I had just
arrived at work following a long holiday week-end. In my mind, I was going through a checklist
of all the things that needed to be done that day. I made the coffee, turned on the copier, and
prepared my breakfast of yogurt and fresh fruit. At the instant I sat down in front of my
computer, the telephone rang. As
cheerfully as I could muster after coming back from a 3-day week-end, I
answered the phone. It was my Mama. She said just three words, “Your Daddy’s
gone.” Those words went deep into the pit of my soul
and left me gasping for breath with a broken heart. The rest of the conversation escapes my
memory… all I remember saying is “I’m on my way… I’m coming”. As I ran out the door, I called Bro. Barry
and told him, “My Daddy died! I have to
go! I’m locking the door!” God must have driven my car for me because I
was too busy screaming at HIM, asking Him how I was supposed to live without my
Daddy. I called Jesse and Benjamin and
told them to meet me at Mama’s and Daddy’s house. I think I called a friend and asked her to
pray
When I got to
Mama’s house, she was out in the yard with our pastor, Bro. James. I hugged my Mama hard and asked if Daddy was
still in the house. He was. I went inside and knelt beside the body that
had housed my Daddy’s sweet spirit for almost 81 years. I held his hand, kissed his forehead, and
told him “good-bye”.
These are the
memories that have been running around in my head since Daddy went to
heaven. They will never go away. But, there are other memories too. Ones from 54 years of being a Daddy’s girl
who knew beyond any doubt that my Daddy loved me with his whole precious heart. I would like to share some of these memories
so the world can know how very blessed by God I was to be able to call William
Lawton Kendrick my Daddy.
·
I remember thinking my Mama’s name was “Sweetheart”
because it is all I ever heard my Daddy call her when I was little.
·
I remember my Daddy getting me and Melanie ready
for church on Sunday mornings, so Mama could get ready without feeling rushed.
·
I remember snuggling up next to Daddy during “big
church” on Sundays.
·
I remember Daddy taking us to the zoo when he
worked there. We got to “help” him get
food ready for the monkeys. One time we
got to hold a newborn leopard cub. He
would bring us porcupine quills and peacock feathers to “make-believe” with.
·
I remember the tremendous feeling of relief I
felt when I saw my Daddy arrive to get us after we had been involved in a car
accident. His presence dispelled all of
my fear.
·
I remember my Daddy and Mama going by to pick up
widow ladies and bringing them to church.
Daddy also did any kind of work around these ladies’ houses that they
needed help with.
·
I remember the look of absolute awe-struck pride
on my Daddy’s face when David was born.
David became Daddy’s little shadow.
They called each other “Buddy” for the longest time.
·
I remember the day I graduated from Judson,
Daddy made his way to the back door as we were marching out so he would be
there to give me a kiss on my way out.
·
I remember how proud Daddy was to become a
grandparent. I can still see the love in
his eyes as he first held Michaelann, his first grandchild.
·
I remember the sly smile on Daddy’s face when I
asked him if he would give me away at my wedding. He said, “I’ve been waiting a looong time to
do that!”
·
I remember Daddy praying for Ken and me before
he walked me down the aisle on my wedding day.
He asked God to bless our home and our marriage.
·
I remember, after Jesse was born, how Daddy’s
whole face lit up when I asked him to come in and meet his new grandson.
·
I remember how lovingly and tenderly Daddy
helped Mama care for my Granny in the last years of her life. He and Granny loved each other as if they
were mother and son instead of in-laws.
·
I remember that Daddy called Jesse and Benjamin “Buddy”
too, and how he enjoyed watching them play when we would visit.
·
I remember Daddy asking me to get a special
surprise for him to present to Mama on their 50th wedding
anniversary when they renewed their vows.
He arranged for a love song to be sung as he gave it to her.
·
I remember Daddy rearranging his plans and spending the night with me at
the hospital following one of Ken’s surgeries because he didn’t want me to stay
up there by myself and Mama was at home with Jesse and Benjamin.
·
I remember Daddy holding my hand as we walked
into the church for Ken’s funeral and keeping me safe in the shelter of his arm
during the service.
·
I remember Daddy doing my yard work and fixing
things around my house after we moved to Ashville, not because I asked him to,
but just because he loved me and it needed doing.
·
I remember Daddy’s growling game that he played
with Kaileigh (youngest grandchild).
Even over the phone, Kaileigh would say, “tell Granddad I said, GGGRRRRRR!”
and he would always growl back.
·
I remember after Daddy’s stroke, when he was so
agitated and upset from not being able to form the words he wanted to say, I
would rub my thumb between his eyes down the bridge of his nose. It was a gesture I had used to comfort Jesse
and Benjamin when they were babies. Just
as it had comforted my sons, it also comforted and calmed my precious Daddy.
·
I remember that Daddy’s dry wit returned and was
as keen as ever after his stroke, but his memory was never the same. He was so good at covering his memory loss
with his wit, that most people never realized how profoundly affected he was by
the stroke.
·
I remember how Daddy loved to watch Emily and
Rain, his great-granddaughters play.
Emily tended to be a little shy with him, but Rain always had to go into
Daddy’s room and visit with her “Dad-Dad”.
·
I remember that Daddy would sometimes pester
Mama and then smile when she fussed at him.
But he said he knew how much she loved him and that she took such good
care of him. He would pat her three times and say, “You know what that
means? It means I love you”.
·
I remember when Jesse or Benjamin would be
giving me grief, as knucklehead sons are prone to do, Daddy would quietly, but
sternly tell them, “You ought to do what your Mama says”.
·
I remember the Sunday before Daddy died, he
waited at the end of the pew until I came out.
He gave me a kiss and said, “I love you, honey”. I said, “I love you too, Daddy”. Those are the last words I can remember us
saying to each other.
There are so
many more memories… too many, really, to count.
I guess what I will remember most is that my Daddy was an awesome, godly
man, a loving and tender husband, father, grandfather and
great-grandfather. He was what God
intended all fathers to be. How blessed
I was to be his child.
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