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of Lexington
Nominated by Brenda Smith of Yankton, SD, who wrote:
I want to nominate my father Gene Holbrook. People always tell me how nice, warm, friendly, caring and compassionate I am, I tell them that's because of my parents. I would like to believe I am daddy's little girl since I am the youngest and have always felt a special connection to my dad. I found myself loving the things he was passionate about, math, the weather and many more. Some of my best memories are of me and my dad sitting on the car when I was growing up and he would teach me about the clouds, the storms that would come in, the wind.
To this day I love being outside when a storm is coming. As I grew older a lot of the decisions I made were not good ones, but I knew no matter what my dad always would love me. I'm not very good at sharing my feelings, but I know that all I have to do is look into the eyes of my father and he continues to show his love and dedication to our heavenly father. He has fought through adversity by losing his leg but yet continued to be the best father to all 5 of us! He deserves to be the Father of the Year!
Also nominated by Scott Holbrook of Lexington, who wrote:
In 1965 my dad lost one of his legs in an Augur accident in Lexington, NE at the David Harem Mill and spent the next 6 weeks in the hospital recovering. They tried to save his leg, but it ended up getting infection so they had to amputate it about 4-5 inches above the knee. I don't remember much of the initial accident because I was only 2 years old at the time.
He was never with out a job, he never sat at home and collected from his injury, he never blamed anyone, he just kept on going and today he still works full time! I never heard him complain that he couldn't run any more, or do any of the things that he was able to do with two legs. In fact I saw him through the years embrace the challenges that life threw his way. As I grew up I learned to admire the courage that he had to embrace life and face every challenge with a smile and a determination that nothing was going to keep him down! I remember dad would always say to me "son, once you make a decision weather you think its right or wrong, stick with it, don't be wishy washy".
Whenever I have faced decisions in my life I always go back to that advice. I loved how my dad was never afraid to show his affection to my mom. He would always hug her, give her a kiss, and rub her back or feet. He always helped in the kitchen after a meal and even did laundry a time or two! I know there are many great father's in the state of Nebraska, but to me there is none greater than my dad! He raised 5 great kids and will celebrate his 50th anniversary this June!
Return to 2008 Hall of Fame Winners.