Father’s Day is coming up. My dad was my hero. He passed away in 2005 from a battle with lung cancer. During the 21 months of his fight, we had many conversations. Some were very hard, but all were my gift. Daddy quit school after his 8th-grade year to help support his family. When he was 15, he lied about his age to work on oil rigs. He joined the Marines at the age of 18, serving four years at which he married my mom. She was the calm to his storm! I was the 2nd of 3 children born in Bowie, Texas, while daddy was 100 miles away working on a rig. From the time I was six weeks old until two, we moved 22 times, living in a camper trailer. The term oilfield trash may come to your mind, and that’s ok. It wasn’t always easy, but the hard times weren’t portrayed to me. I thought we were oilfield gypsies. I remember stories of resilience and danger. After moving to Hennessey for the 3rd time, we settled there. I remember traveling on weekends to wherever the rig had my dad. When we drove into Hennessey from the north or south, the lights from the oilfield yards made the sky look like a huge city! My dad was a tool pusher for Chris Well Service. Knowing my dad’s work ethic, a foreman came out to the rig with an appreciation for a pumping position he wanted my dad to apply for. My dad explained he didn’t have the education needed to qualify. The Foreman told Daddy to fill out the application but leave the education part blank.
After Daddy’s application made it to the office, the foreman called his secretary, telling her to write in the education part,” Graduated from the school of hard knocks,” and then sign hisinitials. Daddy got the job even though it was seven days a week. We had him home in the evenings. Our lives transitioned to a different life, and so many memories began growing up in one place I will forever cherish! My mom told me many times I was my father’s daughter! I can’t think of a better compliment! Happy Father’s Day!
