It all started 90 years ago, today. On April 19, 1934. Before I say more about that, let me say this.
Every human being past, present, or future will experience these same three things: Life Love Loss.
Obviously if you were born and you’re reading this now, you’ve experienced life. And you’ve also experienced love, at least in some way, at least once in your life. And, since the birth to death ratio is still 1:1, and not likely to change for the foreseeable future, you WILL experience loss. If not now, soon. But the life, love, and loss you experience here in this space/time continuum isn’t the final word on your existence.
OK. Now. Back to what happened 90 years ago, today.
A little boy was born to Guy and Verna Funderburk. They named him Dwight Lee. And he was the third of their three sons. And just in case you haven’t skipped ahead of me, he also was the one who became my Dad.
Dad, by his own account, started out as sort of a sickly guy. He went through a bout of rheumatic fever. And then he dealt with polio which affected his left arm, which was particularly challenging because he was born left-handed. So, as a result, he had to learn to use his right hand for everything.
If you’d ever met Dad, you wouldn’t have guessed any of that happened. Because he seemed as naturally right-handed as any right-hander. And his left arm and hand looked and functioned perfectly normal.
Unfortunately, he wouldn’t find out until he was around 42 that the rheumatic fever had done more to him than anyone knew about. Turns out, that disease stunted the growth of his kidneys. Here’s more of his story, that I shared a few years ago.
Way back in 1986 my Dad died after battling with kidney failure for nine years. After suffering some unexplained illnesses for multiple weekends in a row, he finally decided to see a doctor. The doctor and hospital ran tests and discovered that his kidneys had failed. And they told him he would probably only live 2 to 4 years more. But he worked hard to remove fluids from his body, in addition to dialysis, and proved them wrong by living 9 more years. However, at the age of only 51 he finally lost the battle with that “terminal” condition and slipped away into the presence of the living, loving, Creator.
To say I loved and admired my Dad would be an understatement.
In fact, I quote him to this day. He was far from perfect (sort of like the rest of us). But he was MY Dad. And that made him the most important man in the world. Being a young man myself (I was 31 when he died) I felt the need to grieve the loss internally. Because big boys don’t cry. And six years after he died I wrote a musical tribute to him.
Here are the lyrics for the guy born 90 years ago, today. Happy Birthday Dad…
Fandango Street
Dwight was a boy anybody would employ
‘Cause he worked his fingers to the bone.
But he said he had to fly, get a piece of the sky.
So he took off for the great unknown.
Everybody said no, no, no. But he still had to go
To make his whole life complete
And look for Fandango Street.
He took himself a wife, as he made the change of life,
And the boy became a regular man.
They had a couple kids just like everybody did.
But it really wasn’t in the plan.
And his spirit said no, no, no.
That’s not the way you should go.
Should be pointing your feet on up to Fandango Street.
Oh, but somewhere the world took over
And left him thirsting for more.
Where was the milk and the honey
He had dreamed of all those years before?
He was moving right along feeling permanently strong
Thinking all he had to do was behave.
But a terminal disease slowly drove him to his knees,
And it took him to an early grave.
And his family said no, no, no.
But he still had to go
To make the journey complete and look for Fandango Street.
And to this day I say no, no, no.
But I know he had to go.
To make the journey complete and look for Fandango Street.
I hear him tapping his feet up on Fandango Street.
And so his life is complete, he dance on Fandango Street!
© 1992 Tony Funderburk
This song could be featured on an episode of the FunderCast. So, be sure and subscribe, if you haven’t already, and listen for my song for my Dad…and lots more besides Life Love Loss
Stay tuned,
