Leader of the Band

There is a song called “Leader of the Band.” The song talks about a man that had a quiet heart. My dad didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve; he did not talk a lot about his inner feelings—he showed by his actions what was in his heart.

Dad had a job at the game farm but quit to work in a factory. My dad would have rather been a farmer, but he quietly worked on an assembly line 30 years for his family. He drove 50 miles each way to work—quietly. He did this all for his family. Now that’s a leader.

I remember him walking up Henry Street in the evenings. We’d meet him and if he had no candy then we’d all get to use his chapstick.

The factory went on strike a good bit but Dad would hitchhike home and do something else. Maybe he would work for Uncle Ray or Uncle Walt.

Through his life’s trials and tribulations, he only sought comfort through God and his family.

Paul’s daughter