I'll start this off telling you the exact words my father Ernest S Kenez Jr told me a few years ago sitting together a Dunkin Donuts. Son I consider myself the luckiest man in the world cause I have been blessed with five wonderful things in life. One: I met your mother probably the best thing that happened to me. Two: Having a job at SNET for 30 years that gave me the chance to work and provide a wonderful life for my family Three: The birth of my son lol That"s me Four: The birth of my grandson's Rj and Mike Five:Able to see everyone dreams come true through my own eyes. Like I always said my father wasn't a man who showed emotion. But when he spoke to you those were words of wisdom to never be forgotten.
My father was the youngest of three children and as my grandmother always said he cost the most to be born a whole 60 dollars lol. Growing up in those times was a different life than today. It consisted of school, chores around the house and playing outside. That was your day. But my father was a not a perfect child. One story that sticks out in my head to this day. He was going to bible study at the church one evening in his teenage years. Well that night he went with friends instead and there was a rumble in the old neighbor hood and he was brought home by the police and his good clothes were all ripped up and man I was told he got a good beating lol which was okay back in the 50s. Then he met my mother went to the senior prom together and after 52 years of marriage and being together 54 years. In my opinion if today's world took a few lesson from my parents marriage the words through think or thin until death do us apart would have all the meaning in the world. He serves his country proud in the USA Navy. Just imagine being at sea for 4 to 6 months straight living on a ship like that. One think that will always stick out in my head was my father ship was part of the Gemin Mission in space. They retrieve astronauts from the ocean when they landed back on earth. Just imagine he was around some of the first men who went into space. I don't think those were easy times when he served but he received his communication training on the USS Randolph which got him his job at SNET. He married my mother Sharon A Kenez who I consider one of the strongest most devoted mothers and wife. Then I was born lol which he use to tell me I was a ugly looking baby lol. Growing up I never went without. I had things children my age dreamed of having. Every baseball season new bat, new glove and new cleats. I remember my first at bat in little league. He pitched to me day after day after day working my swing to bring the best out in me. Then the day came and I remember like it was yesterday I swung the bat and hit that ball a dam mile it bounced off the fence and made it home. Not really understand what happened but I remember seeing my father wipe his eyes from under his dark sunglasses. He never wanted you to see the emotion but wanted to just bring the best out in me.
For my mother he never fought with her never argued and everything was worked out peacefully. She also worked but no matter what she wanted he never said no Let's just go get it hun. He treated my mother with respect and love. There was never a year we did not go on vacation Disney world, Busch Gardens, Cruises, beaches etc. the list just goes on. He never went to the bar after work and never hung out with friends. He just came home everyday to his family. After he retired from SNET they moved to Naples Florida. He was the first president of Windsor Square's Association and I went to visit the week he was nominated. Here is one for history books. They had a big party to celebrate my father becoming president and everyone was having a good time. As a present they gave him a gavel and he stood up in front of everyone after a few drinking and hit the gavel on the table and said I'm Ernie Kenez first president of the Association and now my word will be law. Everyone cheered and laughed with him and I sat in the back saying to myself. Omg what is going on here lmao. After a few years grandchild came into the picture. I began to see him start to soften up as they got older. He was here when Micheal was born and came into the room and saw him when he was only about a hour old. Came up and said omg look at you your beautiful and Wiped his eyes again under those dark sunglasses.
His two grandchildren were spoiled beyond spoiled. Anything they wanted grandpa got them. Maybe they didn't understand back then but at the ages of 20 and 22 I think they appreciate all he did for them. He might not have been here for all the special moments in there childhood. But once again when he was visiting no matter what it was he seemed to bring the best out in them. No matter what sport they were playing they never lost a game in front of him and for some unknown reason it was always beautiful out that day and one of the two played the best game of that season. I could go on and on about the things I remember about my fathers life. But my father will never know what he taught me never know how I passed those things onto my sons and most of all I hope I can be a great man and father as he was with my own twist added to it. I will never be able to walk in the shoes of this man. The world dad will live within my heart forever. I will accept what happened, but it will always make me sad.