... About Father's Day - 2015

Lela getting a hug from her father
while doing a skit at church

Sunday, June 21, 2015 is Father's Day.  It will be my first Father's Day without my father, Marion Lee Walker, Sr.  Daddy passed on to glory on May 31, 2015 at 3:31 pm.  I had taken Mother to church in the morning as I usually do. We had just arrived home from church,  I had just gotten lunch ready for her and had no more said “Amen” to saying grace, when the phone rang. My father’s nurse was on the phone telling us Daddy had taken a turn for the worse and we should come to the nursing home where he resided. My mother and I called my brother and sisters and we all went to the home. Daddy was unresponsive; but we each took several minutes and had a special heart-to-heart talk with him. We sang wonderful hymns until he went to his final reward. I was so glad we were all able to be with him and to have time to say our goodbyes.
 

Lela with her father
in Colorado Springs, CO

I do not grieve for my father. During the last months of his life he had been suffering a lot. It had been so hard to visit him and see him that way. He had certainly lived up to his name - he was indeed a "walker" and loved to walk. He loved numbers and had calculated he had walked thousands of miles in his life time. But his body had been ravaged by a horrible disease. He was only able to take tiny steps and only with a walker.  He had other health issues as well and I wept as I watched Daddy nearing heaven’s shores.  I prayed with him that it wouldn’t be long until he got there and our prayers were answered.  However, I do miss him and will always cherish the special times we had together.

Lela with her father
on Grand Cayman



My first memories of Daddy were when our family lived on the Island of Grand Cayman. As a father, Daddy had to apply disciplinary measures at times. His favorite for “the twins” was to have Lena and I sit facing each other and not say a word. (He loved the hymn Blessed Quietness!) And for the two of us, who loved to run and play and what one didn’t think of doing the other did, having to sit and not talk was a tough order. But not all was negative. I loved going on hikes with Daddy and picking berries. But my all time favorite memory is our hot dog roasts over a campfire. To this day, we still get together as a family – children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, spouses and friends, and enjoy roasting hot dogs. I never eat a roasted hot dog without thinking of Daddy. 

Lela enjoying a hot dog roast with her parents,
her twin sister, Lena and her brother, Lee 

Somewhere along the way, Daddy became my friend. During the past few years, as I took on the role of one of Daddy’s  caregivers, I became very close to Daddy. Daddy and I both love to read and my favorite times with him were when I took him to bookstores. He could browse for hours and I would just sit and read waiting for him. We would go to the Country Buffet to eat. I was very sad when the day came and Daddy could no longer go to the bookstores.  Other times we would go out for supper after a doctor visit.  His favorite meal he ordered was crab cakes.  From now on I'll always think of him when I eat a crab cake. 

Walker Family - 1962 - Salisbury, MD

When I starting my speaking ministry, Daddy was my "biggest fan."  He would come and hear me whenever he could and would say his loud, "Amen!"  He told my sister, Elda that a dream of his had come true, that one of his children was a preacher. He also told her that one of my messages was the best he had ever heard. I was so humbled by his remarks. The last time I spoke at church on June 10th, I missed seeing Daddy there. I believe he is now part of that great cloud of witnesses we are surrounded by that we read about in Hebrews 12.



Lela with her
father - 1970

Lela with her father
 repeating her marriage vows
at Wilbur and Lela's 10th
Wedding Anniversary

I am grateful I had opportunities to thank Daddy for teaching me about God and His love. Daddy had a lot to do in shaping and molding me and I am the person I am today because of the impact Daddy had on my life and for that I am so thankful!



One of Daddy's favorite expressions was, "I find this fascinating..." and then he would share what it was.  The Scriptures tell us, No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.  1 Corinthians 2:9.  I can just picture Daddy walking through heaven and discovering all those things and saying, “I find this fascinating..."



Lela with her father - 1985
20th Reunion on Deal Island

Daddy loved to tell everyone he met, "You are someone special, Jesus loves you!"  Some years ago Daddy had asked my twin sister and I to speak at his Memorial Service.  I said I would; but wondered how I would be able to.  I knew it would be a very emotional time.  I decided to use You are someone special, Jesus loves you as my theme.  Loving the Lord, Jesus as I do, I did not find it difficult at all to share on the day of Daddy's Memorial Service how much Jesus loves everyone.  It is truly a message we need to be sharing with everyone we meet.  Perhaps Daddy has now met someone in heaven with whom he had shared that awesome news.  I find that most fascinating!

Lela with her father at
Lela's College Graduation

The day Daddy passed on the glory, as I said good-bye to my father, my friend, I was his little girl once again.
 
Daddy, I remember the first time we had to be a part.  We had just arrived in the United States from Grand Cayman where we had lived for four years.  I was six years old at the time.  You went to Kentucky to see your family and the rest of us went to Pennsylvania to see Mother's family.  I missed you so much and I cried and cried.  I feel the same right now.  I know I shall see you again some day and we will never be a part again.  I love you!