A Special Fathers Day

Yesterday was the 2014 Belltower Festival and one of my classmates was the Grand Marshall- Dr. Jim Hanson. He and his wife Elizabeth hosted a party at his house and we were invited. It was a big fancy tado-catered-open bar etc.
Butch and I were eating at a table and some "older folks" joined us and we began talking. The Brooker name is well known in Jefferson so all those connections were acknowledged and then a fellow asked me my maiden name and where I came from. I said I am from Jefferson but my family hasn't been here for many years. My maiden name was B-R-O-C-K. He said, "Francis Brock?". I said yes, Francis was my father. He said he knew him and remembered him very well! My dad died in 1956 at the age of 33 so this gave me goosebumps I kid you not! He shared a story about my dad working at a hamburger joint. It was named 4 Star or something like that. Open 24 hours. He was training a new employee one night and stepped out for a break. I am guessing a cigarette break. A customer came in and ordered 5 hamburgers and it flustered the new guy. As he was slicing open the buns  he cut into his hand and there was blood all over the place but when my dad came back he was cool as a cucumber and handled it all seamlessly. It was a special treat for me to run into someone who knew and remembered my dad.


Bob Owen remembered my Dad:

Here is a picture of my dad, Francis Brock.