My Dad. To me, always a hero.

Name:	Richard Lewis Beebe
Born:	10 November 1928
Died:	15 September 1999

I had a Father who talked to me
Allowed me the right to disagree
To question - and always answered me
As well as he could - and truthfully
He talked of adventures; Horrors of War
Of life, it's meaning, what love was for
How each would always needs to strive
To improve the world to keep it alive
Stressed the duty we owe one another
To be aware each man is a brother
Words for laughter he always spoke
A silly song or a happy joke
Time runs along, some say I'm wise
That I look at life with seeking eyes
My heart is happy, my mind is free
I had a father who talked with me

But most of all, he was a Dad.

Dad The Builder
I was perhaps the luckiest of the four kids. By the time I was three, Dad had retired from the Air Force, and was home every night and every weekend. I remember watching TV with him (Space 1999), and him teaching me how to work with wood. (I wasn't the best of students, but I tried). I have many memories of dad. One of my fondest is when he built me a push car. He spent a lot of time on it. For the front wheels, he used an old wagon, and for the back, he took apart one of his old golf caddies. He went to a junk yard and bought me volkswagen steering wheel, and mounted it so that could use it to steer with. For the seat, he bought an old car bucket seat, and finally, spent time moulding a piece of formica over the front. I liked that car a lot, and had some good times in it.

Dad the Fisherman
Another time I remember, was when I was about 12. We had moved to Missouri about 3 years earlier. Dad had bought a little black runabout (small boat) and we used it about once a month on some of the local lakes. Dad used to take me fishing and camping a lot then, and we had some good conversations on the way there. Anyway, one morning, he had given me the task of sorting out the trot line. I was sitting on the bow of the boat while it was in the dock, just tapping my foot on the water watching the fish come to the surface. Suddenly a HUGE fish swam directly underneath me! It was monster (at least as far as I was concerned!). I jumped up from the boat and ran along the dock to where my dad was buying some bait for the day. Instead of laughing, he listened to me, and when I finished describing the "monster", he asked for a book on local fish. When we found one, he showed me a picture of the fish. It turned out to be an alligator gar, a freshwater fish that comes into the shallows to feed at night.

Dad the Woodworker
Yet another time I can recall, my father used to help me build all sorts of things. He taught me how to plan, mold, carve, and shape wood into many wonderful toys. He helped me build an excellent model of a sailboat, that worked wonderfully. He helped me design and build balsawood airplanes, of various shapes and designes. He helped me in Cub scouts, to design a wicked looking pinewood derby car. Even later in life, when I was married and living on my own he would help me, giving me advice on how to build a deck for my house. He was always there for me, and for that I will never forget all that he has taught me.

Beebe: The Journey of a Man, well, sorta.

My Father: (A Tribute to a Man I Admire)