Visit us during January to see items from our military history

Published 12:00 am Sunday, January 8, 2006

Another year is history and a new year has begun.

Where does time go?

It seems like the years go by faster every year.

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Thirty-seven years ago on New Years’ eve day my dad died.

I took the call just before noon on that cold winter day and even though they didn’t tell me he was gone, only ask what hospital to take him to, I knew he was gone.

I made the call to my mom at work to meet them at Miami Valley Hospital, but he was gone and they took him directly to the morgue. So when the police arrived at the house and told me to call someone in the family to be there for my mom when she got home, again I knew, even though they wouldn’t tell me.

From that day forward I knew that I should never put off till tomorrow what I could do today,

because we never know if tomorrow will come.

My dad was the kind of guy that never complained even though he had a heart condition most of his life, as the result of having had rheumatic fever when he was a kid.

We never knew if mom and dad would be there when we woke up or if Dad had another heart attack and they had gone to the hospital in the middle of the night.

So with his

Christmas presents still under the tree, we prepared for Dad’s funeral.

I spent my 15th birthday at his viewing, the line of people seemed like they would never end.

We lived in the house that my Dad grew up in and everybody knew Dad and they all came to pay their respects to his family.

The next day it snowed and it was freezing cold as they buried Dad and that morning my oldest sister gave birth to her first child, a grandchild that my dad was so excited about.

He loved kids and was so looking forward to being a grandpa.

So one life ended and one began on that cold day.

As 2005 ended with fireworks and the new year begins, we begin to celebrate our sesquicentennial.

With the theme this month being military, please join us at the historical museum to view the many military items that we have on display.

Besides the World War II display, Civil War display and the salute to the military that we always have, we have dedicated the Heritage Hall to additional military displays for the month of January.

From Civil War items to Spanish American War to World War I and II items.

Please visit us during January and see items from our military history.

Share in our rich county history and share some of your memories with your loved ones or a friend.

Remember, &8220;Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery and Today is a Gift, That’s why they call it the Present&8221; &045;&160;author unknown.

It is not too late to pick up a copy of &8220;Glimpses of Freeborn County 1930-1980&8221; available at the museum or at Doyle’s Hallmark.

The cost is $34.95 + 2.27 tax.

We also have sesquicentennial items available at the museum.

A special &8220;thank you&8221; to everyone that has volunteered at the museum during this past year.

We couldn’t operate without you.

Our sincere wishes for a very happy, healthy and safe new year to each of you.

We look forward to a very busy and exciting year as we preserve the history of the county and celebrate the sesquicentennial with the community.

(Pat Mulso is the executive director of the Freeborn County Historical Museum.)