While I was designing these greeting cards I couldn't help but think of my dad and how much he would have loved seeing his photos in print. My dad died 16 years ago June 16th and I thought a Father's Day tribute would be appropriate at this time. I remember growing up and HATING to pose for these photos but now, as an adult, I am so grateful to dad for taking them and capturing our childhood on film.
My dad was a newscaster for WWJ TV and taking photos was his hobby. His "stage name" was Don Perrie for obvious reasons...can you imagine going on the air and saying "This is Don Prittie with the Channel 4 News?" Can you imagine BEING A KID with that last name???? One of the best memories I have of my dad when I was a child was having cherry coffee cake in the middle of the night after he got home from work. As a newscaster, his work schedule was such that we didn't get to see him very often and those middle-of-the-night visits were really special to me. He and I would leave notes for each other since we didn't get to see each other much. I remember that I got to meet Bozo the Clown at his TV station one time and that was actually kind of disappointing because, as it turned out, he was just a regular man.
When I was about 6 months old dad had me on live TV with him and he somehow let me fall off a table...that's why I have a permanent dent in my forehead and it's the reason for everything wrong with me :) My older brother (Bro #1) and I also got to be on TV when we were a little older. It was a segment about safety and he and I were supposed to walk across the street together holding hands. Bro #1 refused to hold my hand and I ended up just trailing after him...looking like a total dork.
My dad also hosted a call-in radio show while I was growing up and there was one black woman who lived in Detroit with her 3 children who would call in and talk to my dad all the time. My dad wanted us kids to know how privileged we were so every Christmas we would have to select one present and take it to this woman's children. Being kids, of course we always picked out the worst present we received--sorry, Bro #2, about giving away that doll's clothes line you bought me one year :) Anyway, it was always awkward for us but I will never forget that woman opening her Bible one time and there were three dollar bills in it...her total savings. She took one dollar and handed it to us kids and said to divide it up. The generosity of that woman still lives in my memory.
My dad also produced a documentary on breast cancer in the early 1960's that was way ahead of its time. Prior to retiring, he also covered the Detroit Riots in 1968. He was unable to leave Detroit for 4 days due to the rioting. Covering the riots took a lot out of my dad and, in 1973, our family moved to Florida where my dad switched to radio.
The last time I saw my dad was just 3 months before he died. My husband, 6-year-old daughter and I drove cross-country to see him...
Here's looking at you, dad...I love you and miss you.
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