25 Random Things about my Dad

1. Born and raised in Galien, Michigan.
2. Played basketball for New Troy High School and Bethel College.
3. First time he went home with my mom to meet my grandparents, he was coming as a friend of my mom's date. That night, my Grandma told my mom that Kip was the guys she should be dating.
4. My mom once wrote my dad a love letter while they were dating. My dad gave it back to her later, and the letter was marked up with red ink identifying all the grammar errors (mom saw the joke in it, and laughs about it still).
5. Was left handed.
6. Upon investigation, I found out he had checked out approximately 90 books from the Nappanee Public Library since 2007. He only went to the Nappanee Library if Wakarusa didn't have what he was looking for.
7. He hated being in his bare feet. My mom once joked that she had never seen my dad naked because he always had socks on.
8. He ran the Nappanee Little League for several years during the early 70s. It was a daily "pick up" set up rather than the sponsored teams you see now.
9. He was the head of the English Department in his final years at NorthWood. He was told me that he struggled giving the classes where there would be more "challenging" students to the other teachers; so he would take one exceptional class of students, and then give himself multiple challenging classes.
10. Always took his lunch when he went to work. He would use the same paper bag as many times as he possibly could.
11. Speaking of my dad's frugality, his friend Mike told us about a trip to Lake Michigan where they stopped at a gas station. Dad went to the counter and asked if he could pay less for his Coke if he bought it warm instead of cold.
12. He did my taxes for me every year since I started at NMC.
13. I don't think I ever saw him yell at my mom.
14. He had a old red chevy car where the floor had rusted through. On rainy days, we had to dodge puddles to keep from getting wet.
15. He loved dogs. Any time we traveled, Janelle and I would leave Barnabas with mom and dad. Every time we got him back, it was clear he had been spoiled like a grandchild would be.
16. Die hard Cubs fan, and also a fan of the Tigers.
17. He always wore glasses. I don't think he ever owned a pair of contacts.
18. With my mom being a small business owner, he did the majority of cooking and laundry at our house.
19. If you went to a restaurant with him, he'd pretty much always order the Hamburger.
20. He didn't watch movies or television, unless it was a sports movie, or an adaptation of his more favorite books.
21. He said that the only movie that was better than the book was "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
22. He was virtually unstoppable at Trivial Pursuit and Jeopardy.
    
23. I can't remember the last time expressed an ounce of disappointment toward me.
24. He didn't put his seat belt on Friday, February 6. I wish he would have.
25. His life leaves no doubt in my mind where his eternity is set.