One helluva guy

Thursday will have made it two years and not a week goes by when I don't think about my dad. James William Proctor aka Jim aka Spanky aka Jimmy J aka Dad was quite a guy. He could seemingly always make me laugh whether it was his self-deprecating humor, inappropriate jokes or being the joker while playing the straight man. His honeymoon story's delivery could have been a comedy CD that would have made Dane Cook jealous.

I guess I just want to thank him for being the dad he was and that he was a better father than most dads who lived 7 days a week with their kids. I looked forward to Wednesday night dinners and looking out of the window on Saturday mornings, waiting for the Taurus to come around Castlebridge Road. He was larger than life for me. My best friend until I found my wife and a guy that while sometimes we got on each other's nerves, we still loved each other.

He was always a coach on my Little League teams. He came across town to be at every practice and was there every game. He came and watched me play tennis in high school. He took me to church every Sunday. He attended all of my choral concerts.

He took me to New York. He took me to Disney World and on my first roller coaster. He tried to play Nintendo with me in an effort to bond.

He took my cousins and me fishing one time and forgot the sunscreen. We were on the boat for 7 hours and got toasted but I caught a flounder, so it was worth it.

He used to drive me around in his jeep with the top down. Great memories riding in that jeep. I was so sad when he sold it.

He took me to see Hulk Hogan. He took me to Opening Day in Baltimore 4 straight years. He arranged for a visit to the Oval Office. We went to LA and San Diego and Mexico, all in one week.

And the story that sticks out in my memory was my high school freshmen orientation. He was giving me a lecture about first impressions and how this was the most important day of my academic life to date when we entered the "Open Commons" and all of a sudden he hit a slick patch on the floor and did the splits right to the floor. Dad wasn't exactly a slim dude, so when he hit the deck, everyone turned around to see the "fat man on the floor." (His words)

Oh, and the first time he met my girlfriend (now wife) was when he came to Athens my senior year. He had just finished driving 8 hours from Richmond and as we sat down at Bennigans, he downed two double screwdrivers I think before he shook Wifey's hand. I think that's when the inappropriate jokes started and I knew that Wifey was IN because he wouldn't tell jokes around non-family like that.

He met my in-laws at my college graduation party and I remember after he attempted to get my future M-I-L a third glass of wine before she had finished her first, he asked for a picture with all of his wives then rushed the in-laws out because "Fletcher's other girlfriend's family is on the way."

There are way too many stories to tell right here, but they will be running through my mind all day as they do most days. The last time I remember talking to Dad on the phone, I remember thinking that something was wrong, maybe he was just wiped from driving back from the beach. Turns out Dad had been in a lot of pain for many years and he never left anyone know because he was so selfless. My family tells me that he was even joking right before he went in for surgery that week. When I got a call from my step-mother telling me that it didn't go well, I was in the car on the way to Virginia and I got to see him before his health started failing. Everyone says that it was the best time for me to see him before he faded, and he was still managing to joke a bit when he was awake. He lived to make his 59th birthday before joining Granny, Pop and Aunt Ann on Cutshaw Ave part two. The funeral was nice because everyone was telling Jim stories and it was nice knowing how loved he was and how many lives he touched. It was a church service and a party. He'd have loved it.

I miss you, Dad and I know many many many more people do too. I know you are still watching over me and I would hope that you'd be happy with the man I've become. If you ever met my dad, I'd hope that when you think of him, you'd recall your favorite Jim memory and just laugh. That's a fitting tribute and one that he would want.