Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Happy Birthday, Daddy

Today would be my father's 87th birthday.  At this point in my life, 87 doesn't sound nearly as old as it once did.  The sad thing is, my dad has been gone for 10 years and 77 years old  certainly doesn't sound as old as it once did.  I think of all the things that have happened in my life in the last ten years and wish so much that he and my mom were here to take part.  I like to think that they know all those things anyway.

My dad was what I call a"public professional".  He was in the public eye most of life.  As a child he worked as a child actor on a local radio program in San  Antonio.  As a teenager he was a news announcer and a disc jockey for several San Antonio radio stations.  He took a break to help the Army out during World War II returning to join the new media sensation known as television.  He remained a newscaster in San Antonio, with one short detour, until 1969 when he became a full time cartoonist -- a career he enjoyed until his death in 2000.  There are any number of detailed bios on him on the internet - just google Pat Boyette and you will find them.

My dad has been called a "renaissance man" -- much of his knowledge was self taught  -- he was an avid reader and had great interest in the world around him.  Whether you were talking to him about religion, politics, movie making, art, aliens, ghosts, Egypt etc, he had something to bring to the conversation.  I miss those conversations.

My dad was a man of compassion.  He would  never walk away from somebody in need and gave many times when the giving wasn't so easy.  He was one of the kindest people I have ever known.
 My dad wore a lot of hats, professionally, but to me he was just Daddy.  he was a good father, a great grandfather and he is missed on a daily basis.   So, happy birthday, Daddy -- I wish you were here.