Father’s Day 2026

Over the years I have known a lot of great fathers, some in my family, some were friends.

Four high school friends who all live in or near Ann Arbor. Steve in the upper left, me in the upper right and the two Tom’s below. We graduated 57 years ago and have been friends since before that.

My grandfather, Michele Bellotti, who I called Papa. The story there is actually an interesting mix of Italian and English. My mother called her parents (who we lived with) Mama and Papa. Normally I should have called them Nonna and Nono, however my great-grandfather (Davide Di Francesco) was still alive and my mother called him Nono, so I did too. Since she called her father Papa I did too. My daughter called my father Papa and now my grand-daughter calls me the same.

My mother with her parents around 1930.

Me with my cousin Frank Sypien. He raised four wonderful children with his wife Sandy.

My father, Edward with me on his left knee along with my cousins Maria and Frank.

Me with my father in the later 1990s.

Alexis and me in Florida in the early 2000s.

So – Happy Father’s Day to all the great fathers out ther.