MY DAD

My Dad - Keith Allan Smith Born to working class Australians in Mt. Morgan on 27th January 1933, he went to school in Mt. Morgan leaving at age 15, gaining an apprenticeship as a Carriage Painter with Queensland Railways in Rockhampton, he then moved to Rockhampton to live at a men's boarding house whilst completing his apprenticeship.  He did his National Service at Wacol in Brisbane in 1951.  He married my Mum at the age of 25, I am the eldest of 3 children.  Dad worked for QR until his retirement in 1998.  He was the most wonderful gentle caring man, I never heard him say a bad work about anyone, he was a real gentleman.

 

This is a photo of him as a young man, so handsome.

 



 

 

 This is my Dad on his 81st Birthday, 27th January 2014.

Dad passed away on 17th May 2014, I love him very much and will miss him dearly.  It was very sudden and such a great shock to all of us. I remember when we were little and didn't have a TV Dad would sit at out bedroom doorway each night and read us stories at bedtime.  Dad loved his sport and watched the tennis, cricket and rugby league on TV, we shared our passion for rugby league and during the league season we had many conversations about the game, the refs, the players, I will miss those conversations too.

Dear Dad,

GOD LOOKED AROUND HIS GARDEN AND FOUND AN EMPTY PLACE, HE THEN LOOKED DOWN UPON THE EARTH AND SAW YOUR TIRED FACE.

HE PUT HIS ARMS AROUND YOU AND LIFTED YOU TO REST.  GODS GARDEN MUST BE BEAUTIFUL, HE ALWAYS TAKES THE BEST.

HE SAW THE ROAD WAS GETTING ROUGH AND THE HILLS WERE GETTING HARD TO CLIMB. 

SO HE CLOSED YOUR WEARY EYE LIDS, AND WHISPERED “PEACE BE THINE”.

IT BROKE MY HEART TO LOSE YOU BUT YOU DIDN’T GO ALONE, FOR PART OF ME WENT WITH YOU THE DAY GOD CALLED YOU HOME.  GOD WILL LINK THE BROKEN CHAIN, CLOSER WHEN WE MEET AGAIN.

You will forever be in our thoughts, our hearts and our prayers.

Love
Kaylee
xxx