Happy Father’s Day: A Story of My Dad

By Livia Thompson, Senior Life Enrichment Director, Avamere at Bethany

In honor of Father’s Day, I wanted to share a little about my dad. Our family story is a little more unusual than most. My father, George, met my mother when he moved from California to Oregon as a young adult. He fell in love with my mother and the idea of fatherhood when I was already an infant. He married my mother and adopted me when he was barely out of childhood himself. I will forever be grateful that he chose to be my dad.

While we are not related by blood, I am so much like him. He instilled in me an appreciation of music, the country road, and gardening. He also taught me my sense of responsibility.

I joined band and choir in school because I wanted to be like him. He played piano and trombone in a variety of bands when I was growing up. I still sing all the time and play around on the piano.

While growing up, I was expected to help in the garden with my brother and sister. Weeding, picking berries, or finding all the rocks in the garden bed and moving them so it could be tilled were chores I could not appreciate.

At the time I would drag my feet and feel mad that I had to spend my free time helping out. As an adult, I cannot wait for planting time and appreciate everything I learned. Now I would give anything to be back in the summer sunshine, appreciating all those fresh vegetables, fruits, and time with my dad.

My father has always been a very hard worker. He started out in labor jobs and rode a bicycle to work and back (we could not afford a car then), usually a long distance. That taught me dedication and perseverance.

When I was a young teenager, he went back to school and attended two universities simultaneously while working a full-time job and raising a family. It inspired me to work hard. I love that we have many similar mannerisms, and we have been told often that we resemble one another.

My dad currently lives in New Jersey but is never far from our hearts. I am excited to share that he has just bought property back in the Pacific Northwest and is building a house here, realizing a lifelong dream. He continues to inspire me.

Some of our residents may remember him visiting and joining us for our Hagg Lake drive a couple of summers ago. I look forward to having him join us again.

Thank you for letting me share a little piece of my family history since I am so blessed to know so much about our residents’ lives and histories. Thank you, Dad!

Happy Father’s Day to all the wonderful dads out there.