Today is Father’s Day—a Hallmark Card holiday like someone’s birthday, Valentine’s Day, or Mother’s Day.  But unlike Mother’s Day, Father’s Day is undoubtedly a second-rate holiday especially when compared to Mother’s Day. 

Consider that on May 8, 1914 after decades of lobbying, Congress passed a law designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. The next day, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring the first official Mother’s Day. 

A similar lobbying effort from card companies, retailers, and individuals took place for recognizing a Father’s Day holiday on the third day in June but it wasn’t until 1966 that President Lyndon Johnson issued a proclamation recognizing Father’s Day. Then in 1972, President Richard Nixon signed a law designating it as a national observance—a full 58 years after Mother’s Day was made official. Second rate.

Also consider children’s calling habits.  A few decades ago when Ma Bell single-handedly managed the US phone system and landlines ruled the day, AT&T reported that nearly 20 million more calls were made on Mother’s Day than on Father’s Day.  Father’s Day, however, had the distinction of being the biggest day for COLLECT phone calls!  Second rate.

As it happens, my father was born on this very day 103 years ago.  He was a bit of a rascal but a wonderful father—flaws and all.  Unfortunately, he died 46 years ago.  To bring and keep his stories alive, I wrote a book about his life titled We Buried Dad In a Leisure Suit. 

A Goodreads review describes the book this way: “In the wonderful book, We Buried Dad In a Leisure Suit, author Douglas Rife does something truly remarkable. Rife shares his family history stories with readers in a way that engages them, invites them in, and makes them feel as though they really know the people in his family. In a unique way, you feel you have become part of his family.

Rife is a master storyteller who reveals to us the lives of his family and ancestors, including their foibles, triumphs, and downfalls. His characterizations of the people in the story bring them to life, and I found myself saying, “Hey, I had an aunt just like that,” or “My dad did something like that.” Whether he was talking about divorce, death, or dementia in the family, Rife writes about these human tales with wit, humor, and seriousness when needed, and always with sensitivity.

The stories are set against the backdrop of Douglas, who, while at college, learns of his father’s death and then drives back to Logan, Iowa (yes, it is a real place) with his brother. During the road trip, he recalls stories he has heard throughout his life. … I immediately became immersed in Douglas’ tales.

Beyond the personal stories, there is much to learn from this read about rural Iowa and small towns. The history of these places is an important part of our cultural heritage, and keeping the stories alive is an important contribution to our collective memory. Rife has made a great contribution to Iowa history.

Ultimately, I suspect that Rife was writing this book as a eulogy for his father. Even in the grief and pain of loss, he can spin a yarn, tell a funny story, and at the same time, deal with his own loss, coming to terms with it. It is a remarkable piece of storytelling.”

I wanted to honor my father today, on Father’s Day and his birthday, and every day. He was first rate unlike the holiday.