Merry Christmas Dad!

I cannot believe a year has gone by since your passing. Christmas wasn't the same without being able to chat with you, but I bet you are having a grand old time with Mom and Angie!

Dave and I chat all the time. We frequently invoke you and what a great Dad you were. Angie, David and I sure were lucky.

You are always in my thoughts and memories. I love you

Merry Christmas!!

 Happy Fathers Day!

You have been gone for nearly 6 months now and I think of you most every day. 

All you did for me, David and Angie through the years. You encouraged us, pushed us, spanked us on occasion (we deserved it) and most of all you loved us. Through the years, you became more than our father, you became our friend. You let us get to know you as a person, not just Dad.

So many things you did for us that went unthanked as children and hopefully we all let you know our appreciation as we got older. 

Thank you Dad, for being a father and a friend!

Happy Fathers Day

Love

Jay

Remembering John – A Timeline of Child and Adult Connections

 Remembering John – A Timeline of Child and Adult Connections 

As John’s little brother by nine years, there are many fond memories that are special to me. Bottom line he will always be on my mind as a loving brother who guided me early on with loving kindness. In the late 1940’s our family lived in Gainesville, GA. I was of first grade age and John, a teenager, was interested in model airplanes. John made a small hand launched glider for me. In hindsight, I think this was the unconscious starting point for my future career. 

 

In the early 1950’s, our family moved to Decatur, GA. John was a high schooler with side jobs at a gas station, popping corn for the local drive-in theater and he also worked as an usher at the Roxy theatre in downtown Atlanta. He found time to build a tree house for me in the back yard and shoot hoops on a back board that our Father had built. He taught me how to maintain my bicycle (think “coaster brake”). After high school, John went to Georgia Tech. During the same time frame, my sisters Ann and Joan also were away at college. IN 1955, my father, mother and I moved to Cleveland, TN where my latent interest in model airplanes surfaced (think “U-control”, a P-40 Warhawk, and a McCoy 29). Meanwhile, my sisters and John became adults. John got married, graduated from Ga Tech in mechanical engineering and took a job at North American in El Segundo, CA (1958?). 

 

John continued to be a role model for me. During my high school years, we lived in Alexandria, VA and contact with John and family was rare. Then we returned to Atlanta in 1961 and I entered Georgia Tech and started a major in aeronautical engineering. Upon graduation in 1967, Geri and I married, and we briefly considered a job in San Monica, CA (I don’t remember the name of the company). We ended up in Fort Worth, Texas at General Dynamics for a couple of years. After that our somewhat parallel paths began to diverge and we ended up in Chattanooga, TN for the balance of working and raising three kids. 

 

Fast forward to the early 1980’s. I reconnected with John during my frequent business trips to San Diego. I recall dirt biking in the desert with John and David. Quite a hoot! Also, went on an overnight boy scout hike in Anza-Borrego desert with John, David, and scouts. Another hoot! Later, there were brief encounters with John and Barbara after their retirement to the log house in Grass Valley (not clear on the time frame). Of “recent” significance was the celebration of the lives of our parents John Spring, Sr and Katherine by planting a tree (along with their ashes) at Deep Springs College near Bishop, CA. Long story here. This was after my mother passed in 2002 at age 95. Our father had passed in 1992. 

 

Geri and I connected with John and Barbara in Madera in November 2018. Brief but enjoyable visit including dinner at the local Mexican restaurant where John displayed his typical banter with the waitress. - Alan Spring

 

I will never forget, and to this day think of it every Christmas

Uncle John, This is hard. I am heartbroken to hear of your passing and even more so that I never got to enjoy you in my life as I did when I was a child. You have and always will be my most favorite, adoring, caring, and amazing family member and my only uncle that I have always held so very dear to my heart. Life took us on different paths, and I was too little to stand my ground and demand to see my Uncle, but just know, you have always lived in my heart, and will until the day I leave this earth. 

 

As a child, in the tumultuous environment known as my parents, you were a sense of calm that I have never been able to explain. There was something about your presence that made me feel so safe and loved when everyone else around me at that time was in chaos. 

 

I will never forget, and to this day think of it every Christmas, but we were all gathered around the Christmas tree opening presents. I think I was 4 -- it was our first Christmas in California when we were living with you. I remember there was a lot of laughter and excitement as up to that point in my little life, I had not had that type of family experience at Christmas so it was very new to me. I could not tell you what I got that year in the form of toys, but what I did get that year was comfort as I sat on your lap and opened my stocking. In it were gold coins. They were the chocolate candy type, and I remember you saying "now don't go and spend that all in one place Michele!" with rounds of laughter to follow. I sat and looked at those coins and in some way was in awe as I looked around the room watching my cousins open presents, everyone laughing, and the room was filled with love on that day. I have never forgotten that and to this day when I think of Christmas, I see those coins and think of that particular day, and have lived a lifetime of recreating that same feeling every year - with my own kids and now my grandkids. For that, Uncle John, thank you as YOU gave me Christmas and the true meaning of it to my heart that has brought you back to my memory each and every year since then. The fact that you left at Christmas, did not surprise me as you were the true spirit of Christmas to one little broken and lost girl. 

 

I have missed a lifetime of having my Uncle in my life and can only imagine all the amazing things I would have experienced, the heartfelt encouragements, the laughter, good times, and the direction my life might have taken if you had been involved. 

 

I love you Uncle John. I know you are with Angie and other family members and can only imagine the reception you were given as they welcomed such a loving and amazing soul back to the garden. 

 

I have never forgotten the love you showed me, nor will I ever forget. You brought me more joy in our short time physically together than you will ever know at a very young age that I have held onto my entire life. And even though I did not understand it all then, as I got older, it became clear: My Uncle John was a man of unconditional love, compassion, encouragement, and support. The comments from my cousins confirm it. It is a fun fact that our lives took on very similar paths of adventure through the years - motorcycles, camping, hiking, flying, Indian Guides (my son participated when we first moved to Florida), and general living of life to the fullest. 

 

Rest in peace my beloved Uncle -- well rest when you can and rip it up with those you love and have missed while on this earth! I look forward to the day I get to see you again and feel that special love that radiates through in your hug. I love you and am so incredibly thankful to you for being my Uncle. 

 

Love always, your forever niece, Michele

"Noble fathers have noble children.” –Euripides

"Noble fathers have noble children.” –Euripides

I believe Euripides had you in mind, dear Jay. The thoughts by both you and your brother are quite endearing. Wishing you all, peace and comfort, my friend.

Noel Laflin

When I think of you I think of fun.

 Dear Dad,

Although the memories are piled up in my mind I’m finding it hard to encapsulate all the good times. When I think of you I think of fun. It seems the first memory is always Indian Guides and you were known as Setting Sun and I was Rising Sun. Now the sun has set but you will always live on in my heart as the cool rocket scientist fun dad.

Whether it was driving my friends and I to scuba diving lessons, backpacking the Grand Tetons with bear precautions, or motorcycle riding the deserts with family and friends there was always an atmosphere of adventure. Even going to the grocery could be hilarious like the time you dropped kicked a birthday cake by accident at the check-out stand! There was also the big cross-country driving trip to see relatives in Atlanta, Savannah and Chattanooga – while going through Alabama I had a strange creature on my leg I had never seen before and you laughed at the Walking Stick while I was utterly terrified – good times!

Of course, as life goes, there were academics and teenage years to overcome. You were always there to take me to a sporting event or how to solve an algebra problem. We conquered the hurdles!

Later in life we weren’t quite so adventurous. We had many years of enjoying Thanksgiving together and solving the world’s problems through discussion.

I love you and will say Sayonara for now until we meet again.

Love,
David

Thank you for being such a wonderful Dad.

Thank you for being such a wonderful Dad. You helped to shape me, encourage me and point me down paths that made me the person I am today. You have been a father, discipliner, friend and encourager. So many memories that will always put a smile on my face.

When I was young, you did not try to be my friend. You were my coach, my guide and discipliner when I needed it.You were,  well you were being a good Father. You put Angie, David and I first. You had the courage and love to do the right thing unlike so many parents today.

In Boy Scouts, you meant so much to so many kids. So many kids admired you. “Mr. Spring I’m miserable” on our backpack trips showed just how much love they had for you.  One winter camp, you gave me your jacket to stay warm even though you were probably cold. When we hiked mount Whitney, you gave me candy to help with the altitude sickness. To this day, anytime I have a butterscotch candy I am instantly transported back to that time. And how did I repay you? I made that darn marmot follow the tang trail to you. Ok that was so funny and a fun memory we shared frequently.

On a day off from camp, you came up to take me fishing for my 16th Birthday. You caught Steve Pechter and I looking at a Penthouse magazine in the cabin. Holy crap I thought. What was you response? "Be sure to bring it with us tomorrow". Whew that was a surprise! I still have the fishing reel you gave me that day.

As I aged, that Father/coach role turned to friend role. From the "clean-clean-clean" volkswagen rebuilding days to Star Wars in 1977, to motorcycle riding in the early 80's to the "watch out!!!! oh crap I crashed the plane into Jay" flying days of the 90's. Those RC Flying days are where we really bonded and I to know you as a person, not just Dad.

I could always reach out to you whenever I wanted or needed just to say hi. Phone call, text, email it did not matter. Our last conversation right before Thanksgiving was trying to help you figure out cloud backup for your data. I am so glad we had that call.

There are so many memories which are flooding back. These are just a few. You are putting a smile on my face and pushing the sadness away. I wish all kids had a Dad like you. We didn't always agree or see eye to eye, but your love for me, David and Angie never faltered. All of us knew you were there for us.

The morning of your passing, I woke up and saw you looking at me just in front of the airplane picture on the wall. I could not believe what I was seeing. When I blinked you were gone. A short time later, Barbara called with the sad news. I now realize you were stopping by to say "Bye and see you again someday". It is a moment that I will treasure for ever. But dad... you know I can no longer look at that picture without seeing you there. Ok, I truthfully hope to see you there but hope Alice does not catch me talking to the plane in the picture sometimes (ha, ha).

I miss you and will think of you always. I will never forget all that you did for me.

Thank you for being my Dad. Merry Christmas!

Love

Jay