On Father’s Day, I’m thinking about my dad Minor H. Slingsby. My dad was a big figure in my life.
My dad enjoyed reading the newspaper, and he’d read articles to us. When he found something he thought was humorous, he’d read it aloud and laugh heartily.
Carefully watching every penny, my dad taught me to be an informed, alert consumer.
I’m a consumer journalist because of him.
My dad was a stern man. My mom said when they were first married she’d argue with him. After a while, she gave up. Mom said she decided he could be in charge. He made the decisions in the family.
My two sisters and I worked hard at following his rules and keeping out of trouble.
Since my mom had diabetes, we thought she’s leave us first. Then, we’d have to figure out what to do about my dad who didn’t know how to cook or do laundry.
However, he left us first.
My dad died in 1990 at age 80 from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a lymphatic system cancer. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is linked to pesticide exposure. My dad was a farmer.
I miss my dad very much. I’m thinking about him today and the contributions he made to my life.
