Edward C. Perry

Two years ago this weekend (June 24th, 2006) we lost my Dad to cancer. He would have been 51 the end of July. My mom has been working on a memory book with all of our family of my Dad. I've procrastinated for almost two years. This year I decided my Birthday Present to him would be to have all of my memory pages done by his Birthday. As an aid to get this finished, each week from now till his Birthday I'll have a special tribute to my Daddy, each being a page from the pages of the memory book I've been and will be working on.

I hope you all enjoy reading about my Dad, as I enjoyed my walk down memory lane. For some of you who never met my father, or didn't know him very well, I hope these tributes can show what a special person he is and was to our family.

My Father

My Father. My Role Model. My Hero. In the time since my Dad passed away I’ve gained a stronger sense of who he was and who I am because of what he meant to me.

My Dad always made sure to tell my Mom, Brother, and Me how proud he was of us. I have to say, as I’ve reflected on who my Dad was, I’ve realized just how proud of him I am. I’m proud of him for his beliefs, his character, and the things he stood for, the way he believed in his family and supported them. This is my Tribute to him – although my real tribute will always be the way I live my life – in a way I hope makes him proud – with all the things – big and small that he was able to instill in me.

(Picture by: Jack Rowell & Janet Osha-Miller)

May 15th, 2005

My Daddy always told me how one of the greatest moments of his life was holding me for the very first time. I never truly understood how special this moment was until I held my own baby girl, Emma Elizabeth, for the first time. What my Dad had said all those years took on even more for me when I held Emma Elizabeth for the first time.

Daddy & Alayna - 2 Days Old

Mommy & Emma - Minutes Old

My Dad, I can honestly say, loved his kids. You could see it in his eyes when he looked at us. Even when I wasn’t at my best, or had done something he wasn’t pleased with me about, the way in which he treated me and spoke to me, I knew he still loved me. I had a knack for getting my Dad really upset with me. Upset isn’t quite the right word, disappointed is probably a more accurate way to describe his feelings.

Rather than getting mad and yelling, he’d remain composed, but the way he’d look at me, or the way he wouldn’t talk to me, let me know that I had really disappointed him, I’d dug myself a deep hole. Believe me, time and time again I’d dig that hole and each time knowing he was disappointed in me broke me more than if he’d just gotten mad and yelled at me. I’d have to work my way out of that hole and show Dad that I deserved his respect again. I think I’m much the same way as my Dad, if you screw up, I’ll give you another chance but you’ve got to earn it.

Daddy's Lil' Girl

My Dad Would Be Proud!

I Can See The Grin On His Face Smiling Back At Us!