My Father in Law

 

Bill holding Shawna. 1989

August 11th is the birthday of my Father in Law. I thought it might be a good time to let my family and friends know a little bit about him via my point of view.
Bill has taught me so many things. He is a gentle man, an intelligent man. Such a nice combination. I have never heard him raise his voice in anger. He has always been kind to me. For example, before Steve and I were married, Bill was boiling a mountain lion head, okay, I think you may need some back ground here..... He and Pearl were getting ready to move to North Carolina and he had this Mountain Lion in his freezer that he had shot some years before. Apparently that is normal?! He wanted to keep the skull and perhaps do what....I'm not sure. Anyway, as he was boiling this head he very sweetly offered me the first bite of skull meat. I should have known then that he would be a prankster.
Bill is a sweet Grandfather. He is famous in our family for walking endlessly with the youngest baby of the family. He will take that little one to ends of earth if it keeps them happy. That's why I chose this picture. He always has a baby in his arms. He has walked everyone of mine and Steve's kids. Now he walks Bryan and Natalie's. As long as Poppy has the baby we know they are fine.
When Bill takes on a project, it gets done. He is such a hard working man and doesn't like to sit idle. Last summer even though he was suffering quite badly from allergies, he dug out my window wells and fixed a leaking problem we were having. In that same trip he roasted 2 bags of Hatch New Mexico green chili for me. When he and Pearl, Karen and Kevin came to visit us back in 1979, we had no fence in our back yard. So he set about getting a fence put in with the help of Kevin and Steve. He needed peace of mind in knowing that the grand kids could play safe.
When Steve and I were first married, I asked a lot of questions about genealogy. I had grown up in a family where we knew generations of family members. Steve couldn't tell me anything beyond his grandparents. It seemed Bill and Pearl didn't have too much more information beyond their grandparents. Slow and sure I started finding info with their help. Some years later, Bill and I talked quite a bit about it and before I knew it he had SO much more information than I ever dreamed of. He has amassed a treasure trove of information. It is priceless information that will be treasured for generations to come.
Bill has set a great example to our family on finances, hard work, determination and kindness. I am greatful for his example in my life and that of my children.
Happy Birthday!