AppleTree

FATHER'S DAY from page 37

• "Never let your gas tank go below
half full in the winter."
"I don't care if you grow up to be a
ditch digger. Just be the best ditch digger
that you can possibly be. Always give
100 percent on whatever you choose to
do."
"Keep your word. Your word is the
mark of who you are."
He called me "Baby." I miss him more
than I ever imagined to be humanly possi-
ble.
At age 5, I would wait at the end of our
driveway (rain or shine) for him to return
from work; when I saw his car appear, it
was the highlight of my day.
He was my sunshine, my star. I would
giddily start clapping and run to meet him
as he pulled in. He used to say how wonder-
fill it was to come home to a standing ova-
tion every day!
Caren Osrin and father, Ray: "Keep your word."
He made me laugh more than any-
one ever could. He was a world-
renowned editorial cartoonist and his
wit was beyond incredible. You had to have a
tough skin growing up in my house and be
able to handle his playful barbs.
had to take the responsibility of raising three
He gave me my love of sports, from baseball to
daughters
alone. He has taught me to be a good per-
fishing.
son
and
always
do the right thing. He also has
When I was in college and suffered my first heart-
taught
me
to
be
a hard worker and to give back to
break, he drove to school to comfort me and slept
the
community.
the entire night on my couch. He couldn't bear to
His influence was one of the reasons I decided to
see me hurt.
go
back to school to get a master's in social work.
He used to tease me about how much I cried in
He is always so supportive and understanding.
my life; things that touched or saddened me, you
In addition, my father's popularity has taught me
could count on tears. I cried when I was sick, when
that
it can't hurt to be nice to everyone. He has said
fireworks terrified me. I used to sit on his lap facing
that
he
learned this way of living from his father.
his chest and soak his shirt with my tears.
Even
living with three girls, my father man-
We moved a lot when I was a child. He was the
aged
to
raise three beautiful, intelligent, caring
protector who brought me to all of my new schools.
daughters.
If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have
Once again I would cry and run after him down the
grown
to
be
the woman I am today. As a mar-
hall, and beg him not to leave me.
ried
woman,
I still live my life through the
As an adult, when he would give me a particularly
principles
my
father instilled in me from the
emotional birthday or Valentine's card, he would
day
I
was
born.
write, "You can stop crying now."
In honor of Father's Day, I would like to
I have never known crying like I knew when he
thank
my dad for making me the woman I am
passed far too early, in 2001. My world was shat-
today.
Without him, I would have been lost.
tered. My best friend, my mentor, my protector, my
He
is
so
special to me and I appreciate all the
guide, my beacon ... my world was taken from me.
sacrifices
he has made. He truly lives his life
What I wouldn't give to hear his voice, feel his
for
his
family;
hand, hear his laugh. But he is still with me every
I appreciate and cherish all of the time we
day, with every ball game, with every moment that
have
spent together. He is so special and I
makes me laugh or cry. I will always be his little girl.
love
him
so much.
He is still the father, the dad that I adore.
Thanks,
Dad, for being who you are and
I love and miss you, Ray Osrin, more than you
for
teaching
me your wisdom and princi-
can imagine. Thanks for all you have done and for
ples. Because of you I am a better person.
the lessons you taught to me. You were the best.
Happy Father's Day. I love you,
Love with all of my heart, your "Baby."
— Andrea Belen
— Caren Osrin

Farmington Hill

/IN

6/16

2005

38

• My dad has always been a big part of my life.
Wherever we go, people always know Ken Korotkin.
But people don't know hoW much he has done
for me as a father. In truth, Ken Korotkin has been
my mother and father.
My dad runs his own successful business and also

It has been almost 30 years since my dad
died, and a few of his quips still guide my life.
The first is, "What goes around, comes
around." For me, this is a way to deal with
those bad issues that come up against you
daily. A trust in God, that you will have to
answer for your lies and deceits, your short-
comings one day — and that one does not
always have to react to every bad deed or
issue!
The second lesson I learned from my
father was never spoken or put into words
that I can remember. It was a lifestyle. In
my own words, it is "Do the right thing."
This concept gets you in hot water with
your spouse, daily arguments with your
kids, puts you at odds with family mem-
bers and sometimes frightens your friends.
No matter whether it is inviting some-
one to your son's or daughter's bar or bat
mitzvah whom no one thinks you should
be inviting, but it's the right thing to do;
or paying for dinner for a friend who is
down on his luck, even when you are
struggling yourself (but not like the
friend); or even volunteering the little time you have
to sit on the board of some organization when you
could be sitting at home relaxing.
I joke that "doing the right thing" should be put
on my tombstone. My children say that it is not
funny, but I know I will have to answer for all my
deeds, and I only hope my good deeds outweigh the
bad ones. This lesson my father engrained in me
runs real deep!
My dad, Joseph M. Abrin, was a hard-working,
good-hearted, honest man. I hope people will be
able to say that about me 30 years after I die!
— Martin L. Abrin

Oak Park

Berkley

• You know, it's funny — the pain you
occasionally get in your shoulder is just a
muscle spasm, but your heart tells you it is
your daddy's hand reassuring you he is
still there — watching, just like he used
to when you were a tot.

Andrea Belen andfather, Ken Korotkin:-
"Do the right thing"

