81 Great Memories with my Dad

It was a tough start to the day today when I got the news that my dad George W. Carter passed away last night. He was a great man and a better father.

Words can not express my appreciation and love for the guy.

Here are just a few of millions of great memories we had together.

81 Great Memories with my Dad

1. Trip to Europe in High School
2. Sea World in San Diego and Orlando
3. Stayed home with me when I was sick in Lake Tahoe
4. Riding around with his golf buddies when I was a kid
5. Playing Golf everywhere from Pebble Beach to Briarbrook
6. Going to Paul Simon Concert in Las Vegas and winning at the 5 cent slots
7. Driving the Miata’s in Hawaii and Vegas
8. Watching the Charo and Don Ho shows in Hawaii on spring break
9. Going through the tunnels on the way to NC from Missouri
10. Seeing the Korean War memorial with a humble hero
11. Seeing a big desk with a race track and computer on Christmas morning
12. Taking my friend Erika with us to Dallas, San Antonio, New Orleans and Memphis
13. Making time for me when I would come to your work
14. Climbing the waterfall in Ocho Rios Jamaica and going to the chicken place
15. Seeing our 50th state together in Alaska
16. Petting Dolphins in Roatan
17. Dumping Popcorn on the beach in Daytona and watching mom go crazy
18. Going to Dowds Catfish in Noel
19. Going to Japanese Steak Houses
20. Sharing my wedding day with me
21. Getting me Breakfasts on Saturdays so I could watch cartoons
22. Taking me and the gang to hundreds of bicycle races
23. Teaching me how to gamble golfing (press, nassau, greenies, snakes, chip in)
24. Eating crab legs from Red Lobster to Maryland
25. Visiting the “Pond with XO Bunch”
26. Having political discussions in the hotel bars of France, Switzerland and Germany
27. Dinners in the clubhouses of dog & horse tracks
28. Comedy club in Memphis in high school
29. Staying at The Peabody & watching the Ducks Walk
30. Coming to Grade school to have lunch with me
31. Building me a great clubhouse and sand box
32. Letting me mow the front yard like a golf course
33. Supporting me trying new things (sports, trips, camps, hobbies etc.)
34. Taking me to the movies from Bambi and Bond to Porky’s
35. Buying me as many books as I would read and donating books to Duneweg Elementary
36. Watching Walter Cronkite “that’s the way it was” when you came home from work
37. Telling me stories about when you were younger
38. Double date to hear “Old Blue Eyes” in Evansville with Mom and Tonya
39. Giving me a little “flash money” for Prom night
40. Going to get ice cream any city any time but especially at Andersons
41. Generosity toward people like loan to Gary Vernon or letting Chris Marksberry stay with us
42. Looking at the stamp collection
43. Paying for SCUBA lessons and my first set of Dive Gear
44. Getting sea sick together deep sea fishing
45. Going to the Everglades to see the “Big Guy” and other Alligators
46. Getting Milk Shakes at Roberts is here
47. Parrots on our head at Parrot Jungle
48. Packing up COMP dive gear at Big Guns Carmichaels in Plant City
49. Steak and Sinatra at Ralph’s house
50. Going to Chicago when I was 16 and hitting the town
51. Cookout at Cindy’s Brothers House in TN
52. Carter Family Reunions
53. Teaching me about investing and saving and taxes etc.
54. Business Trips when I was a kid
55. Going to Museums all over from Claremore gun museum to the Smithsonian
56. Going to the Nutcracker Ballet in Toronto
57. Visiting the Space Center in Houston and Cape Canaveral
58. Letting me steer the car on the dirt roads
59. Going to the spinning restaurants in St. Louis, Indy etc.
60. Going to the Cubs Game together at Wrigley Field
61. Meeting all the old Yankees at the Mickey Mantle golf tourney
62. Playing “cows” with me on long road trips
63. Going to Mrs. Macs
64. Coming to see me at work and being so proud of me
65. Loving Cindy so much and being so nice to her
66. Being good to Jazz and finding her that one day in Florida
67. Teaching me Golf Etiquette, rules and always counting my strokes
68. Going to the topless deck on our first cruise ha ha
69. Helping me get loans for my first homes
70. How hard you fought when you were sick so we could have more time together
71. Time we went the wrong way on the Freeway going to see Sonny in Houston
72. Meeting all your old Army buddies and seeing your bond all those years later
73. Having the bike track and you doing all the announcing was a great time
74. Your Generosity from Four Wheelers and Cars to the most important thing to me your time
75. Watching old movies especially John Wayne on VCR or TV together and eating popcorn
76. Letting me take my briefcase of toys on the plane
77. Getting me from the Desk of Michael T Carter paper and KIDS BMX business cards
78. Going through our pictures and scrap books together
79. Hearing your voice on every phone call
80. giving you a big hug
81. Having Raw Oysters and Beers this February up in Williamsburg. Just the two of us man to man and it was a great night.