February 28, 1995 Orem, Utah
Dearest John & Julianna; Roy, Patrice, Emily, Timothy & Jesse; Bob, Claire, Michael, Laura, Brett & Katie; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Barbara Jean, Mary Ann & Sarah; and Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie, Russell, LeeAnna & Jimmy:
CONGRATULATIONS TO SUSANNA & RUSSELL!!! I always check the honor roll lists that are published of the schools in this area and last week Susanna's name was on it for Timpview and this week, Russell's name was on it for Farrer. Sometimes my grandchildren make the honor roll and sometimes they don't and THAT'S OKAY!!! The important thing is that you do your very best and I'm proud of you if you make the list and if you don't.
EMILY - I HOPE YOUR CHICKEN POXES ARE ABOUT ALL GONE. I wish I were closer so I could make you a "chicken pox" cake. I hope Timothy and Jesse both get it so they will be immune for the rest of their lives. I will never forget how sick the missionary was when he got them at age 20 FROM RUSSELL. He would have had them sometime in his life anyway but I had no idea it was that hard on older people.
I didn't get to write my letter yesterday. When I received the calling to work in Relief Society, my very first reaction was, "Oh no, I will have to be on duty for the funerals in our ward". We have been lucky to have served for over a year and no one has died but our luck ran out.
Last Thursday morning I was vacuuming early because I had shampooed the carpets the day before and all my chairs and things were in the entrance hall. I decided to get everything put back in place before I "got ready for the day". I looked absolutely frightful and because of the noise of the vacuum, I didn't hear the sirens of the police cars and ambulance. One of the neighbors finally came over to tell me that my neighbor to the East, Keith Smith, had died. His wife, Vontella, had found him dead when she awakened and they said he had been gone for about three hours - it was about 7:30 when I got over there. Vonnie was very upset so I stayed with her for a LONG time.
I have spent a lot of time on the phone - the people in the ward are SO good about wanting to help. I have cooked a lot because they have had a lot of company. They have one daughter who lives in Springville - about 20 miles away - another daughter living in Idaho, a son in Indiana and another son in Chicago.
They had the funeral yesterday and the Relief Society served the most delicious luncheon. We decided against the ordinary ham and funeral potato menu and served all different kinds of casseroles, fruit set salads, green salads, rolls and brownies. After the luncheon the family asked for me to meet with them and the Bishop to make some plans for Vonnie. That was a sad meeting and I learned SO MUCH!!! Their oldest son who lives in Chicago is in charge of all the finances - their next son didn't say one word and their two daughters disagreed on EVERYTHING. Keith had made arrangements with a back here in Orem to handle Vonnie's personal finances - THAT WOULD HAVE MADE ME SO ANGRY!!! The bank will pay all her utilities and things like that and then giver her a certain amount to manage. She is very handicapped but many of her problems could improve is she has the desire - the biggest problem is that she is almost blind. She's only 68 years old!!!
The viewing was on Sunday night and I APPRECIATE SO VERY MUCH THE SUPPORT I RECEIVED FROM ANN, JOHN AND JULIANNA. Keith was buried in the Lehi cemetery and the Wing mortuary handled everything - it would have been very difficult to go over there by myself. I had to go to a Relief Society meeting at 7 o'clock and I left that at 7:30 and Ann, John & Julianna met me here and we got to the mortuary about 8 o'clock. We also stopped to pick up Lucille Webb in Lehi. We didn't even leave the mortuary until 9 o'clock so it was an all evening affair.
I had such a FUN time on Sunday afternoon. Bob and Claire and their children went to the farm and invited me to join them. I LOVED it - the children and I flew kites and Bob flew his airplane. It is absolutely unbelievable to me that he can do that - it didn't crash one time!!! He let Michael and Brett do the controls and of course they loved that. The farm is in such good condition - I REALLY love it over there. I was disappointed because our flat bed trailer and fishing boat were gone. I go over there quite often but I can't open the gate so I haven't seen them for a long time. I called Stan Lewis who runs the farm for me and he said he put the boat in a safer place and he "thinks" the trailer was put some place too. He has other men working for him so he had them do it. He is going to call me today to tell me if he has found it and if it is over there do you think it would be a good idea to bring that and the boat over here and put them down on my garden spot? That is such a handy thing to have. I would need some help in doing that.
Jeannie - I have tried to call you several times. The only way I communicate with most people is by way of my answering machine - I LOVE that thing!!! I believe Ann is getting better in taking the messages from theirs. I hope your basement project is proceeding like you want it to - I'm SO excited for you.
Roy - thanks SO much for your phone call. It was good to talk to you too Patrice and to hear the children in the background. Emily is still so grown up - she's like talking to one of my friends. I AM GOING TO LITTLE ROCK March 30th and will come home April 5th. I will enjoy a "little" open house and that is SO SWEET of you to offer to do that for me. I'll send you a list of friends to invite really soon and I'll keep it small. I want most of all to just be with the children and it will help to not feel obligated to go see people. I would love to go to church with you on Sunday if that's okay. That is our General Conference weekend and I can read the talks that will be given.