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Phil's Notes:
Life with my Father:
My greatest hero was my Dad. He was also my
greatest fan and supporter. I am remember when I won a trip to the New York Worlds Fair, 1964, my dad volunteered to go along with the group as a chaperone and he and I had a ball. We explored NY City and even took a commuter train ride out to Glen Cove. LI. to see some of my dad's relatives and I got to explore the Russian emissary summer home across the street from my relatives homes ( and were
subsequently booted out when we climbed over the fence to check it
out further). My dad was strict but loving. Many summers we took
camping trips to Southern Tier and stayed at Allegheny State Park. Our relatives stayed in a cabin, but we ended up in the overflow section for campers. But we had loads of fun and enjoyed fun at campfires with my cousins. In 1959, my dad bought a brand spanking new Ford Car and he decided to take the longest road trip in our lives thus far. We drove from Tonawanda, Ny to Ft Lauderdale, Florida, with rolling adventures every step of the way. We first traveled to Washington DC
and stayed in old make shift cabins right in middle of Washington DC and got to see all the sites including the White House. We then travled South and when we
reached Georgia, we ran into blinding rainstorm, which forced my dad to stop
the car on the side of the road ( near a truck stop restaurant). My dad was
not big on hotels, so we all just laid back and rested as comfortably as we
could in our car. We then traveled to Florida ( pre Disney and theme parks)
and the first thing I remembered seeing were road sides advertising fresh
orange Juice and other road sign advertising live alligators ( but we never
saw any because it cost money to see them). In Florida they had little shoulders if any and they consisted of sand. As we traveling along the road, my dad went off the road on to the shoulder and got stuck in the sand and try as he may he could not get out, until a passerby stopped and told him how to successfully get out of sand. We finally made it to Ft Lauderdale and back to New York, but it was a trip of a lifetime. My Dad supported all three of us Edins as far as going to college / both morally and financially. One funny adventure occurred on my wedding day in April of 1973. My dad had to work the early shift at this factory that day, but was determined not to miss my wedding day. My dad is a cautious driver, but on that day he was running late as he traveled from his work down the Thruway/ to Rochester / and then to PARMA, NY for my wedding. As he was running late, he began to speed up and got stopped by the NY State Troopers for speeding. He told the the trooper the story of how he was just getting off work and running late on the way to his son's wedding in Rochester and the trooper said " Have some cake for him" and let him go without a ticket. We lived about 85 miles away from my mother and dad, so had limited access to seeing them in person, but I relished the home visits to 246 Deleware St and my mother and dad. After arriving and the formalities of greetings, I settled down on one couch and dad settled in his chair and we both closed our eyes and began to talk. We talked about anything and everything that was on our minds. In between visits, Dad sent me a weekly letter ( hand written) telling me all the latest news from Tonawanda. In between in person visits we all talked once a week by telephone and again he shared with me all the local news of Bethesda church and Tonawanda. My dad was also a spiritual leader in his home and at his church. When I came home for our visits he most always got out the Bible to read the devotional at breakfast time. In church, during his later years, he served as Assistant Pastor and was charge of hospital visitations at the local hospital. Everbody at the church knew and loved Pastor Curtis. My dad was kind of person that seemed to know everyone in town. If he did not know you when his first met you, he would with several minutes of meeting you. My dad also loved our son Pastor Tim. I believe my Dad was part of the inspiration for Tim going into the ministry. I Just wished he could have lived to see Tim today as he preaches the word of God and serves as a pastor in West Virginia. ( but my guess he is looking down from heaven and smiling down at Pastor Tim). My Dad passed away several years back, and it was very hard on me at first. But as I walked along the beach at Charlotte Beach, one morning, God showed me that Dad was in heaven, looking down at me and I smiled. Happy Fathers Day Dad.
Submitted by Phil Edin
in loving tribute to his late father Pastor Curtis
Phil and Jo Ann Edin
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