I believe we all experienced a jolting sadness on Friday when the news began to reach us about the sudden passing of Tim Russert of NBC’s Meet the Press. Of course, most of us didn’t actually know him. He was just the guy we saw in the saddle every Sunday morning as he roped, threw, hog-tied and branded most of the politicians who were “guests” on his show. Tenacious.

Unfortunately, as is so often the case, we don’t usually hear of all the greatness in a person until after they’re gone. Upon seeing Mr. Russert memorialized this weekend, I realized once again that it’s probably the permanence of death that stops us in our tracks – those of us who remain – long enough to think. Think, that is, about all the good things we’ll never get to say to the one departed, so we begin to say those things about them to each other.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s a good thing for us to do, but far better it would be for us to proclaim the greatness in others to them while they’re still with us! I’m certain too that many of us do – so keep it up!

At any rate, I was thinking of and praying for the Russert family and the things that, for them, may have been left unsaid. And in the midst of that, I realized that today is Father’s Day and…I have a blog!

Boardman Country would not be, but for The Patriarch! For going on 53 years, my dad, Bill Boardman (age 76) has been Dad to many. More recently he has attained not just to great-grandfatherhood, but great-great-grandfatherhood and that bug will hit him again in July!

The thing is, he was the only boy in his family so there’s that whole keep-the-family-name-alive thing going on. He has the infamous “My Three Sons” to contend with as well. Myself, Marc and Matthew. Marc’s the only one with boys. I guess it’s all on you, bro. It appears that Matt and I are done!

Now, this post won’t even touch all the good things that need to be said about my dad. Having said that, though, let me say this: Dad, you are my best friend. Of course, Carrie and I are best friends too, but…you know what I mean.

Dad and I live next door to each other. I’ve heard folks say: Wow! I couldn’t live next door to my parents! They say that because they don’t have my parents. The living and true God has blessed me with the best parents ever – hands down. Mom is great too, but it’s Father’s Day, so I’m talking about Dad.

I could list many, many things that I love about you, Dad, and they would all be good. But when I think about boiling all those things down into one word, the word that springs effortlessly to mind is: Support.

I honestly can’t think of a time in my life when I haven’t felt supported by you in whatever endeavor I’ve undertaken (and as Boardman Country readers are finding out, there have been many endeavors).

Actually, I do remember the time when I was about 13 when you found out that I was driving Gerry Dale’s hay truck to eastern Washington, across Snoqualmie Pass, in the middle of the night, while Gerry was sleeping, with, of course, no driver’s license. I just really didn’t feel your support for me in that venture, but that was the only time…and besides, you got even with me by letting Marc become a State Trooper. Now I just can’t do anything crazy out there on the highway.

My readers need to know, too, that it wasn’t just me, the oldest, who was getting your unwavering support. I have eight siblings and they were all recipients.

So Dad, please know that I love you and have nothing but respect for you. You’re the best dad a son could have and I hope yours is a totally relaxing Father’s Day. A toast to The Patriarch!

Oh, and by the way, thanks to global warming, it probably won’t get below…say, hmmmm…50 degrees today, so enjoy the man-induced heat wave we’re having, but just be sure to keep that lawnmower running!

You’re in Boardman Country!

Make yourself at home,

Brad
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