For the past month, my local siblings and I have been helping my stepmom go through my dad’s things. There have been moments of laughter and tears when recalling stories attached to these. They have also brought comfort.

On Sunday as I walked through the garage to get more boxes, there, on his workbench – untouched for several years when the carpal tunnel and Parkinson’s stole his ability to tinker his heart out, sat his favorite baseball cap. It stood as a reminder that he was watching over his domain – a greeting when one entered his self-proclaimed man cave.

Many of you will recognize the logo – The Lake County Atoms Ice Hockey Team.  Their motto was “Kids on ice stay out of hot water”.  How true it was and still is. So many of these young men are now married and have families of their own with rewarding careers.  That also brings me a great sense of pride for all of them and their families

Like most organized sports, family plays a big part. It does take a team of parents to get the players to practices, games, and tournaments. If the parent couldn’t do it because of work or other conflicts, grandparents often filled in. It was a multi-generational commitment.

Both of my son’s grandfathers loved coming to the games. And by this dusty, worn and faded cap, my dad cherished those days for years afterwards.

As I uncovered more of my dad’s life story, I’ll be sharing them with you.