Saying goodbye to my dad

On February 1st, 2024 , my father lost his 10 year long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. My mom asked my sisters and I to give the eulogy. We took turns trying to summarize the man and father he was to us. Below is what I shared…

My story exemplifies how my dad would show us his love.

It was back in the 90s, and I was driving back to school in Buffalo early one Monday morning. On my drive there I had some car trouble. Quick side note; I would like you to really picture this car. Here I am, this 20 year old college student driving a BOAT-sized, MAROON, Buick Regal. Dad always found our cars for us, and we really had no say in the matter. They were never good looking, but always a good deal.

Anyway, I got off at a thruway stop to call dad at work, He advised me on what to do to get the car to Buffalo and said he would find me a mechanic who would do the work on the car while I was in class.

So I got myself there, did what dad instructed, and headed to class.

Little did I know, dad immediately drove all the way to Buffalo to “speak” to the mechanic in person. He did not trust many men with his daughters to say the least. His presence alone was intimidating enough to get the job done at the right price with no funny business. He paid for the work, and zipped back to Syracuse before I even got out of class.

Later that day when I went to pick up my car, all the mechanic said “So your father was here” with a fearful look in his eyes, and handed me my keys. And I had no idea dad had ever been there.

THIS was the sort of thing dad would do to show his love. Quiet love through action.

Part 2:

My sisters and I have created a list of things that we wanted to share that we felt really defined dad that you may or may not have known:

Dad LOVED old cars; and lot a lot of them through the years

He loved golf, especially with his cousin Bill. And he was the first one on the course on Sundays, before dark

Skiing, as many runs as possible and as fast as he could go

The NY Yankees

The Buffalo Bills

Kennebunk, Maine

He was famous for one liners

Corny jokes

Chocolate ice cream with strawberries on top

Artichokes with butter

Saying “No thank you, I’m trying to cut down” when passed something that looked a little too healthy

Popcorn made with bacon grease

Cheap beer

A good burger

Laughing at Chevy Chase movies

Reading. Dad always had a book in his hand

Backing into parking spaces. When asked why he does this he simply replied “for a quick getaway”. My husband dubbed this the “Artie Back in”

He loved Elvis

The Beach Boys

James Taylor

Billy Joel

And for a while Huey Lewis & the News, Loggins & Messina and ABBA were on regular rotation

He enjoyed his bowling league most of his life

The Daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper

Words with Friends

Oh and Monopoly. Apparently this game got pretty intense with Kathy, Bob, Jeannie and Mike. They may have even described him as vicious

Dad would literally watch any sport on tv. Even bowling if that was the only choice, just ask mom,

He loved attending sporting events at Syracuse Univ, and would park across Genesee Street and walk all the way up to the dome in order to escape traffic snarls

He took joy in quietly intimidating any of our boyfriends that were brave enough to come over to the house. Just his height and the size of his hands scared them off

As a teen he was very particular about his hair and he even ironed his Levi’s, always with a perfect crease, front and back

Growing up on Franklin Street, one of his sisters would be sent upstairs by their mom to wake him up in the morning and he would throw hangers and clothes at them. In Aunt Kathy’s words, “Nobody wanted the job of waking up Art”

In his college years at Niagara Univ he was caught hitting golf balls into the Dean’s office. This is memory that would always make him laugh

Dad loved any diner, esp Chet’s in Herkimer which he would time perfectly for breakfast on the way to Maine

The pickle bar at Roy Rogers

Dad especially loved meeting his friend Dick at Trappers for a beer

He could build or repair anything

He shoveled snow in a t-shirt and no gloves

He had a ridiculously loud and embarrassing antique car horn that would make you jump out of your skin

He could tickle you until you almost wet your pants while yelling “I can’t breathe!”

He preferred laying on the floor to sitting in a chair

In more recent years we all were in hysterics watching dad do ridiculous Snapchat filters with Eliza

Dad was a special guy who was very loved and we will miss him dearly.

Thanks for reading, friends.
Annie xo