365 Reasons Why I Love My Dad…
 He takes care of me.
 He does my taxes.
 He has cool white hair.
 He wakes me up in the morning.
 I’ve got his blue eyes.
 He made sure I grew up going to
church.
 He prays for me.
 He gives me zingers when I get sick.
 He loves the Lord.
 He thought it important that I go to a
Christian college (important enough to
pay for it!)
 He reads his Bible – every day.
 He has a wealth of experiences behind
him.
 He’s not afraid to cry.
 He shook us off to dry after our baths
when we were kids.
 He gave us fun vacations (on a
shoestring! – no Disney for us )
 He sat through my many (sometimes
painful) violin lessons.
 He let me make important decisions
(like college.)
 Others love and respect him.
 He has integrity.
 He always put his family first.
 He made sure I had breakfast every
morning (he made it for me – oatmeal,
toast, OJ, and coffee!)
 He came (drove 6 hours in the
snow) to see me and pray with me
when I was having a tough time at
college.
 He read us Bible stories every night.
 He stayed with me in the hospital.
 He ran after us when we were in
parades to take pictures.
 He took me deep sea fishing.
 He makes great muffins.
 He was so concerned when I was sick.
 He stuck up for me when I was in
trouble.
 He was my cheerleader.
 He tolerated my violin practicing (-or
lack of it.)
 He helped me move into my college
dorm with a car full of stuff, and out of
my college apartment, with a van, 2
cars, and U-Haul full of stuff.
 It takes a lot to get him mad.
 He’s nice to my roommates.
 He likes dogs.
 He’s very logical.
 He’s a godly man.
This was written and put into a daily calendar by Wally’s daughter, Joy.
She gave it to him for his birthday on May 9th, 1996.
 He taught me how to swim at the
YMCA.
 He fills the cars up with gas.
 He can fix anything.
 He’s learned from some very tough
lifetime experiences.
 He encourages me.
 He took me to work all the time –
and helped me to get the jobs in
the first place. (“Getting a job IS
a job!”)
 People say I’m like him.
 He keeps telling “Dad” jokes. (The
kind that make you say, “Oh,
Dad!!!”)
 He has great respect for his
parents and family.
 He gave us piggyback rides.
 He always smiles a huge
beaming smile when one of his
kids walks through the door.
 He was a fun kid himself.
 He’s talented (music, woodworking,
creativity.)
 He tries SO hard to give us a good
time (December 14th tradition,
vacations, etc.)
 He’s pretty laid-back.
 He has really cool handwriting.
 He hates live and beans – so we
never had to have them for dinner.
 He has so much compassion for
struggling people.
 He has a gift for finding the
one person at a gathering who
seems uncomfortable, and
quickly makes them feel
welcome – befriends them in
such a sincere way.
 He’s Scottish!
 He went through tough operations
and never complained.
 He gave me a wonderful
example of the kind of guy I
should marry.
 He doesn’t play poker and hates
gambling.
 He’s happy when his wife and kids
are happy.
 He lets me be me.
 He’s creative with “fix-its.”
 He was just scary enough when we
were little kids – we didn’t want to
“tangle” with Dad.
 365 Reasons Why I Love My Dad…
 He was bold enough to put up a wall in
the big bedroom (to create 2 rooms).
 He was humble enough to take that
wall down (when mom came home,
discovered the wall, and WASN’T too
happy about it.)
 He took Greek once
(ω, ε ι σ , ε ι , ο µ ε ν , ε τ ε , ο υ
σ ι . . .)
 He knows how to fly a plane.
 He’s a dreamer and a visionary.
 He keeps growing as a person and
a Christian.
 He has high expectations of me.
 He laughs a lot.
 He isn’t afraid to be venerable.
 He’s not afraid to apologize.
 He kissed me goodbye every day
before I went into school.
 He never forgot my birthday.
 He’s a handsome man.
 He ran outside in his underwear to
catch the burglar who tried to break
into my room. (He tried!)
 He prays for his family.
 He’s got a warm, friendly smile.
 He listens to me.
 He always “likes” the gifts I give him
(even when I was little and made him a
orange pottery ashtray in
kindergarten.)
 He works hard around the house.
 He made me coffee in the morning.
 He told me stories about when he was
a kid.
 He came to all of my recitals.
 He quizzed me in spelling and the
times tables.
 He was protective when I was dating.
 He let me learn from my mistakes.
 He consoled me when I bombed a
project or recital.
 He always told me how proud he
was of me.
 He used to always let me pick the
“Three Little Pigs” story to read.
 He put up with all of my girl stuff and
makeup to buy at Walgreen’s.
 He turned my music (pages) for me.
 He played chauffeur many times.
 He knows a lot about tools.
 He taught us how to do the “Nestea”
plunge at the YMCA pool.
 He loves my mom’s relatives and their
quirks.
This was written and put into a daily calendar by Wally’s daughter, Joy.
She gave it to him for his birthday on May 9th, 1996.
 He gave me a great vocabulary by
the way he talked.
 He often knows what I’m thinking.
 He thinks the same way I do.
 He sees me as his little girl, and
also as a woman.
 I feel proud to be seen with him
and as his daughter.
 He always knows how to make
someone feel included in the
conversation or party.
 He lets us take seconds from his
dinner plate. He offered it.
 He waited patiently to get ready for
church.
 He’s not dogmatic at all.
 He was always nice to my friends.
(Even the weird ones!)
 He put up with, and drove, some
lemons patiently. He always gave
mom the better car.
 He bandaged me up when I fell off
my bike at age 18.
 He’s my mentor.
 He was willing to look foolish to get
pictures of us at graduation.
 He tells me I’m beautiful.
 He tells mom she’s beautiful.
 He knows the world of business.
 He likes slapstick humor, like
Tommy Boy.
 He knows how to grow older
gracefully. His mind will
always be young.
 He licked our ice cream cones to
keep them from dripping.
 He always took the dog out for
walks.
 He always prayed before we went
on a trip for safety.
 He taught me how to mow the
lawn, wash the car, change the tire
and oil.
 He taught me many physics
lessons.
 He took me to see Raiders of the
Lost Ark three times in the theater.
 He covered our eyes at the bad
parts of the movie (like at Indiana
Jones).
 He didn’t let us make fun of each
other.
 He painted my first bike yellow and
bright green, just like I wanted it.
 He taught me how to ride a bike.
 He carries my picture in his wallet.
 365 Reasons Why I Love My Dad…
 He gave me his good genes (well,
some of the bad ones too).
 He’s dynamic.
 He can get people talking at parties.
 He always seems so happy to see me.
 He always told me I had great
potential.
 He’s traditional.
 He implanted a good work ethic in me.
 He can make a great peanut butter &
jelly sandwich.
 He never burped.
 He was the only white-haired guy to
walk of the “Demon” at Great America.
 He was proud of me at graduation.
 He went into debt to send us to school.
 He took me all over to visit colleges.
 He makes awesome pancakes.
 He did magic tricks at my Birthday
parties.
 He’s got a cool singing voice – one we
heard every week at church.
 He knows how to make my oatmeal
just like I like it – “dry as sawdust.”
 He taught me how an airplane works.
 He’s polite.
 He tucked me into bed when I was
little.
 He calls me at college.
 He knew after I had been on a retreat
that it had been a bad weekend. He
took off of work early, picked me up
after school, and took me to buy a
curling iron and to talk about it.
 He would take off work to care for me
if he needed to.
 He would carry me to bed when I fell
asleep at the TV – or even when I
pretended to.
 He drove me to school every morning
so I wouldn’t have to take the bus.
 He taught me how to get a job.
 He encouraged ‘us kids’ to go out with
each other.
 He was so kind to us, we would worry
that he’d get mad or let him down or
disappoint him.
 He has cool scars – like the stab mark
on his back.
 He knows how to carve a turkey.
 He knows how to choose a good tie.
 He doesn’t play golf.
 He always took ‘the lesser’ car, even
when he shouldn’t have.
 He’s a great arbitrator.
 He likes history.
This was written and put into a daily calendar by Wally’s daughter, Joy.
She gave it to him for his birthday on May 9th, 1996.
 He helped me to learn how to read
by having me read Bible Stories.
 We are ‘cut from the same cloth’.
 He never complains.
 He’s a great bible teacher.
 He has strong faith in God’s
plan.
 He sent me to a Christian school
even though it was more
expensive.
 He learns from his mistakes.
 I could write a book about him and
his experiences.
 His clothes always match.
 He takes out the garbage.
 He taught me the principles of
nuclear power.
 He always sits at the head of the
table.
 He gave me his basement
bedroom.
 He sent me to camp.
 He forgives me.
 He never hid anything from us.
 He funded my braces so I could
have a perfect smile.
 He NEVER swore.
 He always helped me out.
 He helped us play ‘surprise’ in the
car when waiting for mom to come
out of a store.
 He taught me how to build stuff in
the garage.
 He let us clomp around in his BIG
shoes when we were little.
 He invited very interesting people
over for dinner.
 He taught me the reality of spiritual
warfare.
 He was an encouragement to my
mom.
 He killed big bugs and spiders.
 He worried about me.
 He tolerated giggling at slumber
parties. (all night long)
 He’d always give us his last $2 –
always crisp and tri-folded.
 He insisted that a guy always come
to the door before I went out on a
date.
 He’d be happy when I got a date
for the dance.
 He encouraged me when I lost
weight.
 He never complains about being
sick.
 365 Reasons Why I Love My Dad…
 He let me wear his clothes in high
school because that was “cool.”
 He watched “Three’s Company” with
us.
 He appreciated my childhood crafts
(even the orange ashtray) that I made
in kindergarten.
 He has 1001 uses for duct tape.
 He appreciates cultural diversity.
 He led me to the Lord.
 He took me to Baskin Robbins after our
concerts.
 He lives as if earth is not his home.
 He gives me pizza money.
 He often made me breakfast.
 He lets me borrow his car.
 He paid for college even though it put
him in debt.
 He thinks the Bible is exciting.
 He flipped us in the pool at the YMCA.
 He tells awesome stories.
 He treats mom like a queen.
 He took me on trips.
 He goes to work every day to support
us.
 He took notes at my violin lesson - he
cared so much.
 He gives good advice.
 He’s honest.
 He’s a man’s man.
 He let us ‘dress him’ with cool clothes
we picked out.
 He always told us we looked pretty on
Sundays before church.
 He taught us to pray.
 He likes to teach the Bible.
 He started the December 14th tradition.
 He makes great pancakes and
cinnamon toast.
 He took me to concerts.
 He was concerned about my grades.
 He was my taxi driver, even when I
was embarrassed.
 He went to all of my violin / orchestra
concerts.
 He made a ‘practicing’ time-clock seat
to “encourage” good violin practicing
habits.
 He fell for my April Fool’s joke about
being engaged, and then forgave me.
 He gave me roses when I was feeling
bad.
 He dressed up for the Taylor “Hoe
Down” and searched endlessly for it
before taking us to Azar’s Big Boy.
 He’s kind to animals.
 He’s a great role model.
This was written and put into a daily calendar by Wally’s daughter, Joy.
She gave it to him for his birthday on May 9th, 1996.
 He’ll make the perfect grandfather.
 He didn’t wince at some of my
strange-looking boyfriends.
 He’s mechanical.
 He plays hymns on the piano.
 He supports my decisions.
 He wants me to have fun, exciting
experiences.
 He doesn’t play favorites.
 I got his nose.
 He was good to Nick, the dog.
 He’s dealt with a lot, and remained
strong.
 He wouldn’t read us “Jelly Beans
for Breakfast” or “Cream Puffs” to
us before bed because they were
far too silly.
 He married my mom.
 He’s respected by other people.
 He’s fun.
 He survived my teenage years.
 He’s strong.
 He hates ‘parlor games’.
 He’s open-minded.
 He’s got hearing aids, so he can
hear us better.
 He didn’t have ‘guy buddies’
that he always had to ‘hang
out’ with.
 He’s a positive thinker.
 He’s NOT a sports freak.
 He’s proud of us.
 He taught me how to drive.
 He taught me how to drive STICK
SHIFT!
 He’s always made some plywood
table contraption for family
vacations. (Very useful!)
 He helped me decorate my dorm,
and stapled material on my
bolsters.
 He knows how to smooth things out
with my mom.
 He sees the best in people.
 He never stops learning.
 He took us to the Learning Tower Y
and bought us snacks (like Suzie-
Qs) afterwards.
 He’s a college grad.
 He’s sincere.
 He defended my mom even when I
didn’t want him to.
 He let me go to prom.
 He’s a faithful husband.
 He’s good with babies.
 He’s a protector.
 365 Reasons Why I Love My Dad…
 He clicks his teeth when he laughs
really hard.
 He likes classical music.
 He’s patient – very patient!
 He does dishes.
 He’s sensitive.
 He read me stories when I was young.
 He knows how to fix the toilet.
 He could laugh when he was in the
hospital.
 He gave us chocolate on Valentine’s
Day.
 He answered 1000s of questions.
 He helped me learned state capitals
and used pneumonic devices for
spelling tests.
 He gave me a curfew.
 He helped me memorize scripture.
 He took me to ‘The Artist’s Café’
downtown after I flubbed ‘The Bee’
during a violin competition.
 He consoled me when I was down. He
seemed to sense when I was sad.
 He didn’t let me quit playing violin.
 He’s cool.
 He tried me to improve my grades.
 He makes my boyfriend laugh.
 He built me my own tool workbench
when I was little.
 He looked so handsome at Bonnie’s
wedding.
 He’s organized.
 He’s left-brained. (The logical,
mathematical side of the brain)
 He’s the best example of the love
of God I’ve ever known.
 He let me have some of his coffee
when I was little.
 He was patient when I spilled
everything.
 He has a sacrificial spirit.
 He woke everyone up for church.
 He let me ask questions about my
faith.
 He bailed me out when the cars broke
down.
 He’s always been there when I’ve
needed him.
 He helped me get to Europe.
 He lets me buy stuff at Talbot’s with
my paycheck from Talbot’s.
 He gives constructive criticism.
 He’s loyal.
 He’s always walked in during the one
bad part of the movie.
 He knows when to give guidelines and
when to give rules.
This was written and put into a daily calendar by Wally’s daughter, Joy.
She gave it to him for his birthday on May 9th, 1996.
 He is positive in negative
situations.
 He taught me how to use a circular
saw.
 He let us laugh at him and laughed
along.
 He let me know he was praying
for me and I know that when he
said he’d pray for someone he
always did.
 He made us visit the historical sites
on vacation.
 He got me to stop sucking my
thumb.
 He’s smart.
 He knows how to use the
computer.
 He loves my violin playing.
 He always sounds so happy to
hear my voice on the phone.
 He always compliments the chef on
her meals.
 He taught me how to be a good
worker.
 He made my lunches.
 He remembers what it was like to
be a kid our age.
 He will walk me down the aisle and
give me away someday as a bride.
 He brought us back gifts from his
infrequent business trips.
 He invested his life in his kids.
 He helps clean the house.
 He makes awesome French toast.
(or cinnamon toast, like before
watching Disney movies on TV)
 I was his little ‘Tom-boy’.
 He doesn’t act his age.
 He’s got a good sense of humor.
 He’s not interfering.
 He knows how to fix cars.
 He was patient with endless
childhood questions.
 He was the ‘chocolate monster’.
 He was strong when I was weak.
 He didn’t have lots of hobbies that
would keep him away from his
family – he had 2 – flying, which he
hadn’t done in decades, and
teaching the Bible.
 He carried us in to bed when we
fell asleep in the car (or pretended
to fall asleep.)
 He took out my splinters.
 He emptied the mousetraps.
 He taught me success was not in
the result, but in the effort.
 365 Reasons Why I Love My Dad…
 He knows when to ‘let go’.  365 reasons I love him, was not
 He pulled the car up (to pick us up) so that hard to come up with.
we’d stay dry in the rain.  He’s the only one who believe I
 He let Bonnie and I laugh and talk at could DO ANYTHING I set my mind
night when we were little. to.
 He woke up when I got sick in the  He’d always sit behind mom in
middle of the night. church so that he could hear every
 He gave me a curfew in High School. note she played on the organ.
 He is my friend.  He always made sure mom had a
 He can find a mechanical solution to corsage for her concerts or
almost any everyday problem. Mother’s Day – an orchid.
 People say I look like him.  Just because he’s my dad.
 He was careful about what I watched
on TV.
 He wears good smelling cologne (like
Old Spice).
 He can laugh at his mistakes.
 He never passes gas or burps – at least
I’ve never heard him .
 He chased down burglars in ski masks
that were trying to get into the house
and CAUGHT them.
 He can make anything out of plywood.
 He got upset when others hurt our
feelings.
 He watched PBS with us.
 God first, Mom second, us third – his
hierarchy was indisputable and
evident.
 He always speaks using good English.
 He never really wanted anything
he didn’t already have – he truly
knew contentment.
 He put his love into action.
 He once stapled his pants for a quick
‘fix it’. Glue or tape could also be used
when needle and thread, or buttons, or
tie tacks were not readily available.
 He made us laugh.
 He hated vandalism – and would “fix
it” himself if he came across it – like by
bending back a mangled stop sign.
 He knew where every donut shop was
– Winchel’s near Christian Life Church,
Amy Joy Donuts near the YMCA, and
Dunkin’ Donuts just about everywhere
else.
 He never talked unkindly about anyone
– never gossiped.
 He wrote me letters at college.
 He made mom a birthday cake using
maple syrup as the icing.
 He always prayed over his cereal
in the morning.
 Education was a priority in our family
because of him.
 He rarely stayed late at work.

This was written and put into a daily calendar by Wally’s daughter, Joy.
She gave it to him for his birthday on May 9th, 1996.