Thanks Dad

I’m on my way to my 35th boarding school reunion at The Ethel Walker School. Since I am going to be in Simsbury celebrating middle agedness with some of my favorite people on earth I am going to miss my father’s 76th birthday tomorrow.

It was thanks to my Dad that I went to EWS, a place I discovered myself, my voice and so many wonderful friends. When I was in ninth grade my Dad recognized that I was just one of five hundred students in my class with not enough to do after two in the afternoon when I would get home. My mother was not keen on sending me to boarding school. It was expensive and she held had not loved her years at Dana Hall. The fact that I am called Dana is a little bit of an irony and a story for another day. My dad had gone to VES for boarding school and loved it and thought I, like him, would benefit from a smaller school.

He was right. My first year of Walkers was hard, but I found my place. My Dad supported me in every way. One of my favorite memories was on father-daughter weekend my junior year when he enthusiastically played first base in the softball game. My Dad was probably the youngest father there and was well loved by all my friends. He played the game with gusto and when he jumped high to catch a fly ball his pants ripped completely down the middle and the two pant legs fell to the ground.

Without missing a beat he pulled the legs up, ran off the field, jumped over two stone walls and got a fresh pair of pants out of his yellow VW Scirocco and returned to the game in time to take his turn at bat. Of course he got a standing ovation from both the Suns and the Dials teams.

Since my Dad was working at Avon for many years at that point, surrounded by successful women he was a great promoter of girls and all that girls could do in the world. He often talked about writing a book called “why women” about why women were better workers. I wish he had because back then he would have been ahead of his time. Even though he never wrote the book he always told his three daughters and many of our friends that we could do great things in the world.

So Dad, I’m sorry I am missing your birthday tomorrow, but know that I will be spending the day with some of your fans, Nancy Mack, Karen Appel, Stori Stockwell and Sarah Brand and more. Thanks for all you have given, taught and encouraged me to do. I owe you everything for having given me the privilege and advantage of going to such a great school. Please know all the sacrifice is appreciated by me. I hope you have a great birthday.