A great picture of my Dad on his 60st (last) birthday, in March 2000. As you can see, he's seated at a poker table. The regular poker game enjoyed by Dad and his friends was referred to as "choir practice."

Dad was fond of remarking on the changes the choir had seen over the years. In the beginning, they started late in the evening and played into the wee hours of the morning. As the players have aged, the games — er, practices — have started earlier and earlier in the evening and ended early enough for mature businessmen to get home in time for the snooze — I mean news. At one time, cigars and cigarettes abounded, but the choir has become smoke-free in recent years. And the snacks have gone from consisting mostly of chips and heavy dip to pretzels, veggies and lite dip. Dad wasn't really much of a singer, but he and his buddies made beautiful music together.

The SDSU Jacks shirt, from Dad's alma mater, was a gift from classmate, fraternity brother and fellow pharmacist John Ellgen.

Photo by Dick Pluimer