Memory Lane

"Mom and Dad surrounded by their entire family"

My Best friend from the time I was 11 lost her husband this month and my heart has been breaking for her and her two babies.  I was thinking how sad that their 2 and half year old will never remember her dad and their unborn baby will never even get to meet him. It has caused me to reflect on my dad, and make me realize that I had 32 years full of wonderful memories with my dad.  It has caused me to relive these memories in my head over and over during the last year and especially this last month.  While I try to focus on the positive side of things, and try to focus on the legend he left behind it has brought me peace.  While I still miss him a ton, I have been trying to focus on my good memories.
I remember one time on a road trip we stopped for gas. OK hold on, two things we NEVER did on a road trip were 1-eat out and 2-stop, except for gas.  We made sandwiches in the car and we pottied only if we had to stop for gas, dad was always in a hurry!  Well here we were...We stopped for gas and after my dad was done pumping the gas he walked across the parking lot to McDonalds.  I remember watching him thinking, "where is he going"?  I don't think I had ever seen my dad walk into a McDonalds.  He came out with a large bag of food, handed it to a man standing on the corner.  Some quick words were exchanged and then he returned to the car.  I don't remember anything ever being said about what he did or why he did it.  He just simply saw a person in need, took action and didn't accept or expect anything in return.
I remember two other road trips too where he picked up people on the side of the road because their car had broken down or something and gave them a ride to the next town.  One man we picked up was a little shady looking, but the spirit must have confirmed to him that this man really was in need of help.  I know Dad and he would have never done a thing to put his family in harms way.  It seems this man was with us for at least an hour and he was kind and polite and when we finally dropped him off he offered to pay my dad and of course Dad kindly declined.  Another time  (Pam or Dee you might have to help me on this one, I was little) was a group of college kids on their way to Rexburg. Their van had broken down or went off the road and all 20 of us crammed into our car. I have no idea what car we had I just remember all cramming in...standing room only!
My Dad was also the adventuresome type, he liked to try out new business 'deals' he was sure there was a way to make good money for his family.  While none of his business 'deals' ever took off and maybe caused a few of Mom's gray hairs, I know they were done out of love.  He was a hard working man, he wasn't trying to find the easy way out but I know he wanted the finer things in life for my mom because he felt that she deserved them.  And while she most definitely deserved them, she always seemed happy with what we had.  He worked hard as a pilot, as a contractor, as a store manager and at coordinating his true passion, golf tournaments!
Dad was also a sportsman. He love to fish, he took me once.  We went down to the slue one morning and I caught a 3 inch fish, I was so excited.  My excitement was short lived though when he told me I had to throw it back. The rest of the day I didn't catch anything else, I was bored so that was my first and last fishing trip with dad.  He loved to golf.  That, I never tried with him...maybe some day! He loved playing pool, I remember one time I beat him and my excitement again was short lived when I realized he let me win...one thing he wasn't very good at was acting =)!
He loved the Lord and that he showed through his actions everyday.  He always worked hard in the church.  He always seemed to work hard at his calling in church.  He knew his scriptures and loved them.  I remember sometimes saving my questions from Sunday school to ask him so we would have something to talk about.  He was a very quiet person and as a teenager I thought we were from opposite worlds, not that we ever fought or argued (or at least I can't think of a time) I was just sure he didn't get the life of a teenage girl (which I still think has to be true).  But he knew his scriptures and that was easy enough for us to talk about.  I do remember one time he got mad at me though, I was late for dinner 4 nights in a row and so I was then grounded for a week because I was being disrespectful to my mother and that was unacceptable!
I love my dad so much and I miss him every day.  He amazes me and is a great person to look up to.  I'm grateful for my 32 years I got to spend with him.  I'm grateful for the past 5 years my kids were able to live by him so they could rub shoulders with their Papa, my modern day hero!
I love you dad and miss you terribly...God be with you till we meet again.

And just for fun, Dad's survey that he filled out from Ashlee's search to know us all better:

1) What is your full name? George Leon Bultez
2) Were you named after anyone? George after my father and Leon after my mother’s father.
3) What is your current age? Same age as dirt.
4) Do you play any instruments, if so, which ones? Yes, the radio.
5) What kind of a relationship did you have with your grandparents? I used to spend the summers with both of them in Grass Valley California
6) What were your aspirations as a child? To be older, and be an architect and design houses for my dad to build.
7) What was your favorite pastime as a child? Playing outdoors with my friends. As a teenager? Girls and water skiing. Now? Golf, fish, and travel with my beautiful wife.
8) Did you ever do something you really weren’t supposed to do as a teenager? Not telling any secrets
9) What was your worst dating experience? It was so long ago I can’t remember too many details, but some girl I didn’t know well I asked on a date and before I left, I bleached my hair white. I was glad when it ended.
10) Were you considered popular in high school? Yes, I had a lot of friends. I had a cool car, and chicks loved it.
11) What is your favorite quote? If it was easy, anyone could do it.
12) Who in your life played a large role in your getting to where you are today? My dad. He was my role model.
13) What were some of your nicknames growing up? Georgie Porgie. Kissed the girls and made them cry. (cry for more!)
14) How often do you drive over the speed limit? Daily, what fun is it to have a sports car if you can’t speed a little?
15) When and how did you meet your spouse? My mother talked me into taking her to a Gold and Green Ball, where she was being honored. That was April 23 1960, we still celebrate that date nearly 50 years later.
16) How has your spouse helped mold you into who you are today? She is the goody goody, she eggs me on.
17) What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from your past? Be grateful for what you have and stop wishing you had things. Things aren’t important.
18) What is one of your worst habits? Biting my fingernails, and I cuss a little.
19) If you could change one thing about your physical appearance, what would it be and why? I would be 6” taller
20) Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic? Definitely a glass is half full kind of guy.
21) How do you deal with stress? I dismiss it, it doesn’t get to me. (He probably just went golfing!)
22) What is your most embarrassing moment? In sacrament meeting one time I was conducting. After asking for sustaining votes, someone raised their hand in opposition. When I announced the sacrament hymn, I said “hymn # 193 “I Stand all Opposed”
23) What are some of your annoyances? Slow drivers, crying children, and noisy sacrament meetings.
24) What is your greatest strength as a person? My Work ethic
25) What is your greatest weakness? Lack of patience with people.
26) Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at. Construction skills, golf, fishing. And three things you consider yourself to be very bad at. Astro physics, bowling and knitting
27) What three words best describe your personality? Quiet, focused, competitive
28) Even if you have a current career, what is your dream profession? Pro golfer
29) How many countries have you traveled to? Where have you been? Canada, Mexico, Honduras, Cayman, Haiti, Belize, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Los Angeles.
30) How is/was your relationship with your parents? The greatest.
31) What extremely difficult life situation have you overcome and how did you do it? Polio at age 2, my mother sacrificed much to treat me with very hot blankets to get my blood circulating through the effected limbs.
32) What do you consider your greatest achievement? My family
33) What is your best memory? Time spent with family on vacations.
34) What is your worst memory? When my dad got cancer and I watched him suffer.
35) What are your top three fears? I have no fear, I have faith in the Lord.
36) Do you have a best friend? My BEST Friend is married to me, in spite of my faults
37) What is your most treasured possession? My temple recommend.
38) What do you believe makes a successful life? Be honest to your fellowmen, and be a good husband and father.
39) What is your biggest wish or dream you’ve yet to fulfill? To enter the Celestial Kingdom with ALL my family.
40) What is the one thing you would most like to be remembered for after your death? That I was a good father and husband.