IN PRAISE OF FATHERS

 Today is Father's Day, which gives me the opportunity to single out those fathers most important to my life.  First and formeost is my own father, Ralph E. House, the man who I loved more than any other and the one who gave me my moral compass.  Kitty's father, Harold Keane was a quiet man who found joy in everyday things; he was a Bronze Star recipient who always told the funny stories about the war and never the unfunny ones, a whip-smart engineer who graduated from GeorgiaTech without ever graduating from high school.  Kaylee and Amy's father, Michael Dowd, loved them beyond all understanding and who sadly never got see the wonderful women they grew up to be.  Walter Roof -- Mark, Erin, and Jack's father -- is a man of many talents and accomplishments; one of the many things he has installed in his children is a love of nature and animals, both of which continue to guide them toward their futures.

There are many other fathers out there, past and present -- including your own -- who deserve our love, respect, and admiration.  Heroes all.