It seems appropriate to post another installment of my father’s story on Father’s Day, since he was such a great father.
Dad’s sterling qualities—being fair, consistent, principled, and calm—and his excellence as a teacher were always obvious to us, his family. Just how profound his impact on students had been over the years started becoming obvious to all even before he retired in 1981. By then, he was receiving letters, gifts, and visits from former students. It was not unusual to have people stop him in public or come to the house to see him and hug or kiss him, even though they sometimes hadn’t seen him in decades. And that remained true for the rest of his life. Once, a few years ago, he and my mother invited my sister and me to Sunday service at a local church, not their own, to see a group of European musicians perform. The church’s lay deacon was one of my father’s former students, and it was she who introduced and welcomed the visiting quartet—but only after expressing at length how wonderful it was to see Mr. Winkie among the congregation.
Dad’s sterling qualities—being fair, consistent, principled, and calm—and his excellence as a teacher were always obvious to us, his family. Just how profound his impact on students had been over the years started becoming obvious to all even before he retired in 1981. By then, he was receiving letters, gifts, and visits from former students. It was not unusual to have people stop him in public or come to the house to see him and hug or kiss him, even though they sometimes hadn’t seen him in decades. And that remained true for the rest of his life. Once, a few years ago, he and my mother invited my sister and me to Sunday service at a local church, not their own, to see a group of European musicians perform. The church’s lay deacon was one of my father’s former students, and it was she who introduced and welcomed the visiting quartet—but only after expressing at length how wonderful it was to see Mr. Winkie among the congregation.