Wilbert Spain, Sr

Father's Day is soon approaching.  I personally do not make a big deal about it for myself but my wife does.  Although I am very appreciative for the attention shown towards me on this day of recognition by her and other members of my family, this is the time when my thoughts are predominately of my father, Wilbert Spain, Sr.  My father died of cancer in 1998.  I was still active duty military but my family and I were able to come from Alaska (where I was stationed at the time) to attend his funeral in North Carolina.  I will not dote on any negative exaggerations or  rumored particulars of my father's life, but instead I will use this opportunity to love him all over again.  
I will love him for his 20 plus years  of service to our country in the United States Army.  I will love him for marrying a sweet young girl from Durham, N.C. with whom he fostered a family of seven children; 5 boys and 2 girls.  I will love him for the rough times he and my mother went through but never settled for a divorce.  I will love him for keeping the family together after my mother's untimely death at a young age, even though he had not a clue as how to be a parent to us.  After all, that was my mother's job and he was just supposed to bring home the bacon.  I will love Wilbert Spain, Sr. for liking his alcohol because it would help him forget and ease his pain and broken heart, if only for a short while.  I will love my father for his quoting of scriptures and his singing of Sam Cooke, Percy Sledge and others.  I will love him for his "jump off the kitchen chair"  demonstrations of how to execute a proper PLF  , (parachute landing fall) when he and his Army buddies would get together at our home on occasion for drinks and socializing and poker games.  I will love my father because he chose to remain in this world when his demons urged him to exit this life prematurely.
To Wilbert Robert Spain, Sr. and all the fathers who are deceased or no longer with their families for whatever reason:
Happy Father's Day.  I love you so much.
Dennis