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Dear Daddy

February 1, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner 27 Comments

Daddy - Thomas Tate
Yesterday you missed another birthday. Your 76th.
Nineteen years flew by in a blur. Tate is nineteen now. So much has happened in nineteen years—some incredible, some impossible to imagine.
Farming has changed. You won’t believe this but we now have………..round cotton bales! Craziness.
And other farming news, something I never dreamed would happen, the Wilson family sold Lee Wilson & Company. Sold out to a huge landowner from Missouri. The beginning of a new era for Mississippi County.
And speaking of home, Osceola has a gigantic, new Wal-Mart sitting in a field near the interstate. Yes, this means another tired empty building in town. I haven’t been inside the new store yet, but according to my Facebook friends, no one can find anything.
Yes, you missed out on the phenomenon that is Facebook. I’m not going to explain it, you wouldn’t like it anyway.
You were spared the tragedy of September 11. We were attacked by terrorists on our own soil, bringing the country together just for a moment before returning to bickering among ourselves.
And, by the way, our country and entire planet is suffering from global warming.
Oh, with respect to the planets, Pluto is no longer one.
There are nineteen years’ worth of regular, everyday, amazing things I could broadcast about your four grandchildren, too many for this letter. Just know you live on in them.
Many of your friends are gone now too—Clide, Bert, Charles Crigger…Maybe you celebrated your birthday with them? Maybe that’s why we’ve had this recent crazy weather?
Round Cotton Bales
 Grace Grits and Gardening

Musical Pairing:

Conway Twitty, That’s My Job

Filed Under: Family, Farm, Memories Tagged With: Mississippi County, Northeast Arkansas, Osceola, Thomas Tate

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Comments

  1. Colene says

    February 1, 2013 at 7:41 am

    It is hard to type through the blur of tears! He may not have liked facebook but facebook knows a lot about him. 🙁

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      February 1, 2013 at 10:54 am

      Yeah he probably wouldn’t like that either – LOL.

      Reply
  2. The Neighborhood Wine Porch Party says

    February 1, 2013 at 8:00 am

    All of us who have lost our parents very much understand and appreciate the sentiment expressed in your wonderful writings! Your Dad, I’m sure would be very proud of you and your great family!

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      February 1, 2013 at 10:54 am

      Thank you:))

      Reply
  3. Robin Loyd says

    February 1, 2013 at 8:21 am

    I only remember meeting your dad once, but I am so sure that he would be very proud of what you’ve done with your life. I love this piece. It’s a great update for him. I’m sure he enjoyed it!

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      February 1, 2013 at 10:55 am

      Thanks Robin!

      Reply
  4. Anonymous says

    February 1, 2013 at 10:05 am

    Tayla, What a nice tribute to a man you knew as dad! In a few but prolific words you did a great and heartfelt tribute to him. I felt that you also remind us,your readers, that how we have changed because of the circumstance of what has happened. In one word humankind. Or humanhorror. (911 & Global Warming) With regards to your tribute I for one feel that it speaks volumes about you as a person remembering your dad on his birthday. Our family lost my dad thirteen years ago and we still decorate his grave and celebrate as though he is still here. So for me this invoke a readers feelings of celebrating an authors respect for her dad,along with our respect for my dad. Thank you It was heart touchig.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      February 1, 2013 at 10:55 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    February 1, 2013 at 10:27 am

    Ohhh…I should have taken your moms lead and NOT read this one today! So very touching! I miss our dads and other loved ones, our family get-togethers, THE LAKE, the innocence of our childhood when we didn’t even know what that meant, yet there seems to be very little of today. So loved all our times together – we need to establish it again on a more regular basis. I have to go blow my nose and go to a meeting – now that I’ve bawled all my makeup off. Love you and yours, Staci’s and hers, and your sweet mum, of course! And ALL the pets too! XOXO
    Your biggest fan and biggest cousin….there, now I smiled, knocking a tear to the ground. XOXO again… Cindy Lu

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      February 1, 2013 at 10:56 am

      Sorry Cindy Lu, should have warned you:)) Happy early birthday xoxo. T.

      Reply
  6. Gary Henderson says

    February 1, 2013 at 11:18 am

    Beautiful.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      February 1, 2013 at 12:05 pm

      gracias.

      Reply
  7. Anonymous says

    February 1, 2013 at 2:58 pm

    Simply Stunning!

    Reply
  8. Staci Sandquist says

    February 1, 2013 at 6:28 pm

    I just saw this now and cried my make-up off before going out. Hard to believe it’s been so long. I do miss him and that he’s missed so much….

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      February 2, 2013 at 7:27 am

      oops sorry!

      Reply
  9. Patricia A. Laster says

    February 2, 2013 at 6:46 am

    Good post/memory/letter/talent, etc. etc. Mind if I do a spin-off with my dad? His birthday will be March 25. Maybe I will do that at H-P. loveP

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      February 2, 2013 at 7:26 am

      No of course not! Thanks!

      Reply
  10. Frank says

    February 2, 2013 at 11:45 am

    touching

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      February 2, 2013 at 12:59 pm

      Thanks Frank.

      Reply
  11. TimH says

    February 4, 2013 at 1:30 pm

    Extremely nice!

    Reply
  12. Dorothy Latimer Johnson says

    February 4, 2013 at 6:46 pm

    I loved your tribute to, and I often think about much he would have enjoyed seeing his great grandchildren, but I am glad he didn’t have to see some of the things you mentioned. And, yes, I bet yours was celebrating on his birthday. We will see them again!

    Reply
  13. Dorothy Latimer Johnson says

    February 4, 2013 at 6:48 pm

    Some of my comment didn’t make onto the blog! I loved your tribute to your father. I miss my dad, too. he has been gone 18 years.

    Reply
  14. Anonymous says

    February 25, 2013 at 10:20 am

    How did I miss this one? Beautiful. (Bob)

    Reply
  15. Suzanne McClendon says

    May 26, 2013 at 8:58 pm

    This post makes my heart cry so deeply. My daddy died 9 December 2012 and I still can’t fathom that I will never be able to see him again, this side of Heaven. How can home ever be home without Daddy?

    I am so sorry for your loss. 19 years or 19 days…it’s still a hurting that keeps on hurting. {{{hugs}}}

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      May 27, 2013 at 4:46 am

      So sorry for your loss Suzanne. I hope you find some relief in knowing you will see him again some day…

      Reply
  16. Renee says

    October 29, 2014 at 12:46 pm

    Oh Talya, I missed this one somehow, this is a great post! It’s sweet, sad and informing. I loved your Dad but nothing compared to how much my Dad loves him still…..

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      October 30, 2014 at 7:51 am

      Thank you Renee:)) It’s an oldie.

      Reply

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Talya Tate Boerner


Hi! I'm Talya. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Baylor graduate. Author of

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GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (Oct '22)

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