darryl grant phipps Tribute

To be honest I dont really know too much of my Dads childhood, all I know are the storys he told me as I was growing up.. He was born in Maryland on September 18, 1950. He was one out of 8 brothers and sisters. He always told me he had a good childhood. He lived on the water and loved it. he would always joke about being the black sheep in the family growing up, but I never saw it. He was just my Dad. I guess it might of been a little true, he did have a few small handicaps. His family all played instruments from what he told me and he couldnt because of his fingers, even though he had a little set back didnt mean he didnt share the love of music with his family..

That was Dad too, he never let anything set him back.. He is our Superhero!

Anyways, some other stories he always loved telling us as kids was how he loved his motorcycles. I remember one story of how he rode his bike thru the hallways of his high school and on the day he got his diploma from his principal his confessed that it was him making all the ruckus thru the halls.. lol he loved to tell that story.. I think he thought he was cool!! :)

After high school he was married and had four of my older siblings, 2 girls, 2 boys. Chas, Jerry, Paul and Paula. He told me many stories of how he was so happy to be a father and how proud it made him feel.

Now im getting the part of his life I know a whole lot more of!! He met my mother, his soulmate. November 1980. They met at a bar somewhere back east in Maryland, and my Mom couldnt get rid of him!! He followed her home and they began their life together.  They got married in June and shoot if I didnt forget the year.. I was 1 or 2 when they made it official, so do the math and I think its 83 or 84.. sorry Dad I forgot..

So there we were, Dad, Mom, my sister Amy and me, the four of us. I hear stories from them about how we lived on first street and how small it was. I dont remember this too much, but we were one little happy family. We didnt have much, but we had each other and that was all that mattered. Especially to Dad! He always told me how much he loved HIS girls! He loved the three of us sooo much and he tried to show it any way he could.

The four of us moved out to California a little after that and I think the reason my parents did that was to start over and build a happy life together. We moved to Oroville, CA and set up camp. Dad and Mom loved it there! They moved us around a little bit, but finally bought a house of their own. The 2 of them were so happy to buy that damn house. Looking back it was a money pit! But that didnt get Dad down, he worked and worked and worked on that house. He would work a full week of work and come home on the weekends and work all weekend on the house. Just so that he could make it perfect for us.

He was working for Montgomery Wards forever so it seemed as I was growing up. A service tech, fixing things with his hands. Kind of ironic huh?? Couldnt play and instrument when he was a kid growing up, but give him any kind of appliance and/or car and hed have it fixed and ready to go!!

Amy, my older sister moved out of the Oroville house when she was 17. She moved to Sacramento. Not long after that Dad's work needed him to move to Sacramento also, so we moved. I remember being so mad at him about that, kinda silly now that I think about it. All in all in was the best decision he made. he felt so bad about moving us, but he knew that it would better our lives in the long run, and it did!

The next few years seemed to fly by looking back. Dad started having health problems, I think they actually started before we left Oroville, but I dont remember too much of that. I do remember his quadruple bipass he went thru when I was in high school. I thought that was the scariest thing ever!! Seeing all the tubes and wires from the surgery, but he pulled thru. Dad was a superhero. He always bounced back, always.

So by now Dad was a happy man, he had his soulmate as a wife and 6 beautiful children.. what more could any man want?? How about Grandchildren!! I believe that JJ my nephew is the first, and then I think Carolyn is the next oldest. Now being that there is 3,000 mile separating me and 4 of my siblings I hope I dont get any information wrong and/or offend anyone by leaving anyone out!!

They first Grandchild that Dad had out here was Emme! My little babygirl. And I tell you guys something, I think he spoiled her so much because he couldnt get his hands on the others back east!! My sister Amy went on to have Adam and Abby, more Grandchildren!! Dad loved all of his grandchildren, just to see them smile made him smile!

My Dad was such a wonderful man! He was goofy, nerdy, loved the redskins, NHRA and most importantly his family!! Everyone in his family!! He was so proud of his children and grandchildren. He took pride in everything he did. Before he retired he was a service tech manager with Best Buy. And he was damn proud of it! He deserved to be. Dad taught me so many life lessons, family comes first, work hard because things dont always come easy and love your life!!

Dad passed away yesterday morning, Feb 5, 2010. He had an infection that he just couldnt beat. His nine lives ran out. Every superhero has his kriptonite and Dad finally found his.

Mom, Amy and I were all there when he passed. Holding his hands, whispering in his ear, telling him how much we all loved him and that his girls would be ok.. his girls will be ok. He was always there when we needed him. Always! And a little part of him will still be there, always!!

We love u Dad!!