On November 7th, in the year or our Lord 1923, John Alden Custer was born to Julia and Carl at 102 Main Street in Milford. When I was a kid Grandma never tired of showing us the house where Dad was born. I never tire of telling his story - just what and how one man effected so many. My Dad quit high school to join the Navy. He had just turned 18 years old. This was a time that he rarely talked about. I think that Michael remembers what he did then better than I do. I know that He came home, married Anna Jane Holloway and used his GI Bill money to go to school to be a watchmaker. That is where all of these gizmos below come in. He got his high school diploma the year that I went to Kindergarten. Education was always high on his list. When the jewelry store where he worked closed when I was in high school, he found a job with KDI making typewriters. We all know what happened there. KDI evolved into a factory that made the firing mechanism for our Hellfire missiles. Dad had a security clearance to do this and was always telling me not to get him in trouble.
My Dad was a quiet man - he was married to Anna Jane so he didn't get a lot of chances to talk - but if he did, you better listen up. He was my hero and I was so Daddy's little girl - still am. He was always there for me no matter what. When I divorced with two little boys he stepped in and played more than just the role of Papa in their lives. When Tom and I went to tell my folks that we were going to get married the first thing that he said to Tom was "you know that you are marrying two little boys." No pressure.
I loved it when Dad retired and he and Mom and I went out for the day. We had a lot of fun. I'm so glad that we got those years before they each got sick. Not going there today. Just want to remember the man that I idolized to the moon and back. I miss you Daddy. This was my shot for "Calculating" in my last Scavenger Hunt.
For the magnificent assortment of objects to help connect you to your dad and his memory
This one touched my heart because it was just a year ago that my dad left me to be with my mom and I felt about him much the same you feel about your dad
This one touched my heart because it was just a year ago that my dad left me to be with my mom and I felt about him much the same you feel about your dad