Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

My dad’s favorite saying was, “You tell them your Daddy said…!” My dad was a fierce family man and went to great lengths to protect his kids. He turned into Superman when he once threatened to “tip a car over” during a minor confrontation. He stuck up for me against bullies and unfair teachers. He became a scoutmaster when my brother and I joined.

The best memory of my dad was when my sister passed away unexpectedly and he became dad and grandpa to his 9-year-old granddaughter. The best Somerville connection for my dad was blowing the 9:30 curfew whistle from the WR Grace plant in Cambridge. Dad blew the whistle for 38 years until he retired in 1985. Here are some remembrances about other Somerville dads:

— My dad worked many jobs to support our family. My best memory was when he worked for 7 Oaks Dairy. He delivered milk to all the schools back in the mid 50’s. Every week we would be treated to a case of chocolate milk in the little cartons.

— My dad was a baseball guru. He knew the game inside and out. I was a 13-year-old assistant coach to his Post 388 team. It was 1973, we were 4 wins 7 loses when he called his team together and said, “Look guys, you are the best team in this league so go out and prove it.” I think it was probably the best coaching job I have ever seen because he took a bunch of ragtag ballplayers, kids, misfits, and took them to the finals of the city series. That was my dad … greatest man I ever met and greatest baseball mind I ever knew. I love you, dad. Happy Father’s Day.

— My dad was a lifelong member of the local American Legion. One of his proudest moments was when he was commander in 1972 and led the annual Memorial Day parade down Highland Avenue. Too bad the city no longer does that.

— I remember my father teaching me to skate. This was either Lincoln park or Trum Field. It was awful bumpy ice, but always fun. My dad taught me so many things, he was my parent, teacher, mentor, inspiration and super hero. I will miss him always.

— I remember coming home from disco clubbing in Boston, then Carols dinner on the way home. Dad was in Davis Square, waiting for a bus to go to work at 3:00 a.m. Us girls would wave and throw dad kisses as we drove by. Oh, the good ole days.

— My dad went into the service with his dad’s signature to the merchant marines. On ships bringing supplies to Europe after the war and then into the Army where he was many things and was one of the first to go to war while he was stationed in Japan. He also was missing in action pinned on a hill. Then he went into the Air Force and was a gunner in the belly of an airplane. He saw many things he would not talk about.

— My memories of my dad are numerous. He always came to my road races. Many of you knew him from the courthouse in the 80’s, so I don’t need to tell you want a great person he was.

— Running the Somerville road race in 1989 with my smoker dad! He beat me while smoking, but it was one of the best memories EVER! Miss you every day, dad.

— My dad was an amazing father. He was in the Navy during WW ll. He and my mom had 12 children. He worked for the Navy Yard in Charlestown and also held a part time job at Star Market for many many years. Every July we vacationed down the Cape or in Hampton Beach for a week. He was an amazing dad. Love and miss him.

— My Dad had the red three row seater station wagon and he would load all the kids from our street into the car and take us to Buttrick’s in Arlington for ice cream. He worked three jobs but always shared whatever he had.

— Standing in line every Thanksgiving and Christmas outside of Lyndells to get pies and, of course, raspberry turnovers.

— He was the kindest, most generous, most unassuming, gracious man God ever created … our dad! A lifelong Somerville resident!

— Buying popsicles for all the kids in the neighborhood. Treating everyone to Chinese food from BoBo’s, going to the Venice and Hacienda for dinner.

— Simple, my dad did whatever it took to put food on the table, clothes on our backs and a roof over our head. He made us breakfast every Sunday, bought us all the toys and games he was deprived of because growing up, his family was poor. He was always there for us and committed 100% of his life to his family. And with all that on his back, he is the funniest person in the world … always a joke and always positive. He just turned 82 and the role model he was for me … is the same I am for my boys.

— Son of immigrants, went to church every Sunday, World War II vet. Came home, went to college on the GI bill, bought a three decker on Winter Hill, and the rest is history.

Happy Father’s Day and God bless all our Somerville dads!