Sweet & Sassy: Father is a gentle man

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God knew what He was doing when He gave us our father, and so did Mom when she met and subsequently married him. My brother, two sisters and I owe it to them for making sure we came into Lee Jr. Moody’s life.

He has been a great influence, just as Mom has, on how we turned out. We were fortunate to grow up in a family like we did.

I’m not saying I’m perfect now, because everybody knows I’m not, but we had the basic guidelines when growing up. I can’t change my mistakes and I don’t necessarily regret them, because that was a part of my life. I learned from them.

But, no matter what, we had parental support. And, Dad was a powerful influence.

I think that’s where I got my work ethic…well, all of us did. We take our jobs seriously because we saw Dad do the same thing at his work.

He was old-fashioned, which was kind of cute. I still remember in days of yore when some romantic scene would come up on the TV screen and he got up from his chair and turned the channel so we wouldn’t see it. I don’t know how he would do it in this day and age when anyone can see just about anything on television. I guess he’d be channel-surfing.

Dad worked at New Idea in Coldwater for 43-plus years and he loved the horses. He also loved his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

This is a big year for Dad. He will turn 90 on Sept. 21, and he and Mom, the former Beatrice Riffell, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary 16 days before on Sept. 5. Did I ever tell you they met at the Darke County Fair? Yessirreee. And, now that’s one of my biggest weeks of the year work-wise. How ironic!

Dad is kind of quiet, but he does have a sense of humor, like his father before him…Clark Leroy Moody.

Dad reminds me of Carroll O’Connor in his role of Archie Bunker and also in his role as Chief Bill Gillespie in “In the Heat of the Night.”

Our father placed his family as the most important thing in life, if you don’t count horses. He was the oldest of five children while Mom was the youngest of nine. There are numerous nieces, nephews and lots of in-laws.

Dad was a veteran, a mentor, a friend, a hero and head of our home.

I appreciate everything he has done for us but I don’t think we really asked for that much either. We had a close-knit family living in the rural area all our lives.

I personally have never heard anybody speak badly of him. I’m pretty sure he had the respect from the people he supervised as a foreman at New Idea.

I’ll leave you with this quote from Anjaneth Garcia Untalan: “The greatest thing a father can do to his children is to love their mother.”

And he does that. Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

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Don’t forget:

• Ansonia Community Festival Little Mister and Miss Red White and Blue contest will be held on July 1 at 6:30 p.m. Registration will be at 6 p.m. The event will be at the park under the tent. This is for Ansonia children ages 3-6. Any questions please let Kami Phlipot know.

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Happy birthday to:

• June 22 to Kyle Shaner (30), Jerry Brandewie, Hannie Newbauer and Austin Helmke (15).

• June 23 to Justin Ungericht, Jim Hileman, Darlene Keaser Grubb, Tyler Edwards and Cindy Cox.

• June 24 to Ned Riegel (60), Robert Joseph Hiestand, Mike Kell, Brent Siders, Illah Sink, Scott Rice, Lori Cochran, John Blinn, Jay Stammen, Walter Neal, Sandra Neal, Connie Rhoades and Tony MacKenzie (30).

• June 25 to Carrie Waymire DeHart, Dick Hufford, Alan Gessler, Seth Gessler, Katie Brown, Tommy Lee Lunsford, twins Marion and Marvin Johnson and Keegan Weiss.

• June 26 to Vicki Knick Galloway, Heather Lothridge-Mann, Nancy McKnight, Ron Widener and Ron Thwaits.

• June 27 to Dwight Emmons (90), Randi Rose, Malinda Linebaugh, Lori Linebaugh (30) and Galen Wetzel.

• June 28 to Don Hoffman, Scott Amspaugh, Richard Lewis, Tracy Thwaits, twins Jann Peace and Jill Newman, twins Kimberly Bennett and Kelly Bennett Kelch, Eileen Cox, Becky Blackburn Klipstine, Tyler Stump and Joe Miller Sr.

Happy belated birthday to Peggy Fellers (80) on June 18.

Happy anniversary to Dean and Jodi Neff on June 24; Jerry and Linda Oler (50), Luke and Kathy Huecker, Karen and Alan Gessler and Mr. and Mrs. Glen Murphy, all on June 25; and Gary and Katie Cothran and Dave and Kathy Acton, all on June 26.

Happy belated anniversary to Rhonda and Pat Williams (35) and Don and Jana DeBord, all on June 15.

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Don’t forget to pray for: Stacy Dorko, Dick Michael, Carol Bollheimer, Tim King, Clinton Linebaugh, Layna Best, Jean Eastridge, Justin Ungericht, Alishia Clark Funk, Shannon Peters Hall, Tom Hawkins, Mike Bale, Phyllis Gibbons, Rosemary Wetzel, Greg Whittington, George Fanning, Angie Young Noggler, Kenny Borger, Mary Marshall, Jenson Fullerton, Judy York, Treva Hamilton, Sue Miller, Gary Reier, Carmen Sanders, Michael Allen Clark, Elmer Long, Anthony Joyner, Shirley Mead, Dave Sloan, Harry Moody, Jim Moody, Maxine Weimer, Linda Subler, Jerrod Pratt, Tim Ridenour, Shelly Hoffman, Keith Howard, Betty Grimes, Kathy Magoto, Dean Brewer, Lisa Hall, Dick Neff, Tammy Shapiro, Ken Martin, David Magoto, Phil Clark, Sonny Hunt, Jim Marker, Terry Longfellow, Don and Nina McDaniel, D’Arleen Waymire, Lee and Bea Moody (our parents), Linda Johnston, Ron Kreitzer, Pappy Harshman, Delores Duncan, Frank Shapiro, John Klipstine, Elsie Svajda, Dave Sherman, Sue Chitty, Phil Chilcoat, Christine Pipenger, Paul Barton, Terry Ungericht, Gracyn Blackburn, Robert Codling, Kohen Thwaits, William DeBord, Dave Starline, Bob Hiestand Jr.

Also, Kathy and Tom Hamilton, Joanne Sharp, Ivan Miller, Cindy Elson, Cary Van De Grift, Dina Dancer Morris, Teresa Mayo Amspaugh, Tina Kiser Deaton, Tonia Thompson, Fred Monnin, Stephen “Brownie” Brown, Nate Epperson, Brad Pipenger, Faye Schlecty, Sheila Reed, Bill Beasley, Steve Cunningham, Kody Ketring, Bob and Sandy Finkbine, Kevin Dickey, Joe Martin, Tracy Bailey, Brenda Grimes, Margaret “Peg” Bundy, Kevin Hemmerich, Penny Starns, Tim Heck, Vanna (Hannam) Abbott, Addie Henderson, Barb Morrow Zimmerman, Samantha Smith, Todd Walls, Ron Kramer, Melissa “Missy” Helmer, Dana Holzapfel, Kara Didier, Carla Welch, Bill Schuette and to all those others who suffer from the many debilitating diseases.

And, God bless all of our military people serving and protecting this nation, as well as rescue, fire and law enforcement personnel who put their lives on the line to protect us.

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Son Jamie and I extend our condolences to the families of: Edith Hawkins and Jenny Anthony.

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Think about it: “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person; he believed in me.” — Jim Valvano

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By Linda Moody

Sweet & Sassy

Linda Moody is a staff writer for The Daily Advocate. Her column appears every Sunday. She can be reached at [email protected].

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