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Home > News & Columns > Michael P. Neufeld > Father's Day: The Greatest Gift

Father's Day: The Greatest Gift

By Michael P. Neufeld
Sunday, June 15, 2008

Over the years I've really gotten some wonderful Father's Day gifts from my wife, two children and five grandchildren. But on Father's Day 2008 I want to tell you about The Greatest Gift—my Dad.

My Dad, Raymond Roy Neufeld is gone now but the things he taught me, gave me and shared with me will never be forgotten.

My Dad was a big man who towered above my two brothers and me. His heart was also big and in the right place. He did lots of Dad things including coaching baseball, attending parent-teacher conferences, making sure we washed behind the ears, teaching us how to drive (even when I hit the tree while attempting to miss our cocker spaniel), attending each and every event we three boys ever participated in from high school and college graduation to plays at The Barn Theatre in Porterville.

He worked for Southern California Edison in the substation division and had a rule that when he got home at 5 p.m. each day the three boys would be there to greet him. The neighbors used to joke they could set their watches by the Neufeld boys scurrying home each weekday. Once we checked in and told him about our day then we could go back out and play until time for dinner.

We lived next door to my Mom's mother and she was registered in one political party and my Dad in another. Used to prompt some lively discussions just before each election. We three boys loved to watch the two of them talk about the "best person for the job."

One time I went to a Father-Son Banquet and I'll never forget it. The man who introduced my Dad and Mom—Howard Michaelis—didn't have any children at the time so my Dad asked me if I would be willing to go as "Howard's son." I agreed and that made me "Michael Michaelis." We all sat at the same table and people who knew us got a big kick out of the early edition of what could have been called, "Dad Swap."

At one time, Dad was not only coaching Babe Ruth League baseball, he was president of the league so we attended the games even when my brothers weren't playing. My favorite seat was next to the announcer at Porterville Municipal Stadium and I often was the official scorer. One day, the announcer got sick during a game and Dad asked over the public address system if anybody could take his place.

I volunteered and with the support and encouragement of my Dad, I became the official voice of the stadium…not bad for an eighth grader. I remember some days I would announce three or four games and because I didn't have a license it was Dad who made sure I was there on time to say, "Ladies and gentlemen, please stand for our National Anthem."

As a sophomore in high school, I started a program on Porterville's radio station KTIP. It was called "Top Tunes of Porterville High." I had my own car but when it had a problem, Dad would toss me the keys to his Ford pick-up and I head out to the station to play records by Elvis, Connie Francis, Ray Charles, Skip & Flip, and Diana Ross and the Supremes (to name a few).

One of our favorite things to do when we were young, was to take family vacations at Camp Sierra up behind Fresno between Shaver and Huntington Lakes. That was my first taste of "living" in the mountains and I still enjoy mountain living.

One year, my older brother Bob was in the Air Force stationed at Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire. We took a car trip (gas was less than a dollar a gallon then) to visit him that included side trips tp New York, Niagra Falls, Washington, D.C. and Dad's birthplace in Oklahoma.

Being interested in radio and the emerging television field, Dad encouraged me to contact the local Fresno television station to see if I could get some tickets to see one of the game shows produced in New York. I got tickets to see "The Price Is Right" with Bill Cullen.

We also watched a salute to the newest state, Hawaii, at Radio City Music Hall and then watched a movie which immediately put my Dad to sleep. NOTE: He did stay awake during the performance by the Rockettes!

When I decided to go to school at my Dad's alma mater—San Jose State College—he drove me up to the campus to find a place to live and we decided on a boarding house called Birch Manor. Some of the 16 guys who lived in that house are still friends today and when we would make trips to Southern California they always insisted that we spend at least one night with my Dad and Mom. Two of the guys called him Dad also.

Baseball legend Harmon Killebrew once told the story about how his Dad would play baseball in the yard with he and his brother. He related years later that it upset his mother because they were "tearing up the grass." His Dad replied, "We're not raising grass. We're raising boys."

I think Harmon Killebrew's Dad had to be a lot like mine because he did a mighty fine job of helping Mom raise three boys.

Thanks Dad!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

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