Edward M Sylvers

Written by Patricia Stewart (sylvers)
My dad’s birthday is today. Like my mom I have so many great memories of him. He was a proud man, that worked hard all his life. Especially when it came to his family. He worked as a painter and did what he had to when it came to supporting his family. An example of that is his time up in Canada during war time. He got on a train to Hudson Bay to build radio towers, even with no knowledge of doing that kind of work. Talk about on the job training in -40 degree or more temps! His stories of his time there still come to me, from haircuts, to trucks being run 24/7 because of the frigid cold and of course Polar Bears visiting. I can never remember him not working. He took on extra work to pay for some of the fun stuff we did. He loved to fish and enjoyed every last one he and/or his kids brought home to my mom to fry. Sunfish and Crappies his favorite, but he never stepped away from a northern or walleye on his line. That said he also took up water skiing with his kids on weekends too. Not unusual to see him pulling us around Pleasant Lake on a Sunday or one of my brothers pulling him. He never turned down a neighborhood kid coming along with us either on our trips to the lakes. If there was room in the car they were welcome. I mentioned that he was a painter. He worked for a contractor for the gas company here in Minneapolis and for the most part painted the natural gas holders. When he ended his time with the gas company he went work at the Calhoun Beach Hotel, which still stands today across from the lake. I think it is now called the Calhoun Beach Club. He did wall papering and painting throughout that place and did work for some interesting people, including “Dear Abby”and other local tv personalities that worked in the studio housed there also. Which brings me to my home I live in now. He hung wallpaper in my living room and bathroom that still hangs to this day. It is the original vinyl wallpaper that was sold back in the day. He said it last forever and I now see the proof. Seems like it has been there forever. He ended up leaving the Calhoun Beach Club for the Curtis hotel in downtown Minneapolis. He retired from there and then started his love for golf, which he had not played since he was a teenager. He continued to fish though and made frequent trips to Round Lake in Wisconsin. Sometimes with my mom, sometimes with his kids or grandkids, or sometimes alone. Winter or summer he loved to fish. And of course loved to eat them. He had smile that was contagious, but when angry a bark that was worse than a bite at times. Many thought he ruled the roost, but my mom was the one that always had the last say. He had a great sense of humor and loved his family. The stories I could tell, as I am sure my siblings can add many more to this post. So now as I sit in my Sunflower vinyl dining room writing this post I send out a Happy Birthday to you Dad! Miss and love you.