Publisher's Synopsis
Wally "Gator" Inman August 27, 1923 - April 12, 2013 A man of integrity... A man of character... A man of honor... A man of loyalty... A man of commitment... A man of convictions... Humble, self-effacing Willing to help all who simply ask... Early childhood in Mt. Airy, on a farm. He loved "Boss" his Pit Bull, and his Guinea chicks that his sister's cat kept killing... Moved to St. Pete around 1932, with his mother... Went to St. Pete HS... Given HS diploma in December 1941, a semester early, as he joined the Marines on January 6th, 1942. Met Mom downtown by the pier, driving by in his mom's 1939 LaSalle Cadillac... She was on a bench, Dad flirted, and Mom waved back. Dad's War stories... All the fish dinners... Dad was one of the best "Hand Spear" fishermen to ever grace Tampa Bay... We ate fish all the time, because Dad almost always caught fish when he went after them... Boating... So much so, that in the 60's, Dad built a boat... Dog Track / Queenie... Dad loved the dogs. He loved the dogs we had in the yard, especially his favorite Pit Bull, "Rosie." And he loved those dumb dogs that run around in circles, especially "Queenie." Dad truly cared for those dogs... Dad always had Great friends... I only realized later... That was because he was a great friend to others... We could talk all day about the stories Dad has with his two best friends, Bill Kramer, and Dick White... Dad talked about his friends a lot, and how he missed being with them... Dad had four great loves of his life: 1- Mom / His children, 2- Fishing, 3- Dogs/Dog Track, 4- His life's work, providing for his family. A teacher... To all who chose to pay attention... When Dad caught his kids doing something they shouldn't have been doing... He led from a position of truth... He didn't tell his kids to not do something that he was doing! Dad showed us how to live... And one Friday, he showed us how to die... Dad was my Hero...
