Tomorrow is Papaws' 86th birthday !! We simply couldn't wait one more day to celebrate so today we had some much deserved birthday cake . Anyone that knows me even in the slightest knows I am close to my family, my Papaw especially and as you can see, Jack Davis adores him as well . Today I took the opportunity to hear a few more of Papaw's stories and asked a few questions just to be sure I had the facts right in my head . I know I have shared two of his stories already in my posts "Fallll-lleujah" and "Paris, Perfume & Papaw". I'd like to take today as a opportunity share just a few more . Well, maybe not stories, but interesting facts about my awesome Papaw . Knowing the details of what make him, him , help me to understand why he likes to keep me so close . I know I am a very lucky little girl to have such a caring family .
Papaw left home in war time at 15 years old to go work in factories making supplies for the war . When I hear that all I can picture are movie clips showing signs for "tires wanted" and "donate cloth here" for the Red Cross and others . I also think about how mature or more accurately immature I was at 15. I can't imagine leaving home so young. At 18 Papaw was drafted and joined the United States Navy, which he would faithfully serve for twenty years . While away in the Navy Papaw lost a brother and because of his last name they assumed he was Irish Catholic so , the military sent a priest to comfort and counsel . I find that very interesting !! He saw several wars , more countries than I'll probably ever see and when he could he would hitch hike home from Norfolk, VA where the ship would occasionally dock , just for a weekend with his family.
Papaw in Sussex England
Papaw on the ship working on the rifles.
Papaw....smoking !! He stopped no body panic.
If I was on a boat for months at a time I'd probably pick up smoking too .
Lets be real....he looks like one tough dude here !!
Medals - Vietnam, Korea, & Many others .
(too many for me to recall at the moment)
A story I find entertaining and shows just how much he and mamaw love each other is , one time on leave Papaw hitch hiked home to Tennessee from Virginia so he could be with the family for the weekend. Unbeknownst to Mamaw who had left the kids with my great-grandma , gotten her sister Fleda , and a car to drive to Norfolk to pick Papaw up . Obviously cell phones did not exists then, but when I think of all the trouble it could have saved them !! When she arrived of course he was not there . She found another servicemen to ask about her husband only to find out that he had headed home . Great minds think alike , right ?!
Mamaw & Papaw on a cross country trip from California to Tennessee .
After Papaw retired from the Navy he had opportunities for several different jobs . However, they all would have required traveling and after spending twenty years going back and forth from the family that simply wasn't going to be acceptable to him . So, he took other jobs that would keep him local . I know I am grateful for that . I can't imagine my child hood with out Papaw in it . He taught me how to bait a hook, cast a line , check the oil in my car and many other things . He tried to teach me how to clean a fish and I swear I tried, but my young queasy tummy just couldn't do it . I think I was 6 or 7 at the time . He has given me more words of wisdom than I could ever type out here and he has made me laugh sooooo much along the way !! Most importantly my Papaw has taught me the importance of a man to his family . It is not always easy to do the right thing, but it always pays off and it leaves a bigger impression than one might realize . My mamaw is ALWAYS saying to me she just doesn't know what we would've done with out "Daugherty", my papaws last name and what she frequently calls him....I agree .
Papaw and I at Dollywood.
Sometimes those pics they take on the rides are
totally worth the gazillion dollars it costs to get them printed.
#mypapawiscoolerthanyours #memories
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