Jamie Shea, daughter of David ….

Jamie Shea, daughter of David LaCascia of Mutual 4

My dad, Dave LaCascia, is a father, grandpa and all-around good guy. My earliest memories are of him protecting me, whether it be saving me from a horsefly at the age of 4, rescuing me after I took a hard fall off the swings, picking me up off the ground when I fell while using my crutches or when I was being harassed as an adult.

He’s always been there for me and my sister, no matter what trouble we teenage girls gave him (my sister gave him way more than I did, obviously). He invented the “50-pound Kid Toss” and would launch me sky-high in the pool in a dazzling display of amateur gymnastics.

He has two green thumbs and can grow just about anything (something he did not pass down to me). He has provided for us and given us opportunities that we will never forget. He is a wonderful grandfather to my two children. He is my only surviving parent, and we have a deal that he is never allowed to leave us, right, Dad?

Since he will live forever, I want to take the opportunity to say, Dad, I love you. You’re the best father a girl could ask for, and I don’t know what we would do without you. Happy Father’s Day from your favorite youngest daughter. Rita Farnsworth and Patti Hamm, daughters of Bob Lynch of Mutual 15 Truly blessed is what we are to be the daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren (four) and great-grandchildren (11) of Bob Lynch! Dad, also known as Gigo, has always been that kind, strong, understanding and, most of all, supportive dad that we all love and admire. He was born in Brockton, Maine, on Aug. 29, 1918, and married our mom, Rosalie, in 1941.

Dad served in the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet during WWII, and then went to work for the USPS and retired in 1980 as director of customer service. Leisure World became home in 1999.

Always with a smile on his face and that positive attitude, Dad has been a role model for all of us. Never missing the birth of a grandchild or great-grandchild (no matter what time it was) shows that family means everything to him. We also always know that dad is always there to cheer us on and encourage us in whatever we are trying to achieve in our lives. Happy Father’s Day, Dad! We can’t wait to celebrate you on your 103rd birthday in August!

Terry Thrift of Mutual 7

My father, Ralph Robert “Bob” Thrift, gave me three gifts: Reading, golf and the appreciation of a well-made martini.

I adored him. Gloria Tyler, daughter of George Hess of Mutual 5 I would like to pay tribute to my father, George Hess. He was a baker all of his life, worked very hard six days a week. He and my mother had their own bakery in Burbank in the 1950s and worked hard, making a very good living for the three of us. He loved us so much! Timothy Kim, son of Samuel Kim of Mutual 8 Thank you for all the love and guidance you have given me year after year. Your faith and patience inspire me every day to be a better man. I feel so blessed to call you “Dad,” and I hope you always remember how much you are loved and appreciated. Daniel Kim, son of the Rev. Samuel C. Kim, Mutual 8 I can’t imagine my life or our family without my dad, or “Appa” in Korean. Only as I write this, however, do I realize that my dad has lived most of his life without a father. I wonder what my then-2-year-old dad would have done had he known that, on a cold winter day on Dec. 5, 1950, as my grandfather sent the family away without him, it would be the last time Appa would ever see his father again. My grandfather had told my uncle to lead the family across the Daedong River and wait for him by the coast, and that he would be arriving soon after securing their home and possessions. They would then find a boat in case they had to temporarily flee from the oncoming Communist invasion. After all, it would be perhaps two or three days before they would be reunited safely and go home again. And yet, somehow, two to three days has turned into 71 years.

I wonder if Appa called out for his father when he was so thirsty that he let go of his sister’s hand to search for fresh water and was swept away by the sea of fellow refugees, only to be hugged again by his by-then hysterical mother. I wonder if my dad cried out for his father as he climbed down the cliffs to wade through the Imjin River because the bridges were out, hearing the screams of strangers whose family members’ hands slipped all around them. I wonder if my dad prayed for his father as he walked down icy roads, dodging body after frozen body. And I wonder if my dad’s heart broke for his father after hearing the news from a former neighbor that my grandfather had been executed for his Christian faith.

Today I finally take time to appreciate the fact that my dad (who just turned 83 years old this week) had to learn how to become a good father on his own, guiding three sons through an often-tumultuous adolescence and adulthood in a strange, new country. And this in spite of losing his father before his teenage years, at a time when he must have needed his father the most. Thank you, Appa, and Happy Father’s Day from your son Daniel.

Cindy Gannon of Mutual 4

The mold was thrown away after my daddy, John Africa, was born in 1903 in Newark, Ohio. He was a remarkable man with many talents. I only knew my dad for 17 years, as he died at age 51, but my memories of him persist. Dad was quite funny and never met a stranger. He would pack Mother, my little brother and myself in the old 49 Ford, and off we would go for the usual Sunday outing, often to Three Rivers, California, for the “breakfast run” cooked on an open fire. I can still smell the bacon. Daddy was so organized that we just sat back and watched.

He came to Huntington Beach in 1928 and wrote a column, “The Downtown Coach” for the HB News. He was the first pro at the local golf course in the early 1930s. During World War II, he was general manager for Tex Rankin’s flying academy in Tulare, California. He was an all-around amazing man. It has been 63 years since Dad and I said goodbye. We will meet again and take the Sunday ride. Gina Sievert, daughter of Ronald Iannessa of Mutual 1

Ronald Iannessa is a dad of four and grandfather of seven. He has been a steady rock for my family since the beginning. We are thrilled to celebrate him this year through this LW platform!

Our dad is a lover of his family, classical music, relaxing with his cat, meditation and enjoying a good barbecue with his family. He has strong faith and lives a life of gratitude and kindness to all.

Happy Father’s Day, Pops! We love you to the moon and back!! Toni DeBenedictis, Cris DeBenedictis-Blum, Lani DeBenedictis and Leslie Miyahata, daughters of Tony DeBenedictis of Mutual 7 Happy Fathers’ Day to Tony DeBenedictis! Thank your for being such an inspirational, wise and loving man, husband and father (and so handsome)!

We love you!