If your dad is still alive today—hug him! My dad died January 6, 1996, thirty years ago. I would love to hear his voice, smell his leathery sweat from his cowboy shirt and hat, and hug his lean firm body.
My Thoughts Today
As I’ve thought about writing this blog on Father’s Day 2026, I have lingered over the loss of my dad. After thirty years, you might think I was over the pain, the loss, but no! If I could dance once more with him and do his unique dance steps he taught Mom and me, I would celebrate.
More of His Cowboy Life
Dad led a full rich rancher’s life. He worked besides his dad until Granddad died November 6, 1966. They didn’t always agree on everything, but they had a system that worked.
After Granddad died, Mom stepped in to be his right-hand woman. Daily she went with him to the ranch, doing whatever the season required: feeding cattle and digging out of snow drifts in the winter, calving in the spring, preparing for shipping calves in the fall, and stepping back to relax in the summer. His eyes lit up when he bragged on how much she helped.
He loved his brand, Lazy H Spear Point. He put this on the calves when he branded them each spring. Yes, it hurt. I remember the smell of the hair burning, but the state required it to protect the ranchers from cattle rustling. You can see it on Dad’s tie in the first picture above.
Dad and Granddad ran Herefore cattle. He often said, “My favorite colors in the world are red, white and green: Hereford cattle in a green pasture.”
Dad & Mom’s Dance Life
Dad and Mom danced whenever and wherever they could. Remember, they met on the dance floor. They loved the local country and western dances in the Branson gym. I remember watching them glide across the dance floor so fluid and graceful—to me they competed with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Dad always had a dance or two for me. And he often danced with nieces and great nieces. At many dances around the area, they had a tradition of exchanging dances with other couples too.
Often after the Branson dances, they hosted After Parties at our house. I remember the living room and dining room overflowing with friends, laughter and alcohol!
They also loved to square dance. Dad was our 4-H club caller and taught many members to square dance. They traveled hundreds of miles to dance and made lifelong friends with square dancers all over southeastern Colorado, northeastern New Mexico and beyond.
Dad Loved to Travel The USA
When we were growing up, Dad didn’t have the means to travel much. When I was ten years old, we did a trip to San Diego, California to my half-brother’s graduation. While there, we went to Disneyland and had an amazing trip.
Later in my teen years, we made other trips to San Diego for Christmas.
After I left home, I went with Mom and Dad on several local trips around Colorado and New Mexico. We also traveled to California to see us family out there. On almost every trip we took, he had several rules: get up early and travel until about 10:30 PM each night. I fought with him to stop earlier so I could enjoy the motel’s swimming pool. Once he did and I had a blast. Another rule he had—we could only be gone a week. Dad was such a country boy; he couldn’t accept being away from home and the ranch for very long.
They traveled to Nashville on a tour and had an amazing time.
Dad Loved His Family
Dad was a family man. He took care of his parents until their dying days.
He had three children with his first wife and two with my mom. They had nine grandchildren and I’ve lost count of the great grandchildren. He did not live to see many of his great grandchildren.
Holiday gatherings like Thanksgiving and Christmas meant the world to him. He never joined us in the games around the round table in the dining room, but often I saw him laughing a long with us and keeping up with the conversation going around the table.
Finally,
I long for another dance around the gym floor in Branson, in his arms as he leads me through the waltz or two-step. Anytime I heard “In the Mood” at a dance with Dad, I would grab him to dance because that’s the rhythm he did his unusual movement. Oh, to do that again!!!
But mostly I’d like a hug, a bear hug and a whisper in his ear, “Happy Father Day.” I know his reaction—he’d smile and snuggle close and say, “Shorty, I love you.” You can’t beat that!
Is your dad alive? Hug him if he’s near. Call him if he lives away from you. Celebrate him today! And let me know what you did!
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