Couple of years ago my older brother and I were discussing our father. My brother reflected (as a father himself) about what all that man had done for me and him. All the vacations that we took together, the places we visited, the people we met and all of the things that he worked hard as a linotype printer for the biggest newspaper in whatever city we happened to be living in, to ensure that we'd have a hellva Christmas morning or what we asked for he did his best.
All the times that the two of us screwed up (individually and collectively) and how he still loved and forgiven us (after whipping our asses red-=- which ensured that we didn't do THAT again!!).
In short the conversation summed up that he was a great Dad.
As a man I learned from my father the subtleties of diplomacy and moving in/out of political circles (which are EVERYWHERE!). But doing so with integrity and with honesty and unselfishly. I think that if my father weren't deaf he'd been a helluva politician. In some ways he was but not on a city/state/national government level... though he met with each frequently to champion the rights of the Deaf.
Now he's 82 and blind and still fighting. Championing the rights of the Deaf/Blind community to have better than what they've had before in years past.
A fighter, that's my dad. :asian: