FATHERS DAY 2017 – FOND MEMORIES!

I was just telling my colleague how dad went to be with the Lord on a Father’s day of 2015. For sure dad will always be remembered by us all as a family and friends. No one can understand the gap we feel like now, but the fact remains, dad did a lot for us in a way we cannot express merely with words.

Many might know him as Kapepe, Kata and all manner of names he was called, but to us, dad was a very special person, full of wisdom and humour. He had his weaknesses but it is in those weaknesses that we were perfected as his children. I had and still have a deep desire to know God in a deeper way and this was because dad gave that environment that made me seek God on a personal way. For sure, dad sacrificed for me to be what i am as much as he is not here with us to see me as a living testimony.

I fondly remember dad for many things, but there are these two things that I will always remember him for, one, for being my earthly father and secondly, the person who ushered me to the job I am currently in. One day, dad came home with this jovial mood and turned my world by asking me to apply for a job he had seen in one of our Daily’s. This happened when i was a first year student at St Mary's Secretarial College Isiolo, where i applied for a job he had seen advertised in the newspaper for a post of Copy Typist. He really wished me so well despite that I did not pass well in my KCSE because I was sick when I did my exams at Mulango Girls High School in 1993. Obeying his advice, i applied for the post using my first year results as the post of the Copy Typist needed the papers I had obtained in my first year training, which were stage I’s (ones) and II’s (twos). - This is a language known by trained secretaries. Today, i am a Senior Assistant Office Administrator in the Government of Kenya, courtesy of my dear Dad Jasper Gatobu Mariene who wished me so well and wanted me to be someone in the society as opposed to the words he used to call me when he was not sober. I picked the positive aspects and moved on. For sure dad was a HERO in his own way and that is so special to us, as a family. Those who knew dad, knows him very well for his love of alcohol which finally resulted to his demise. But that is not my point. My point is, he was my Father despite his weakness and I am here to celebrate him two years after his demise. Dad died on the Father’s day of 2015 and thus every time we celebrate Father’s day, I always feel we all celebrate him whether we know him or not.

My father will be remembered always because all my brothers and sister including me, God has blessed us with children whom we have named after and thus his blessings came in FULL. I remember in his last days, when our last born brother brought his girlfriend home, dad was very excited and happy for him. He even became happier when this beautiful lady gave birth to a baby boy to crown his legacy! Of course this boy was also named after him and thus we have four children named after our father! What a blessing? :) His remark was, “Now I can die in peace because my last born son too, has given birth to me”. For sure dad did not live long after his remarks, as the sickness weighed him down so fast and finally succumbed to his sickness and went to be with the Lord.

We miss dad so much but at the same time, we celebrate him because he left a legacy that can never be lost nor fade away. Celebrating all what he did positively makes me feel so joyous and happy that, God gave us an earthly father who lived with us for over seventy years and loved us for who we are and gave us the best he could. We also celebrate our Heavenly Father who is all in us and we cannot forget to thank him for the many years He gave us to celebrate with our dear Father Jasper Gatobu Mariene here on earth. All glory and honour goes back to Him because he is so good to us the MARIENE’S. As we all sing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqybaIesbuA

God bless you all for reading my tribute to my dear dad. Rest in Eternal Peace Dad, till we meet again!

Fondly remembered by your dear wife Teresa Tirindi Mariene, your daughters, sons, son’s in-law, daughter’s in-law and grandchildren, Rose Gatobu, Caroline Gatobu, George Gatobu, Isaac Gatobu, Basillio Nthiga, Caroline Mugure, Caroline Bundi, Collins Munene, Calvin Muthuri, Innocent Gitonga, Ethan Mutuma, Roy Mwenda, Christine Nkatha, Silas Waiguru and Hubert Mwirigi respectively.