Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography
This blog is for my insights on life, the Bible, hiking adventures with my grandson and whatever is important to me
My Dad, Nornal Hule Waters in Monochrome:
Nornal Hule Waters,
Forever in my Heart ♥️
My Dad in Color:
This last picture of my Dad with my mom , my brother & myself is the very last picture I have of him before he passed from Cancer. It was taken in 1994, he passed 12-31-1996.
God Bless. Thank you for sharing in my memories. I appreciate y’all.
I’m a little behind for this particular challenge, but that’s okay, better late than not at all. This one took a bit more time and thought into what I would post. I decided to post my dad’s cameras as he is the reason behind my love and enjoyment of photography.
I do not have a picture of my dad holding his camera, however, when my mom passed ( 23 years after my dad) my brother gave me my dad’s camera case which included his camera, lenses, and flash. This meant a lot to me because my dad and I were close. Having a small portion of what meant a lot to him brings some joy.
My dad started taking pictures way being I was thought of. I remember him taking pictures with this camera whenever we went on family vacations, during birthdays, holidays and extended family gatherings. Most of his pictures he took using 35mm film he had developed onto slides. When I was in high school I won a moped & sold it so I could buy my own camera just like my dad’s.
Just by looking at the camera, one can tell he got a tremendous amount of use out of it. This camera is one he bought after I was out of the house. The one I remember the most is the Minolta XG-7. He never went on a trip without his camera. I am thankful I also have my dad’s slides which I have slowly been attempting to digitize. It is still a very slow work in progress.
Cee’s Black and White Challenge – Cameras or Photographers
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness
Bren’s Mid-Week Monochrome
Photo Credit: ©️Deb L. Waters
God Bless. Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts with you. I appreciate y’all.
In many countries and across the United States of America, Father’s Day is a recognized public holiday in which we celebrate on the third Sunday in June. This coming Sunday is that third Sunday in which many people will celebrate Father’s Day. It is a day to honor fatherhood and the paternal bonds. It is also to celebrate the influence fathers have had in our society.
Even though Father’s Day is a joyous celebration for most everyone, for some it is a day of sadness and of remembering their fathers who are no longer with them. Whether the loss of a father is recent or not doesn’t matter. People grieve and feel the loss, not for a short time, but for the rest of their life’s. Missing the times that will never be had or what one wishes they could have had with their father.
My dad’s been gone from this world since December 31, 1996, and I miss him every day of my life. I appreciate the things he taught me and the unconditional love he bestowed upon me. I never once doubted the love he had for me. I appreciated the times we sat down together and worked on model cars, the times sharing stamp collecting – putting the stamps in collector albums, and sharing his passion for photography.
“My father died many years ago, and yet when something special happens to me, I talk to him secretly not really knowing whether he hears, but it makes me feel better to half believe it.”
— Natasha Josefowitz
“The reason why daughters love their dad the most is…that there is at least one man in the world who will never hurt her.”
— Anonymous
“Daddy, thanks for being my hero, chauffer, financial support, listener, life mentor, friend, guardian, and simply being there every time I need a hug.”
— Agatha Stephanie Lin
My father taught me how to ride a bicycle as a child and later taught me how to drive a car. When I wanted a 10 speed, he took a used one and rebuilt it, painting the frame a metallic gold color (the same as used on some cars back in the day). I loved it more than if he’d bought a brand-new bike. Besides teaching me how to drive a car, he taught me how to change the oil and how to change the tires so that I’d be able to handle any situation and understand how to properly maintain a vehicle. I appreciate him teaching me everything he taught me as I was growing up. I wish he was still around so I would be able to continue learning from him.
“A good father will leave his imprint on his daughter for the rest of her life.”
— Dr. James Dobson
God Bless. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. May all the daughters appreciate their fathers. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
Welcome back everyone. Sorry to be delayed in posting part two of the life of Nornal Hule Waters. Had an incident with my grandson that needed my attention. He, my grandson, loves to get into everything even when he’s been told a million times (at least it seems that many) not to get into certain things like the kitchen drawers, for example. Yesterday, he managed to get into the kitchen drawers and proceeded to take things out. Now here’s where the problem came into effect. One of the drawers he opened was the knife drawer. Yes, that’s right, you heard me correctly. He not only opened the knife drawer, but also took out a knife and hence cut himself. This was all before his mom or I got up for the day. He came into my room with blood all over his hand. Thus, the delay in writing this post. Sorry for any inconvenience and the delay.
We left off last time with Nornal being discharged from the Navy and beginning to work for Pearson Ford. Also, we discussed his marriage in 1951 and the birth of his son in 1953. Today, we pick up from there. Nornal was not used to big city life, and he missed his family. That being the case, in 1954 or 1955 (I’m not sure which) He decided to pack up his wife and son and move them approximately 2,414 miles (maybe more the current interstates were not built yet) across the country from the west coast to the east coast to live near his family. They bought a house at Walnut Street down the road from his parents’ home. They lived there around four years give or take. While living in Great Falls, South Carolina he worked for the local Ford dealership where he worked before joining the Navy. They visit the beach, went to church every Sunday and interacted with his family on a regular basis.
On May 19, 1956, along came a daughter with blonde hair and light brown eyes. [ In case you were wondering, that’s me.] Nornal thought everything was going smoothly and his wife was adjusting to living in a small southern town. However, she was not adjusting to the small southern town lifestyle, and she missed her family back in San Diego.
It was during the spring of 1958 that he and his family moved back to California. He packed his wife and children aboard a train and sent them off to San Diego, California. Meanwhile, he loaded up their belonging into a truck (not sure if it would have been a U-Haul or something similar) and drove himself and their belongings across the country leaving the east coast and his parents and siblings behind.
After arriving back in San Diego, they moved into a sub-portion of his wives’ parents’ home. Their place was attached but had separate living areas and entrances. They shared the garage space and laundry facilities located under the home. The washer that was used by Doyce Eileen (she preferred to go by her middle name) was an old wringer washer and the clothes were all hung up on a clothesline to dry. They continued to live next to Eileen’s parents until they were able to purchase their own home in 1960.
The house they purchased was located on South Meadowbrook Drive. It was newly built in 1960. They became they property’s first owners. It was a single-family residential home on a 7,100 sq. ft. lot. The house itself was 1,029 sq. ft. It had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, plus the living room, dining area, and kitchen. It also had an attached garage with a door that led into the kitchen. It had a good-sized fenced backyard. The average home cost in 1960 was around $11,900. The same house is valued at $696,731 in today’s market.
Nornal and his family lived in the home on S Meadowbrook until the Summer of 1968. [This is the home I lived in while attending elementary school.] That summer Nornal and Eileen purchased a home in the Allied Gardens area of San Diego. It was a four-bedroom home, but the front bedroom was converted into a dining room. Nornal lived in this home until the day he passed from this life.
Throughout the years, approximately every three to four years, Nornal and his family would travel across country on vacation, during the summer, to visit his mom and dad and siblings. [I enjoyed these trips, more so as I grew older] Every trip we took across country by car, he would plan for us to visit something historical and something fun. One year we visited Mount Vernon and we visited Six Flags over Georgia. We toured Washington D.C., visited Stone Mountain in Georgia, Six Flags over Texas, Tweetsie Railroad in North Carolina, and various other places. I do not recall them all, I just remember he insisted we visit something of historical significance and not just something fun on every trip we took.
Nornal was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, in 1994, (maybe sooner, I’m not sure). His cancer spread into his limb nodes and eventually into his bones. Nornal and Eileen did not travel much after his Cancer diagnosis. He underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatments. However, the affects took a toll on his body, and did not completely rid his body of cancer. After a two-year battle struggling to fight cancer, he lost the battle and left for his home in glory. [I will never forget the evening he left this world behind; I miss him every day.]
He did live to see me have children and had a small amount of time to interact with them. I will always treasure the photos of him with my children.
Thank you for visiting and listening to me recall my dad’s life on the anniversary of his birth. God Bless. Love your family, forgive them, and always keep communication open. You never know when your last day will be to connect with them.
Nornal Hule Waters was born in Lancaster, South Carolina to John Thomas Waters and Mary Alma Jorden (aka Jordan) on May 24, 1929. He and his parents lived in Lancaster until 1934. Two years after his birth he gained a sister when his parent’s had Mary Dalline Waters on March 31, 1931. His little brother, Eddie Woodrow Waters was born three years later at home in Great Falls, South Carolina on June 25, 1934.
From my understanding my dad’s family moved a few times from Lancaster to Great Falls a couple times. Nornal went to School in Great Falls. He lived with his family in a house, once known as a Mill House, at 14 Walnut Street which was directly across from Miller’s Grocery and kitty corner from the J P Stevens Mill #3.
Upon completing his education, Nornal began working at the local Ford dealership in Great Falls. He worked there until he joined the US Navy, at the age of nineteen, on September 24, 1948. From South Carolina, he was transferred to San Diego Naval Base in San Diego, California.
While at San Diego Naval Base, he received training as a hospital corpsman through the Naval Hospital. Upon completion of his training, he was assigned to the U.S.S. Consolation. He served in the Navy from his enlistment in 1948 until his discharge in 1952. During his time aboard the U.S.S. Consolation, he was out at sea helping the wounded soldiers during the Korean War.
During the time he was stationed in San Diego, he met Doyce Eileen Watson. The dated during the times he was in port, and after a time they decided to marry. So, at the age of twenty-two Nornal and Doyce drove to Yuma, Arizona and got married on July 31, 1951. [I guess that Arizona did not have a waiting period at that time]. Shortly after they were married, he brought her home to Great Falls, South Carolina to meet his family.
They stayed with his parents during his leave and Doyce was able to spend time with not only his parents but also his brother and sister. Once his leave was over, they drove back to San Diego. They shared a home together and he decided not to reenlist in the Navy. He was discharge from the Navy on September 24, 1952. After getting out of the Navy, He went to work for Pearson Ford in San Diego. He continued working there for thirty-five plus years. He worked in the Parts Department, keeping track of the parts inventory and servicing customer needs. On June 1, 1953, Nornal and Doyce had a son they named Larry Dean Waters.
Thank You for visiting. I will continue the remembrance of my father, Nornal Hule Waters, in my next post. Remember I appreciate y’all.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 