I'm so sorry you lost your dad, Dennis.  I hope your (biological) VW family
has been able to come together to support each other - as your electronic VW
family certainly has.

Joy

On Fri, Jan 2, 2009 at 12:31 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote:

> My dad passed away this past Monday. As I reflect my thoughts I have
> realized that he made the decisions that shaped much of my life. most
> important is that he was the reason for my VW involvement, especially Busses
> and Vans.
>
> During my younger years my family had limited means and at time both my
> parents worked two jobs. I am the oldest of 5 children born in 1960.
> September of 1970, My mom while pregnant with my brother Daniel, (child 4)
> she got into an accident totaling the only family car, the Ford Torino
> Station Wagon. As my dad had zero mechanical skills they believed new was
> the only option. The new car was a powder Blue 1970 Standard Beetle.
>
> Now a Family of 6, we took a vacation to Lake George the following year.
> Yes 6 of us in a Beetle. Shortly after that trip, my dad decided we needed a
> Bus. Soon came the 1967 Splittie.
>
> Starting at 13 I began doing some repairs on those vehicles.   I spent 3
> days doing a generator in the bus and then it wouldn't run. I swapped the
> green wires for the ignition points and the field coil. At 15 I rebuilt the
> engine in that Bus. Over the next two years I learned the hard way about
> bolt torque and other mistakes I made. I learned much working on those two
> cars. The Bus became mine in 1978 and I had it until 1981. It was replaced
> with a '69. That was later replaced with a '72. The Beetle went to my sister
> and she had until 1985 or so.
>
> Thanks to those 2 VWs I honed skills that got me started in Industrial
> Maintenance. Been doing that since 1980. In 1983 I started working for Estee
> lauder as a Production mechanic. Now I am the engineering manager for their
> automated warehouse. All this because my dad decided to buy the 2 VW's.
>
> My brother Daniel, also decided to go the mechanical route. He stuck with
> cars and is really a Ford fan. He has his own shop and towing company now.
> By the way, Dan and I have the same birthday, 10 years apart.
>
> Kathy and married in 1983, our honeymoon bus was the 1972 converted camper.
> My third Bus, the first FUN BUS. In 1985 we aquired a 1984 passenger
> Vanagon. The Vanagon love began. It was replaced in 1988 with the '87 Syncro
> westy, still the current FUN BUS. even though we joined the RV and Mercedes
> world, there will probably always be a Vanagon in our driveway.
>
> My life shaped by my father's decision to buy a VW.
>
> While we didn't speak often since my parents moved to Florida, I knew he
> was there.
>
> I'll miss him and I know he is ridding in my Bus, (Vanagon).
>
> Thanks for listening,
> Dennis