Hazel Loretta Allen Udy

Hazel Udy

LIFE STORY OF HAZEL LORETTA ALLEN UDY Written by Hazel A. Udy Compiled by Thomas N. Udy I, Hazel Loretta Allen Udy was born of goodly parents August 31, 1910 in Portage, Box Elder County, Utah. My father was Joseph D. Allen and my mother was Elizabeth Ann Naylor. I was born in a small town east of Portage in Northern Utah. I was blessed by William H. Gibbs, December 4, 1910. I was baptized by John B. Allen on May 3, 1919 in Malad River and was confirmed May 4, 1919. I attended elementary school at Portage, Utah, Bear River High School at Tremonton, Utah and graduated in 1929. I also graduated from Seminary the same year. I was the first girl with two older brothers Joseph Charles and John W. Allen and seven more coming after me namely, Golden Leland, George Laurence, Edna Bernice, Ralph Lavene, Faye Irene, Khalil Leon and Ellis LaVern. We were all born in the same two-room house without a doctor, just a midwife (name given to a nurse who delivered babies). My dad herded sheep and eventually acquired a small herd of his own which gave us ample mutton (meat) as well as the wool. He hand sheared from his sheep and sold the wool to help buy clothes for us. He raised pigs to sufficiently supply another source of meat also milk cows that provided milk, cream and butter. My mother made our own butter from the cream. I remember the big wooden churn and later a gallon glass churn. We took care of everything we raised and ate what we raised. There was no waste. My mother took care of that. She worked very hard bottling fruit and taking care of other food storage processes. We stored food in the basement room. We carried water from a spring by the bucketful for culinary use and mother helped carry water up the little hill, which seemed steep especially if you had a bucket of water in each hand. The water was heated in a tub or a boiler for washing and bathing and a teakettle for cooking purposes. My mother scrubbed on a washboard until we got a washer that was hand operated, each of us would take our turn in turning the wheel. We were so bored and became so tired of this tedious task. We later got a gasoline motor washing machine, a Maytag. I even missed a half-day of school to help my mother and enjoy the new washer. My mother made our own soap to wash with from the fat of pigs. We raised our own wheat and Dad would take it to the gristmill in Malad, Idaho for flour. We had several pounds or sacks of flour for winter. We had a hand separator to separate the milk. After many years, my mother had skimmed cream off milk in pans and churned butter. Now it became easier to have good cream with which to churn and use on the table. The buttermilk was delicious as well as the cottage cheese that she made. Even the headcheese she made from hogs head was very good. All this spelled a lot of hard work for her but she was always happy to be able to supply good food for her children. Dad was always happy to bring in the food to be prepared and he also worked very hard. He used to go out hunting and would bring in wild ducks, sage hens and pine hens. They were so delicious. My mother was such a good cook and planned her meals very well to feed her family. Being the oldest daughter, I learned many of the home making skills. As I mentioned previously, I helped with the washing, even to help my mother use the washboard. Sometimes my finger had blisters on them as I rubbed too hard and too long on certain pieces of clothing, but my mother was very particular with her washing. Every article of clothing had to be clean and white clothes must be white. I also used to make bread even if it did turn out to be a little heavy. But, I could make good cakes and pies. I even did a little sewing. I made my sister Edna a dress. She was happy with it even if it was plain, but it was trimmed with bias binding. Another one was trimmed with ric rac. I helped quilt, not too good but I learned what it was all about and I still enjoy quilting. We were a happy loving family with loving parents, who worked hard to give us a living. We didnt enjoy the comforts of modern living. We didnt have electricity or even water in the house. We used kerosene lamps until 1930. My dad and brothers chopped wood to cook and heat the home. We raised all our own vegetables and meat. We were taught to love one another and to respect authority. We were a happy family. When I was six years of age, I started first grade in the Portage School in Box Elder County, Utah. My first grade teacher was Henritta Kotter, known as Etta Kotter from Brigham City. She was a good teacher and I loved her very much. I loved school very much. I really loved to read and was so proud when I really could read those little books. When I was in the third grade, I always seemed to get ill so much and missed a lot of school. I always had trouble with my tonsils. I had tonsillitis so often, but I never did have my tonsils removed, even to the day of my married years. Even after Darlene was born, I had a sore throat or a bad case of tonsillitis. At any rate, I remained home for sometime, but it seemed that I had to be doing something. Time was not wasted, because I knew we were learning our times tables so I got busy and began studying my times tables. We didnt have any paper to practice on, so I would find brown paper bags and tear them apart. I worked and figured them out with the help of my mother. I never quit till I knew them forwards and backwards. When I went back to school, I raced everyone in the school. I could beat everyone in times table races, except one older student in the upper grades, so I felt I always loved math, spelling and reading. When we had spelling bees, I was always last to stand. I out spelled everyone and when they chose sides, I was always the first to be chosen. It didnt make me feel arrogant, but happy to be among the best. I always liked to be among the top of the class. We always rode a van to school. We lived three miles from school. This van was a wagon affair, but it looked like a carriage with seats running lengthwise of the vehicle. My dad and Joseph Nielsen would take turns every other week to drive the school van. My father took great pride in caring for his horses, which he kept to pull the van. We used to climb out on the back step of the van and run behind. My dad would make the horses trot real fast and make us run to catch up and get back into the van. It was great fun. Many times in the springtime, when the blue bell and yellow buttercup flowers were in bloom, we would get out at the top of the Portage lane and walk into the meadows to pick these flowers, while dad went up north an extra couple of miles to pick up the Nielsen kids. We would take our hands full of flowers to our teachers. When it was cold weather, we rode in a big sleigh. The bottom of the sleigh was covered with straw, and we all would sit down on either side of the sleigh and cover ourselves with blankets and quilts. We would even have a lighted coal oil lantern under the covers to help keep us warm. Sometimes, if it smoked, we would come out from under the covers with dirty faces. We laughed at each other, but it was fun. Sometimes, if we got really cold while traveling to school and would go into the school room and gather around the hot potbellied stove to warm up. It would have adverse affects on us and we would get ill. Many times, I left school and went up to my Aunt Roses house to stay until it was time to go back to school to catch the school bus to go home. Aunt Rose was always so extra good to me. I loved her dearly. She was my dads sister. She always had lots of good food to eat. Many times, I used to stay in town with some of my friends. When I was a young girl, we always had wonderful Thanksgiving dinners. My mother always worked so hard, but the dinners were always so good. At Christmas time, we always had a happy time. In the summer I used to ride horses a lot. I was an expert at riding horses (at least I thought I was), a favorite means of transportation. We lived in what was called East Portage. I used to ride three miles to Portage post office to pick up mail and to get money orders for my mother, who used to order through mail order houses. Also, do errands like mailing letters and doing other little business errands for her. Golden and I used to carry a 5 gallon can of cream on the horse to the train depot so it could be shipped to a creamery in Ogden. One sat in the saddle and the other in back of the first rider. We each held a handle of the 5 gallon can of cream. We even walked and carried a 5 gallon can of cream. He took one handle and I took the other. It seemed like a long hot journey before we reached our destination. We struggled but had the determination to get that cream on the mail train. We walked up to Portage post office to get the mail and as we were coming home we took a shortcut through the fields. In so doing, racing through fences and the wind blowing, we lost some of the mail. It would have to be the cream check, but we didnt know it till we got home. So we all went back and scoured the field, but we couldnt find it. So mother had to write to the creamery to cancel the check. They sent her another one. Mother was always pleased to get these jobs done. She used those cream checks to get our school clothes, etc., to keep the family going. As a small girl, I had long hair. My mother would put it up in rags to make ringlets. Sometimes she would braid it and make pigtails. I guess I didnt look attractive, because one day in school as I sat in front of a boy. He began pulling my pigtails and made me promise not to wear my hair in pigtails anymore. It was a little difficult to beg my mother to not braid my hair anymore without confessing my promise to this boy who sat behind me. As time went on and short hair was becoming the style, I went down to Dewey Thorntons barbershop during my noon hour at school and had my long haircut off for 25 cents. I really felt undressed. The long hair was saved and my mother braided it. I think I still have it in a cedar chest. I attended elementary school in Portage, Box Elder County, Utah. I even attended the 9th grade in Portage. In fact, I went to two years in 9th grade. Mr. Arthur Neeley was my first 9th grade teacher and Evan B. Murray was the 2nd 9th grade teacher. He was an excellent teacher. We all loved him so much. Then the next year Areta Hawks and I roomed together, while Nan Nielsen and her sister Navelle roomed together in the Gleed home in Garland, Utah. We walked a mile each morning and night to and from Bear River High School. Then the next two years, a big school bus was acquired to haul Portage students to Bear River High School. It took us about an hour a day to make the trip, stopping and starting from various stops. One time, I was fooling around as we all did in the bus. It was never a dull moment! Anyway, I had a pretty ring on my finger and Carroll Hall tried to take it from me, so naturally I put up some resistance. I jerked my arm back and it went through a window. I really felt badly about it and did not want my dad to know for fear he would get angry with me. So I coaxed my brother Golden to pay my share, which was half of the bill. He paid it from the money he earned working in the beet field. My dad never did find out about it, except Golden had me over a barrel. Every time I hesitated to jump to his music, he would say, "Ill tell Dad if you dont do as I say." So I had to wait on him for quite awhile till it became an old story. I was about 20 years old when we got electricity. Oh how wonderful it was. To have a fridge to keep the milk cold and ice in the summertime, washing machines to do the hard work, hot irons without a hot fire under them, and flipping a switch for lights. Many years passed even after this that the water was piped into the house for my mother to enjoy, but Im happy that she did have the privilege of turning a tap and getting water without the drudgery of carrying it up the hill. I remember one time, just before Christmas, the class always drew names and exchanged gifts. I drew my brother Johns name. I went down to the store to find a present and saw a small washboard and tub. Oh how I wanted that so. I thought if I bought that for John, he would in turn give it to me. This I did, and Ill never forget how embarrassed and aggravated he was at me. I felt guilty in the long run, but I did get the tub and washboard. I graduated from Bear River High School in the spring, May 1929. The next big step in my life was to attend Weber College in Ogden, Utah. At this time, Weber College was a church school and only a two-year college but it was most wonderful. I wanted to go to college so desperately, but it seemed almost impossible as my parents were having a hard time to make ends meet. The crops had not been to good, but the Lord really blessed me and answered my prayers. My parents took me to Weber College in Ogden to see if I could get started. My dear Uncle Charles and Aunt Ethel Naylor let me live with them for the first year. They were very kind to me. I tried to help as much as I could. Their first child Floyd was born the year that I stayed with them. I got a job as a clerk at Newberry Store (5 and 10 cent store) during a period just before Christmas. I quit so I could go home for Christmas, as I was so homesick. They didnt like it, but I could only think of home. This was a sad year for my brother Ralph. It was also this same fall in October that my brother Ralph had spinal meningitis, which left him deaf. He was 10 years of age. This event played a part in my school life the coming next year. The next year, he attended the Deaf and Blind School in Ogden and I attended Weber College. Anyway, I completed the year and the next fall, my parents took me back to Ogden to get me enrolled in school again. We went to the office of Present Aaron Tracy to see if there might be some way of obtaining a place to work and a place to live. He was so kind and generous as he was to any student who was willing to work. So I obtained a room at the dormitory that was next door to the Weber College and was able to obtain a job at the college. I washed dishes at the cafeteria for my lunch and a little extra money, which helped a great deal. Each weekend, I would go up and get Ralph and take him to a show or to visit Grandpa and Grandma Naylor. He always enjoyed this so much. I graduated from Weber College in May 1931. In the fall of 1931 on my 21st birthday, August 31, I began teaching school in Lucin, Utah (Box Elder County). It was a small railroad town. I only had a few students, two in 2nd grade, two in 4th, one in 5th, one in 6th, and two in 7th grade. They were a bunch of very fine students. I enjoyed my position as a teacher very much. I lived at the home of Roy and Nell Barlow in Lucin. The post office was in their home and Nell was the post mistress. I loved Nell very much, but was a little reluctant to the behavior of Roy. I think he pretended to be someone whom he was not, since his character was a little deceiving somewhat. Nell was so honest, kind and a very loving, intelligent person. While Nell was confined to having her first child Westley, I stayed at the Lucin Hotel, owned by a Spanish family by the name of Ballinghams. The store was owned by Vicinti Erfurga. I paid one dollar a day for my board and room. That doesnt sound like very much but at that time that was a lot of money. It was worth every penny because we had good meals and I had a good bed. It was here in Lucin that I met my husband, Newell Udy. He came to Lucin to work on a road construction project between Lucin and Grouse Creek, Utah. He was foreman of this construction. He hired men from Lucin and Grouse Creek. He lived in the hotel for awhile then moved over to the Barlow home. He stayed in a little home at the rear of the main home and ate his meals with us. I came to know him very well. We dated a few times out in Lucin. After Christmas, I moved over to the hotel as Nell went to Oakley, Utah to have her baby boy, Westley. The next school year, 1932-33, I taught 3rd, 4th and 5th grade in Plymouth School. Edna Reeder taught 1st and 2nd. Mark Jackman, the principal, taught 6th, 7th and 8th grade. I rode the school bus from my home for a while. Then Edna and I rented a room from the Steed family. The next school year, 1933-34, I again accepted the contract to teach in Plymouth. I taught till Christmas and left for California to meet Newell. He had worked up Blacksmith Fork Canyon for a few months in the summer of 1933 and then was transferred to San Jose, California. He was now employed by C.C.C. (a project adopted by the U.S. Government). Newell met me at the Santa Barbara bus station. We were married in Santa Barbara Court House, December 30, 1933. Ebahart Ward, a neighbor of Newells in Riverside, Utah, was witness to our marriage. We lived in Santa Barbara till February. I became very ill with pregnancy, plus being very homesick. As a result, I returned to my home in Utah. I lived with Newells family in Riverside, Utah, and my own home in Portage, Utah, till Newells job was finished and he returned home. We rented a couple of rooms in the old Porter home in Riverside. This is where our first daughter Darlene was born, October 3, 1934. Newell worked combining grain for Karl Welling and in the fall, he worked on the farm for the Nichigushi family in the onions and celery. Newell went to work construction at the Hyrum Dam. We moved to Hyrum, Utah, and lived in one room of a family residence. Darlene had a lot of problems as I was starving her. She was undernourished. We took her to Dr. Burgess in Hyrum. He was a very good doctor and she became well and strong. When Newell finished his job on Hyrum Dam, we moved to Ogden where he worked on Pineview Dam. After a few months, we moved back to Riverside and lived with Newells family for awhile, maybe a few weeks. Newell went to Bear Lake at Garden City, Utah, to work again on construction. We were there only a short time when we came back to Riverside. Again, we had to live with Newells family. Newell bought a small 3 room house from Delose Jensen and a lot from Karl Welling. He gave his precious shotgun to Karl to help pay for the lot. Newell worked real hard to get this little home moved down on our lot. We both worked hard to get this little home ready to move into as time was closing in on us. It was about time for our second daughter DeVonna to be born. It was so bitter cold this day that Newell climbed upon the roof to put up a chimney. I put the bricks in a bucket and he pulled the bucket of bricks up to build the chimney. We finally succeeded, but it was really a cold windy day. On November 1, 1935, we moved into our first home. We were so happy to own our first home. On November 7, 1935 our second daughter DeVonna was born in the Tremonton Hospital. We left Darlene with her Udy grandparents. At this time, Newell went to work for Delose Jensen for one dollar a day hauling manure. We survived even though it was quite difficult. In the spring, he went to work as a truck driver for Fuller and Topance. He delivered merchandise from city to city. In the spring of May 12, 1937, our third little daughter JoAnn was born in the Tremonton Hospital. At this time, Newell began working for the State of Utah. He helped to build the Riverdale road near Ogden. There were other projects to be done, so he moved from place to place. We bought a cheap trailer house. My three little girls and I went with him. We lived in Brigham near the gravel pit and also up Logan Canyon. We would drive back and forth on weekends to our little home in Riverside then up the Canyon for the week. We always stopped in Collingston to pick up a sack full of puffed wheat. We about lived on that. Newell parked the trailer close to where his work was. We just moved from one place to another. We even lived near the Logan sheds. It was quite an experience for the three little girls and me. In the winter months, we moved it to Wellsville. Newell worked on Sardine Canyon road. It was during this time that DeVonna got rheumatic fever. We about lost her. She was a very sick little girl. But through the blessings of being able to get a good doctor and our faith and prayers, she pulled through. When it got too cold and too much snow, we moved back to our home in Riverside. Newell traveled back and forth to push snow through Sardine Canyon. If it was too difficult for him to travel, he stayed up in the sheds at the top of Sardine Canyon. Then, just before our first son Thomas was born, he went to work at Newton Dam as a security guard. Tom was born March 28, 1942 at Mrs. Rhodes Maternity home in Garland, Utah. We both had a rough time, but she was very nice to us and took good care of us. Newell was so proud of Tom that he went to the store and bought a small pair of blue bib overalls for him when he was only a few hours old. Everyone got quite a chuckle out of this. He informed me, I was not to sew for Tom as I did for my three little girls. The same story held for our second son Calvin, who was born in Logan Hospital November 29, 1944. It was really cold and the roads were very icy as we drove to the hospital. Our car wasnt in too good of running order, so Newell borrowed Gene Munns car. We were thankful for that. Newell was working at the sugar factory in Garland at the time. The following spring, we rented a farm from John J. Shumway and rented a home from Mr. Thayne and moved into his house in Garland. It was here that Newell had a runaway with the horses, while he was raking hay. He was lucky to get out of this alive. He injured his leg quite badly and was laid up for awhile. He planted many acres of beets and secured a boy, John Grundy from the industrial school. He came to live with us to help do the farm work. We also had dairy cows. There was a lot of work to do. In the fall of 1945, Newell had a big acreage of beets and this is the year that the German prisoners were being sent around to help the farmers. They relayed them from place to place. They harvested about 10 acres for us then went someplace else. By the time they got back to us, the rest of the beets were frozen in the ground. Many people turned out with their teams and tractors and worked really hard to get what beets they could. They had to leave about 12 acres in the ground, which were too difficult to harvest. It was on Thanksgiving and they worked all day. I had a big Thanksgiving dinner ready and my folks were there, but we waited all day for Newell and John Grundy to come in. So it happened that none of us really enjoyed it. But we were most grateful to salvage what beets we could. We lost a lot of money, but it was a dear experience. In 1947, we moved to Smithfield, Utah, and lived on the farm of Jim Wise. We had hoped to buy it from him, but it seemed that failure was our destiny again. We had dairy cows as well as a herd of pigs to care for. We enjoyed living in the Third Ward in Smithfield. We were very active in the ward. Newell was in the Elders Presidency and I was in the Primary Presidency. We worked with a lot of wonderful people. We even had a temple club. We attended the Logan Temple quite regularly. Times became very difficult and Newell went up Logan Canyon to push snow. Tom and I went out to do the milking and take care of the chores. It was really hard but we made it. In 1950, Newell started to work for Smithfield City on road maintenance. We bought a home in Smithfield City and moved down there just before Dorothy was born. She was born October 24, 1950. Newell was working for the sheriffs department at this time until they hired someone permanently. Then, he went back to road maintenance. We also had dairy cows, which took a lot of extra work to take care of. I always loved to go visit my father and mother and help them out as much as I could when my family was young, even from Darlene down to Dorothy. When Dorothy was really young, we would go over to my mothers place to help her do her washing, ironing and cleaning of the house. We always liked to go shopping, either to Malad, Idaho or Tremonton, Utah. They also liked to shop at Pecks store on the highway toward Riverside. Newell and the older three girls, Darlene, DeVonna and JoAnn would take care of the house and assist Tommy and Calvin in their needs to get ready for school. My three girls were very good to help me. They practically raised Dorothy, especially when I had a bad sick spell. I couldnt walk. I had some kind of blood poisoning as a result of strep throat. They worked hard in the bean patch and corn patch to get money to buy their own school clothes. The girls were also active in school and church. It was while we lived in Smithfield 2nd Ward that Newell and the girls practically did all my canning that fall, tomatoes, tomato juice, peaches and pears. Those little girls worked hard trying to please their dad and me. I worked in the pea and corn factory to help out. They allowed me to put my leg on a stool to keep it elevated while I sorted corn. We enjoyed the Second Ward in Smithfield. We belonged to a dance club and did a lot of square dancing with a group. Darlene and Vaun got married in the Logan Temple on December 13, 1951. It was a very cold day and the roads were so icy. In 1952, we moved to Amalga on the church farm. Newell worked real hard on the dairy farm as well as out in the fields. Little Tom and Cal worked as hard as little boys could to help out. We were also active in the church. I was the Sunday School teacher to an adult class, which was very challenging since the majority of the class was college students. I also taught in the MIA. Newell was active in scout work. He worked on a Stake basis as an Explorer leader. We continued to go to the temple, but not as frequent because we couldnt get away. It was in Amalga that DeVonna married Glade Bullen. He then went in the Army to California. DeVonna lived with us and later went to California where Rodney was born. Glade had to go overseas to Korea, so DeVonna and Rodney came back to live with us. Darlene and Vaun were living in our home in Smithfield. We had a horrible tragedy of having Glade killed while enroute home from Korea. The plane crashed in Hawaii on Diamond Mountain. We had his viewing in our home in Amalga. We were also planning on leaving Amalga as our work mission was over. We had served our 3 years. Newell went to Salt Lake to work for Lang Construction Company and lived with Vaudis till we found a home. We finally located on 3739 South 200 East, Salt Lake City and moved our family there. Vaun and Darlene also moved to Salt Lake City and Vaun worked for Dan Allred. Again, we continued to work in the church. I was called to be a counselor in Primary with Edna Lindquist as President. Then, I went to counselor in Relief Society with Mary Phillips as President. Later, I was called to be President of Relief Society and served for four and one half years. Newell was still active in scouting. We were called to serve as stake missionaries. Then he was released and called to be counselor in the Valley Center Second Ward bishopric and over the stake farm for our Ward in Millcreek Stake. I continued to work with two young girls as a stake missionary. Newell still worked for Lang Construction Company and I worked in a pickle factory. Finally, Lang went broke, so Newell was out of a job. He went to work for Allen Steel Company and had a accident that tore his shoulder muscles, which required an operation. He later became custodian for the Millcreek Stake House, which also served Valley Center 1st and 2nd Wards. He also started driving bus for Granite School District. Arlene Spendlove and I decided to go back to school at the University of Utah. I was already doing substitute teacher work in Granite District for many schools. But we toiled on and I finally graduated in June 1963. I taught at Madison Elementary School for one year before I graduated. Then I became a fully fledged teacher. I taught 4th and 5th, 5th, 5th and 6th then 6th. It was a good school with a good Principal, Blaine Wasden. Newell was still driving bus and he drove our class as well as many other classes on field trips. We really enjoyed them. He then quit the custodian job at church and was employed as a security guard for Granite School District. He also did custodian work here. I used to help him a lot at both jobs. It really wasnt an easy job. Newell finally retired from the district and went to remodeling two or three old homes that he had purchased to rent out. While we were in Salt Lake City, DeVonna married Dale Rindlisbacher, JoAnn married James Hansen, Tom married Barbara Nelson, Calvin married Carol Wheeler and Dorothy married James Oswald. So we were left alone. In 1975, I retired and we were called on a mission. We entered the mission home in Salt Lake City November 1, 1975. James R. Clegg was Stake President and set us apart as missionaries. Bishop Norman was our Bishop. Avelene Bennion was Relief Society President. We served in Paris, Tennessee till July 1977. It was great and we helped to get a church building for the members to have a place to meet. Our home served as the church house till we were able to move into the church building, just one month before our mission was over. In October 1976, while we were there, we had the pleasure of having Darlene, Dorothy, Kimberly, JoAnn and Ivaloo came to visit us. Later, Vaudis, Grant, Delose and Phyllis drove down. In November 1976, Tom flew down from Indianapolis, Indiana to visit us. We took him to Nashville to catch his plane home. We arrived back home in July 1977. Our dear son Calvin flew down to help drive the truck back full of furniture that we purchased while in Tennessee. The family had a big party for us when we arrived. It was great to be home. In August, we flew to Hawaii to visit Steve and JoLynn Harrison as they were planning on leaving Hawaii. Steve had been employed on the Hawaiian Temple. In October 1977, Newell had a bladder operation. When he recovered he went back to work in the temple. I was called back as counselor in Relief Society to Avelene Bennion. In March 1978, we purchased our home in Centerville and moved there in May 1978. We still traveled back to Salt Lake for awhile to church, and then finally broke off. I was called to be Spiritual Living teacher in Relief Society, September 1978. I served for one and one half years, till they made the change in the new program and I asked to be released. I started working in extraction work and Im still doing it in 1983 and enjoying it. Im also a Relief Society visiting teacher. Newell still had the position as temple worker and he had an eye operation in 1980 that slowed him down. Things went from bad to worse and he just didnt feel well, so he took a leave of absence. I dont know if hell ever return. I would like to have us both return to the temple. I love my Heavenly Father He has been good to us and blessed us greatly. I do have a testimony of the Gospel and I know it is true. One of the big decisions in our life was to purchase a new home and leave our good old home. We purchased our home in Centerville March 1978 and moved in May 1978. We dearly love our new home and the 11th Ward in Centerville South Stake and all the nice friends we have here. We had to give a talk in church October 1978. Ivaloo, Leon, Rodney and Lynda also attended. I was asked by the Bishop to teach the Spiritual Living lesson in Relief Society. I have given these lessons for 1 12 years. Now come March 2, 1980 there is a big transition in the LDS Church program. All meetings will be held at one visit to the church beginning at 1 oclock and ending at 4 oclock. We wont be attending our meetings, as Dad has to bless Dorothy and Jims baby Ashley Dana. Then the following Sunday, he will be confirming Rebecca (Becky) after her baptism by her Grandpa Wheeler. On the following Sunday, March 16, 1980, we will be attending the homecoming of our grandson, Kelly Rindlisbacher returning from his mission in Washington. I have served as a visiting teacher with Connie Cox. Now, she is planning on moving into a new home, so I dont know who my new partner will be. I have been assigned to have Sister Ruth Smith as my partner. She is a very nice lady, very intelligent and religious (a returned missionary). This September 1980, I was called into the Stake Presidents office and was given the position of Genealogy correction of cards, after they have been extracted from the films. On June 26, 1981, my brother Leon, Ivaloo, Newell and I went to Logan, Utah to attend the Logan Temple. We went two sessions. Newell and I knelt at the altar as Adam and Eve. This was a wonderful experience. In a way we felt that we were celebrating our temple anniversary, as we were sealed on June 28th, 1935. Darlene was our baby and Ill always remember how beautiful she looked as they brought her to the altar to be sealed to us. We stayed at the Western Lamplighter Motel. We went down to Dees Hamburger to have something to eat. DeVonna and Connie came with us. Newell and Connie went swimming till late at night. The next morning, we went across the street to the Hughes Restaurant and had breakfast. Then, we went and visited JoAnn while she was working at the Budge Clinic. After, we went to Smithfield and visited Douglas, Nita and family for the rest of the afternoon. On this November 1, 1981, we have been reminiscing about six years ago to the day. November 1, 1975, Newell and I entered the mission home in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was really a hectic day as I remember. It seemed that we had so very much to do the last minute. Newell had spent so much time on the house he was remodeling on 10th West, across the street from the Utah State fairgrounds. Even the day before we chased all over town trying to find the right kind of sink that would be suitable and would pass the city code. We went back to Samons and behold they had just what we were looking for. It had come in only 15 or 20 minutes before we arrived. The Lord was good to us and blessed us as we did get it in and Okayed. Then, that evening, Halloween night, we were set apart by President Clegg. Some of our family was there, for which we were very happy. The next day on November 1, Dorothy came down from Bountiful and did my hair. Dale and DeVonna stayed with us helping to get the house in order and everything put away. Vaudis came and packed our clothes, etc., to leave. Tom went and got pills for me for my asthma. Finally, we left packed to the hilts, only to have Vaun and Darlene come up and take the car back to their place as we were told, it wasnt really safe to park it in the parking lot. It was great after we got settled, a lot of work and sitting and studying. Newell got so tired he even complained of lumps on his back, but it was great! Then, November 6, we took off for Paris Tennessee. We stayed in a motel in Evanston, Wyoming the first night and in Colorado the next. Another great event on this day, November 1, 1935. We moved into our first owned home in Riverside, Utah, Box Elder County, just one week before DeVonna was born. It was so cold. The day before we moved in, Newell was on top of the house laying bricks for the chimney. I was down below putting bricks in a bucket and he would pull them up. It was so cold. The wind was bitter cold. Just a great day to remember. We even called Frank and Jewel Ward tonight. Our very dear friends and converts to the church in Paris, Tennessee. We love them dearly. On the weekend of April 3, 4, and 5 1982, Dale, DeVonna and Connie came down and visited with us and listened to Conference. On Friday night, I went down to Salt Lake with them. Dale attended his meeting and we shopped. We also listened to Eugene Jelisnik pop concert in ZCMI Mall. After, we went back to the tabernacle in time to pick Dale up and come home. It was quite chilly, but we really enjoyed it. On Saturday, April 11, 1982, Newell and I went to Salt Lake to the University Center to see the production, "Behold the Lamb of God." Calvin, Carol, Ivaloo and Leon took us with them. Cal drove our car. We had a delightful evening. Newell was in a lot of misery as his legs were sore and miserable. Nevertheless, we did enjoy ourselves. Then, on Easter Sunday we went up to Calvin and Carols place for dinner. We enjoyed that very much. The dinner was delicious. On Monday, Newell went to Dr. Lower and on Tuesday he went to the hospital and had the sores operated on. They are mighty sore. He is really suffering from his sore tender legs. Our special celebration holidays were on Thanksgiving and Christmas. When our families would come to our home for this occasion. We used to put a big long table in the front room and gather around it, eat and have fun, laughing and talking together. At Christmas time, we would exchange gifts, eat and have a very enjoyable time. I remember one special occasion when we had a birthday dinner for Dad and Jim Oswald. As their birthday came the same day, January 6. We all sang to Dad, then to Jim. It was so glorious to have the family together for such a special occasion._