What My Dad Taught Me

Integrity, respect and the perfect martini: Famous Philadelphians on life's biggest lessons.

Photo provided by the subject

Photo provided by the subject

Jesse Rendell, 36, attorney, on Ed Rendell, former governor:
“Growing up, I would watch my father stop and listen to everyone. Homeless people, important people, half-crazy people—he would stop and try to help them all, sometimes even problematically. That’s him at his best. It’s always been about the value behind trying to do things for other people—not just because it comes back around, but because it means something to them. What rubbed off on me is how important it is to try to make everyone feel like they’re important.”


A. Charles “Chuck” Peruto Jr., 61, defense attorney, on A. Charles Peruto Sr., defense attorney:
“It’s easy to remember five things my father taught me, because he passed a sheet out to me several times when I was in law school: 1. Never take a case where you won’t give it everything you got. 2. Treat everyone, including sheriffs and court staff, as you would the judge. 3. Once you’ve made your point, move on. Jurors have lives, too. 4. The facial expressions you make are as important as the words you speak. 5. When the jury gives you more than you would have settled for, shake your opponent’s hand, telling him/her, ‘I’m sorry because I really don’t need that much money, but I’ll take it!’”


Jose Garces, 43, chef, on Jorges Garces, engineer and entrepreneur: “Respect. My dad instilled a strong sense in my brothers and me to respect our elders, to respect ourselves, and to respect others in general.”


Photo provided by the subject

Photo provided by the subject

Patti LaBelle, 72, singer, on Henry Holte, who worked for the railroad: “My father could sing—he’d sing James Moody’s ‘Moody’s Mood for Love’—and I think that’s where I got my love of singing from. And I learned to cook by watching him and my mother in the kitchen. They were both very good cooks. My father was a strong man who endured a lot, and I like to think that I learned how to overcome life’s challenges and setbacks by watching him.”


Photo provided by the subject

Photo provided by the subject

Geneviève Perrier, 42, actress and teacher, on Georges Perrier, chef: “One of the best things my father taught me was that you must be passionate about what you love. You have to have perseverance, to be willing to fail, to take criticism, to change, to continue to learn. He did that all his life. He started working at 14. And it was often a struggle for him to keep going. And that delineated where he was coming from. He taught by tough love. It was frustrating, sometimes, as a child, because I’d be upset about something not going my way, and he would say ‘You don’t think your father had a tough time? You don’t think I had it tough?’ And as a child, it was like, ‘No, I’m talking about me.’ But what he was doing was teaching. I see it so differently now.”


David Lipson, 60, chairman and CEO of Philadelphia magazine, on Herb Lipson, founder of said magazine: “My father taught me to drink. He taught me about using the best ingredients — the best gin, the best vermouth, in a martini. The best glass, and noticing the way it felt in your hand. Everything for him is about the details and the difference
the right details make. It’s how he lives his life.”


Photo provided by the subject

Photo provided by the subject

Maria Papadakis, 31, media personality, on Constantine “Taki” Papadakis, president of Drexel from 1995 until his death in 2009: “There were the Papadakis laws—these were actual laws my dad had engraved for his office in case anyone needed a quick tutorial on the Papadakis Way. I’ve come to truly appreciate many of them. If you can’t beat them, join them. But then beat them. And: Believe in miracles; just don’t try to schedule them. And: Learn from the mistakes of others. You’ll never live long enough to make them all yourself.”


Rich Negrin, 50, attorney, on his father, eulalio José Negrin—an activist for Cuba-U.S. relations who was murdered by an anti-Castro paramilitary group—and his stepfather, Raul Cordero, a warehouse supervisor and pastor: “If you ask about impact, well, my dad taught me to stand on principle—he died for his beliefs, he was so incredibly passionate and committed to getting people their freedom. And the night my dad was killed—murdered in front of me, when I was 13—I remember my stepfather, Raul Cordero, sitting on the floor with me, watching television, wrapping his arms around me, and staying there until I fell asleep. I also remember him making hospital visits, being there for people when they needed help. He taught me compassion in the face of adversity. I had two great fathers who taught me two incredible but very different things: One was a passionate advocacy and belief system, the other a worldview and a mind-set of helping people. Both of those go together, and if I didn’t have one of them, I’d be missing something.”


Photo provided by the subject

Photo provided by the subject

Wilson Goode Jr., 50, four-term City Councilman, on Wilson Goode Sr., the first African-American mayor of Philadelphia: “My father taught me about faith and integrity, to be able to humble myself before God, and to never lie to myself about who I really am. He encouraged me to respect my intellectual ability; he inspired me to lead and serve. He also taught me that public service is an honorable profession even though politics is a rough game.”

Published as “And Now, A Moment for Our Dads” in the June issue of Philadelphia magazine.