BufordBuzz
Georgia Tech Fan
- Messages
- 15
Please indulge me ...
My dad has passed from this life having experienced 83 years, 2 months and 22 days. His last few minutes were spent with me and my best friend at his bedside. It would be impossible to relate the rich and deep textures woven into the fabric of his person and legacy. Nonetheless, I wanted to write down some thoughts in an attempt to remind me and perhaps others of some things about him; to extend greater insight for some, and for those who might not have known him, to introduce my dad. Thank you to so many who have been praying for us, comforting us with words and acts of service. God is working through you and we are thankful.
It is so very interesting to me to contemplate how we enter the world completely helpless into a complex sea of personalities and relationships that influence and shape our direction. Then, at the end of our lives if a natural course occurs, we exit completely helpless and leave a completely different group of people than we started with. Those who welcomed my dad into this world have long since gone on. Only a few who really impacted his early life remain. But the influences of those who welcomed him do remain because their influences, decisions, sacrifices and wisdom were infused into his life. As he welcomed us into this world or into his sphere of influence, his experiences have been infused into who we are becoming.
My dad was born on Saturday, November 28th, 1936. He was an American through-and-through having drawn his first breath at Grady Hospital in Atlanta. He was the second of five children born to parents who were both Georgian by birth (Gwinnett County and Dooly County respectively). His father and paternal grandfather were born in Gwinnett. His paternal great-grandfather immigrated to Georgia from the upstate of South Carolina and all three have there remains buried in Gwinnett County. Several generations prior, he had four family members who fought in the Revolutionary War that were also present in Yorktown with General Washington.
My dad grew up in the first public housing project in the United States which was located in Atlanta. Techwood homes as it’s name implies bordered the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology. His parents raised five children in Atlanta at the heart of the 20th century and neither of them ever obtained a driver’s license or owned their own car. He experienced scarcity and rationing at a time of great turmoil. He experienced what we might call poverty but he and his were actually quite rich. He rode bikes with his brothers to Piedmont Park and explored forested “cliffs” in and around what is now a 12 lane interstate. He also played for the Techwood Tigers.
My dad was a life-long fan of anything and everything to do with Georgia Tech. He was a Ramblin Wreck and saw being a “Tech man” as an ideal. The proximity to campus made the Tech campus a veritable playground. During fall afternoons following school, he and his buddies would wait just outside the gate at Rose Bowl field and hitch rides on the shoulders of the players and sometimes coaches back to the locker room. These men were their heros. On Friday nights after dark, they would often sneak into Grant Field and play football under moonlight skies and freshly cut and chalked grass. On gamedays, he sold peanuts and collected Coca-Cola bottles to have pocket money. There is on legendary story of a chain-cutter and parking cars on Rose Bowl field one day but I will leave that for another time.
My dad loved the Yellow Jackets! That was a big part of his life all the way to the final week. He was a “sidewalk” fan in that he was not a graduate. His love for Tech sports was infused into me as his son and that has been passed down to my son and we are already working on the next generation with all four of his great-grandchildren wearing gold capes at a game together this past season. Many years ago, he would set up shop at the local Waffle House as the nearby picture attests. He was ahead of his time and was excited about the new direction on the Flats #404theculture #gtfootball.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/w198xnva684er5q/Dad - Waffle House.jpg?dl=0
My dad was proud of his siblings. His older brother was both an O’Keefe and Georgia Tech graduate and played baseball. He played at an all-star level playing at Ponce De Leon Park. The family often watched games on Sunday afternoons with the minor league team that was in Atlanta during those years. His family moved to the suburbs of East Point as he began high school. He was the first of four siblings to play basketball as Russell Wildcats. His two younger brothers played in college and one was a key part of a State Championship team at Russell. His only sister was named Atlanta Tip-Off Club player of the year while in High School.
My dad was known as “little Eddie” by many growing up. He was 5’8” and less than 130 lbs if he was soaking wet at aged 18. Over the next several years, he transformed his body into a powerful instrument that served him well for the next 60 years. He added 60 pounds of muscle during that time and his muscles and bones were hardened and super-strong. The transformation began in part with a broomstick and buckets of sand which exemplify his resourcefulness and passion. He could perform hand-stands with one hand and climb stairs walking on his hands. Even in his late 60's, he remained limber and very strong physically.
My dad wanted to attend Georgia Tech but learned after graduating from High School that it costs money to attend college. He took a job with the City of Atlanta and worked in the Roads Department as part of their field survey team. He and his colleagues helped lay out new streets and infrastructure in the developing city. As he progressed, he took several classes at Georgia Tech to prepare him for several engineering certifications. Later he enlisted in the Army and completed boot camp at Fort Jackson and served the remainder of his brief active duty stint at Fort Leonard Wood followed by a number of years in the Army Reserves.
There is alot more I could share but space and time will limit this. In the end ...
My dad is. He is because of God’s immutable promised and character. He is because my dad was obedient and walked in the light (John 3:36; John 14:15; 1 John 1:7-10). His presence will remain through his influence while those who knew him continue to remember and draw inspiration from his life. He wants you to enjoy the peace he is now experiencing.
My dad is, and I look forward to seeing him again for one very long day.
My dad has passed from this life having experienced 83 years, 2 months and 22 days. His last few minutes were spent with me and my best friend at his bedside. It would be impossible to relate the rich and deep textures woven into the fabric of his person and legacy. Nonetheless, I wanted to write down some thoughts in an attempt to remind me and perhaps others of some things about him; to extend greater insight for some, and for those who might not have known him, to introduce my dad. Thank you to so many who have been praying for us, comforting us with words and acts of service. God is working through you and we are thankful.
It is so very interesting to me to contemplate how we enter the world completely helpless into a complex sea of personalities and relationships that influence and shape our direction. Then, at the end of our lives if a natural course occurs, we exit completely helpless and leave a completely different group of people than we started with. Those who welcomed my dad into this world have long since gone on. Only a few who really impacted his early life remain. But the influences of those who welcomed him do remain because their influences, decisions, sacrifices and wisdom were infused into his life. As he welcomed us into this world or into his sphere of influence, his experiences have been infused into who we are becoming.
My dad was born on Saturday, November 28th, 1936. He was an American through-and-through having drawn his first breath at Grady Hospital in Atlanta. He was the second of five children born to parents who were both Georgian by birth (Gwinnett County and Dooly County respectively). His father and paternal grandfather were born in Gwinnett. His paternal great-grandfather immigrated to Georgia from the upstate of South Carolina and all three have there remains buried in Gwinnett County. Several generations prior, he had four family members who fought in the Revolutionary War that were also present in Yorktown with General Washington.
My dad grew up in the first public housing project in the United States which was located in Atlanta. Techwood homes as it’s name implies bordered the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology. His parents raised five children in Atlanta at the heart of the 20th century and neither of them ever obtained a driver’s license or owned their own car. He experienced scarcity and rationing at a time of great turmoil. He experienced what we might call poverty but he and his were actually quite rich. He rode bikes with his brothers to Piedmont Park and explored forested “cliffs” in and around what is now a 12 lane interstate. He also played for the Techwood Tigers.
My dad was a life-long fan of anything and everything to do with Georgia Tech. He was a Ramblin Wreck and saw being a “Tech man” as an ideal. The proximity to campus made the Tech campus a veritable playground. During fall afternoons following school, he and his buddies would wait just outside the gate at Rose Bowl field and hitch rides on the shoulders of the players and sometimes coaches back to the locker room. These men were their heros. On Friday nights after dark, they would often sneak into Grant Field and play football under moonlight skies and freshly cut and chalked grass. On gamedays, he sold peanuts and collected Coca-Cola bottles to have pocket money. There is on legendary story of a chain-cutter and parking cars on Rose Bowl field one day but I will leave that for another time.
My dad loved the Yellow Jackets! That was a big part of his life all the way to the final week. He was a “sidewalk” fan in that he was not a graduate. His love for Tech sports was infused into me as his son and that has been passed down to my son and we are already working on the next generation with all four of his great-grandchildren wearing gold capes at a game together this past season. Many years ago, he would set up shop at the local Waffle House as the nearby picture attests. He was ahead of his time and was excited about the new direction on the Flats #404theculture #gtfootball.
My dad was proud of his siblings. His older brother was both an O’Keefe and Georgia Tech graduate and played baseball. He played at an all-star level playing at Ponce De Leon Park. The family often watched games on Sunday afternoons with the minor league team that was in Atlanta during those years. His family moved to the suburbs of East Point as he began high school. He was the first of four siblings to play basketball as Russell Wildcats. His two younger brothers played in college and one was a key part of a State Championship team at Russell. His only sister was named Atlanta Tip-Off Club player of the year while in High School.
My dad was known as “little Eddie” by many growing up. He was 5’8” and less than 130 lbs if he was soaking wet at aged 18. Over the next several years, he transformed his body into a powerful instrument that served him well for the next 60 years. He added 60 pounds of muscle during that time and his muscles and bones were hardened and super-strong. The transformation began in part with a broomstick and buckets of sand which exemplify his resourcefulness and passion. He could perform hand-stands with one hand and climb stairs walking on his hands. Even in his late 60's, he remained limber and very strong physically.
My dad wanted to attend Georgia Tech but learned after graduating from High School that it costs money to attend college. He took a job with the City of Atlanta and worked in the Roads Department as part of their field survey team. He and his colleagues helped lay out new streets and infrastructure in the developing city. As he progressed, he took several classes at Georgia Tech to prepare him for several engineering certifications. Later he enlisted in the Army and completed boot camp at Fort Jackson and served the remainder of his brief active duty stint at Fort Leonard Wood followed by a number of years in the Army Reserves.
There is alot more I could share but space and time will limit this. In the end ...
My dad is. He is because of God’s immutable promised and character. He is because my dad was obedient and walked in the light (John 3:36; John 14:15; 1 John 1:7-10). His presence will remain through his influence while those who knew him continue to remember and draw inspiration from his life. He wants you to enjoy the peace he is now experiencing.
My dad is, and I look forward to seeing him again for one very long day.
