While dad's photographs never graced covers of magazines, or won Pulitzer Prizes, they played a most valuable role in the lives of all who knew him. I didn't come to appreciate him as an artist until he was on his death bed. One of the most emotional  moments in my life came when he raised the question of what I wanted him to leave me upon his death. One brother would get the house, since he'd been helping my parents with the payments. Another brother would get the video camera equipment, along with dad's prized banjo we'd bought for him a year earlier. That left me, the oldest of three sons. I had a home of my own, and I had plenty of video equipment. I even had my own banjo. I  could tell dad was concerned that there would be nothing he could offer me that would be meaningful. I quickly assured him that I would be most honored to become the caretaker of his photography collection. He was obviously moved by this. I was having a hard time holding back the tears as I made a promise to him that someday I would find a forum for his work, so the world could appreciate what we'd come to take for granted for so long. He smiled through the pain and we shook hands on it. Short of a miracle antidote for prostate cancer, I don't think anything else could have made him any happier at that moment. Suddenly he realized his work would not end up as shoe box stuffing, at the bottom of a landfill. It  wasn't long after dad died that I discovered the Internet. Alas! Dad's work will have a forum, the world will be able to enjoy his photographs, and a worried promise will be kept after all...   

Steve Jones   10/2000