Dad was an Army veteran. He was proud of his military service and often spoke of the training he received. He worked at a utility company in Kirksville, Missouri before he joined the Army. The Army trained dad to become a heating and cooling mechanic, and that became his life’s work.
After working at several heating and cooling jobs, dad decided to strike out on his own, and he started his own business in Topeka, Kansas. He called it Groner’s Refrigeration. I remember riding along with him in his blue Ford Econoline with the name of his business on the side.
He repaired air conditioners and heating units for families, and ice makers and walk-in freezers for businesses. He even repaired the air conditioner on my 1984 Buick when it quit working.
By watching my father, I learned about honesty and hard work - giving an honest day’s work for an honest day’s labor. He never made a lot of money at his work, but he was independent, reliable, hard-working, and honest. He knew his business and he enjoyed helping other people. Those are qualities that I learned from dad and have served me well all my life.
When he died at the age of 84, I planned his funeral services just as he had asked me to do. He was Catholic and I arranged for his priest to have a funeral mass at the Catholic church near dad’s home in Topeka. I had his brothers participate in the service, and I arranged his burial exactly as he wanted. I was glad to honor him in this way.
Whenever he comes to visit me in my dreams, he seems pleased that I honored him and took care of things like he wanted me to.
Dad is in heaven now and one day I’ll see him again. Perhaps we will take a ride in his Ford Econoline for old time’s sake.
Rest in Peace, Dad. I love you,
Gene
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