Tribute to Dad

Tomorrow, Mom will be hosting a small reception for Dad immediately after her church service.  Among the items to be displayed is this Tribute I wrote for him:

Tribute to Dad

Glen G. Langdon, Jr.

(June 30, 1936 – March 11, 2014)

by Karen Langdon Hull

Dad was offered his position at UCSC in his 24^th year at IBM.  One need not be the mathematician he was to catch the significance of year 24: one year prior to his company’s generous retirement package.  By accepting his teaching post, Dad found riches far more valuable: the chance to live his dream, impact young minds, and watch them make their own mark on the world.  His move to UCSC complemented a decision earlier in his career when he left a comfortable 2 story home to a small one in Brazil that welcomed his family with cockroaches, but with no clean water, no telephone, no working oven, and showers with electrical zaps – and he was in his element.

His students, both here and abroad, knew how passionate he was about them, and they returned his commitment with their own loyalty and love.  Some called on our home telephone, some came over for dinner, and some even stayed at our house when they were in need of housing.  So Dad’s students were more than just students to him.  Many of them became his friends.

Sometimes his passion carried over into his help with my homework.  Much more adept at working with college students than sixth-graders, he’d look ahead in my math book: “Karen, look in three weeks, you’ll be learning how to divide fractions.  That’s one of my favorite tricks!  Let me show you so you’ll be ahead!”  Can we just do the homework I have due tomorrow?

Dad’s reputation for being a protective father to his only daughter is true.  He expressed it not with a shot-gun, but by taking me out on dates and treating me as he wanted my dates to treat me.   He’d take me out to dinner, open my door, bring a flower, and close the night with a kiss on the cheek.  Not only did these dates give me joy and adoration for Dad, but they served their purpose too.  I noticed when my dates were not treating me like he did, and I looked for one who could!

We all know Dad loved to give – to organizations that served the needs he cared about; to friends, loved ones, Mom; and to me.  But I was a funny child.  When I learned the stereotype that only children are spoiled children, I was determined to prove that  stereotype wrong.  The problem was my dad liked to spoil me.  And, secretly, I liked that he liked it.  So as a child, I’m not sure how well I lived up to my vow.

As a teenager, I was committed.  Poor Dad had to be devious.  When he bought his Celica, he rejected my offer to pay for half of the cost of the Corolla and gave it to me outright.  But I didn’t want him spoiling me any beyond that, so Dad had to get sneaky.  He claimed he really “missed” his Corolla.  Everyone knew how much he loved his Celica.  So I don’t know how I fell for this one, but Dad put on a really good act and asked for a day or two a month to “borrow” my car because he “missed” it so much.  I noticed this pattern: I’d get the car back and it would be full of gas!  “Dad,” I’d say, “you can borrow my car without filling it up!”  Then he’d use the opportunity for a parental lesson: “If you borrow someone’s car, make sure you fill up before you give it back.”  I’ve tried to remember that lesson, but at the time, I’d protest that he need not fill it up, which he still did.  As a naïve 17 year old, I’d think, “How sweet.  Dad misses his car.” As an afterthought, I’d add, “And it’s very sweet of him to fill up my tank.”  Now, I’m a parent, and, now, I get it.  Thank you, Dad.

Dad also made an impact beyond all of us he loved.  The algorithms he developed were one step in that long line of technological advances that have brought us our laptops, pad devices, cell phones, and apps on our tiny little hand-held smartphones.  Not only do we each know the freedom and the connections that we enjoy due to these devices, but we hear about how they are being used throughout the world to connect many in their movements of revolution to topple dictators and forge lives of freedom.  While Dad didn’t develop cell phones or laptops himself, he was a pioneer in a movement that did, and he very likely led the way for students who have. So may he be peacefully and joyfully seeing from his new perspective the mark he made in bringing liberation to the world.