Steph and Amanda are TOTAL Daddy's Girls! We love you so much.

From Steph:

Dad,                                                                                                              

On this Father’s day #39 for you, I wish you happiness first and foremost and I wish for you the patience you’re going to need to watch me raise Maelyn over the next 6 or 7 years. I say this because she is 11 and I know the misery I put you through. I want to thank you first for hanging out with my mom…..even after meeting me. I want to thank you for keeping her young…since you were kind of a kid when we got you. I want to thank you for teaching me all of the things that nobody else would have. Forcing me to ski, play soccer, ride a dirt bike, jet ski, all of the things that were out of my comfort zone you made me try all of them at least once so many of them stuck because you stuck to cheering me on. I may have acted completely embarrassed by the bird calls from the audience during my pageants but I wasn’t. I remember thinking, nobody else’s dad loves them enough to be such a weirdo just to show his kid he loved them. Now you’re doing that for your granddaughter and we could never dream we’d be this lucky. Thank you for being my buffer with mom on our bad days, thank you for getting my stereo back when I was 16 , for scaring off the mean boys when I was young and for not telling mom about my first…or second tattoo. For the money you’d slip me when mom wasn’t looking, for the unique, unexpected and totally random Christmas gifts you come up with each year and for your stern, yet loving talks with both Mae and I as we learn to grow up together and not apart. Dad, you never stayed mad and you never held a grudge. I get that trait from you…we both know that much. You never packed up the Hefty trash bag you originally came with and left us, like you threatened when I was being a jerk. You stayed. And you showed up for me every single time I needed you. Someday you’ll need me and I’ll show you that I can repay every kindness. You’ve become slightly more refined this past decade. Just slightly.  You’re a big softy who loves kids and animals, watching the scary stock market, nurses dying birds or buries them, you don’t kill bugs, you hate cell phones, you EVENTUALLY finish everything you start and you do have some conspiracy theories (although I did love watching those space ships hovering out in the back yard with you as a kid) You’re still a little rough around the edges but you wouldn’t be John Currie, AKA Jockey, if you weren’t. And last but not least, thanks for not being weirded out when I married Harald. When your buddy and work partner became your son in law, I think you secretly kind of liked it. Your support means so much to both of us. Bloodlines means nothing to us. I’ve always been a Currie, long before I surprised you and changed my name in a family court at the age of 26. You have never, EVER made me feel like I wasn’t 1000% yours.  I love you so much Dad and if Mom let me pick way back then, I’d choose you over and over again.

Love you, Stephanie

From Amanda:

From day one, my daddy was my bestie.  Mom loved on me in a way that few could possible imagine and made sure that I was always clean and fed and happy and warm and snugly…but dad…he made sure that I found my laugh at an early age.  Growing up, if I had a problem that needed solved, dad had it covered.  If I had something to celebrate, dad would make a celebratory dinner.  If I was brokenhearted, dad would make a comfort dinner.  If I was stressed and busy, dad would make me a ‘come and grab some food on your way home so you don’t have to cook’ dinner.  He also made, “play practice is going long” lunches, and “home sick with the flu” soup. 

We talked on the phone probably no less than 6 times a day.  Once, I came clean to him about something that I had done that I knew he would not be happy about.  He was very angry and told me to go to my house until he could calm down and talk.  I was 32.  We didn’t talk for 6 hours.  It was our biggest fight. 

My dad was also my moral compass.  He was my true north.  He was the man who was ALWAYS there for me.  The one man who never let me down.  My biggest fan.  My loudest supporter.

On June 9^th, 2020, my daddy suddenly passed away.  It was a week and a half before Father’s Day. 

Daddy, you know that I continue to ask you questions and turn to you for advice.  I still feel your presence and I still know that you are by my side.  I have your thumbprint tattooed on my arm, but I have you tattooed on my heart.  No matter what, I will always love you.

Love you Daddy,  Bugs