... Snicker's Day...

Well ... it's "Snicker's Day" in Maryland, the day named after my dad's favorite candy bar ~ the day we remember when dad went home to be with His Savior... today marks 10 years. And so I thought it would be a great opportunity to honor him ... Karl K. Wilhelm

Dad was one of those dad's you always wanted around... the kind that made most everything an adventure...the one who showed up for all of your games and concerts and cheered and clapped the loudest. The one who had a quick wink and nod for a job well done, and a knowing look when you needed reassurance, and, he was my biggest encourager.

Dad was an avid outdoorsman, a skilled bow, rifle, and black powder hunter and bass master. He brought many "delicacies" home for mom to try out her culinary skills --- venison, turkey, pheasant, goose, perch, bass ... He loved the great outdoors. I'm glad his Lake Trout is hanging on our wall. :) And because of his love for the outdoors, we camped every summer that I can remember ... all summer long. Those are some amazing memories.

An added bonus for me, was dad's occupation -- my high school assistant principal. A guaranteed ride to school everyday, even in the snow and ice ... and more importantly a friendly face just a few doors away at all times. He instilled in us a love for learning, perseverance, hard work, and a love for school and education. Thus -- I have two sisters who have followed in his footsteps... and maybe a few of our girls in the future? I believe high school was a tad bit less of a challenge because he walked through it with me.

We loved dad for his quick wit and funny sense of humor. He loved practical jokes and he almost always had a chuckle and a smile on his face. Dad came up with some of the funniest things to say - okay, who has heard of a "davenport" ?? Dad was a punter for his high school and college football teams and because of this he could kick the top of a door frame in one quick swoop -- always impressive. :) Dad couldn't always carry a tune, but he sang the loudest at church every Sunday... that always made us giggle! And his morning school alarm clock technique still works today -- stir the coffee and clang the mug loudly and they will wake up!

U.S.S. Charles J. Badger DD657 - U.S. Navy, Korean Conflict

Boy do we miss him ... 10 years ago in July, dad had a heart attack. He hadn't been feeling quite himself for a few weeks but didn't want to take the time out of summer fun on the Lake to really get it checked out. Turns out he had a blocked artery that they were able to put a stint in. After more tests, they confirmed that his mitral valve need replaced. Unfortunately open heart surgery didn't work for him, complication occurred during the surgery. Without a properly working mitral valve, your blood doesn't move along as it should and we lost dad just 16weeks later. We weren't expecting it ... he was gone.

I'm so grateful the Lord had him stay with us long enough to meet all of his grandchildren. If you ask me, 10 years is way too long to live without ya dad. But, the Lord knew the plans He had for you, and I am confident that because of Dad's trust in His Savior, he is rejoicing around His throne today.

He saw you getting tired and the cure was not to be,
so He put His arms around you and whispered come to me.
With tearful eyes we watched you , we saw you pass away.
Although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating. Hard working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.

Anonymous

Karl K. Wilhelm
April 11, 1931 - October 20, 1999

So ... I'm off to eat some mini Snicker's and I think I'll chalk up the turkey caller while I'm at it! I love and miss you dearly dad ... to town to town (TTTT) and to heaven and back.