Dad's Ski Sweater

One Fall afternoon a few months after his death, my sister turned and asked what we should do with Dad’s old ski sweater. “I just am not sure what we should do with it?” She asked.

I remember in the mid 1970s, when he bought the sweater at Ed Richardson, Ltd - a men’s store in Manhasset on Long Island. It was on sale and he thought it was a good deal and my Mom encouraged him to spend some money on himself. Hand knit in Norway, he wore it on special holidays and cherished it. Somehow never spilled on it, or tore it, or changed the oil in it! It was in amazing condition being about 50 years old!

We had already donated and disposed of much of his clothing, some left at the nursing home. So we were in the final stages of going through his closet.

I paused and took it out of Carol’s arms, saying wait a minute and held it up and thought “geez that could fit me, maybe I can wear it?” So I pulled it over my head and realized it fit perfectly and my sister said “you need to take that back to Seattle.” I walked out of the room and replied I am taking it, and put it in my suitcase!

My Dad was a practical dresser, his son was the Brooks Brothers Manager, and later owned his own men’s clothing shop in Seattle. There are pictures of Dad being quite stylish after he returned from WWII and graduated from Harvard Business School. But as he aged he didn’t much care about his attire. Yet, He always admired my clothing and how I dressed.

I cherish the sweater! Wore it today for a lunch meeting. I have worn it a few times this winter in Seattle. And I alway seem to just smile from the inside. Because I know he’s looking down in amazement and saying to my Mom: “Look, John actually has on one of my sweaters” and then they both smile! …. Mom probably says “just as handsome as you were when we bought the sweater.”

Sentimental, but like I said, it is a happy, warm moment and a warm, good looking sweater!