Memories of my Dad, Delbert Martin Riepe.
My Dad had a hard life likely all of his life, though I don't know a lot of his childhood years. I do know that he always wanted to be a farmer, which Dad pursued for many years though true success at it eluded him. He loved his wife and children and always brought his paycheck home for us. He was a quiet person most of the time, but loved to chat, joke and laugh in social situations with extended family and friends. My cousin Steve once confided that Dad was his favorite uncle because of his entertaining sense of humor. Also, Dad loved to tease Mom and get her to laugh, which all of us kids enjoyed. When my Dad got cleaned up with the help of Brylcreem and Old Spice shaving lotion, and dressed up in his best clothes I always thought he was so handsome, resembling Ronald Reagan. Those occasions were rare because he worked from sun-up until past sun-down, coming home exhausted. I don't think Dad got the full respect he should have gotten from we three kids while we lived at home, in part due to the hold that alcohol had on him which sometimes caused problems at home between him and Mom. I'm sure our neglect must have hurt him. Dad stuck with all of us, and I'm very grateful for that, especially since Mom loved and really needed his help once her early-onset Alzheimer's Disease showed up. When Dad and I parted in 1975, we didn't know we'd never see one another again in this life, but that's what happened. He's living in Heaven with Mom.
