Today marks 40 years since my father lost his battle to cancer, that is two thirds of my life (crazy to think about it in those terms). Life moves on, but what I would give to have him around over the last four decades.
When we were kids, my parents bought a 23 foot Terry camper trailer. Just about every other weekend we would go camping at a campground or state park in Ohio or surrounding state. We went every other weekend, because as a pharmacist, my father worked on rotating weekends.
We would take a 1-2 week vacation in the summer and travel further with the trailer. I have fond memories of trips to the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, or Gettysburg and DC.
On many of these trips, we visited historic sites. This had a great influence on me as I developed a love of history.
These weekends camping and our longer vacations were my first travel experiences. The travel I did as a kid has a profound impact on me today. I installed the same love of travel my father had with my own children. Growing up, my kids were fortunate to take family vacations to Europe, California, New England, and of course Ohio.
My father was always the photographer (taking slides). I don’t have many photos of him, but I have the attached family portrait from 55 years ago. My father is the good looking guy in the middle with dark hair and I am the handsome blond hair kid.
Traveling Walters 
What a wonderful remembrance of a great father I wish I had known him and your children had known him you were a cute kid and a gteat father too love you darryl
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Wow 40 years. So long ago and yet I remember it like yesterday. So much has happened since but know that he would have been so proud of you and all you’ve accomplished. May his memory always be for a blessing.
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Wow 40 years. Such a long time ago and yet I still remember it as if it was yesterday. I didn’t know him well but I am certain he would have been so proud of you and your family. May his memory forever be for a blessing.
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