For all the great things my father did – in-house counsel for Dayton, Power and Light, 50-year honoree of the Dayton Bar Association, 30 years of self-employment helping clients – I was most amazed that he seldom spoke about the past unless I asked him. Instead, he focused on the moment and on the person he was with.

At my father’s recent memorial, my beloved Dad had a real cross-section of people attending…everyone from Rite-Aid employees, ICU nurses, Bethany from Aid-to- the-Aging to judges and attorneys. When you were with my dad, it was all about you. He wanted to know about you and what you were doing. It was never about him. When I would ask my dad how he was feeling, he would always say, “Great!” I knew he was in pain. He was a model of doing the best with what you have. He told me he never thought he’d live to be 88 and until the last moment, he lived for his family and friends.

I was deeply touched by all the people who waited in line at the memorial to tell me more stories about my dad’s character. Those stories reinforced some of the life lessons I learned from him:

•   Don’t just take a job for security. Do something you love.

•   It’s more important to get the job done than to receive the credit for it.

•   Don’t ask for my opinion unless you really want to hear it.

•   Everybody has a story. Try not to judge other people.

•   Real heroes don’t flaunt what they do. Often they are the ones you’d least suspect.

Who are your heroes? Do they know you admire them? Are you living their example?

My father lived well beyond his expiration date. He just wouldn’t give up. When I think of him, I think of Bob Dylan’s song “Forever Young.”

Dad taught me about the power of a positive attitude and remaining optimistic in spite of overwhelming challenges. He was my role model. Everyone should be so blessed.