The meaning of being a father is very personal to each dad. Some strive to be the protector, the jokester or the rule enforcer. 82-year-old Gordon Bystrom, a Mustang Creek Estates of Frisco resident, just wanted to do one thing for his children: love them. Gordon has led a compelling life. Being born in Oklahoma and raised in Wyoming, he spent much of his childhood in the fresh air. He returned to Oklahoma to attend the University of Tulsa and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in petroleum engineering. While in Tulsa, he met his wife of 53 years, Annetta, in grad school. He has owned his own business, help build churches in the Dallas area and abroad and lived in other countries. Throughout his life, he has helped many, but his family is especially thankful for his commitment to them with his positive attitude, unwavering support and unconditional love. While many think of their dads as the most special one, Gordon’s particular story shares wisdom, hope and courage that current and future fathers should take note of.
“Not long after Annetta and I were married, and I was working at Exxon, I heard of a job opportunity that would require us to relocate to Venezuela in South America,” Gordon said. “So I came home from work during my lunch break, as I usually did, and asked my wife if she wanted to go to Venezuela, and that was all the discussion we had about it. A few days later I was offered the job.”
The Bystroms lived in Venezuela for nine years while Gordon worked for the Exxon-owned company called Creole Petroleum Corporation. While in Venezuela, they returned to the States for his wife to give birth to each of their three children, so that they could be United States citizens. Life in Venezuela was very different from the United States; their neighborhood was built in jungle and wild, potentially harmful animals would often roam the area. Barbed wire and armed security guards in neighborhoods were commonplace. The Bystroms regularly traveled across South America and beyond and took advantage of their unique living situation by making memories together. They traveled to Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Argentina and Barbados, just to name a few.
Another cultural difference they saw in Venezuela was that when children were about to enter sixth grade, it was common for families to send their children away to boarding school. The Bystroms made the decision to move back to America once their oldest child was close to that age, so they wouldn’t have to send them away to boarding school. After returning to Dallas, he began consulting with petroleum engineering software training companies. He eventually owned his own company, called Garrett Computing Systems, later known as Landmark Software, which was purchased by Haliburton when Gordon retired.
“I’d have to say that my proudest moment as a dad is surviving it, but in all seriousness, it’s been a great life,” said Gordon. “My favorite thing about being a dad is having a family of my own and spending time with them. When grandchildren came into the picture, my kids would come to me for advice sometimes, and the biggest piece of advice I would give any father of any age is to just love your kids and be there for them no matter what.”
One constant throughout Gordon’s entire life has been his faith in God, which his parents instilled in him as a child. No matter what point he was at in his life, he strove to spread the message of the Bible. While in Venezuela, he helped build the first Baptist church in his area and cleared out a nearby jungle to make room for the structure. When his family returned to the Dallas area, he helped found two churches: Forest Meadow Baptist Church in Dallas, where he attended with his children, and Lake Ridge Bible Church in Mesquite, where he and his wife were longtime members after their children started their own families.
Gordon’s unconditional love now extends beyond his children to his six grandchildren, of whom two were adopted internationally from China and Korea. These adoptions would not have been possible without Gordon and Annetta’s support. Gordon says he wants the best for his children, and if that meant helping them adopt children of their own, he and his wife were proud to lend their support.
“When I think of my dad, I think of how he lived his life by example,” said his daughter Alisa Robinson of Frisco. “Education was always important to him, but being a good Christian person was more important. The way he raised us has helped me with my two children. He taught me to be a patient parent and to truly listen to my children. He’s one of the smartest people I know, very caring and loves God and his family more than anything.”
Gordon’s story, like that of many other fathers, is still unfinished. He constantly wants to learn more and do more to become a better person. While his children may be grown with families of their own, his legacy as a father and grandfather will remain forever in the lives he touches.