Misc Memories About Dad

Dad provided many great memories for us.

From tales of his upbringing in the Netherlands....to our own memories....

He and Mom would have their “Saturday Night Fellowship” … a house church in our home for years after Jesus transformed their lives. It was always encouraging to hear them pray, sing praises to God and to know they were doing right.

When we were younger...in grade school, Dad would always take us to the Dairy Queen in Weymouth or another place off Route 53 called ‘the Cows.’ I remember when Dad would work on a variety of projects like changing the oil in the family cars or on the lawn mower or some home-improvement job I remember getting in the car and running errands with him on Saturdays listening to Irish folk music on WROL and getting a soft-serve vanilla cone with 'jimmies' (chocolate sprinkles). He always used to say that if he could choose his profession again, he'd be an ice cream taste tester!

I remember, too, that we’d take trips to the 'Dump' in Braintree which is now a transfer station. I'd love to throw the trash down into 'the pit' with him and watch the big vehicles take the trash to the incinerator.

While we were still in elementary school, Dad made a go-cart for me and my siblings. I had fun while I made my brother push me around in it! (I was kinda mean about it! Sorry Bob!) We had endless fun riding around our dead-end street with it!

As my sister, brother and I got older, I realized Dad’s work consumed much of his time but he still provided avenues to initiate me to manhood, like allowing me to drive the family cars. One time, Bob and I were going for a ride near Nantasket Beach where Paragon Park used to be. We had just stopped in a shop for some candy and drinks. I had purchased a gallon jug of pink lemonade. As I was driving and drinking it, the gallon jug obstructed my view and I ran a red light...and totaled the car that collided into us. Luckily no one was hurt. Dad simply screwed shut the banged-up car door and let me drive it around! Thanks Dad! I loved taking rides going South along the Massachusetts shore line, playing my boom box in the back seat...Wayne Watson and Petra and a bunch of other Christian artists from the 80's. Dad’s permission and trust for me to do this will never be forgotten.

Dad got me hooked on classical music. He had dozens of records ranging from movie soundtracks to Hollywood musicals to symphonies, etc. We'd spend hours listening to them on our huge stereo system in front of our fireplace in winter, watching the snow fall while the chipmunks and raccoons raided our patio and trash cans.

He also got me hooked on driving around New England. We used to take Sunday drives going north through NH then west through VT then down through western MA back home. We got lots of maple candy, rock candy and real maple syrup. I'm hooked now on that stuff! We often took summer camping trips in the KOA camp ground in the White Mountains of NH. Guess we won't see The Old Man in the Mountain any more! Dad took us up Mount Washington several times, too. We used to go hiking, too, up in NH around Franconia Notch State Park…like at the Flume!

When Bob and I were young teens, we'd go biking and fishing at Pond Meadow in Braintree. One time we came home with 2 fresh water eal! Dad promptly cleaned and cooked them up. They were fantastic! I remember as a kid we'd also go ice-skating there when the pond froze over in the winter.

One thing that bugged us as kids was how Dad shortened his last name to “Akker” when ordering Pizza delivery. I FULLY understand his reasoning now, as living in Asia, our last name is not the easiest understand over the phone!

Dad’s involvement with the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International organization was another reminder of his life’s commitment to Jesus Christ. We’d go as a family, helping set up the meetings and listen to men whose lives were transformed by Jesus. His friends he hung around like Alex Canavan, Frank Dangora, Don Rocci, Fred Mayhue and others were a huge influence on him and on me. They were a constant reminder of what life is truly about…worshiping God through faith in Jesus…and the difference Jesus can make in one’s life. Dad’s generosity was evident as he and Mom had an open house…allowing several people to live with our family over the years….modeling for me that life’s possessions are the Lord’s to be shared.

Gardening....

Eating somebody's Easter candy....

One of the greatest memories I will always cherish is the fact that Dad let me take any of his tools down in back of our house to build a tree-house. Now I don’t actually know if he knew I took them or not! Our family land abutted some conservation land so there was a small forest behind our house, allowing us privacy and forest fun, like jumping off trees into piles of leaves and hammering boards on the trees to make the greatest hide-out a kid could have! Dad helped build the main 2 story structure of it but we 'remodeled' it year after year. I can still smell the brown dirt and forest - a clean, fresh scent.

Dad taught me about taking responsibility and having a good work ethic - not so much by saying things to me but by modeling them. Dad taught me how to take care of the pool in our back yard. I'd help him year after year until I ended up doing it on my own. We weathered lots of storms, too from that home...from ice and snow storms to hurricanes....I remember Dad taping up our sliding glass patio door during one storm. I remember how he'd spend some time at home working at the dinning room table on his work...writing math calculations...even writing the math on the table cloth!

I’m grateful for the many memories God provided in and through Dad.