Friday, December 22, 2006

Jack Hopper, my father as a child


Young Hoppers
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.
He's in the lower left. His older brother, Carr and Mary Lillian, his oldest sister, are standing. The youngest kid, Marjory Lynn, is seated next to Jack. I think they were still living in Portales, New Mexico, at this time. Dad was born there on December 19, 1906. So the hundredth anniversary of his birth has just passed. We all still miss his quiet, intelligent sensible personality all the time. I am the oldest of his seven children. He has thirty-two grandchildren and countless (at least I can't keep count) great-grandchildren
Thinking about overpopulation is a terrifying thing. Naturally, one likes having a big family; I particularly like to watch the traits of my parents re-emerge in their descendants. My mother has turned out to have a very persistant look; just today, I got a Christmas card from one of my brother John's daughters, who looks more and more like my mother. Still, I think that the world will really suffer from the excessive presence of so many human beings. I wish we could just slow down a little. Just slow down.
Happy Birthday, Dad! Youv'e been gone almost 20 years now, yet we still think of you every day.

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