DETROIT – I am a confessed and proud daddy's girl and I have been my entire life. My father, Dr. Ronald Gillum just celebrated his 73rd birthday and I'm so thankful he is in great health and enjoying his retirement years with my mom, they so deserve it! I had an awesome, fun and memorable upbringing with my family because my parents are truly the best. They will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next year!
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My dad enjoys a round of golf everyday weather permitting and every Father's Day we golf together at a different Michigan golf course. It's one of my favorite days of the year and it's been our tradition for over 20 years! One of my fondest childhood memories is the patience he showed when teaching me how to play! Our best bonding moments are over a game of golf. Another fond memory, when I was little I went to church with my dad every Sunday because I loved being able to get any time with him just the two of us. He was a church deacon so my entire family didn't go every Sunday like my dad, so I figured out if I went with him, I'd get to have him all to myself. And that quality time was not isolated to the weekends, for two years until I got my drivers license my dad drove me to high school everyday. I wasn't very fond of the school bus, so he changed his work schedule to start work earlier just to take me to school. He spoiled me a ton but I swear I'm not rotten! My dad is a great teacher, friend, confidant, cheerleader and role model. He instilled in me a great work ethic, leadership skills, the importance of giving back to the community and to believe I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.
He is a very committed family man, always encouraging and supporting my brother, sister and me in every way growing up and still to this day. He was home for dinner with the family every night, attended all of our sporting and other school events and gave us incredible guidance, advice and structure through his great example of how he lives his life. My dad is so supportive of everything I do and is always there when I need him and even though I share him with my mom, 2 siblings and 7 grandchildren, we always have his full attention and he makes each of us feel like his #1. Dr. Ronald Gillum, my incredible father is truly the best dad you could possibly have, I only wish there were more of him, so that other kids could have the upbringing that I did. He is my biggest inspiration in life and still the person I work hard in my career, relationships and in the community to make proud!