During the running of the exhibit, the letters were placed next to each other so one could read the back and forth between father and daughter in a chronological way. I have chosen to run them in full (first Karen and then Chester). You may choose to scroll down to see dad's response after each one of Karen's entries.

The Game of Life: Letters to Dad

Dear Dad,                                                     September 1993-1996

...or should I say superfan.  Always on the sidelines, dressed head to toe in Webster gear, wearing a pin with my picture on it.  You know how hard we practice in the backyard every day and how much I love the game of soccer.  Before every game, “Good luck, K! You got this!”  You believed in me before I believed in myself. 

Love, 

Karen 

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Dear Dad,                                August 29, 1997

It was you! Screaming in the stands, thousands of miles away from home, in Lincoln, Nebraska.  My first collegiate soccer game as a DePaul Blue Demon.  At a time I felt doubt creeping in, I saw your smiling face and frantic waves,  “K! K! I’m here!”  That’s a run to the sideline and a hug I’ll always remember.  Thank you for always being there.  

Love,

Karen 

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Dear Dad,                   August 22nd, 2003

I am beyond blessed I found a man to marry with your integrity, humor, and kindness.  You showed me what it looked and sounded like to be treated like a lady.  You walked me down the aisle today, holding my hand and ready to give that hand away to Patrick. You may have held my hand for a short while, but you hold my heart forever. 

Love, 

Karen 

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Dear Dad,                       September 18th, 2010

As I wipe away my tears, watching you hold your first grandson, my heart is full.  You whisper, “Wyatt, look at those soccer legs.”  To know my children have the opportunity to grow up knowing their Papa, means the world to me. 

Love, 

Karen

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Dear Dad,             November 27th, 2019

It might be the game of soccer our family loved and continues to connect around, but it was the game of life you taught me most about.  You gave me the greatest gift anyone could give, you believed in me.  

I now stand on the sideline of the pitch, coaching the boys and cheering them on.  I’ve watched them stop in the middle of a soccer game to visit the sideline for a hug, just like I did. It makes my heart happy knowing the teamwork, positive attitude, perseverance, kindness, and love you taught me, you are now teaching Wyatt and Weston.  Life has come full-circle.

I’ve had many coaches through the years, but it’s your words and wisdom I turn to the most.  

I love you, Dad.

Love, Karen(& your biggest fans, Wyatt & Weston)

Karen Murray

Assistant Principal

Webster Thomas High School

The Game of Life: Letters to Karen 

Dear Karen,                                                     September 1993-1996

We practice in the backyard almost every day, with me in goal.  You are good with your right foot, but I always tell you you have to be good with both feet. And it sure did pay off on the field! I’m always very proud when I hear your name announced before a game and can’t help cheering you on!

Love, 

Dad

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Dear Karen,                                August 29, 1997

I was so excited to fly to the University of Nebraska for your first collegiate soccer game!  Despite the wrong turns I made from the airport to the stadium, I made it in time for a hug before the game. Although DePaul lost today, your team played very hard against a nationally ranked team and even scored a goal!  I spoke with coach Laurie after the game and she told me you had played an outstanding game.  I thought back to the days in the backyard and today it proved once again that all of your hard work paid off. 

Love, 

Dad

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Dear Karen,                   August 22nd, 2003

As we walked hand in hand in toward the gazebo I knew how much I loved you.  Things were going to be somewhat different.  You are marrying a great guy who promised me he would love you and look out for you forever.  A dad can’t ask for a finer son-in-law than Patrick.  Congratulations to the both of you!

Love, 

Dad

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Dear Karen,                       September 18th, 2010

As I hold my first grandson, Wyatt, I think about how much I love him already.  I look at you with a smile and I can tell the love you have for your son.  I am proud to be his Papa. 

Love,

Dad

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Dear Karen,             November 27th, 2019

As I watched you coach Wyatt and Weston’s soccer team this summer, I saw the same dedication and love of the game in you that  I saw through the years.  I taught you not only about the game of soccer, but I believe I taught you about doing the right things in life.  

I know my love for you is something special.  I love you. 

Love, Dad

Chester French

Buildings and Grounds

Webster Central School District

Talk about a wonderful family! I have been blessed to know Karen for many years through my work in the Webster Central School District. More recently, I have worked with her dad and mom and finally gotten to know the boys as well. After meeting to discuss and much deliberation about the visual portion and getting it scheduled, we finally made it happen. It was worth the wait! Thank you to them both and, of course, to the boys for participating with their awesome energy!!!

Please leave a comment for these terrific humans. :)

Family is such a key component in everyone’s lives. It is even a concept we cover as a central theme in our World Language Classrooms. When I ask my students to define the concept of family they almost always start off with the most basic definition of family being a group of people connected by blood that support and nurture each other to grow. But family is so much more. We have the family we are born into that gives us a central part of our identity, but we also have the family we choose in our spouses and our friends that support us and nurture us to grow. I am so blessed to have the family I live with- my husband Mike, my daughter Josie, and my son Zeke. I am equally blessed to have my work family that I fell into 16 years ago when I came to work at Webster Schroeder High School. Both are filled with passionate, smart, creative people who always have my back, support me, challenged me, and continue to push me to be a better person, and for that I am grateful and blessed.  

Leslie Hall

Foreign Language Teacher

Webster Schroeder High School

What a wonderful sentiment and so true for so many of us! I can't thank Leslie and her families enough for participating in this project. Such a coincidence that she's my neighbor through the woods!! Please feel free to leave a comment for Leslie and, as always, thank you for visiting the blog.