Mill Creek Beacon - Your Hometown News Source

My father died of cancer 14 years ago, four days following his 67th birthday, just 8 years older than I am now. This is something to ponder.

He would have turned 81 this week, although that’s something I don’t ponder very much. My father’s life was complex and interesting to me, but it didn’t seem designed for longevity. For one thing, the man smoked more cigarettes than anyone I’ve ever met. I doubt any of us who loved him expected to see him at 81.

He died in 2003, though, which is roughly the Bronze Age when it comes to modern technology. I sometimes wonder what he would have...