I'm now going to say a couple of nice things about my father...
Even in those days he provided for his family (although mom also worked once I [the youngest by 5 years] started school), more than can be said of his own father who was a skilled machinist. Dad was a high school dropout (if he even made it to HS), went back and got his GED. He worked many menial/hard labor jobs (oil platforms to river barges, then working under other grandfather [mom's father] painting houses). He retired as a self-employed sheetrock finisher/painter, known in local community as being very trustworthy and very good at what he does, popular especially among the well-to-do's. A lazy person he has never been.
Also, give him a weekend alone in the bayous in his canoe with just a tent and sleeping bag, his dog (at the time) and his .22 and he'll come back with interesting stories. If there was ever a situation that he'd have to live off the land in the primitive outdoors, he could quickly adapt. And it's obvious that I admire the way he takes care of himself and his current physical fitness as an elderly man. His grandmother lived to be just shy of 100, I guess that's what he's shooting for.