On Friday, 8 February 2002 mom celebrated her 75th birthday and we shared some of our memories with her. These are the memories we shared from Doug, Valerie, Nicole, Andrew, Matthew, Savannah.

Doug and Memories of Mom:
8 February 2002

I think the earliest memory I have of mom is of my fifth birthday. It must have been one of my first “friend” parties. We were still living in the little house on Redding Hill Way. Mom of course had planned out everything in great detail. It was a pirate party and we even had the special treasure hunt with the authentic pirate map. It required great “skill” to search out each of the clues on the map to ensure that we dug up the buried treasure. After we finished with the buried treasure, we had the pirate ship cake. I still can picture the wooden Pirate ship on top of the cake.

Mom has been a driving force in our family for as long as I can remember. She must have been given the responsibility early on to ensure that everything was planned out. I remember growing up with parties that were planned out in great detail. I can still picture the back yard laid out just right with tables all decorated for a great feast. I have no idea how many people came to these dinners, but I still remember looking at the Japanese lights hanging around the back yard. I’m sure mom has entertained many hundreds of times if not thousands, and has enjoyed them all.

The effort and planning extended to all aspects of our lives. I remember Christmas mornings with everybody getting new pairs of pajamas. I know that those things just don’t just happen: they require great planning.

I even remember all the planning to get us to sing the song from Mary Popins: SuperCalleFrajulisticExpealleDosious. I know that I don’t remember all the parts that we sang back then, but I still remember many of the verses. Again, the importance in planning helped pull the whole act together. I know it was the love of music I received while growing up in our house that set the stage for the importance I place on music in my house today.

I remember hot bread out of the oven, milk and chocolate chip cookies or ginger snaps or peanut butter – all hot out of the oven. I remember canning peaches and what a pain it was, but I still remember the great cold peaches I would get from the refrigerator on hot summer days after school.

I remember you always made it a point to take me driving on some errand so I would be prepared to get my drivers license, when I’m sure there were other things that could have taken precedence. I’m quite certain you were really the one who earned “my” Eagle award, and even though it was dad that wielded the sword of justice when I did things unfitting, I am also quite sure that you told him which hand to swat! I probably even deserved some of them.

Yes, we might joke about the plan, the plan, the plan, but I know that without the plan, some of those great summers in Panguitch or Zion’s or up on the Skunk Railroad would not have been a reality.

Thanks mom for all the effort throughout the years.

Valerie Remembers Dad:

Nicole remembers Grandpa:

Andrew Remembers Grandpa:

Matthew Remembers Grandpa:

Savannah Remembers Grandpa: