I have to invest far too much time in this blog about all that is wrong with America, but with the passing of Fess Parker in someone who died too young at age 85, I long to express my love and devotion for this Gentleman.I will not invest a great deal of time in his marriage of 50 years to his beloved wife Marcella, his career in acting or his winery, because a great deal will be written about the public Fess Parker.
I instead will to focus on the personal contact with Fess Parker in which he changed millions of children's lives with his epic portrayal of the legends Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett.
That is a remarkable thing in the two frontiersmen who shaped America would be brought to life by Mr. Parker inspiring American children with thee American ideal of life.
I full expect if Disney would have had the foresight, this Texan with the good natured Americanisms which poured forth from his heart, that he could have played Abraham Lincoln, Gen. Custer, Kit Carson and Ronald Reagan himself. There was just something special about Fess Parker in he was genuine and the world loved him.
I will never forget the opening credits of his television series in it started out with an axe being thrown at a tree which split open. I was thrilled by this when I first saw it and soon I found myself plotting to repeat this Fess Parker feat of American legend, as there were no bears around to kill and I was past 3 years of age.
So off I went without parental supervision around age 7 to our front lawn after finding a rather dangerous looking axe and proceeded to throw that thing at our 80 year old elm. In these times, the police would have been called and I suppose if my Mother had looked out of the door she would have been aghast to see little me wailing away on our shade tree with that axe glancing off and flying every which way.
Angels do indeed look over children of destiny so they do not kill themselves. I plumb wore myself out that evening and was quite frustrated, as I expected the big old elm to be split just like on television, but it was mightier than the axe.
Perturbed at the failure, I never did give it much of a thought again in how dangerous it was or that it was special effects. I probably was blessed in it didn't work as I would have gotten into trouble, and I am certain that at age 7 I would have ventured out and been splitting numerous trees in half just living thee American dream.
That is what Fess Parker did for me in he made me believe in a better America and a place of legends to make one wide eyed. Coonskin caps are one of the most lovely of head apparel for keeping one's brain warm in warding off sinus infections. It is why the frontiersman wore them and it is why the mad bomber rabbit skin hats are all the rage again.
There is just something comforting about buckskin, the wilds when you are at home with them, firearms, knives, belt axes and Fess Parker which in the worst of times, always brings a serenity in remembering all of the good things about America.
I pray that Mr. Parker's wife and family get through this in God's care, because for all he gave to millions of children in making them better people, that is cover as the Bible says for a multitude of sins.
They were some of the good people and I will miss Fess Parker like I do Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett, two Americans who gave up their family and their lives for this great United States of America in God's blessings.
amen
agtG
Fess Parker, American
