Today we celebrate the day - April 24, 1913 - when the earth tilted a little more toward beauty, tenderness, and love. Reuben Terry Pattillo grew up in South Texas a farm boy, learning the value of work, although his daily chore, milking ole' Bessie, was pure delight. His young adult life after college was spent under the mentorship of Howard E. Butt where he learned the grocery store business. After more than 20 years he and 2 brothers transformed Pattillo Bros Grocery into the Country Smokehouse, providing *the best* smoked products - sausage, ham, turkeys - throughout South Texas. Later, he sold the smokehouse and returned to the land, again transforming property in disarray into a ranching showplace, running Santa Gertrudis cattle. In his retirement he operated The Pavilion as a rental property, hosting weddings, quinceañeras and other celebrations. He loved that that every weekend he had a party to go to. He remained active into his final days. 

       My father, "R.T." found joy and delights in every day. The beauty of nature brought him into a quiet reverence. As a little girl, I remember him daily bringing a jigger-full of tiny fragrant pink sweetheart rosebuds to thrill my mother. This is also the man who, at the ranch, would reel back on his heels in admiration of his Santa Gertrudis bull. Always, always, he treated all with tenderness. He was known among his friends and family as "the mediator" and would often sit empathically for hours with those who were troubled. His love was the type that poems were written about - free and gentle. The way that he expressed his love, besides enjoying closeness and touch, was in making his world better. At breakfast he would often ask me with genuine interest, "And what are you going to do for the betterment of the world today?" It was important to him that each moment would be meaningful and treasured, for he "Would Not Pass This Way Again". This poem by Eva Rose York must have been a guiding force in his life, as he would lean against the kitchen counter and recite it in its entirely by heart. Deep in the middle of the long poem is a reflection of his care for others: "I shall not pass this way again; / Then let me now relieve some pain, / Remove some barrier from the road, / Or brighten someone's heavy load; / A helping hand to this one lend / Then turn some other to befriend."

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Dear Daddy, as you trod this earth's road too short, thank you for holding my hand, touching my heart, lifting me up, and teaching me about beauty, tenderness and love. Now I join with you as you bless God's name for all eternity. "...Fill every pause along the way; / And to my spirit let me say: 'O soul, be happy, soon 'tis trod, / The path made thus for thee by God. / Be happy thou, and bless His name / By whom such marvelous beauty came....'"  

                                                            --by Jan