In Other Words with Dave

For me, Father’s Day is a time to reflect on the men that raised me and helped shape who I am today. There were 3, I’ll go in order of appearance. 

First there was Winfield, my adopted dad. My mom and Winfield adopted me as an infant. Winfield loved music and was a very talented musician. He worked as a law clerk during the day and did what he loved, play music, in the evenings and weekends. The marriage didn’t last, and they divorced when I was very young. My memories of him are mostly weekend visits. He taught me how to throw a frisbee, how to box, how to hit a baseball. We’d read comics, build models and hike nature trails. 

The second father to enter my life was Horst. He married my mom when I was in first grade. He immigrated from Germany when he was 16 and had a thick german accent. Horst was a brilliant engineer that could fix most anything. And he was a wonderful provider. Growing up, I would say we didn’t have the closest relationship, but in my adulthood, we grew closer. 

The next father was my biological father. I had always felt like something was missing in my life. In my late twenties, I made the decision to search and connected with Denny, my birth father. Spending time with someone who was genetically linked to me fulfilled some part of me. Denny was a successful lawyer with his own firm in Ohio. We met several times over the years, and he eventually introduced me to his family. 

They are all gone now, but I’m grateful for each of my fathers who helped me become the man I am today. Winfield gave me the gift of play. Horst taught me perseverance, and Denny connected me to my heritage. On this Father’s Day, Alison and I will visit her dad. He’s like my bonus dad, a wonderful father to Alison and a touchstone for my memories.