DAD’S LIFE:
A tribute, written by Tonya Stallard.
Lee R. Stallard had two goals: to have a family and a good life. He achieved both.When a toddler, Lee took to following around a man who was painting houses, and that man—Mr. Adams—would share his lunch with Lee. Eventually, Mr. and Mrs. Adams took the young Lee in and raised him as their own. It was an unofficial adoption. Lee never took their last name. And the Adams’ were one of the poorer families in one of the poor areas of the county. But they were good, decent, loving people who stood by Lee and believed in him.
Though very poor, Mr. and Mrs. Adams were determined that Lee would have all of the career path opportunities any other Stallard would have. When he became of age, they said “son, get yourself to college.” So, that’s what Lee did. He attended the University of Kentucky. But sadly, Lee’s father—Mr. Adams—died during his first year. Depression settled in. Lee stopped going to class, then he went home. But once home, Mrs. Adams said, “son, get your butt back to college.”
Life took a new direction. Lee hitchhiked from the hills of Whitesburg to the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, KY. He parked himself on the doorstep of one of the college deans and said, “I want to go to school.” Lee had nothing. He had no money, no job, and no family able to finance him. He didn’t even have a college application. Yet, that dean said, okay, let’s figure this out.
The college put Lee to work. He did everything they threw at him, including ground surveying, drilling in coal mines, and working in the college mail room. He eventually knew every single student and person at the college by name. And, of course, he went to class. There, he saw a pretty, bookish girl who he thought looked smart, and he wondered if he could get her to do his English homework for him. She never did his homework, but she did marry him, and Lee and Juanita were married for 57 years.
Lee had the beginnings of his family, and he graduated college. He went to work as a math teacher. The girls would be doe-eyed over his boyish face and curls of red, but they’d all melt away when his young bride—also a teacher—would walk into the room. Life was good, but Lee wanted kids, as many kids as his new bride would let him have. Yet, being the math teacher that he was, he realized he couldn’t raise a family on a teacher’s salary. Lucky for him, some of his friends had joined the Air Force, and it had the look of being able to offer a good career with pay enough to raise a family.
Lee went to the Air Force recruiter and said, “I want to join.” The Air Force recruiter asked, “what job in the Air Force do you want?” Lee asked, “what’s good?” The Air Force recruiter said, “well, being a pilot’s the best.” So Lee said, “ok, I’ll do that.” He then proceeded to pass the rigorous and elite selection process required to become a jet fighter pilot for the US Air Force—and he was good. He was one of the best. He flew over 400 combat missions, and he travelled the world. Once, long after his flying days were done, Lee said that air plane “dog” fights (one jet pitted against another) were one of the most fun things about being a pilot.
But that’s not all that happened while he was in the Air Force. During that same time, his beautiful bride blessed him with two beautiful children, Lee and Tonya.
Lee’s days in the Air Force were good. They were very good. But when those days were done, Lee moved on from them with nary a glance back. In fact, he returned to college and earned a Master of Science in Mathematical Sciences. He did some more teaching, then he went to work as the Technology Coordinator of the county’s school system. He eventually retired from there and hung up his working boots altogether.
And in time, Lee’s family grew. He was blessed with a beautiful and brilliant daughter-in-law, Kalina, and James, his daughter’s strong and talented partner. That family grew even more when Lee was blessed with a grandaughter, Erica, given to him by his son and daughter-in-law. And through it all, he still had his beautiful bride, Juanita, by his side.
Lee achieved his goals. He had a family and he had a good life. A really good life. And when it was time for him to go, to move on, he did so loved by that family… and remembered, always.
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