William Theodore Condon, Sr.

  Beloved Father 

 

 

Feb.16, 1997

 

This is a birthday and memorial open letter to my dad, William Theodore Condon, who would be ninety- two on this day.  Born Feb. 16, 1905.

 

Dad, on mom's birthday I posted on another place a tribute to her and you.   I wanted to take this special time to do the same for you.  A  friend has graciously offered to place this message on her world wide web site, I bet you know about those kind of things now!!  I sure didn't a year ago!  Anyway, Nancy has offered to place it here, cause I messed up and really cant put it on the other posting place, but again I know that you are aware of the tangled mess I created.  I also know what you would say, "everything always works out for the best".  And you know, dad, that faith you had  in the world and mankind has done well for me as I grow older. How come you knew so much!

 

I really suspect, dad, that I dont have much time to compose this, get it to Nancy and allow her time to do with it as she needs.  So I will try to be brief, recall something's and others, well, they are probably better left off, wouldn't you agree?  Yeah, I knew you would!

 

You know dad, the things you did, said, taught, provided and gave, now have become terribly important to me, more so than when a "brat".  But let me stop running off  here and try to tell you the things you left with me and what I've done with them.

 

You were always so gentle and kind to others.  Our home filled with those you picked upped; carefully dusted, tended to their scars, gave them warmth of home, comfort of bed, an nourishment of person and sustenance of food. You treated them as your own, those named  Ray, Don, Flo, O'B, Nellie, and those who right now I can not call up from memory, so many dad!  You never asked for anything.

 

You reached out to your brothers and sisters  who for so long you were separated because of the tragedy of your early childhood.  And oh guess what, Dorothy who knew you 70yrs ago gave me a picture of Myra and John.  I have never forgot the story you told of standing on a wooden crate in Myra's hotel kitchen at age 12 washing dishes for your keep after your mom died and your dad abandoned the family.  I knew Myra and John as special people, really your family.

 

A couple quick stories here dad.  You know one of the proudest times for me was when I was to present to the Legislature the proposal for the treatment program.  On the night before, you asked to read the testimony I had prepared.  After reading it you commented that it really sounded good, but you had one question.  I will never remember what the question was.  But I sure as hell remember my response to you!!  I recall saying, "I certainly hoped that the legislator's didn't ask me that question because I didn't have the answer"!  They didn't.

 

You taught me a lot. Things which I passed over at the time, but which later I called upon to see me through and give me encouragement to stay the course. One, when as a young adult, I asked you  how you had put up with my turbulent teen years, you simply replied, " because you are my son".  Nothing more was said, nothing more to say.

 

And so Dad, you were a father,  mentor,  teacher, guide and pal.  And through it all, you asked nothing but gave much. Many today say I look more and more like you with each passing day, I carry your name and could not be prouder!

 

I hope folks can say of me, "He was his father's Son"

 

William T. Condon, Jr  

 

You were a gentle soul

         a man of nature,  And from the earth         

you learned, and to it, you gave!