From Rebecca Davis

I have several memories of your dad from when we were in fourth and fifth grade. They're all pretty fuzzy, it's possible they're not really right. There were two things I thought about your dad growing up: he was really funny, and he worked for the phone company. But here are some more specific memories: So the first is that we had some project in Mrs. Finley's class to show what it was like to live in colonial America, and your dad got really into it and basically built us a village of tiny little plywood houses on a huge piece of plywood. Then you and I were supposed to decorate it. I think all I did was pick up a little pinestraw and slap it on a roof or two... hardly the contribution that I should have made. I also have a vague recollection of trying to lay "roads" on that project with red Alabama clay mud but the mud shrinking before we could get it into the class. I'm sure Mrs. Finley took one look at the thing and knew we had had very little to do with it!

The second was at some point I was over at your house and there was some activity that we were supposed to be doing outside - clearing brush (kidding) or raking leaves or some such thing, and Laura and Michael got into a fight about something, and someone might have pushed someone else. There were tears and a little yelling, and your dad was so calm and got them both to stand close to each other and apologize to each other. They were really little but I remember that he took even a little-kid fight seriously and really got them to talk to each other. It made a big impression on me - it was a great lesson about taking the time to treat your family with love and respect, even in the heat of battle or little fights.

The third was Piper. I seem to remember that your dad did a ton of research on the best types of dogs for kids - not too big, not too small, easy to get along with, easy disposition, and he came up with Shelties, so you got Piper. Except that she was a crazy dog (at least that's how I remember her), big into the barking. You called her hyper Piper.

The last is that he encouraged you to really think about what you wanted to do in life really early on. I remember it even from when were in elementary school! I'm not sure if you decided to be an architect then or it came later, but I thought it was fantastic that your dad encouraged you to think big thoughts and have big dreams to fulfill. And you have!

Happy birthday, Mr. Stringer! You've been a blessing in my life. Rebecca