On this, my Dad’s 72nd celebration of ‘Father’s Day,’ and as the last article I’ll ever have the pleasure of sharing with all of you who have read my musings over the past years, this article is for my dad … and your dad; the fathers you are and the fathers your sons will be. This is a reminiscence of a life lived with so much optimism that it has lasted 97 years, four months and is still going strong.

My Dad was the kind of Dad who worked long hours during the day, came home and often went back to work at the theatre at night. He wasn’t home in the afternoons to play catch or to take us fishing. He possessed absolutely no skills when it came to using tools to fix things. On the other hand, he never complained about working long hours. I really can’t remember him ever yelling at us – even when my little brother arrived home in the back of a police car because he had been riding his dirt bike on the city street. The whippings we got were from our mother – 99% of the time. I can remember dad telling me to yell really loudly, but he hit the bed, not my bottom.

When my mother encouraged me to eat my vegetables so I would ‘grow up to be like Superman’, I could not understand why she doubled over laughing when I replied, “ I don’t want to be like Superman. I want to be like daddy.” It was true. To me, my dad was bigger and better in every way than Superman. And, strangely, even now as I watch him slowly walk to the door to greet me, he is still bigger and better than Superman.

My dad wasn’t just my dad. I have two sisters and a brother. He loved us all when we were children and he loves us and all of our offspring and extended family members now. He is blind to anything other than us being good people and good citizens. All he wants in the world is for his family to be healthy, happy and love each other.

Over the years he has given his all to his family, his church and his community. I cannot remember him ever saying anything negative about anyone – even when I thought they really deserved it. He has always been patient, kind, thoughtful and respectful of others.

The best example our Dad set was to love our mother with his whole heart. To him, she was everything and it almost broke him when she passed away at age 44. There were some tough years not only for him, but for us all, but we got through them and he found happiness later in life with a lovely lady who had been a dear friend of our mother. That marriage added four more children and then we were eight. He became ‘Papa Doc’ to us all – father of eight, grandfather of 11, great-grandfather of six with many more to come. A lot of them will be born to ‘Reeves’ boys and thus his legacy will live on.

It is said that as long as there remains one person on earth who remembers another who lived before, the person who has passed will live on in the hearts and minds of those who remember him. Our Dad remains in good health and sound mind and even though he has relocated to St Simons Island to spend the remainder of his time here on earth, there is no doubt he is fondly remembered by generations of folks in McDonough.

As one last gift from my Dad to me and from me to you, I wish for you the gift of living life with optimism. If you were to ask Doc Reeves if he had a good day, his reply would be, “Every day is a good day for me.” At his age, there is a lot to be said for that great attitude.

When Mickie told me the Times would no longer be published, it made me sad to realize yet another staple of our lives has fallen victim to technology. Many times I yearn for the ‘good old days’ when things seemed much less complicated. My dad isn’t a complicated man. He is a regular guy who has lived his life happily and well. Here’s to you, dad, on this Father’s Day and forever.

Jeff Reeves is a lifelong resident of McDonough. He and his wife, Betsy, have one son.