Ray Torres' 80th Birthday Party Invitation

Today is my father’s birthday. He would have been 81.

This is the front of the invitation I put together for his 80th. We had a huge surprise party and barbecue for him at the State Citrus Park here in Riverside. It was really a big day for him with friends and best wishes arriving from all over the country.

Mom wanted to do something special for him – she knew how weak he had become and, I think, had a strong intuition that he wasn’t going to hang in there much longer. Dad had never had a big party for his birthday and wouldn’t have been happy about the cost of such a bash so the only way for us to do it was to keep it mum.

He was indeed surprised. And it was pure joy to see him that afternoon as the center of attention among lifelong friends and family. I put together a program of his favorite music – four CDs of songs we shared together.

Two short months after his party he was gone. We are so thankful we got to do it for him.

I’m going to go up to his gravesite at Riverside National later today to sit and remember. I was such a lucky kid to have him for a father.

Happy 81st, Pops. Love you and miss you.

- Ralph