Honoring fathers: Readers share stories of their dads

In honor of Father's Day, we asked readers to tell us about their fathers. Read on for stories of babysitting, going further than those before you, kneeling to pray and learning to swim from someone who didn’t know how.

Voice of America

Erika Funke of the Back Mountain, senior producer and program host, WVIA Public Media, daughter of the late Joseph Funke of Dallas:

“There is a plaque on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre proclaiming that the first jazz festival in the United States, "The Cavalcade of Dixieland Jazz,” took place in the city on Feb. 23, 1951. And it's a fair question to ask: why, of all places, Wilkes-Barre?

My dad grew up in Ashley, just outside Wilkes-Barre, when it was still a town of hardworking miners and their families. Dark culm banks filled the landscape. The big bands came through the area, and at age 13, he discovered jazz. It was always jazz that brought him joy in life, and he wanted to share it with me growing up, and the community he loved.

So he, his buddy Hugh Ridall, and others made it happen, calling everyone they knew in Chicago and New Orleans. We're told the Voice of America radio service broadcast the performances and the review in the paper the next day praised the "happy" music enjoyed by 800 attendees.

So when I think back on all the jazz records I gave Dad for Father's Day over the years, I realize that jazz was really his gift to me and to everyone he cared about.”

There from the start

Melissa Giombolini, of Newton Twp., an automotive service advisor, daughter of Daniel Marrese of Dunmore:

“I had my baby when I was 17. He was my support system the whole time. To be honest, he was everything for me, because l was so young.” Marrese babysat her son, James Rinaldi, and took him hunting. “And they are best friends to this day. We wouldn’t be where we are today without him.” Marrese helped her move several times, most recently back to Northeastern Pennsylvania to be near him. He is also a great-grandfather to a 1-year-old boy. “Now it is just a whole new chapter for him as well.”

A mug that faces the sea

Tim Holmes, of Dunmore, CEO of the Everhart Museum, son of the late Crane "Butch" Holmes, of Scranton:

In 1972, Butch and Molly Holmes packed their 10 children into a Ford Country Squire station wagon and went to Wildwood, New Jersey for Father’s Day weekend. “We still continue that tradition to this very day,” Holmes said. “We will have 60 of us going down there this weekend to Wildwood and we will be toasting him and toasting Molly, and always remember all those good times that we always had with those Father's Day weekends.” Those weekends included a drive to the Ugly Mug, a Cape May bar that hangs personalized mugs belonging to regular patrons from the ceiling. After Butch's grandchildren turn 21, they take a ceremonial sip of beer from the mug during the following Father’s Day trip. In keeping with the Ugly Mug tradition following a mug owner’s death, Butch’s mug now hangs facing out to the sea. His youngest grandchild will take her ceremonial sip from the mug this week.

Nail polish school and grubs

Katie Joseph, of Easton, a teacher; and Mary McDermott, of Scranton, a workforce and leadership assistant; daughters of Frank McDermott of Scranton:

"Being the oldest of five brothers, our dad took on a role of supporting his family after his father died, when he was a teenager. He never let that stop him from getting further in life. Going to trade school, he got a good job and worked his way up the ladder. He worked countless hours during multiple shifts to support his family. He made sure that his girls never wanted for anything. He worked to send us to private school and put us through college to ensure we had the best education possible.

"Having had the life he had growing up, he found it important to teach his daughters to be independent. He showed them how to check the oil in the car and how to change it as well. We know the importance of keeping a nice yard, making sure those grubs don’t kill the grass. He also learned from his daughters too. He painted our nails, telling us he went to nail polish school. He can tell you all about 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Rugrats."

"Anyone can tell you that our dad is a man of few words, but there are certain things he always makes sure we remember. 'If you need me, call me.' Even if it is the middle of the night, our dad is there when we need him. As he loves to tell people, he will drive two hours to bring us a hair dryer. When we call him, he always ends the call with his key phrase, 'Who loves ya?' A question whose answer doesn’t need to be repeated but is every time, 'You do.'"

Lifelong learning

Dr. Kim Pavlick, Ph.D., of Scott Twp., associate faculty, the University of Scranton, daughter of the late Michael E. Pavlick, Jr.:

“My father taught me to learn all that you can because your education can never be taken away from you. He learned that lesson from his father, who only completed the eighth grade, but was the smartest person my father ever knew. I teach my students to always be a life-long learner.”

Road trip

Ashley Piazza of Moosic, granddaughter of Al Cesare, Old Forge, and daughter of the late Matthew Cesare:

“Every weekend we would get in the car and drive somewhere whether it would be a mall or a flea market and it was always with my dad and grandfather. They were the best of friends. They were always together. Usually, if you saw my Dad, you saw my grandfather with him. It meant a lot. It was nice to have not only one, but two father figures, and to see a good relationship between the two of them.” Father and son enjoyed washing and detailing cars together.

Critical thinking

Dr. Stacy Smulowitz of Shavertown, associate professor, University of Scranton, daughter of the late Conrad Heck

“My father taught me to be curious and persistent until you find a solution to a problem. How do you fix a hole in the wall? If you take something apart, can you put it back together? Not a day goes by that I don't use those critical thinking skills. Thanks, Dad!”

A palace

Ruthane Solomon of South Abington Twp., a retired teacher, daughter of the late Charles Conmy of of Carbondale:

"I was a seven-month preemie weighing in at a mere 3 pounds. I don't know if their concerns about my survival made them hyper-vigilant, but my mother and father always supported me. Of the two of them, my dad was the most fun-loving. He actually got down on the floor to play Lincoln Logs, Tinkertoys and Erector Sets with me (notice the male orientation) and every night read the comics to me. I never remember a time when he wasn't my guiding star. We were an Irish Catholic, Democrat family and followed very strict values. I watched my dad kneel to say prayers next to the bed every night. He was skilled at just about everything. Carpentry, plumbing, electrical and construction came easily to him. In 1950 he bought a home for $5,000 and proceeded to rehab it each night after a full day of work. Mom and I would bring supper to him and watch the transformation. After six months we moved into what I can only describe as a palace! Dad never voiced his expectations, but I knew, based on his actions. Be loving, do your best, be fair, be generous, have fun and be thankful. He really put his faith into focus. I always knew that no matter what, no matter what the circumstances, you just had to go on without complaint. Years later my mother was bedridden, paralyzed after a stroke for four years, but he kept her in their own home, struggling to hire nurses, and never once complained. His life teaches me every day and I have tried to instill this into my children and grandchildren. Actions really do speak louder than words."

Did you hear the one about the pickled herring?

Rabbi Daniel Swartz, Spiritual Leader of Temple Hesed, Scranton, son of Dr. Harold Swartz of New Hampshire:

My father is not big on complaining. Whenever my sister or I would say, “that's not fair,” we could count on him to respond, “Life is not fair!” Even though we’d stick our tongues out at him, it was a good lesson. We learned to be grateful for the good that came our way instead of feeling entitled to always getting our way.

Dad taught me many practical skills: how to tie a fisherman’s knot, how to drive, the process for collecting maple sap and turning it into syrup, along with a lot of scientific knowledge. He taught me to keep looking behind me when steering a small motor boat through confusing lakes and channels, so I could find my way home again.

But more valuable than any of that, he taught us the importance of having fun and letting yourself be silly. We have silly family songs. Silly family jokes: did you hear the one about the pickled herring? Silly campfire stories about the Great Chocolate Marshmallow and the healing properties of gummy candies. We exchange silly gifts. I don’t know that Dad and my stepmom, Ann, ever liked a gift as much as the weird Yeti footie PJs we got them. Dad taught the same “I can tickle you without touching you” game to our daughter as he did to us. I hope to teach it to a grandchild someday.

The deepest and most important lessons were the ones I learned from example. Dad is always curious, always learning, always asking questions. So I grew up doing the same. We went camping and hiking all across America. So I learned to love the natural world. And, especially over the last couple of decades, I have learned from him and Ann that it’s always better to be generous.

Lesson: Sports can be a lifelong friend

Stan Zygmunt, of Covington Twp., director of news and media relations for the University of Scranton, and the son of the late Stanley Zygmunt of Scranton:

“My Dad loved baseball. Unfortunately, his son did not. I also wasn’t a big fan of football. But my Dad believed that sports, of any kind, had so many benefits to offer that he didn’t give up. He continued to introduce my twin sister and I to different sports, and when something clicked, he encouraged us. The first sport that clicked was swimming. Although he could not swim himself, he watched others and taught us to swim, taking us, and a carload of our friends, to Nay Aug Park every day in the summer. The next sport that clicked was tennis, for which he watched matches on TV to learn the rules and took us to newly opened courts at McDade Park as often as we wanted. Third was running. He would drive us to Lake Scranton and take a walk while we ran.

"I continued to play tennis into my 20s and ran through to my late 50s. I have a son who went to states for cross country in high school and a daughter who has run four marathons (so far) and also played tennis in high school.

"I guess the other lesson taught was to adapt and encourage what your children like, rather than try to force them to conform to what you like. It may have lifelong consequences!”