Leonard Stephens

[mrtim]

It has been 5 weeks since I lost my detecting partner, My DAD. I find myself digging up things and wanting to hurry home and show him what I found. I find new spots and want to call him and tell him to bring his detector and come join me.
I still love the hobby, but there is an emptiness that can never be filled for me. Dad left me his detector, a whites Eagle Spectrum and I keep it in my company truck so I can detect on my lunch breaks. The very first day I used it was so hard, I could not stop thinking of Dad and feeling sad until I hit my very first target with it, a 1944 Mercury dime. Oddly enough, '44 was my Dad's birth year. I felt his presence with me after I dug it up and cleaned it off.
I try to detect every day but I always miss him when I do, I hope it will become easier as time passes. I am thankful for this hobby because it brought me and my Dad closer together.

I miss you Dad

This picture shows my Dad with my newborn daughter (she is 11 months now) and my 17 year old daughter in the background.

 

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[Felinepeachy]

mrtim, I am so sorry for the loss of your dad. I know you're grateful for the closeness you shared, so many people don't have that with a parent. You are very lucky to have such fond memories.

 

[Kentucky Kache]

Sorry to hear about your loss. I lost a dear sister on the 12TH of July, so I know it's not easy. There are things we (I) don't understand, but maybe someday we will.

 

[Produce Guy]

Take another look at that picture of your DAD , it has a look,like yeah I did everything right.

 

[DigginThePast]

Sorry for your loss mrtim. Time will help to ease the edge.

Your first target was a coin of your Dad's birthyear.........

 

[mrtim]

Dad loved to metal detect, he was a very dedicated Christian and had many friends. His funeral procession was over a mile long (that made me proud). I gave him his first detector and took him out with me on some great trips. I tried to get him to go to Alaska with me 2 years ago before his health deteriorated but he didn't want to leave Mom by herself. My whole life he wanted to go to Alaska, but lately he wanted to go pan for gold. I made the arrangements and had money in hand to pay for airline tickets. I wanted so bad to do that with him but it just never happened. When I was younger we did not get along at all, I almost hated him but after leaving home at 18 and spending 6 years in the Navy I came home and tried my best to make a fresh start with him, I'm thankful I did. We became very close and I even bought the property next to his so I could be close to help out through his cancer. Even while he was sick he came up and helped however he could when I was building my house. He fought Multiple Myaloma (not sue if that's spelled correctly) for nearly 7 years and was in pretty good shape up until the final month. I made it a point to never leave him until I told him I loved him and got one back in reply, I really thought I would have longer but I'm so glad I adopted that practice of making sure the last thing he ever heard from me was that I loved him.
He did everything right in his final years, He took very good care of Mom financially in his departure, he left her with absolutely zero debt, plenty in the bank, a pension and 100% health insurance coverage.

I'm very proud of my Dad, I miss him terribly though.
Thanks for all the kind words.

 

[bbqbull]

I am sorry for your loss.
R.I.P. Leonard Stephens.

 

[River Rat]

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[birdman]

God bless and sorry for your loss. My father is 76 years old and I have to start getting ready for the phone call one of these days but I don'y think you can get ready...