My dad at 92
My favorite picture of my mom and dad
6½
years ago when my mom passed away, I decided that I needed to call my dad a lot
more often than I had before. I was very
close to my mom and usually talked to her weekly. I talked with my dad less often. After mom’s passing I called my dad every few
days. I think if I were to average the
number of calls over those years, it would be about twice a week. We talked about the things he was doing—his
tennis, his exercise classes, his appointments, his temple attendance, BYU and
UCLA sports mostly football and basketball, sometimes other sports as well. In
late August of this year, we spent time looking at both BYU and UCLA football
schedules, what time and what channel each game would be broadcast. He enjoyed
sports, and it gave him something to look forward to. We also talked about our
favorite conference talks. I loved
hearing the things that meant the most to him. I also sang to my dad often. The
last song I sang to him was “Peace like a River.” He always said, “Beautiful!”
when I would finish singing to him. I have expressed gratitude to him for the
wonderful musical training he and my mom provided for me in my youth.
I have
a lot of happy memories of my dad. He
took me on daddy-daughter dates, he often took me to sporting events and to the
theater. Since I am one of the youngest, my sisters were having babies while I
still lived at home, so my mom would be gone to help them. Dad filled in for
her when she was gone and attended my performances and supported me in the
things I did.
I have
often bragged about my dad and his good health.
He played tennis twice a week and attended exercise classes until late
September when he got pneumonia. In fact the Monday before he went to the
hospital with pneumonia, we were talking on the phone and he told me that
tennis wasn’t working out on Mondays anymore, so he had gone that day and
joined 24 hour fitness to attend their Silver Sneakers class on Mondays. When
asked what his goal for joining was, he told them to maintain his health.
Pretty amazing. He had a clear mind and a good memory. He was the Sunday School
president until he died. Whenever we went anywhere together, he would give me
specific directions even which lane to be in to make the trip go more smoothly.
Just
over 4 months ago, our youngest daughter was married in the Los Angeles
Temple. All of our children and
grandchildren were able to be with my dad that day. I am so grateful we all together. Since the wedding was the Friday after
Father’s Day, I came to Palos Verdes a few days earlier than I had planned so I
could spend Father’s Day with my dad. It had been many years since we had been
together on Father’s Day. I sent him my
itinerary, and he called me a day or two later and said he was reading my email
and that he had tickets to see “Phantom of the Opera” the day after I arrived.
We went to see the show together and had a wonderful time.
My dad
liked to stay close to his posterity. He sent a birthday and anniversary card
to each of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He would call and sing Happy Birthday or
happy anniversary (which was the same tune as happy birthday with anniversary
in place of birthday). He still had a nice singing voice at 92. He was very
generous to us as well.
Speaking
of birthdays, starting in 2009, my brother, my sisters and I would all
celebrate dad’s birthday with him. It
was a great tradition and a wonderful time to be together. Dad’s birthday is in
9 days. He would have turned 93. We all
had our reservations in place to be here next weekend. I think my mom must have
planned a birthday party in heaven for him.
I would
like to talk for a minute about my dad’s hands.
One of my earliest memories is of my dad coming home from work and me
running to him and walk hand in hand with him to the kitchen for dinner. His big warm hands would hold my cold little
ones and warm them up.
Think
for a minute of how his hands have helped you.
Was it his warm handshake that always included
a welcoming smile asking how you were doing and sincerely wanting to know how
you were doing?
Were
you a patient of my dad whose skilled hands performed a delicate surgery on you
that ended your pain or helped you overcome a health problem?
Did his
hands deliver one or more of your babies and bring that wonderful bundle of joy
to your life?
Did he
use his hands to hold a tennis racquet across the net from you and help you get
some good exercise?
Did his
hands write a note to you signed capital L, capital O, capital L that didn’t
mean "laugh out loud" but meant "lots of love?"
Did he
use his hands and his priesthood to give you a blessing?
There
are many things my dad did with his hands that have blessed my life and yours.
My
dad’s birthday is in just over a week. I
think he would be pleased if between now and his birthday we chose to do
something with our hands that would help someone—a random act of kindness—to
remember how he has influenced our lives for good.
I
am grateful for the life of Gordon Mark Maughan and am so fortunate to be able
to call him my father. I am grateful for
his strong testimony of the gospel. My patriarchal blessing states that I was
born of goodly parents who placed importance on the gospel of Jesus Christ.
That is very true. I have been blessed
to learn of our Savior in my youth. I know our Savior lives and because He
lives, my dad and we all shall live again. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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