November 28, 1994 Orem, Utah

Dearest John & Julianna; Roy, Patrice, Emily, Timothy & Jesse; Bob, Claire, Michael, Laura, Brett & Katie; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Barbara Jean & Mary Ann; and Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie, Russell, LeeAnna & Jimmy:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ANNIE THIS SATURDAY!!! I know that with your family of good cooks you will have a special birthday cake and a special birthday. I have many friends who have lived and reared their children in the same town all their lives - when I think of when you were born and all the MANY places we have lived and the different schools you have attended it is remarkable that you survived let alone survived so outstandingly (is that a word?).

Wow this has been SOME week!!! I couldn't settle down to doing anything on Monday so I called Jeannie to see if she could ride to Brigham City with me. I left here about 10 clock and picked her up and we went directly to Dee & Judys' home. Their daughter Annette and her children were there but Judy was at the mortuary with some of her sons and sons in law. We had taken some little goodies so we visited with Annette for a few minutes and then went to find Judy. She was doing really well considering the shock. She told us that she thought Dee was breathing differently about 11 o'clock Sunday night and when she couldn't arouse him she called the ambulance. By the time they got him to the hospital he was brain dead and since he didn't want any life support system used he died about midnight.

Ann took me up to Brigham City on Tuesday for the viewing and Bob came also even though he had had two emergency cases to attend to. We stayed for the viewing until it was almost over and I enjoyed becoming acquainted with Dee & Judys' children and grandchildren - I have never been able to get the last three straight and I finally did that night. I enjoyed seeing some of my friends there too but there were a lot of people I didn't know. We didn't get home until late and Ann had a lot of food preparation to do for their trip to Jerome the next day - I felt bad for her.

Wednesday, I met John at his office bad we drove to Brigham City for the funeral and Jeannie came up from Farmington. It was a very nice funeral but it was quite long - six speakers!!! It didn't start until 3 o'clock so by the time we got to the cemetery it was starting to get dark and it was VERY cold. Dee had a military funeral because of his service in the Korean war and his youngest son, Drake, is in the service now so he was allowed to present the flag to Judy - that was special!!!

John took me to Maddox's for dinner and it was WONDERFUL. Jeannie couldn't go with us because she had to get home. Don and Cheryl and their children also went there so we had fun visiting and being together. Don had spoken at the funeral and he did a great job.

Roy and Patrice sent a gorgeous arrangement of flowers. They didn't have many flowers so it was GREATLY APPRECIATED and they added so much at the viewing and also at the funeral. I AM VERY PROUD OF MY FAMILY AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

I absolutely couldn't believe it yesterday when Carol called and she asked me all about my Thanksgiving - I told her about Dee and we visited for a little while and then she said, "Elle left me about noon today". I was just stunned - I knew Elly had leukemia but I had no idea he was that sick. I had talked to Carol Ann two weeks ago and she said it was just a matter of time but I was thinking he would last a year or so. Carol & Elly had sold their Manti home and they had moved in with their son Jim and his wife Kaylene in Manti - they run the pharmacy and flower shop now.

John & Julianna said they would come over last night while the Woolleys were here so they could give them their Christmas presents. When they got here I told them about Uncle Elly but I said I wasn't going to call Roy & Patrice because they couldn't come and they had done so much for Dee's funeral. John insisted that you would want to know so he called you. It was so funny because I had just talked to Patrice a little while before Carol called me.

Bob is going to Mexico on Thursday for his humanitarian mission again and Claire is going to take the children and go to California to visit her brother so they won't be able to go to the funeral. Jeanie is in charge of their ward Christmas dinner on Friday and she is doing ALL the food except for the meat and the dessert and they're planning on 180 people. She said she would try to go but I'm hoping she will stay home because she also has to work four days this week.

John & Ann & I will go down early on Thursday so we will be there for the viewing and then the funeral that starts at noon. We will need to come straight home because John & Ann are going to the "Houseboat Meeting" in Salt Lake Thursday night. Bob Carling, one of the houseboat owners, backed into the sewage dock and did $24,000 worth of damage to the Milky Way - I guess one of the motors even sunk into the water. The manager of the Milky Way has planned this emergency meeting.

WE HAD A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING AT THE BOB MELLOR'S HOME. Bob had cooked the turkey to go with all the trimmings that Claire had prepared before going skiing with their children. Jean & Rick and their children had also gone skiing at Snow Basin. John & Julianna & I visited with Bob for about an hour before the skiers came and then we all ate about 5:30 and it was just DELICIOUS. It was so much fun to be together and I LOVED IT. Their home is beautiful and all their Christmas lights were on and we enjoyed hearing Michael play his tuba - he has just started playing it in their school band and he is GOOD. We also enjoyed "Howard", their parrot who doesn't even have to be in a cage anymore - his wings are clipped so he can't fly.

We REALLY have a lot of snow and I LOVE it. It is so wonderful to live in this neighborhood - my driveway and walks were all shoveled by the time I got up this morning. They have all the deacons in the ward assigned to different homes and I don't know who does mine but he does a good job.

Christmas will be here before we know it. I can't believe how fast the time flies by.

EMILY & TIMOTHY WILL BE IN CHARGE OF DRAWING NAMES FOR THE COUSINS' GIFT EXCHANGE. Patrice said yesterday they would do this and let everyone know who drew whose name so you should be hearing pretty soon. I was SO happy to have them offer to do this - I just wish they could be here for the Christmas party. Ann & Ron have offered to have the Christmas Eve Party at their home this year. I would like to have everyone come here for dinner quite early in the afternoon - I would cook a large turkey and then we could go to the Woolleys for sledding, turkey sandwiches and dessert in the late afternoon. HOW DOES THAT SOUND???

Patrice's Mom, Suzie, will be moving to Little Rock pretty soon if all goes well with the sale of her home in Connecticut and the home in Little Rock gets ready. I am SO thrilled for all of them and especially for Emily, Timothy & Jesse - what a wonderful thing for them to have such a special Grandmother so close by. I know what it means to me to have some of my grandchildren fairly close so I am thrilled for Suzie too. She will LOVE Little Rock.

December is getting jam packed with activities - I hope I can keep up!!!

I love each one of you so very much. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Let me know how I can help you.
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