Celebrating LW Dads

There’s no one quite like a dad, so, we’re paying tribute to the guys that do it all by honoring them ahead of Father’s Day, Sunday, June 20, with these words of appreciation from their grateful loved ones.

Jered Friedland, son of David Friedland of Mutual 4 The day after I was born was Father’s Day, June 19, 1977. Forty-four years later, we are still as close as peanut butter and jelly. If we don’t get in our daily phone call, I don’t quite feel myself and may even start walking funny (like I didn’t drink my V8 juice in the morning).

Over the years, I’ve given my dad more than a few gray hairs. And yet, every time I stumble, he steadies me. When I think I know better and end up with egg on my face, he never says, “I told ya so.” So here’s to a fascinating, kind, book smart, street smart, generous, hilarious, all around wonderful dad and my best friend. Happy Father’s Day, David Friedland! Sara Forney-Doan and Rebecca Forney, daughters of Dave Forney of Mutual 2 We can say with certainty that we are blessed with the best dad to walk this earth. His care and support goes unmatched. Being the oldest of eight, our dad carries a lot of responsibility for our family—yet he does so with grace and without complaint.

We feel so honored to have such an admirable role model to lead us through life. He is always there to provide support through both the good and tough times, while motivating us to never give up on our goals in life, no matter how crazy. Heck, he went on a storm-chasing trip this summer!

We are so proud of all he has accomplished in his life and what’s to come—because he isn’t done yet! Happy Father’s Day to the best listener, role model and friend to everyone he meets—Dave Forney. Reggie, Katie and Max De Leon, children of Ricardo De Leon of Mutual 3 Ricardo De Leon is a wonderful father and the strongest man we know. Our dad taught us so many of life’s most important skills—how to walk, tie shoes, ride a bike and drive a car. He was an example of how to have a loving and enduring marriage.

Our amazing parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in December, and they’re still going strong!

We feel so blessed and grateful that he’s our dad today and every day! Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

We love you.

Barbara Smith, Bev Morang and Susan Pullen, daughters of Gene Smith of Mutual 9 Our dad, Gene Smith of Mutual 9, has always been there for everyone in his family and selflessly gives to others. Whether it’s family, friends, church, cribbage club, friends of the library or the GAF tax program, he loves helping people.

First in Maine, and then in California, he was our softball coach, and all the kids loved him. He is a lifelong Dodgers fan, avid reader and enjoys challenging puzzles. He and his wife, Margaret, were childhood sweethearts, and we are so lucky to celebrate Father’s Day in Lake Arrowhead with them.

Donna Hernandez, Mutual 15

Happy Father’s Day to my husband, Santos Hernandez, a U.S. Navy veteran, who is extremely proud of his daughter, Teela Gomez, a nurse working in the time of a pandemic, and his new son-in-law, Nelson Gomez, both veterans of the U.S. Navy. Santos gave his heart and soul to his two children, Joey and Teela. His love and understanding make him a great father and the husband I dearly love.

And a special Happy Father’s Day to my dear father, a veteran of the U.S. Army. “The best one in the world” is how I described my Father in 1966 in a letter I wrote when I was 10 years old. My Father is now 90, and all this still holds true.

Betty Burrows of Mutual 14

My husband, Edward Burrows, used to say it’s easy to be a father but hard to be a dad, that is, someone who takes care of the people around him, teaches them well and fosters close relationships. Edward, who died nine years ago, grew up amid privation during World War II. He was evacuated during the bombing of London and raised by a foster family in Wales. He grew up without parents of his own, often hungry and with limited schooling. But he had the heart of a dad, doing the best he could with his two daughters and a son despite his own challenging childhood. Rosa Harmon, daughter of Domingo Contreras of Mutual 3 My father worked as a grocery store manager for over 30 years.

He was a loyal employee and (along with my mother) taught me the value of working hard. With his hard-earned money, he bought his first home in Highland Park and began a family.

After about 10 years, we moved to a shiny new home in La Verne.

Thanks to my parents, my sister and I had an idyllic childhood.

In October 2019, my dad accompanied me to Humboldt County, where I ran the Avenue of the Giants half-marathon. He captured a photo just as I crossed the finish line.

Were it not for him, I would not have that accomplishment captured in a photograph.

Jeannie Park, Mimi Park and Lisa Park, daughters of Yoon Soo Park, Mutual 14 As far as we knew, our father never said a poetic thing in his life. He was a scientist to his core. We never talked about poems or literature or writing. We did get to read a lot of his papers about gallium arsenide and other semiconductors, though!

It’s not that he was stern, withdrawn or overly serious. He loved to sing, entertained friends constantly, and could be silly and goofy. But poetic, no!

So it was a bit of a shock when he started writing poetry five years ago at the age of 86. And even more of a surprise when it started pouring out of him so fast that he is now publishing his third book of poems.

We still don’t quite understand where it all came from, but he is living proof that you never know what life has in store for you and that you should be open to it, always.

We only wish that we had learned Korean so that we could read his poems in their original language, as we’ve heard they’re better that way. Maybe when we are 86, we’ll finally learn!

We’ve never been able to keep up with you, Dad—even at age 91, you’re lightyears ahead.

Congratulations on your latest book. We are looking forward to Volume 4! Don Frambach, Bruce Frambach, Julie Bigelow and Mary Tayal, children of Bill Frambach of Mutual 12 We love you for so many reasons. We feel so blessed to have you as our father, and we are thankful for the wonderful life you have given us. In honor of Father’s Day, we would like to celebrate you: a magnificent man, a loyal, loving husband, a devoted father, grandfather, great grandfather and a true friend. Please know that our list of gratitude is endless and continues to grow with each passing day.

Thank you for providing us with a never-ending sense of physical safety and emotional security; for stressing the importance of education; for loving and accepting us and always making us feel like we are good enough; and for showing us what it means to be a good man, a great teacher and mentor, and an outstanding father. We love you, Dad.

Pam Baker of Mutual 11

My father, Charles Wade, is the nicest and strongest man I know, with a heart of gold. He would do anything for me and my siblings.

He is very supportive and positive. His faith gives him strength. He would work all day and was still able to give us love and attention.

When we went on road trips, he would drive 10 hours and stop at a hotel, where we would swim until our fingers were pruny.

He has no temper and only shows us love and laughter.

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful role model in my life, and he is still alive, thank God. I can’t imagine life without my dad.

I love you, Dad. Happy Father’s Day to the World’s Best Dad! Jamie Shea, daughter of David LaCascia of Mutual 4

My dad, Dave LaCascia, is a father, grandpa and all-around good guy. My earliest memories are of him protecting me, whether it be saving me from a horsefly at the age of 4, rescuing me after I took a hard fall off the swings, picking me up off the ground when I fell while using my crutches or when I was being harassed as an adult.

He’s always been there for me and my sister, no matter what trouble we teenage girls gave him (my sister gave him way more than I did, obviously). He invented the “50-pound Kid Toss” and would launch me sky-high in the pool in a dazzling display of amateur gymnastics.

He has two green thumbs and can grow just about anything (something he did not pass down to me). He has provided for us and given us opportunities that we will never forget. He is a wonderful grandfather to my two children. He is my only surviving parent, and we have a deal that he is never allowed to leave us, right, Dad?

Since he will live forever, I want to take the opportunity to say, Dad, I love you. You’re the best father a girl could ask for, and I don’t know what we would do without you. Happy Father’s Day from your favorite youngest daughter. Rita Farnsworth and Patti Hamm, daughters of Bob Lynch of Mutual 15 Truly blessed is what we are to be the daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren (four) and great-grandchildren (11) of Bob Lynch! Dad, also known as Gigo, has always been that kind, strong, understanding and, most of all, supportive dad that we all love and admire. He was born in Brockton, Maine, on Aug. 29, 1918, and married our mom, Rosalie, in 1941.

Dad served in the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet during WWII, and then went to work for the USPS and retired in 1980 as director of customer service. Leisure World became home in 1999.

Always with a smile on his face and that positive attitude, Dad has been a role model for all of us. Never missing the birth of a grandchild or great-grandchild (no matter what time it was) shows that family means everything to him. We also always know that dad is always there to cheer us on and encourage us in whatever we are trying to achieve in our lives. Happy Father’s Day, Dad! We can’t wait to celebrate you on your 103rd birthday in August!

Terry Thrift of Mutual 7

My father, Ralph Robert “Bob” Thrift, gave me three gifts: Reading, golf and the appreciation of a well-made martini.

I adored him. Gloria Tyler, daughter of George Hess of Mutual 5 I would like to pay tribute to my father, George Hess. He was a baker all of his life, worked very hard six days a week. He and my mother had their own bakery in Burbank in the 1950s and worked hard, making a very good living for the three of us. He loved us so much! Timothy Kim, son of Samuel Kim of Mutual 8 Thank you for all the love and guidance you have given me year after year. Your faith and patience inspire me every day to be a better man. I feel so blessed to call you “Dad,” and I hope you always remember how much you are loved and appreciated. Daniel Kim, son of the Rev. Samuel C. Kim, Mutual 8 I can’t imagine my life or our family without my dad, or “Appa” in Korean. Only as I write this, however, do I realize that my dad has lived most of his life without a father. I wonder what my then-2-year-old dad would have done had he known that, on a cold winter day on Dec. 5, 1950, as my grandfather sent the family away without him, it would be the last time Appa would ever see his father again. My grandfather had told my uncle to lead the family across the Daedong River and wait for him by the coast, and that he would be arriving soon after securing their home and possessions. They would then find a boat in case they had to temporarily flee from the oncoming Communist invasion. After all, it would be perhaps two or three days before they would be reunited safely and go home again. And yet, somehow, two to three days has turned into 71 years.

I wonder if Appa called out for his father when he was so thirsty that he let go of his sister’s hand to search for fresh water and was swept away by the sea of fellow refugees, only to be hugged again by his by-then hysterical mother. I wonder if my dad cried out for his father as he climbed down the cliffs to wade through the Imjin River because the bridges were out, hearing the screams of strangers whose family members’ hands slipped all around them. I wonder if my dad prayed for his father as he walked down icy roads, dodging body after frozen body. And I wonder if my dad’s heart broke for his father after hearing the news from a former neighbor that my grandfather had been executed for his Christian faith.

Today I finally take time to appreciate the fact that my dad (who just turned 83 years old this week) had to learn how to become a good father on his own, guiding three sons through an often-tumultuous adolescence and adulthood in a strange, new country. And this in spite of losing his father before his teenage years, at a time when he must have needed his father the most. Thank you, Appa, and Happy Father’s Day from your son Daniel.

Cindy Gannon of Mutual 4

The mold was thrown away after my daddy, John Africa, was born in 1903 in Newark, Ohio. He was a remarkable man with many talents. I only knew my dad for 17 years, as he died at age 51, but my memories of him persist. Dad was quite funny and never met a stranger. He would pack Mother, my little brother and myself in the old 49 Ford, and off we would go for the usual Sunday outing, often to Three Rivers, California, for the “breakfast run” cooked on an open fire. I can still smell the bacon. Daddy was so organized that we just sat back and watched.

He came to Huntington Beach in 1928 and wrote a column, “The Downtown Coach” for the HB News. He was the first pro at the local golf course in the early 1930s. During World War II, he was general manager for Tex Rankin’s flying academy in Tulare, California. He was an all-around amazing man. It has been 63 years since Dad and I said goodbye. We will meet again and take the Sunday ride. Gina Sievert, daughter of Ronald Iannessa of Mutual 1

Ronald Iannessa is a dad of four and grandfather of seven. He has been a steady rock for my family since the beginning. We are thrilled to celebrate him this year through this LW platform!

Our dad is a lover of his family, classical music, relaxing with his cat, meditation and enjoying a good barbecue with his family. He has strong faith and lives a life of gratitude and kindness to all.

Happy Father’s Day, Pops! We love you to the moon and back!! Toni DeBenedictis, Cris DeBenedictis-Blum, Lani DeBenedictis and Leslie Miyahata, daughters of Tony DeBenedictis of Mutual 7 Happy Fathers’ Day to Tony DeBenedictis! Thank your for being such an inspirational, wise and loving man, husband and father (and so handsome)!

We love you!

David Friedland with son Jered

Ricardo De Leon with son Reggie