SP4 US ARMY
VIETNAM
When presented with the task of writing something here about my father, I found myself at a loss for words. There's so much I could say. I could go the traditional route, give you dates and events and places, but there's very little traditional about any of Rich's girls. After hours of racking my brain, I decided to share with you my favorite of the traits I inherited from my father...passion. Throughout my life, my father had many passions. When I was a little girl, there were new cars every September, trading in for something better, fancier, newer. Then there was camping, getting his girls "out of the city" every weekend. We started in a tent, then a pop-up and, finally, a travel trailer. Those were some of the best weekends of my childhood. On my twelfth birthday, he moved us to "the country", feeling a small town upbringing would be better for his girls. As that took away our need for camping, he got us motorcycles, 3-wheelers and a Honda Odyssey. Our family outings became trips to Flat River to ride. Yes, quite often Rich's girls were the only girls there. Oh, we had fun, though. As we grew older and a little more independent, Dad became interested in touring motorcycles. He found the prettiest Honda Goldwing Aspencade, fancied it up with lights, chrome and gold, and he and his #1 girl rode 3/4 of the 48 contiguous United States. I suspect those trips may have been the most awesome memories my parents shared. Unfortunately, those trips came to a halt when he decided to open his own business. For 27 years, Express Delivery Services, Inc. was another one of Rich's girls. Dad made sure the company always had the cleanest, "best looking" trucks around town. If I had a nickel for every time he said to me, "Now that's a good looking truck"...Dad also loved woodworking, had the best of every tool possible. Many family members boast of pieces he built for them, my bookcase being the most beautiful of them all. Eleven years ago, Cyndi made Dad a Poppop, Violet Layne becoming another of Rich's girls. Her second Christmas, having noticed she liked Fisher Price Little People, in true Rich fashion, Dad went out and bought Violet every single Little People toy ever made. She literally had a village bigger than a lot of towns I've seen. Not long after that, Dad was diagnosed with COPD. In the years of suffering from the disease, most especially the last two years of often unbearable pain and fear, Dad came to realize his one true greatest passion, the one that was there all along...his girls. My father's "over-the-top, my girls and I will have the biggest and best" attitude made for a great life. Yet I think we all would say the times we were together over the past few years, playing games, telling stories and laughing, were the best ever. So as I sat today - looking at old pictures, crying and laughing - with my amazing mother, my wonderful sisters and my beautiful niece, I thought to myself Rich and his girls did have the best. He had us and we had him. I love you Daddy, Michele.
Contributor: Norm Larson (49356472)
VIETNAM
When presented with the task of writing something here about my father, I found myself at a loss for words. There's so much I could say. I could go the traditional route, give you dates and events and places, but there's very little traditional about any of Rich's girls. After hours of racking my brain, I decided to share with you my favorite of the traits I inherited from my father...passion. Throughout my life, my father had many passions. When I was a little girl, there were new cars every September, trading in for something better, fancier, newer. Then there was camping, getting his girls "out of the city" every weekend. We started in a tent, then a pop-up and, finally, a travel trailer. Those were some of the best weekends of my childhood. On my twelfth birthday, he moved us to "the country", feeling a small town upbringing would be better for his girls. As that took away our need for camping, he got us motorcycles, 3-wheelers and a Honda Odyssey. Our family outings became trips to Flat River to ride. Yes, quite often Rich's girls were the only girls there. Oh, we had fun, though. As we grew older and a little more independent, Dad became interested in touring motorcycles. He found the prettiest Honda Goldwing Aspencade, fancied it up with lights, chrome and gold, and he and his #1 girl rode 3/4 of the 48 contiguous United States. I suspect those trips may have been the most awesome memories my parents shared. Unfortunately, those trips came to a halt when he decided to open his own business. For 27 years, Express Delivery Services, Inc. was another one of Rich's girls. Dad made sure the company always had the cleanest, "best looking" trucks around town. If I had a nickel for every time he said to me, "Now that's a good looking truck"...Dad also loved woodworking, had the best of every tool possible. Many family members boast of pieces he built for them, my bookcase being the most beautiful of them all. Eleven years ago, Cyndi made Dad a Poppop, Violet Layne becoming another of Rich's girls. Her second Christmas, having noticed she liked Fisher Price Little People, in true Rich fashion, Dad went out and bought Violet every single Little People toy ever made. She literally had a village bigger than a lot of towns I've seen. Not long after that, Dad was diagnosed with COPD. In the years of suffering from the disease, most especially the last two years of often unbearable pain and fear, Dad came to realize his one true greatest passion, the one that was there all along...his girls. My father's "over-the-top, my girls and I will have the biggest and best" attitude made for a great life. Yet I think we all would say the times we were together over the past few years, playing games, telling stories and laughing, were the best ever. So as I sat today - looking at old pictures, crying and laughing - with my amazing mother, my wonderful sisters and my beautiful niece, I thought to myself Rich and his girls did have the best. He had us and we had him. I love you Daddy, Michele.
Contributor: Norm Larson (49356472)
SP4 US ARMY
VIETNAM
When presented with the task of writing something here about my father, I found myself at a loss for words. There's so much I could say. I could go the traditional route, give you dates and events and places, but there's very little traditional about any of Rich's girls. After hours of racking my brain, I decided to share with you my favorite of the traits I inherited from my father...passion. Throughout my life, my father had many passions. When I was a little girl, there were new cars every September, trading in for something better, fancier, newer. Then there was camping, getting his girls "out of the city" every weekend. We started in a tent, then a pop-up and, finally, a travel trailer. Those were some of the best weekends of my childhood. On my twelfth birthday, he moved us to "the country", feeling a small town upbringing would be better for his girls. As that took away our need for camping, he got us motorcycles, 3-wheelers and a Honda Odyssey. Our family outings became trips to Flat River to ride. Yes, quite often Rich's girls were the only girls there. Oh, we had fun, though. As we grew older and a little more independent, Dad became interested in touring motorcycles. He found the prettiest Honda Goldwing Aspencade, fancied it up with lights, chrome and gold, and he and his #1 girl rode 3/4 of the 48 contiguous United States. I suspect those trips may have been the most awesome memories my parents shared. Unfortunately, those trips came to a halt when he decided to open his own business. For 27 years, Express Delivery Services, Inc. was another one of Rich's girls. Dad made sure the company always had the cleanest, "best looking" trucks around town. If I had a nickel for every time he said to me, "Now that's a good looking truck"...Dad also loved woodworking, had the best of every tool possible. Many family members boast of pieces he built for them, my bookcase being the most beautiful of them all. Eleven years ago, Cyndi made Dad a Poppop, Violet Layne becoming another of Rich's girls. Her second Christmas, having noticed she liked Fisher Price Little People, in true Rich fashion, Dad went out and bought Violet every single Little People toy ever made. She literally had a village bigger than a lot of towns I've seen. Not long after that, Dad was diagnosed with COPD. In the years of suffering from the disease, most especially the last two years of often unbearable pain and fear, Dad came to realize his one true greatest passion, the one that was there all along...his girls. My father's "over-the-top, my girls and I will have the biggest and best" attitude made for a great life. Yet I think we all would say the times we were together over the past few years, playing games, telling stories and laughing, were the best ever. So as I sat today - looking at old pictures, crying and laughing - with my amazing mother, my wonderful sisters and my beautiful niece, I thought to myself Rich and his girls did have the best. He had us and we had him. I love you Daddy, Michele.
Contributor: Norm Larson (49356472)
VIETNAM
When presented with the task of writing something here about my father, I found myself at a loss for words. There's so much I could say. I could go the traditional route, give you dates and events and places, but there's very little traditional about any of Rich's girls. After hours of racking my brain, I decided to share with you my favorite of the traits I inherited from my father...passion. Throughout my life, my father had many passions. When I was a little girl, there were new cars every September, trading in for something better, fancier, newer. Then there was camping, getting his girls "out of the city" every weekend. We started in a tent, then a pop-up and, finally, a travel trailer. Those were some of the best weekends of my childhood. On my twelfth birthday, he moved us to "the country", feeling a small town upbringing would be better for his girls. As that took away our need for camping, he got us motorcycles, 3-wheelers and a Honda Odyssey. Our family outings became trips to Flat River to ride. Yes, quite often Rich's girls were the only girls there. Oh, we had fun, though. As we grew older and a little more independent, Dad became interested in touring motorcycles. He found the prettiest Honda Goldwing Aspencade, fancied it up with lights, chrome and gold, and he and his #1 girl rode 3/4 of the 48 contiguous United States. I suspect those trips may have been the most awesome memories my parents shared. Unfortunately, those trips came to a halt when he decided to open his own business. For 27 years, Express Delivery Services, Inc. was another one of Rich's girls. Dad made sure the company always had the cleanest, "best looking" trucks around town. If I had a nickel for every time he said to me, "Now that's a good looking truck"...Dad also loved woodworking, had the best of every tool possible. Many family members boast of pieces he built for them, my bookcase being the most beautiful of them all. Eleven years ago, Cyndi made Dad a Poppop, Violet Layne becoming another of Rich's girls. Her second Christmas, having noticed she liked Fisher Price Little People, in true Rich fashion, Dad went out and bought Violet every single Little People toy ever made. She literally had a village bigger than a lot of towns I've seen. Not long after that, Dad was diagnosed with COPD. In the years of suffering from the disease, most especially the last two years of often unbearable pain and fear, Dad came to realize his one true greatest passion, the one that was there all along...his girls. My father's "over-the-top, my girls and I will have the biggest and best" attitude made for a great life. Yet I think we all would say the times we were together over the past few years, playing games, telling stories and laughing, were the best ever. So as I sat today - looking at old pictures, crying and laughing - with my amazing mother, my wonderful sisters and my beautiful niece, I thought to myself Rich and his girls did have the best. He had us and we had him. I love you Daddy, Michele.
Contributor: Norm Larson (49356472)
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