On Father’s Day, we’re remembering the dads who were also their children’s best playmates.
Many a father has been described in his obituary as the best dad and playmate. For Father’s Day, we’re remembering a few of these beloved dads who’ve recently died.
Lyle Russell Belknap, “excelled in baseball,” according to his obituary in the Lansing State Journal — he even“played second base for the Chicago White Sox minor league and was active in Lansing (Michigan) baseball leagues as a player/coach.”
Belknap, who spent “endless hours” playing and coaching his children’s teams, “loved his family and never missed a single sporting event, activity or music recital.”
“What a happy life it was to have a ‘play with us’ dad,” his children wrote in the obituary. “We were so blessed to have (in our minds) the best dad in the world.”
Edward G. Mifsud “enjoyed his ability to return to his youth as one of the greatest playmates a child could ever have,” according to his obituary in the San Francisco Chronicle.
“He spent many hours teaching” his six children and nine grandchildren, “as he worked on projects making and building things for them,” the obit said.
“Edward always loved animals, he especially loved raising livestock while farming and ranching in his earlier years. He passed that love onto his children and grandchildren. He took great pride in knowing they shared the same interests and passion for agriculture as he had.”
Vietnam War veteran David Pini was known for his legendary skills operating tractors and heavy machinery, according to his obit in the Santa Cruz (California) Sentinel.
“He preferred the feeling of dirt and pine needles in his toes than the formality of shoes or the indoors,” his family wrote. “Dave connected to God through his love of nature. He taught his kids, Niki, Joey,and Kim his respect of nature and love of animals throughout his life and on many camping trips.”
“He enjoyed scaring people with rubber spiders, snakes, and thrill rides on tractors and off-road vehicles.”
“The best thing about his laugh was how easy it was for him to encourage himself and others to laugh even harder. We simply had to join in on the laughter, even if we didn’t get the joke.”
“Above anything else he accomplished, he was a superhero to his kids and so many extended family members. Dad was always ready to help when someone needed it, to take on stray animals; he was that person everyone went to. He was the absolute best father and friend, and someone with too much character to describe in writing.”
This post was contributed by Alana Baranick, a freelance obituary writer. She was the director of the Society of Professional Obituary Writers and chief author of Life on the Death Beat: A Handbook for Obituary Writers before she passed away in 2015.
