Jesse T. VanCleave Jr.

Happy Father's day Dad

I could say a lot but my best friend is missed more than. Words can say I love you and you're with me

Happy Birthday to my dad

Days and years have past
But you still live in my heart
Where memories of you can never fade
I see your face in the mirror
And hear your voice in mine
You have pasted these things to me
As I have pasted them to mine
I see your talent's of your art and words
Living on in my children
And I see your love of life living on in theirs
So in that way we can never die
We may leave this life behind
But your spirit can never die
I'm proud to call myself your son
So with a tear in my eye and love in my heart
I say Happy Birthday to you

Early in our marriage, Jesse (III) and I lived with Jesse Jr. for awhile. I remember us living on Payne St. in Louisville. The three of us played a lot of Yahtzee and Jesse would keep high and low scores records. MTV was the big new thing at the time. Then was the first (and ONLY) time he got me to try brains and eggs. I remember that winter the power had gone out and we moved all the refrigerator foods out onto the back porch.

This has been a very hard week. My thoughts have been filled with the memories of my dad like going fishing and bowling with him when I was a child. He loved his bowling team the Koalas and being with his friend's the team was Bill,Tony,Roy,Jay and I got to sub sometimes. He liked to play board games with us when we where young (I know he would let us win). He loved us and was a good dad. I just wish I would have spent more time with him someday I will see him again.
It has been a year since he passed on and I miss him.
He will always be with us

Oh how I miss my Dad and best friend The last couple of weeks I sure wanted to talk to him,He gave me so much and even the tools to go through heart ache but I'm much weaker than He was so struggle abit here and there.I keep thinking of the first time they finally let me see Him I walked in the room and started talking to Him and Rose notice tears running down His cheeks Rose and Roxanne hugged me but He knew it was me and I know He loved Me as much as I love Him. It's just so very hard to learn to live without His great mind and sense of humor and for me His guidance through the rough parts as He was always there to nudge Me in the right direction at the same time making me feel like I did it myself.He was such a Great man and person I hold no false hope of ever meeting someone like Him again by far and I mean very far The Best,Smartest,Kindest loving person I will ever have the honor of meeting and calling him Dad I miss his hugs and Him singing to me. I really cant wait to see Him again as He put His arm around me and said I knew you could do it as He has countless times like He had nothing to do with it,well He did every step and thought of my journey has been inspired and guided by Him in every way possible from getting knock on my but by every parking meter in the peace marches cause I could not stop looking and listening to him all the way to this very second..sorry to ramble but really miss Him and Me,Eva and Roxanne are going to Evergreen today,I'm going to take Him a Beer and pack of ciggs and leave them there He will know it's from Me or Phil as we did every time we where lucky enough to see Him.Love and Miss you Dad

Ground Hog day has come and gone and I didn't get to talk to my dad this is the first time I can remember not talking to him on this day. He always said that this is his favorite holiday

My dad was a great man with a very large heart and i loved him with all mine not a day goes by that i dont thimk of him he taught me all i know about life and he will be missed more than my words can say i love u dad and i will see u again

Such a great man,Dad you are the best and I miss you every second of every day.I can't wait to see you again..

Talked to Rose today. She told me some things about Jesse that I didn't know. When he lived on Ormsby Street, he used to go up to a little thrift shop on Shelby every Saturday morning. There was a priest there that he used to share coffee and powdered donuts with. And conversation. He told the priest one day that he enjoyed bringing him the powdered donuts because he liked to watch the little white crumbs falling on his black garments. She said he always knew how to make a person smile. She told me about this little saying he frequently used: "like hair in a biscuit" for something that's annoying or an unpleasant surprise or discovery. He got the saying from Roger Matherly, someone he used to play in a band with. Another thing she told me about involved his harmonica playing. He always kept a harmonica in his pocket because it was something he could still do. They'd walk up to the corner store, which got to be as far as he could walk anymore. He'd play a little tune for the woman that worked there. Anytime he didn't, the woman would ask him, "Where's my song today, Mr. Jesse?"

Very loved and never forgotten!!!! RIP Grandpa Jesse :'(

Your funeral was today. The pastor read the last poem you ever wrote. It was hard to keep the tears inside. He said you wrote it as you were declining, as your mind was beginning to fade. You knew it would be your last and your plea to Erato was poignant. It touched me deeply and immediately after the service, I borrowed it from Rose long enough to copy it. I'd like to see all your poems and drawings assembled together in a book and I'd like to facilitate that happening. Bye for now.

Some things I think of when I think of you: I remember when we were living with you for awhile, you used to have "pick on Maria" days. I remember you always had at least one jade plant and I'd bet there's one at Rose's right now. I remember how you used to watch baseball and record all the stats. I remember you used to draw and sketch and especially your cute and funny little doodles. I think of how you never had a driver's license and walked nearly everywhere you went. And every time when you got back home, you'd mark on the calendar how much change you found that day. I remember you used to love to cook. Curried fried chicken. Cajun pork chops. Eggs, onions and potatoes skillet quiche-type thing you created. I remember you always stated your "religion" or philosophy as taoist. I have a book on "being tao" probably because of you. I remember how we'd sit and play Yahtzee, sometimes for hours. I remember our wedding reception was at your house. I remember when you were falling in love with Rose and sometimes we'd ride you out to the Masonic Home on Frankfort Ave. to pick her up after work. I'll post more as it comes to mind...