Favorite Summer Memory with Dad?
 

Vacation with all of our kids and grandkids -Bruce from Princeville

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Walking to the beach and eating our lunch. We always had a bag of microwave popcorn! -Judy from Pekin

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Days at the swimming pool with my friends & family! -Abby from Savoy

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He had a good amount of land and would take me go-carting through the woods -Nick from Pekin

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Being out on our boat in Wisconsin and Mom was catching fish while Dad and we (the sons) were not doing so well. It was a total reversal of course because it’s always us catching everything and Mom usually just came back with a sun tan  - Todd and Ben from Mackinaw

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One of my favorite and most unforgettable moments with my dad happened during a simple day of shopping at the mall. We were walking together, chatting about life as we passed by store windows, when suddenly—out of nowhere—his dentures popped out and hit the ground. I watched in shock (and then laughter) as his teeth bounced across the floor like they had a mind of their own. I darted in one direction, half trying to hide my embarrassment and half laughing so hard that the rest of my family could hear me from the other end of the mall. Meanwhile, my dad took off in the other direction, chasing his runaway dentures like they were trying to do their own shopping.  I leave this verse to you, Dad... Psalms 126:2 "Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with song of joy."  I love you Dad, Happy Father's Day! -Gina from Tremont

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Rootbeer floats on the porch after beanwalking! -Mindy from Tremont

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Taking trips to Florida, and going to Disney! -Ashley from Tremont

 

Catching fish by the river bank -Jennifer from Bloomington

 

Going to twin Lakes in Pekin, on hot summer days. It was just the together time in the fun we had made good memories. -Chris from Peoria

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My dad is one of the most selfless people I have ever known. Every summer between family and Boy Scouts (including their own families) we would take trips different places. My dad was always helping other people around him and teaching others his ways of doing things! I feel like every memory with my dad is my favorite! -Leah from San Jose

 

He loves when all his kids and grandkids are around. -Julie from Metamora

 

A favorite summer memory I have is every year we would go up to Joliet for my dad’s truck rodeo where he competed in semi driving skills and tests.  We all stayed in a resort as a family, watched the competition, swam, and had some great food.  It was great being able to all be together and watch Dad compete and sometimes even win to advance to Nationals. Memories that will last a lifetime. -Amy from Bartonville

 

My dad designed a sailboat when he was in college and had made a fiberglass mold to make the body of the boat. All through my childhood the mold just sat there in the garage. I had encouraged him along the years to actually build it. After I had finished my college years he actually did start working on it. My mom and I helped along the way. It was probably about nine years ago in the summer it finally set sail! That is my favorite summer memory with my dad. -Heather from Princeville

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Going fishing in Minmesota when I was a kid -Greg from East Peoria

 

Family vacation with Jesus and all the kids and grandkids -Harv from Gridley

 

My favorite summer memory with my bonus dad is having cookouts at his house every single weekend -Megan from Hanna City

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playing catch in the backyard! -CJ from Eureka

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He is a wonderful dad and Pop!  Always willing to help out whatever is needed. Love watching him teach his grandsons how to ride the ponies and take care of the our little farm -Aretta from Emden

 

Daddy and abbie having a silly hat day -Greg from Marquette Heights

 

Going to Canada on a fishing trip -Troy from Danvers

 

My parents always have had at least one tandem bike for as long as I remember. During my childhood, our whole family had their own bikes and we would go on bike rides around town. It was always a highlight when I got to ride in the back of the tandem with my dad. My earliest memory of riding the tandem with him was when I was pretty little-maybe like 5 or 6- and I could not reach the pedals while sitting on the seat. My older brother and I are only one year and a day apart in age so we would get similar gifts growing up. For my 4th birthday (and my brother’s 5th) we got bikes from my parents. I remember my dad teaching me how to ride a two wheeler out on our dead end street. -Jill from Washington

 

My husband is a wonderful dad to our seven kids. Our favorite summer memories involve camping trips and him helping their tiny hands hold the fishing pole. -Anne from Minier

 

Relaxing on the front porch just talking -Julie from Mackinaw

 

When I a young boy the would go camping trip to get ready for family reunion. We always got to sleep on tables in the prevailing . -Keith from Bloomington

 

Riding around the yard in a mini electric Ford truck with my dog sparky riding in the back. my pops just sat back laughed and watched. -Sean from Pekin

 

The time Dad took the whole family (10 of us) to spend the summer of ‘94 in his hometown in the Middle East. -Bobby from Peoria

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I was 10 years old, we were fishing at Tomahawk WI. I wasn’t much of a fisherman but one day I caught a huge Northern (with teeth), it was the biggest catch of the day. I started reeling it in then handed my pole to dad who saved the day for me because I wanted nothing to do with this big fish…. With teeth! Dad was my fishing hero that day, a day etched in my memory. -Sandy from East Peoria

 

As cliche as it may sound, baseball and summer go together and I loved playing catch with my dad in our front yard! I wish I could do it again! -Kevin from Bartonville

 

Family trip to the Tetons -Dale from Tremont

 

Going fishing with my Dad -John from Chillicothe

 

My dad was a hard worker. He worked a third shift job at Caterpillar and then he farmed during the day. Every summer, during Cat vacation, we went to Lake Norfork in Mountain Home, Arkansas to spend a week with our extended family on the lake. This was always very important to him, something he always prioritized every year. When I started my own family, we just continued the tradition, and it carries on today. My fondest summer memories with my dad were lake days. -Christi from Pekin

 

Swimming in the bucket -Morgan from Savannah

 

We went on a one or two week camping trip every year while I was growing up -Byron from Roanoke

 

Going swimming at local pool -Darrell from Peoria

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Getting the boat ready and going out for the first time each season. -John from East Peoria

 

Having a picking. With family -Rick from Morton

 

Going to Florida for vacation off from school. -Patricia from Eureka

 

Playing baseball in our yard growing up.  Our Dad usually pitched.  Also, we would "walk beans and corn",

hoeing and pulling weeds in the fields. -Mary from Normal

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Dad taking us to Cardinal games in St. Louis. -Scott from Washington

 

Taking me on ATV rides. -Braden from Tremont

 

Going fishing with my dad. Its a moment ill never forget. -Breanna from East Peoria

 

My favorite summer memory of my dad is him spending time with his grandkids swimming in the pool. -Bethany from Peoria

 

Just hanging out by the pool with my dad - gathering his wisdom -Dave from Mapleton

 

Showing my Brown Swiss cow and getting grand champion at the Heart of IL state fair. -Ralph from Morton

 

My papaw makes our summers so fun!  He sets up the above ground pool. He throws us up in the air and we splash down so big!  He lays in the hammock with us.  He takes us fishing. Even if we don’t catch anything, we have so much fun. He makes summers so happy for all of us grandkids! -Eric from Pekin

 

Backyard grilling and yard games with Dad. Also, handwashing the car, that was probably way more work than he let on, but we loved it! -Laura from Indianapolis

 

TAKING DAD TO STATE, COUNTY FAIRS,  HE SHOWED HOGS -Harold from Morton

 

Road trips to SW Missouri to see our grandparents -Shannon from Goodfield

 

Going to Lifest Christian Music Festival in OshKosh, WI every July -Diane from Princeton

 

Camping with the family! -Scottt from Bloomington

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Fishing for catfish in Wisconsin as a kid - just Dad and me. We found a catfish hole and caught more catfish than I’ve ever caught since !!😊 -Joanne from Peoria

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Going to the lake and catching lots of fish -James from Pekin

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My girls bought me a wrought iron lounger for outside and they brought it strapped to the top of the car. -Rex from Delavan

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Grilling out for the family with my dad, growing up -Michael from Peoria

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Walking beans in my younger years and going tractor pulling in my older years.  The absolute was when we both drove NASCAR at Joliet Speedway. -Denise from Morton

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Since I have a June birthday, many times over the years it falls on Father’s Day. It was always very special to share that day with my dad. He would always buy me a Trefzgers Orange Chiffon Cake! -Diane from Germantown Hills

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Fishing in the Ozarks with family -Garry from Peoria

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Being baptized by my dad in Gill’s pond the summer I was 15. -Betty from Brimfield

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Camping, rafting and fishing on the Current River in Missouri. -Raymond from Pekin

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Driving vacations to all of the amazing places out west! -Sarah from Tremont

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Playing Softball -Mark from Tremont

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We just got together after church & enjoyed a meal, relaxed & visited together. My Dad had been gone since 2002, but now we spend time with my son & grandsons. -Jane from Varna

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Working the large garden for canning. -Jerry from Canton

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My dachshund anxiously waiting for my dad to go golfing.  He’d run and sit on the golf cart as soon as he heard my dad’s milk truck coming down the road even before any of us heard or saw him! -Marsha from Toluca

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Summer BBQs and pool parties with the family in the backyard growing up -Travis from East Peoria

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working on the farm learning how to swath. I grew up on a grass seed farm in the Pacific Northwest.  Oregon. -Marie from Bloomington

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Family vacations at “Rock Village” in the oxarks. -Rick from Washington

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Blackberry picking just him and I. It was always so hot but we kept going back year after year. -Kelsey from Mapleton

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Making home made ice cream w/the family. -George from Peoria

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From my father in law I learned the absolute necessity of reading my Bible! He read it through, cover to cover every year. Now I do that too -Ken from Brimfield

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Chris Ledford, my husband has been with pleasure stands tall to help his stepdaughter to drive, and haul her belongings from dorm to dorm, and dorm to home until graduation and again back to dorm to pursue graduate studies. He is full of smiles to pay for food and quite and encourager to a daughter who lost her father. He is a very good husband and father to a young adult. He is called Boaz by a friend. Yes, he is God's given gift to a wife or daughter, whose husband and father died due to Covid19. -Annabelle from Hopedale

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Took time off to go with son and daughters to camp at Lake Williamson -Nathaniel from Pekin

 

Watching a summer rain on the porch with my dad -Janice from Chillicothe

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Going tubing and fishing on the lake. -Kimberly from Varna

 

Dad worked 60-80 hours a week growing up, so mom could stay home with us 5 kids. I would wake up early on a Saturday knowing that Dad would go play a round of golf before work. I also cherished those early morning walks through the golf course, quietly walking together. Sometimes we talked and other times we simply enjoyed each other's company. My dad is now in his eighties, still plays golf with his buddies, but now we get together and play golf with a deck of cards.🥰. I love my dad, Jackie from Morton -Jackie from Morton

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My dad trying to drive my MG midget with the top down. The windshield was useless because he is a 6 ft tall man and his head was way above the windshield -Carla from East Peoria

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This summer — enjoying our new son, Bennett. What a welcome gift!!! -Tim from Metamora

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Many summers ago, my Dad, grandpa, and I went on a fishing trip in Canada. We were flown by plane to a remote island where we stayed for 3 days. It was quite the experience! ~ Dan from Normal 

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Playing outside yard games -DeWayne from Washington

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