Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home

You will forever and always be in my heart. My memories of you are strong and will never fade away. As a child, you taught me how to be strong and independent. Those are two characteristics that I will pass along to your grandchildren. We had a unique relationship in the sense that you treated me as an equal and never expected anything less. From your push-up challenges to swimming across Lake Boon (I don’t believe I ever did it myself but I admired you from the shore!) to major house projects involving William and myself to personal development; you set the bar high. And we cannot forget that I get my rebelliousness from you!!! I will keep it PG-13: driving 100mph in your corvette, house parties (you may only have found out about one of... many), off-roading in suburbans, tattoos and piercings, etcetera. Does that count as confession? But you knew about those things. Back to you. I’m not sure if a Thank You was ever said for everything you have given me. You once told me, during a rough patch in life where we had three-hour phone calls, that you felt as though you were not there enough for me during my childhood. I will say Thank You again. Because you were. You were my father, and you were there from my father-daughter dances in grade school right up to the custom-built nightstands for your grandchildren’s bedrooms. That is your way of giving a piece of you. I love you, dad.