November 6, 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:

We just finished our presidency meeting - we have a funeral to take care of tomorrow and you can't imagine all that involves. The man who died has had Alzheimer Disease for about five years and has been in a special home for the past two years so it is a very real blessing for him to go. They have a big family and they are coming from all over - they want us to plan to feed 100. We will go over tonight to set up the tables and get things ready and then go again in the morning - the services start at 11 a.m. and we will serve right after because the burial is going to be in Ogden. His name is Von Curtis and they used to live in Harper Ward which is right by Brigham City - he and my brother Dee worked together in the Scouting Program.

I have such a sad thing to record in my letter. My dearest friends in all the world had a granddaughter who was killed last Thursday in an automobile accident. The accident was reported in our local paper here because it happened in Mona which is between here and Nephi. The young woman and her mother (Ellen Mae and Mels' daughter-in-law) were traveling to Las Vegas to attend a Soccer Tournament. The girl's boy friend was playing in a championship tournament and they were going to watch it. She was driving and she must have fallen asleep - they have said they thought a wheel was loose.

Ellen Mae called me on Saturday morning and she could hardly talk. I had seen it in the paper but was hoping against hope that it wasn't the Mannings I knew. They are devastated - she was a beautiful young woman - 18 years old. We have only had three funerals to take care of since I have been Relief Society President and wouldn't you know this one would be on the very same day as that one. I will go tonight and help set up and then drive to Bountiful and go to Jennifer's viewing and then come home. I will stay at the funeral here tomorrow until 12:15 and then drive to Centerville for the funeral at 1:30. This is the young woman whose little brother fell off a cliff while they were at Lake Powell - he is still having restructuring facial surgery and doesn't have any teeth on one side of his mouth. Her older brother is serving a mission in Ohio. My heart aches for them and I don't know how to help.

It was fun to talk to you on Saturday Patrice - your home is just a "Beehive" of activity and that's the way it should be. I hope Emily and Timothy aren't too sad about Allie moving away - it was good she could have a "sleepover" with Emily. It will be fun for them to be friends forever and visit each other - I really like Allie. I hope the new family that is moving in will have friends your children's ages.

I went to Salt Lake with Ann on Friday and we had such a lot of fun. She called in the morning and told me she was going and asked if I wanted to join her - I always love things like that so I dropped everything and went along. She had seen as advertisement for a "bedspread" manufacturing place and she wanted to check it out - she's in the market for new spreads. This place is called "K & R" and it's a place where they make custom made spreads, window treatments, pillow etc. It was VERY HARD to find but Ann found it. It is NOT cheap!!! The set of spreads, pillows etc. I liked was close to $1,000.00. I bought two pillows to "spruce up" my living room - they're a little too big for my love seats but I still like them. Ann didn't buy anything but she took lots of notes. The Woolleys came over last night for Family Home Evening - Ron gave an EXCELLENT lesson on keeping the Sabbath day holy.

John & Julianna came over for "a minute" on Saturday - they wanted to check their mail and John had to catch a plane so they couldn't stay. He was going to Canada and then to Boston and would be gone for several days. It was good to see them.

It was good to talk to you too Jeannie and also Mary Ann. Mary Ann will be in her foot cast for three months - she said she broke the bones just below the middle toe. I am really looking forward to Sarah's Nutcracker - I know that involves such a lot of practicing and I'm proud of you Sarah!!! Julianna said that she and John are planning to go too.

The big news here in "happy Valley" is the appointment of Merrill Bateman to be the new President of BYU. I think it must be very unusual for two neighbors to assume that post. They have lived right next door to each other for many years and are neighbors to the Woolleys. I was surprised but Ann was surprised that I was surprised!!!! She & Ron think he will be wonderful. He is from Lehi and is a relative to my "Used To Be Aunt" Lucille Webb. She was Lucille Bateman before she married my Uncle Hugh Rhodes and then after he died she married Vern Webb. Rex Lee resigned because of health reasons - his cancer can be controlled but the medication he has to take just leaves him without any energy.

The assassination of Israel's Prime Minister, Rabin, is such a tragedy. He was a great man and a real promoter of peace!!!

I have been raking leaves like crazy. I filled my car with bags of leaves on Friday and drove to the farm. When I got there I noticed Don's car by his garden. I didn't dare honk the horn because I felt sure he was there for pheasant hunting and I was worried that it would cause problems. He called me last night and said he had called to me and was starting over to see me when I drove off. It was getting late and I'm nervous over there in the dark. He said he didn't even see a pheasant. That used to be the best place for hunting all of Utah County. The Woolleys came over on Saturday afternoon and "blew" my leaves out of the flower gardens and off the patio - it looks WONDERFUL.
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