A dedication to Stepfathers: Goodbye Daddy – God Speed

Today, I dedicate this post day to my dad, Dale Buck, who died yesterday suddenly at the age of 63.  He was not my biological father, but he became my father when he married my mother – I was three years of age.  Words alone cannot express my sorrow in losing someone like him.  He was my friend, he was my confidant, at times my antagonist, but mostly he was a very special kind of man.

Stepfathers, like biological fathers, can be very special people too.  They take on someone else’s kid and all the challenges that come with that.  My Stepfather, whom I always called “dad” was pretty amazing.  Dale, my Stepfather, was the man:

• Who sits on your bed almost every night when you’re four and brushes all the knots out of your long long hair
• Who drives through the worst prairie blizzards searching for you because you got lost walking home from school and is so relieved when he finds you that he can’t control his tears
• Who teaches you how to ride a bike, play baseball, throw a good punch to “make sure the boys don’t kiss you”
• Who shows you how to love animals and care for them, how to milk a cow and pick wild blueberries in Northern Canada without running into bears
• Who, when you ask him why he took on being a Stepfather, returns this answer: “because you were so lovable”

There’s more I can say, but I don’t need to say it.  I remember it and I still feel it.

To all my friends who are Stepfathers – I applaud you.   Because as a recipient of this kind of amazing love, I know that I’m very blessed. Good-bye beautiful Father…I love you