My Dad was born on Fir Island, Washington on April 7, 1911.
Time hasn't dimmed my memories of my Dad, who was the greatest inspiration of
my life. He was a shy, quiet, hard-working, generous man with wit and depth
that I've never seen in another.
When I was growing up, in the 50's, things were becoming a bit lax and his
advise to me, re: sex: "If you don't want chips, don't cut wood." He never
wasted words.
I used to have to drive to wherever he ran out of gas and bring him more,
because he had usually given his last $5.00 to someone he gave a ride to and
who needed the money more than him. I carried on his tradition of giving on
the Christmas following his death: I worked as a dispatcher with a sheriff's
office and usually everyone wanted the holidays off, so that Christmas, it
was my luck to have both Christmas and New Year's off, so I tried, in vain,
to work someone else's shift. I've always found that keeping busy will get
me through the worst of times. Well, no one wanted to be off, so I went
ahead, loaded up my car with gifts for people anywhere I could find them; I
went to the jail and brought boxes (cheap) of candy to inmates who had no one
to visit them, deputies who had to work and people I just found on the
street. I was sure my Dad would approve.
Whatever I do, to this day, I do because of the way my Dad taught me. His
name is/was Walter H. Hanstad, thus my e-mail address: Waltskid. Growing
up, I was always referred to as Walt Hanstad's kid, but I never felt a loss
of identity, just a great sense of pride and honor that I was Walt's kid.
My Dad's cancer was caused by his working with asbestos, not smoking; he
never smoked cigarettes, but chewed an occasional cigar -- not smoked, but
chewed -- until the end was soggy and ugly. He did smoke some, too, but
usually they went out before he could finish them.
Thanks for letting me talk about my Dad; I miss him and it helps to talk
about him.
If I can, I would like to come back and share a poem that my niece wrote
about him for his memorial service. Susie, my niece, was killed by a
wreckless driver last January at the age of 32, so it would be a sort of
tribute to her too.
Sincerely,
Walt's kid
Carol Hanstad, Daughter.