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

Gerald what a beauitful poem, you to must have been a daddys child. I always trusted what my dad had to say to me. He and I was very close, and when I lost him ,I thought I couldn't go on. But by then I was married and three boys of my own, and we like my dad and me are very close, and when the time comes I hope my boys go on in life and share with there children as my dad did me and I did to them. It is all about LOVE that is what makes the WORLD GO AROUND LOVE.As Jesus said LOVE ONE ANOTHER , that was of his commands and the most inportant one. Shirley Gerald Johnston wrote: > 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