Thanks to Gerald Johnston for sharing the loving tribute to his father. Sue Aimes ----- Original Message ----- From: Gerald Johnston <gerald.h.johnston@worldnet.att.net> To: <MOJASPER-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 19, 2002 9:27 PM Subject: [MOJASPER] Bill L. Johnston -- Missouri Boy -- Died OCtober 16th > My dad died Wednesday, October 16th, 2002, after a two week illness. This is something I started on this summer, but he never got to see it. I hope it comes through somewhat in the right format. He was born in Joplin, in 1929, with Roots in Taney Co., and the White River Valley area too. > > > > This is for Bill LeRoy Johnston, 1929 to 2002. > > > > > > > > Daddy's Hands > > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > The world was safe. > > Cars couldn't hit me; > > Forests weren't ever scary; > > Bullies couldn't hurt me; > > Needles weren't so frightening; > > And life was good. > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > We'd walk in the woods. > > I'd be 'Little Running Deer,' > > While he was 'Walking Deer,' > > And we'd have 'ventures. > > A flower, or a bird, an acorn, > > Or even a puddle > > All became lovely wonders > > For little boys > > And daddies too, > > And life was full of joy. > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > We'd go on errands too. > > Hardware stores were > > An endless fascination > > And we'd find treasures there. > > The stationary store had bins, > > With smells of inks and paper, > > Which made me think of Daddy, > > Working away all day, > > With all those sights and sounds > > That he'd come home > > And tell us all about, > > And life was good. > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > We'd go to church. > > I'd sing in the choir > > And light the candles, > > While he would watch and smile. > > I learned the stories and the promises > > That his daddy once taught him. > > Big Brother and I, together, > > Learned that God is always with us, > > And life was full of hope. > > > > When Daddy held my hand > > After I couldn't catch a ball, > > Kept falling down the stairs, > > Off curbs and things like that; > > He and Mother took me back to Oklahoma, > > Where they operated on my eye, > > Saving me from total darkness. > > They gave me strength to > > Work and exercise that lazy eye, > > To make it strong again, > > But they let me peek , > > Out from behind the patch, > > The only time I cheated, > > For they told me how I mustn't, > > When the men walked on the moon, > > And life was renewed. > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > He always held Lynn's too. > > When Big Brother went to school > > And I was still at home, > > The love was always equal. > > Each of his boys' differences > > Were overwhelmed by strengths - > > Not weaknesses. > > Lazy eyes learned how to share words, > > While the one who longed to read, > > Could shine in so many other fashions, > > Guided on so many paths > > That the two almost became one; > > Even graduating together, > > The first to ever do so of their kind, > > With hands held tightly, > > Heads up high, > > Tears of joy, and family all around, > > And life was whole. > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > And tried to teach me how to drive, > > I was too grown up to hold on. > > Algebra was just a foreign thing > > I wouldn't try to understand. > > A teenager knows everything, > > And thinks fathers aren't so smart, > > And life was so much lonelier, > > While we were grown apart. > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > And sent me off to college, > > It felt all right to go. > > I went away to Oklahoma, > > For he had been there too, > > But he wasn't with me. > > I felt lost and oh so lonely, > > Until he came to see me, > > But he had to go back home. > > I didn't do so well there. > > I was too young to know, > > That just because he wasn't > > There to hold my hand, > > I would be fine, > > And life was such a vale of sadness, > > Eleven hundred miles across. > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > I graduated > > And came to Arizona, > > Where he helped me > > Find my way again, > > Even when I didn't want to try. > > I searched the whole world over, > > But came back home to stay. > > I became a teacher > > Just like he had done, > > To gather strength from young folks > > Sharing knowledge every day, > > And life was fun again. > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > The very last and final time, > > He mouthed the words, > > "I love you!" > > I said I never doubted, > > All the years of love, > > And begged him to fight whatever > > Took him too soon from us. > > But those trombone player's lungs > > Just couldn't win that fight. > > He taught us all that life goes on, > > And we will be okay, > > Because Daddy's hands will really > > Always hold our hearts, > > 'Till we see him > > In those Halls of Glory, > > >From whence we'll never part, > > And life will be forever > > Although for now > > It breaks our hearts. > > > > Gerald Hankins Johnston > > October 18th, 2002 > >

I agree with you Sue it was such a loving gift for a son to do. Gerald thoughts are with you and your family over the sudden lost of your Dad. Tootsie Sue Aimes wrote: > Thanks to Gerald Johnston for sharing the loving tribute to his father. > Sue Aimes > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Gerald Johnston <gerald.h.johnston@worldnet.att.net> > To: <MOJASPER-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Saturday, October 19, 2002 9:27 PM > Subject: [MOJASPER] Bill L. Johnston -- Missouri Boy -- Died OCtober 16th > > > My dad died Wednesday, October 16th, 2002, after a two > week illness. This is something I started on this summer, but he never got > to see it. I hope it comes through somewhat in the right format. He was > born in Joplin, in 1929, with Roots in Taney Co., and the White River Valley > area too. > > > > > > > > This is for Bill LeRoy Johnston, 1929 to 2002. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Daddy's Hands > > > > > > > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > The world was safe. > > > > Cars couldn't hit me; > > > > Forests weren't ever scary; > > > > Bullies couldn't hurt me; > > > > Needles weren't so frightening; > > > > And life was good. > > > > > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > > > We'd walk in the woods. > > > > I'd be 'Little Running Deer,' > > > > While he was 'Walking Deer,' > > > > And we'd have 'ventures. > > > > A flower, or a bird, an acorn, > > > > Or even a puddle > > > > All became lovely wonders > > > > For little boys > > > > And daddies too, > > > > And life was full of joy. > > > > > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > > > We'd go on errands too. > > > > Hardware stores were > > > > An endless fascination > > > > And we'd find treasures there. > > > > The stationary store had bins, > > > > With smells of inks and paper, > > > > Which made me think of Daddy, > > > > Working away all day, > > > > With all those sights and sounds > > > > That he'd come home > > > > And tell us all about, > > > > And life was good. > > > > > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > > > We'd go to church. > > > > I'd sing in the choir > > > > And light the candles, > > > > While he would watch and smile. > > > > I learned the stories and the promises > > > > That his daddy once taught him. > > > > Big Brother and I, together, > > > > Learned that God is always with us, > > > > And life was full of hope. > > > > > > > > When Daddy held my hand > > > > After I couldn't catch a ball, > > > > Kept falling down the stairs, > > > > Off curbs and things like that; > > > > He and Mother took me back to Oklahoma, > > > > Where they operated on my eye, > > > > Saving me from total darkness. > > > > They gave me strength to > > > > Work and exercise that lazy eye, > > > > To make it strong again, > > > > But they let me peek , > > > > Out from behind the patch, > > > > The only time I cheated, > > > > For they told me how I mustn't, > > > > When the men walked on the moon, > > > > And life was renewed. > > > > > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > > > He always held Lynn's too. > > > > When Big Brother went to school > > > > And I was still at home, > > > > The love was always equal. > > > > Each of his boys' differences > > > > Were overwhelmed by strengths - > > > > Not weaknesses. > > > > Lazy eyes learned how to share words, > > > > While the one who longed to read, > > > > Could shine in so many other fashions, > > > > Guided on so many paths > > > > That the two almost became one; > > > > Even graduating together, > > > > The first to ever do so of their kind, > > > > With hands held tightly, > > > > Heads up high, > > > > Tears of joy, and family all around, > > > > And life was whole. > > > > > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > > > And tried to teach me how to drive, > > > > I was too grown up to hold on. > > > > Algebra was just a foreign thing > > > > I wouldn't try to understand. > > > > A teenager knows everything, > > > > And thinks fathers aren't so smart, > > > > And life was so much lonelier, > > > > While we were grown apart. > > > > > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > > > And sent me off to college, > > > > It felt all right to go. > > > > I went away to Oklahoma, > > > > For he had been there too, > > > > But he wasn't with me. > > > > I felt lost and oh so lonely, > > > > Until he came to see me, > > > > But he had to go back home. > > > > I didn't do so well there. > > > > I was too young to know, > > > > That just because he wasn't > > > > There to hold my hand, > > > > I would be fine, > > > > And life was such a vale of sadness, > > > > Eleven hundred miles across. > > > > > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > > > I graduated > > > > And came to Arizona, > > > > Where he helped me > > > > Find my way again, > > > > Even when I didn't want to try. > > > > I searched the whole world over, > > > > But came back home to stay. > > > > I became a teacher > > > > Just like he had done, > > > > To gather strength from young folks > > > > Sharing knowledge every day, > > > > And life was fun again. > > > > > > > > When Daddy held my hand, > > > > The very last and final time, > > > > He mouthed the words, > > > > "I love you!" > > > > I said I never doubted, > > > > All the years of love, > > > > And begged him to fight whatever > > > > Took him too soon from us. > > > > But those trombone player's lungs > > > > Just couldn't win that fight. > > > > He taught us all that life goes on, > > > > And we will be okay, > > > > Because Daddy's hands will really > > > > Always hold our hearts, > > > > 'Till we see him > > > > In those Halls of Glory, > > > > >From whence we'll never part, > > > > And life will be forever > > > > Although for now > > > > It breaks our hearts. > > > > > > > > Gerald Hankins Johnston > > > > October 18th, 2002 > > > >