Memory
I don’t usually write much about my family on the blog, because it’s a photography blog and as you know, I don’t make too many photos of people. The exception is the short series I wrote two years ago, when I was going through the process of cleaning out my parents’ house; you can see that here.
And now, this: my dad passed away last Friday. Here’s a little bit about him:
Chester A. Green died on September 11, 2015. He was born in Branson, Colorado, on October 26, 1923, and moved to Mobeetie, Texas, as a small child. He enrolled in Texas Technological College at age 16, but left before graduating. After working in the Dominican Republic in his early 20s, he returned to Tech and graduated with a degree in civil engineering. He began his career in San Angelo, Texas, and met the love of his life in nearby Sonora. He and Ada Ruth Martin were married on September 10, 1948. (Ever an engineer, he proposed to her while they were parked on the Ozona highway.) Chester joined Parkhill, Smith, and Cooper, Inc. in 1956, and worked there until his retirement in 1991. His engineering career was long and distinguished; he specialized in water- and sewage-treatment facilities and was active in many professional organizations. He and Ada Ruth (or Sugar, as she was known to her family) were members of LakeRidge United Methodist Church and served for many years as lay chaplains at Methodist Hospital. In addition, they were very generous supporters of a number of local organizations.
Chester was famous in his family for his dry sense of humor and his fondness of puns. He enjoyed camping, and planned many family vacations around the dates of the full moon and the proximity of interesting water treatment facilities. He and Sugar shared a love of travel, which took them all over the world (including, once, to cooking school in France). He was a passionate reader, and his happiest evenings were spent with a book in his hands and a purring cat on his lap.
His parents, Leonard and Evelyn Green, his sister Elizabeth Street, his wife, Ada Ruth Green, preceded him in death. He is survived by his daughters Melinda Green Harvey (Larry) of Lubbock and Laura Norbury (Mark) of Salem, Oregon; his grandsons Nathan Harvey (Kacee) of Lubbock, and Tyler and Dylan Norbury, of Oregon; and his great-granddaughters Hannah and Bennett Harvey, of Lubbock.
We will always miss him.
Posted on September 14, 2015, in Photography. Bookmark the permalink. 23 Comments.
My condolences, Melinda. So that’s where you got your sense of humor. Your father sounds like a warm and interesting person. I’m sure you will always miss him.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Linda. You aren’t the only person to notice that sense-of-human connection… My son got it, too, and his older daughter is well on the way; I’m certainly not a geneticist, but there does seem to be a strong genetic component at work here.
And, yes, he was warm and interesting!
LikeLike
Melinda, so very sorry to hear that your Father passed away recently. Your tribute to him is lovely. You and your family will be in my thoughts.
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Elisa.
LikeLike
Mel, I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. He sounds like a heck of a guy.
LikeLike
You know, Ken, he really WAS a heck of a guy!
LikeLike
Sorry to hear you lost your father – it sounds like he was a great guy that I have something in common with: I love a good book and a cat in my lap too.
Very nice post, Melinda.
LikeLike
Thanks, John. My older granddaughter just named her new kitten Ches, in memory of my dad, who was the biggest cat lover I’ve ever known.
LikeLike
Melinda, you are holding up well under the emotional pressures of the last few days. I am thankful that God brought you and your family into my life 38 years ago. As Chester once said “life here is a three ring circus”. I love you. Hubby
LikeLike
Wow – 38 years! You must be quite elderly.
Thanks for the comment, and for all the support for the last few years.
LikeLike
Regards to your entire family…seems like a great inspirational person.
LikeLike
Thank you, Robert – he was a fine man.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry for your loss Melinda. It never stops hurting, but love and friendship from the people around us while we’re still here, ease the hurt till we catch up once more with those we’ve lost in this life… in the next one 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you, Peter; I appreciate your kind words. I feel so fortunate that I not only had such great parents but that I have many strong and supportive friends.
LikeLike
A great homage to a great dad and guy. I thank you for sharing him with us.
LikeLike
Thank you, Vera.
LikeLike
Your wonderful tribute has me wishing I had known them both. Knowing what little you’ve shared I see why I enjoy this site so much as you are their continuance. Vaya Con Dios.
LikeLike
Thank you, Richard. My dad and I shared many of the same interests – in fact, he helped me compose the very first photo I ever made. It didn’t have people in it, which might help explain a few things about the way I shoot now!
LikeLike
I am sorry to hear this Melinda. I notice a few days on in your blog (and many other places too) a civil engineering inspired photo which is an apt tribute to someone that has had so much influence on who you are.
LikeLike
Thank you, Ehpem. I don’t seem to have gotten too far away from my early influences, do I?
LikeLiked by 1 person
A nice photo and obituary. I too enjoy puns and some say a dry sense of humour. Do the two go together do you think. Sorry for your loss.
LikeLike
So sorry to hear your dad died so recently, Melinda. A year and a bit wouldn’t be enough to feel better about it. my sympathies to you and your family.
Your dad was certainly a character. My favourite part of his bio is this – “He enjoyed camping, and planned many family vacations around the dates of the full moon and the proximity of interesting water treatment facilities.”. That tickled me a lot!
LikeLike
Yep. At least now that I’m married to an architect, I get to look at buildings on vacation instead of water treatment plants!
LikeLiked by 1 person