Post by rgang4 on Nov 10, 2019 11:44:26 GMT -5
My father left us yesterday morning at 4:15 a.m. for better fishing grounds. Born 4/22/1932 died 11/9/2019, a pretty good run. He left us with a lot of good memories and plenty of photos. I’m going to post the ones that I have easy access to and some others later that I have to figure out how to get off of old slide film.
My father always loved to fish but for many years he didn’t do much working two jobs and raising six kids. But every summer meant a week fishing walleye on Champlain. We always caught them and lots of bass, pike and perch. We kept everything and took it home to feed the family and also provide a top notch fish fry for the neighborhood. I think that’s why I’m so attached to the lake. It’s as much a spiritual thing as it is a recreational thing these days. Got away from the lake for a long time myself as I raised my own family and tried to make ends meet. I think I have been trying to make up for lost time and doing pretty well at it lately.
Fortunately my Dad made up for lost time too. He was able to retire at age 55 and fish a lot until my mom fell ill in 2009. But between ‘87 and ‘09 he had some very memorable catches. He are a few.
Probably his proudest moment, an 18lb.. Steelhead from Lake Ontario
He had the local ponds pretty well figured out after he retired and hooked up with one his child hood friends on a regular basis.
He had lots of fishing buddies. This group made many trips to Champlain. Having a fish fry here at DAR State Park in Addison.
We had the good fortune to take a few memorable trips together Kodiak Island and Yellowstone/Teton Parks
Me, my brother in law Wayne and my Dad caught some nice silvers but.......
Mom got the best one!!!
Here is what was always one of my best memories because it was the last time I fished with my best friend George L. Bartlett on Phelps Lake in Moran Wyoming 1990. George can be seen just behind dad. George died 13 years ago at age 48😢😢
We were targeting mackinaw but we caught some nice cutthroat too as we trolled flat lines to and from our campground to the deeper reefs that held Lakers.
He passed his love for fishing onto his grandkids too.
The two older kids are mine. Shane on the right and Matt in the middle. Leanne is on the far left and was the first born granddaughter breaking a run of 11 boys. Her younger brother Tom at right is grandson #12.
Early on my father was a tremendous hunter. If it had fur or feathers it was coming home for dinner.
I’m the good looking kid on the left😉 my brother is on the right.
Don’t know what changed but one day he and his hunting partner were loading up shot guns when Hank said “Roger you know we have killed a lot of game and these guns are getting heavy, what do you say we just take a camera and walk the woods?” I don’t think they ever took another animal but dad began to nurture domestic animals showing them lots of love. True story and the quotation is pretty close.Remember it well though it was long ago.
Helga and Tom had a good long life too. Not many people spoil goats but my dad did. Same for all his animals from dogs and cats to turkeys and ducks. He loved them all.
That’s just some of the story but I’ll end with a salute to his service being it’s also a big part of who he was. Here are some pictures of him on his way to and in Korea.
He had a special bond with my two sons and was so relieved to see them both come home from Iraq after four tours betwwwn them.
Don’t know what can really be said to describe all I feel so let me just say thanks and I love you and post a few more pics.
Found this one in his personal photos, not sure of details but I bet he ate it🙄😉
Me, my son Matt and Dad had a great outing last time we all got in the boat together. Was a real special trip.
Below is his last significant catch from the lake, a 26” pike pickerel hybrid. We were all excited by this catch but I remember being a little sad too knowing even then it may have been the last time we got out. It wasn’t but the few times he did go it was a struggle for him to be out. Skin cancer and meds made him uncomfortable out on the water and soon after he stopped fishing all together.
One last one from the Florida Keys
My father always loved to fish but for many years he didn’t do much working two jobs and raising six kids. But every summer meant a week fishing walleye on Champlain. We always caught them and lots of bass, pike and perch. We kept everything and took it home to feed the family and also provide a top notch fish fry for the neighborhood. I think that’s why I’m so attached to the lake. It’s as much a spiritual thing as it is a recreational thing these days. Got away from the lake for a long time myself as I raised my own family and tried to make ends meet. I think I have been trying to make up for lost time and doing pretty well at it lately.
Fortunately my Dad made up for lost time too. He was able to retire at age 55 and fish a lot until my mom fell ill in 2009. But between ‘87 and ‘09 he had some very memorable catches. He are a few.
Probably his proudest moment, an 18lb.. Steelhead from Lake Ontario
He had the local ponds pretty well figured out after he retired and hooked up with one his child hood friends on a regular basis.
He had lots of fishing buddies. This group made many trips to Champlain. Having a fish fry here at DAR State Park in Addison.
We had the good fortune to take a few memorable trips together Kodiak Island and Yellowstone/Teton Parks
Me, my brother in law Wayne and my Dad caught some nice silvers but.......
Mom got the best one!!!
Here is what was always one of my best memories because it was the last time I fished with my best friend George L. Bartlett on Phelps Lake in Moran Wyoming 1990. George can be seen just behind dad. George died 13 years ago at age 48😢😢
We were targeting mackinaw but we caught some nice cutthroat too as we trolled flat lines to and from our campground to the deeper reefs that held Lakers.
He passed his love for fishing onto his grandkids too.
The two older kids are mine. Shane on the right and Matt in the middle. Leanne is on the far left and was the first born granddaughter breaking a run of 11 boys. Her younger brother Tom at right is grandson #12.
Early on my father was a tremendous hunter. If it had fur or feathers it was coming home for dinner.
I’m the good looking kid on the left😉 my brother is on the right.
Don’t know what changed but one day he and his hunting partner were loading up shot guns when Hank said “Roger you know we have killed a lot of game and these guns are getting heavy, what do you say we just take a camera and walk the woods?” I don’t think they ever took another animal but dad began to nurture domestic animals showing them lots of love. True story and the quotation is pretty close.Remember it well though it was long ago.
Helga and Tom had a good long life too. Not many people spoil goats but my dad did. Same for all his animals from dogs and cats to turkeys and ducks. He loved them all.
That’s just some of the story but I’ll end with a salute to his service being it’s also a big part of who he was. Here are some pictures of him on his way to and in Korea.
He had a special bond with my two sons and was so relieved to see them both come home from Iraq after four tours betwwwn them.
Don’t know what can really be said to describe all I feel so let me just say thanks and I love you and post a few more pics.
Found this one in his personal photos, not sure of details but I bet he ate it🙄😉
Me, my son Matt and Dad had a great outing last time we all got in the boat together. Was a real special trip.
Below is his last significant catch from the lake, a 26” pike pickerel hybrid. We were all excited by this catch but I remember being a little sad too knowing even then it may have been the last time we got out. It wasn’t but the few times he did go it was a struggle for him to be out. Skin cancer and meds made him uncomfortable out on the water and soon after he stopped fishing all together.
One last one from the Florida Keys