B. David Bisset was my father, James W. Bissetโs, brother. The two were born nine years apart, so by the time โJimโ came along โDaveโ was well into his own life. It was those circumstances that shaped their relationship into one that was never especially close.
My earliest memories of my fatherโs brother date back to when I was 8 years old. That's when Uncle Dave, his wife, Irene, and their three children, Dave, Jim and Karen, traveled from their Radford, VA home to Buffalo as part of their summer vacation.
I had never met any of them, so we had no real connection. Yet, Uncle Dave changed that from the moment he walked in our house and began revealing his plans for their week-long stay: trips to the Buffalo Zoo, both Fantasy Island AND Crystal Beach and an afternoon at the movies.
For a latch-key kid of working parents, rearranging a segment of my traditional "day camp" summer into a combination of family and fun was beyond my comprehension. And as I quickly learned, it was a dream experience---one to which I looked forward every few years when the Virginia Bisset Clan returned.
One of the reasons my uncle was so devoted to family fun was that it was, quite literally, his job. He was the Director of Recreation for the City of Radford. Creating enjoyment for people of all ages was part of his DNA.
My father, however, never seemed to know quite what to make of his brotherโs work. โRec Directorโ didnโt fit his idea of a profession, and, thus, he never gave it the credit it deserved.
The irony is that the work my father never fully valued led the City of Radford to honor his brother in a lasting way: with a 57-acre park set on the New River which, in 1975 they dedicated as Bisset Park.
The official proclamation noted that the dedication recognized Dave Bisset not merely for working in the Recreation Department, but. "... for helping to shape and oversee the development of parks and recreation throughout the City of Radford."
Since its dedication, Bisset Park has become the realization of Uncle Daveโs lifelong commitment to creating places and spaces for people of all ages to enjoy games, picnics and special moments---the kind of fun he spent his life making possible for so many individuals, groups and familiesโincluding his own.
This week, Uncle Daveโs elder son, Dave, sent me a poster of Radfordโs โ250th Fourth of Julyโ Celebration. Like many American cities, towns, villages and hamlets, their list of events included food trucks, vendors, music, games and fireworks.
Yet, for my nickel, it was the location of the red, white and blue event that made it extra special-- within the beauty and welcome of Bisset Park.
On the Fourth of Julyโor any dayโthere simply couldnโt be a better tribute to B. David Bisset, the man I was blessed to call my uncle.