Words, Mere Words • Eulogies
Home Poetry Eulogies Links Contacts
Copyright © 1998 Paul L Martin
October 23, 1998
Ladies, and Gentlemen, Friends, Family, and Loved Ones....
I first became aware of this great man, my father, in 1964. My recollections of my infant and toddler years have all but faded, but my childhood years remain amongst the happiest memories of my life. One such memory was when Dad taught me to ride my bicycle without training wheels for the very first time. He was a very patient man, who hung in there with me until I finally was able to ride it on my own. He comforted me when I fell and encouraged and persuaded me to continue trying. As I reflect on this moment now, I realize that he employed these techniques numerous times throughout our time together.
In 1975 Rockwell International required him to move to from Columbus, Ohio to California. It was the biggest adventure of all our lives as we came to this strange new land where it never snows. The family adjusted quickly as Orange County soon became our permanent home.
The time I spent with my dad diminished over the years as I progressed through high school, extra curricular activities, college, work, marriage, and my own family life. Yet, my bond with my dad grew stronger over the years as quality time replaced the quantity time of my youth.
Soon after starting college at UCI, Dad, with Mom's blessing, bought me a Commodore 64 computer. This single event started a fuse that well over a decade later exploded into a whole family of computer users. Nowadays, many of you know us as PLMartin01, JamieUSC, Bubbabub, DLMSUN, and of course, our leader EAMSUN. I login to AOL every morning at 6:00 a.m. to check my e-mail and Dad would always be there. We shared daily conversations via AOL's Instant Message capability. I already terribly miss our morning interchanges. This last Tuesday, I skipped logging into AOL and decided to go visit Dad at Kaiser in Anaheim before work. I took his hand and told him the things I normally would share with him via AOL. He opened his eyes and watched the sunrise slowly remove the shadows outside his hospital room window. He looked like he wanted to cry. I already was.
I valued our last morning interchange together. I came back with Mom at lunch but he did not open his eyes for us. Later that night, he passed away.
Dad's and my shared love for computers brought us closer, especially in the past year. Many of you may have heard about our trials and tribulations as Dad, his friend Jack, my friend Sudhir, and I all decided to purchase brand new PC's together. We had purchased fraudulent CPU's but united together to resolve the situation. We were actually surprised in how much money we saved as we righted this wrong and triumphed over evil. This ordeal created a camaraderie in us that we will remember for quite some time.
I am thankful that I finally convinced Dad and Lori to go with me to COMDEX, the large computer trade show in Las Vegas, last year. We enjoyed it very much. We didn't know how much Dad really enjoyed it until after his first heart attack three weeks ago when he asked the doctor "Will I be able to go to COMDEX next month?". A photograph of Dad, Lori and myself, taken at COMDEX by a vendor to demonstrate their new digital camera is one of my favorite pictures.
My dad was usually quiet, and always a good listener, which was an extremely valuable commodity within a family of chatterboxes. But what Dad had an abundance of and what I will miss most from him, is his fatherly advice. I always knew that whatever hardship I might encounter in life, that he would have solid advice to assist me in my time of need.
The similarities between my dad's life and my own are often striking. He got me my job at Rockwell, now Boeing, twelve years ago. We are both engineers. We have worked at the same job for most of our careers. We both got married around the same age and have two children, one boy and one girl. We both bought houses early in our adult life. We both enjoy computers and college football games, albeit he prefers Ohio State and Penn State to my USC.
I am thankful that Dad got to know his grandchildren Melanie and Greg and that they got to know him too. I only wish that they would have had several more years to spend with this very special man.
I honor my dad with my own life. I follow in his footsteps. I respect and love him and promise to never forget him. God bless you Dad. I look forward to someday being re-united with you in heaven. I love you.
Your Son,
Paul
|
|
|
|
|
|