight with cancer (which he beat and was cancer free for 25 years) ... until the horrible disease returned ... and he's fought it for 3 and a half years never quitting until Tuesday morning ...

My dad was 90 and always said he had a good life ... great family and friends ... and even in the last bit of his time he made us smile and laugh and learn ...

and remember all of the times we got to share ... many many of which were being outdoors with him ... from fishing and hunting or trapping ... to working our tails off throwing hay bales and feeding animals or picking fruit in the orchard ...

but most every activity whether work or fun ... we had knives ... first a small case or buck slip joint ... up to old hickory knives or a fillet knife for hunting and fishing ... or just cutting bale twine ... or even just whittling sitting on the porch ... or peeling an apple ...

My dad was truely one of my very best friends and he gave me the love of many things ... knives and their uses being one of the biggest ...

I hope it's not inappropriate to write this post and just say thank you to my father for teaching me and instilling my love of the outdoors and taught me how to use a knife safely and how to use them to do the task at hand ...

and for taking the time and sharing his knowledge and love of the outdoors and the many uses a good knife or axe has ... and for spending his time teaching me how to use them ... care for them ... and sharpen them ...

and most of all for being beside me as I grew and learned and even introduced him to new knives and uses and sharing a passion ... I hope I in some way made him smile as big and made him as proud of me as I was proud to be able to say ... that's my dad ...

I love you dad ... I will miss you ... but you'll be with me ... so will the tools you passed on to me ... thank you ...

I hope maybe this brings back good memories you shared with someone inportant in your life ... or maybe encourages one person to take the time to teach their children about knives and all the uses they have ... and to use them correctly and safely ... and most of all ... that everyone take every chance you have to tell the people you love what they mean to you ... and thanks to those that taught you or gave you a passion for something in life ...

and maybe pass on a knife to someone so they might get the passion for our hobby as most of us have ...

I will be setting up a GAW to honor my father in the near future ... thank you to my friends that have had kind words or just checked in to see how things were going ... a simple note of encouragement meant alot ... and their are alot of good folks in our forum ...

Thank you dad ...
 
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We must have had the same Dad. You'll miss him regardless of his age. I still miss both of my parents that have passed on. Great read and I hope you get through this tough time. The sun is shining and tomorrow will be a great day!
 
I'm very sorry to hear that your Dad died. He sounds like a great man, and you were fortunate to have had him with you for so long, and for being able to spend time with him right up to the end. And yes, I would hope it's appropriate to post such a thing...I'm not sure I'd want to hang out here if we couldn't share something like this.

I don't have any words that will help make this any easier for you. I wish that I did. The only thing that I can offer is a reminder that with time, instead of feeling sadness when you think of him being gone, you'll start to find yourself smiling at the good memories. I hope that time passes quickly for you. He'll always be with you because I'm sure in some significant ways, he is a part of you.
 
It's the simple posts just sharing your thoughts and experiences ... and the simple condolences ...

and you are right I was very blessed to have so much time with him and that he took the time to teach me all he did ...

thanks for the posts JJ
 
My deepest condolences to you and your family for your loss. Your Father sounds like a wonderful man. You were so lucky to have so many wonderful years with him.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Steven
 
Thanks Steven ... dad was no Saint but he was a good man and know I was very lucky to have him so long ...

And we had some great talks in the last year ... some serious ... some just laughing about some of the things that happened on a camping trip or while we were out just walking in the woods ... so I am thankful for all of that.

A few talks we had recently is what made me decide to do a GAW in his honor ... I will post a link here to that when I set it up hope everyone that's been kind enough to post will put their names in for that ...

It may take a couple more days to get that ready but I think it would make him happy to know I tried to pass along a bit of what we got to share so someone else might have that chance.

I appreciate the forums and the good people I've met ... was one of the best decesions I made to finally join instead of just reading.

JJ
 
Sonnydaze said:
You were lucky to have such a great dad.... blessings on all of you.
My dad was also a wonderful guy, but it sure took me many yrs (after he died) to figure it out.
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Sons often have a different impression of their fathers at least at a young age. The father is often the disciplinarian of the family, especially for sons. I found that if you look at the way other people react to your father and what they say taking into account your own experiences is a good way to take the measure of a man. My father was much loved, but it was only in his later years when the kids were adults that the appreciation was apparent. I miss my Dad.
 
JJ_Colt45 said:
My dad passed on Tuesday May 22 while I held his hand after a fight with cancer (which he beat and was cancer free for 25 years) ... until the horrible disease returned ... and he's fought it for 3 and a half years never quitting until Tuesday morning ...

My dad was 90 and always said he had a good life ... great family and friends ... and even in the last bit of his time he made us smile and laugh and learn ...

My dad was truely one of my very best friends and he gave me the love of many things ... knives and their uses being one of the biggest ..
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I really enjoyed reading this beautiful tribute to your father, JJ. :) It's evident that you and your father shared a very special father/son relationship, and that despite his passing, the bond between you two, is eternal.

I'm so happy that you and your family were blessed to have those 25 wonderful years to share with Dad...& those last 3 to take care of him.

I hope that you can take solace in knowing, that he's no longer suffering & resting in eternal peace. <3
 
Thank you ... the family was very lucky to have him so long ... and the memories and things dad taught me will always be with me.

I was just telling 91bravo 91bravo how I doubt I will ever smell fatwood starting a fire again without remembering the evening I used some to start a fire and we sat and talked for several hours ... (Jonny aka 91bravo was kind enough to send me some great fatwood) ...

I'm finding lots of little things bring a thought back ... I'm blessed that they are good memories ... blessed to have had the luck to have both my parents ... and dad especially to teach me everything he did ... and a bit of time to get to make a few more special memories.
 
Well dad sure knew exactly what it was as soon as I got it out and started to shave a bit to start that fire ...

then even at the point he was wanted to see what knife I was using ... it was an LT Wright Bushcrafter ... so that Bushcrafter got put back with some of the knives dad gave me ... along with the small piece of fatwood that was left I sealed it in a vacuum sealed bag to open some years down the road on a special occasion.
 
22-rimfire said:
Sons often have a different impression of their fathers at least at a young age. The father is often the disciplinarian of the family, especially for sons. I found that if you look at the way other people react to your father and what they say taking into account your own experiences is a good way to take the measure of a man. My father was much loved, but it was only in his later years when the kids were adults that the appreciation was apparent. I miss my Dad.
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Thanks for this post. Sadly it describes my relationship with my deceased father.

JjColt my condolences, you were holding his hand at the end as I did with my dad. That means alot for both!
 
So sorry to read about your dad. That's a hard thing to go through, sounds like it was a little rough for him at the end, I hope he didn't suffer too much.

I lost my dad last year. It hasn't really sunk in yet. I guess my mind is more at ease that he is not having any more medical issues, and although my mom is alone now, she is not burdened with caring for him anymore.

Looking back, I think that while I got a log well with my dad, we did not say a lot to each other, or have long conversations. There was a quiet understanding between us, and we didn't really have to say a lot to each other to get our points across. I admire that you were able to have good conversations with your dad, those are the types of things you will look back on with fondness.

My condolences on your loss.
 
Sorry for your loss Glenn ... and thank you for your post ...

it was a bit rough at the end but I'm glad I got to be with him and although we've always been close ... there were times we talked about things that we hadn't before ... or not in the depth that we did anyway ...

I think it hasn't completely hit yet and in time it will ... but there is a very noticable piece missing ... his suffering is over and he is home now at peace and as much as I miss him I'm thankful he doesn't have to fight anymore and mom doesn't have to see that ...

Thank you for your kind words ... it really still amazes me how many good people from the forums have had encouraging words and shown the compassion they have ...

it's like having another family and I can't thank those people enough ... hopefully I can repay the kindness in time.

I wish peace for you and your family Glenn ... prayers go out to help with the days it is harder ...

JJ
 
My most heartfelt condolences to you JJ. I lost my father this month as well at the age of 91. Fathers are something else, you keep him in your heart buddy and you will always hear him and he will always hear you.

I remember all the days in my youth up at the crack of dawn working with my dad in the family orchard, hated it at the time but now it’s all I want to do. My dad was an oudoor man for sure, seemed like everywhere he went trees grew in is footsteps and world is a lesser place for his loss as not enough people grow anymore.

Here’s to all the dads out there who made us what we are today, may the sun always shine on them in this world and the next.
 
Sorry to hear of your loss monster monster ... my dad was 90 ... I imagine you heard alot of the same type stories I did ...

and most of the time I loved getting up early with dad and following him working around our place ... but you know now I've thought of a few times I told a white lie to get out of somethimg for a day ... and like you said ... now you wish you'd taken that extra day ...

but I got to share alot with my father through the years and he had a good long life married 54 years to my mother ... and up to the end still brushed her hair for her and flirted with her ... so I got to see what love looks like and our home was filled with love ...

my condolences to you and your family for your loss ... you are never prepared but I was lucky enough to get some time to talk ... and my "know it all self" still was learning a thing or two in his last few weeks ... dad never stopped teaching guiding or making me smile ...

I hope you have some great memories to hold close ... until we are reunited someday down the road ...

thank you for your post monster ... and yes ... a big thanks not just to my dad but to all the dads that took time to teach us how to become men they could be proud of and who never stopped watching out for us even when we are positive we do not need anyone looking after us ... but with a short conversation I learned ... there was always more he could teach me and more for me to learn ...

JJ
 
Condolences on the loss of your father. It's been 20 years since I lost mine and I still think about him every day. Time doesn't completely heal all wounds, but it does soften the pain. MANY fond memories of my dad, whether it was out in the woods hunting, fishing, riding the airboats and swamp buggies or dirt bikes (every family member had one growing up) or going to work with him on saturdays and sitting in the shop and ultimately teaching me how to become a man....yes LOTS of good memories and those are the ones that keep their memory alive! I hope someday when I'm gone, my son will have as many fond memories of me!
 
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