Daddy was born in 1934 in New Jersey. He is the oldest of two children. We tease him sometimes by calling him a Yankee but he is a true southerner. Both of his parents come from long lines of southerners. His father happened to be working up north when Daddy was born. When I call him a yankee he will say "If I were born on a boat in the ocean would that make me a fish?" I probably shouldn't tease him. I get the feeling that it offends him to be called a yankee. :)

Daddy and his family moved to Birmingham when he was nine years old. I don't know a lot about his childhood other than he was always very close to his father. He met my mother in high school. They and other kids from the five area high schools hung out at Calico Corner at the YWCA. Daddy tells the story that he walked her to the bus one day when she was going home and said something to her as she was boarding the bus. She turned her face to him and said something funny back. He looked into her beautiful face and thought "Thats the girl I want to marry someday". Still, he wouldn't ask her out because his best friend was in love with her. Mama had never dated the friend. She wasn't even aware of his feelings.Daddy still felt that out of loyalty to his friend he wouldn't ask her out. Then one day they were all standing around, best friend included, talking about an upcoming event. Daddy said he wasn't really thinking at the time and just asked her if she would like to go with him to the event. He saw the look of hurt on his best friends face. Daddy felt really bad but there was no way to back out. Mama accepted and they have been together ever since.

After high school my parents went to Auburn University. Daddy alternated quarters with going to school and working. He put himself through college on his earnings. He graduated in 1957 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 1963 he took a job in Huntsville working on the NASA moon project. He helped to design the arms that you see release the rocket right before take off. The astronauts left a plaque on the moon with the names of all the men and women who worked on the project. My father's name is on the moon!!!!! I am very proud of that fact but Daddy acts like its no big deal. Once the moon mission was over, there was no work left to be done and our family returned to Birmingham.

Daddy has had a very successful life, both in his career and at home. He is the most understanding father any girl could ever ask for. I have always been able to share everything with him. His advice throughout the years has been very valuable to me. No matter how bad the situation is, he is always able to say just the right thing to make me feel better. I don't know what I would have ever done without him.