My father died almost 9 years ago (30th June 2010) and I've really blossomed since he's been gone. I've achieved more in the last 9 years than I did for the entire 31 years I knew him. Our personalities clashed in a very big way while he was alive - if he didn't get his way immediately then he'd get angry and a*usive with me, even if it was beyond my control and I was scared of him for my entire childhood. Even as an adult I felt the same way about him and every time I talked to him on the phone or in person, it was always "my way or the highway".

He didn't pay a penny towards our wedding but still made his father of the bride speech totally uninvited.

Same with the house. Not a penny towards the mortgage but insisted on redecorating our living room in his choice of colour and his choice of carpet. Then he decided to redecorate the walls at the sides of the stairs but he died before he managed to replace the decoration, so we've been left with that expense too now.

He a*used me my entire life and I'm sure he did to my mum too, but we were both too scared of him to leave him.

I know this is supposed to be a memorial page, but I only have negative memories of my father, unfortunately.