02/23/2023
THE WALK WITH MY FATHER
“Rise and shine!" is how he would happily say Good Morning to us every day. My father, an incredible man, still lives in my mind.
Basil P. Shropulos was 105 years old in 2022 when God called him, but we celebrate his birthday a year later.
He was creative, active in school plays and musicals. He wanted to pursue this, but took another road as his father died as a young man. The oldest in a close-knit Greek family implied he was the man of the family, and ultimately bought The Quality Food Store to support his mother and siblings. This well-known Dallas grocery and import store allowed him to send his brothers to college. One became a successful surgeon and the other a geologist and builder. When his sister married, he assisted them to start their new life together. It was at their wedding that he met my beautiful mother. They enjoyed over 60 years of an amazing marriage with three loving daughters, and eventually blessed with two sons-in-laws and two grandsons.
My father was a hero to me for many reasons. One, he sacrificed his acting plans for another kind of life, with no complaints. But his singing and acting continued. His favorite role was as the villain in the Greek/Western melodrama!
Any one in his presence seemed a happier person as he truly was engaged and cared… his family, goddaughter, her parents (best friends for decades with traveling and weekly canasta games), church members, neighbors, the poker group, and all kinds of friends.
From taking the streetcar to be an altar boy, to his maturity as a quiet, spiritual man, he carried on the legacy of his parents, founders of the Dallas Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.
I appreciate his influence in my design career by proudly displaying my childhood art in his store to private art lessons, UT Austin, and my master’s degree, constantly encouraging me.
I miss our talks, his jokes, songs, boisterous laughter, invaluable advice, lessons and unconditional love. His memory is eternal.
