As I take my journey here on earth,
I need to remember from the day of my birth,
There will be joy and sorrow in this life,
Work and trial and strife.
I need to know there is someone above me,
Whom I can ask for help on bended knee.
With my faith and His great love and watchful eye.
I will learn many things before I die.
My test is to learn and work and grow,
By serving others as I go.
To stay true to myself,
My sisters and my brothers.
Each day I must do my best,
And work hard before I rest.
At the end of the perfect day,
May I go to my heavenly home to stay.
August 2002
Little boy Warren, you work so hard,
But you still have time to play and be bored.
Your dad wants you to be a man,
So you take on big jobs as fast as you can.
Milking and feeding the cows, when your brothers are away,
When they come home you help them haul the hay.
The little $40.00 car you drive around the field,
Carrying the dams to water the crops so they will yield.
After you bought it you had to make it run,
You were really happy after working and this was done.
Before many weeks you had your car sold,
You were doing lots of things before you were very old.
One night you had a cow with a new calf in the barn,
She put her head down and gave you her horn.
You came crying to the house to tell us all,
You were covered with dirt from the fall.
Your dad said you were a baby to be afraid of a little cow,
He rushed out to take care of her now.
She put her head down and pushed him into the stall,
He came to the house and that was all.
I look in wonder at the newborn babe,
It's a miracle before my eyes.
So helpless, so sweet and pure,
What will the life be before it dies.
To care and provide for this tot,
Is a special privilege I thought.
To teach, guide and direct the life,
Knowing there will be many days of strife.
I have joy and comfort in the thought,
That the spirit from heaven was brought.
My prayer is to our Father that we can show a special love,
To someone who comes to brighten our life from above.
May 8, 1991
I think of my sweetheart on this Valentines Day,
It seems like a long time since he was here,
And I long for him to be near.
I hope he knows how much he means to me,
I feel he is around some days to see,
Sweet memories of true love are dear.
They help us each day and drive away fear.
When we meet again up above,
It will still be true love.
February 13, 2000
Our Father in Heaven above,
I pray to Thee today.
It's comforting for me to know,
Thy guiding hand will lead me
Everywhere I go.
This life is our mortal test,
We are here to learn and do our best.
Through trials we develop faith and love,
I thank Thee Father who watches from above.
I can be happy in this life,
With all its trials and strife.
I want to show my love to Thee in all I do and say,
As I try to help others along the way.
I hope for peace when the day is through tonight,
I will always try to do what's right.
August 2002
My mother is dear to me,
A good example she was for all to see.
She served her children every day,
She prayed for us and hoped that none would go astray.
I wonder now if she can know,
The things she did to help me grow.
She was always willing to serve and be around,
No better mother could be found.
I hold a tender spot in my heart,
And I cried when we had to part.
As she looks down from heaven above,
I hope she can feel my appreciation and love.
May 2000
One morning I woke up, with a plan for the day,
I wanted to move a bed, but wondered what the boys would say.
To have two beds in their room downstairs, they couldn't stand,
They knew that I couldn't move it unless they gave me a hand.
I thought how nice it would be to have the extra room.
Don said I should wait, for he would be leaving home real soon.
He didn't care how things were after he had left the nest,
What went on here then was up to the rest.
I needed the room now and not in a year,
I tried to make the boys understand and hear.
Several times I made ready for the bed downstairs,
But the boys went about their business without any cares.
Don put things back and said they should stay
The way they were, he liked them that way.
After three months time went by, I gave a big sigh,
And wondered if I would succeed with my plan,
For it was hard to convince this young man.
I didn't give up although the job was hard to do,
I knew I could think of some way to see the thing through.
The boys were tough guys to work with I'd say,
But I planned and thought until one day,
Ralph came home when Don was not around,
And I knew we could move the bed before he was found.
Ralph was in a good mood and willing to work,
He never complained or even tried to shirk.
In no time at all the bed was where I wanted it to be,
And the boys could see how much nicer it made it for me.
Don decided to accept the change and let me have my way,
He knew I was determined, that's all he could say.
As Ben was plowing in the field,
Making ready to plant grain to yield,
He saw a hawk up in the sky,
And a little mouse's nest near by.
The hawk soared down and took the nest,
But the little mouse was not there to rest.
So the hawk made another try,
He came down and picked up the mouse near by.
Ben said, "As I sit on the plow all day,
I see how nature has its way."
Listen my friends and you will hear,
The story of our twirling girls so dear.
Jennie was the one who started to act,
No twirling lessons and no baton, made this hard in fact.
But with a broomstick cut off and a book,
Her studying and practicing soon made us all look.
We were convinced that she could be good,
She never gave up but worked as hard as she could.
It wasn't long until she had a baton and twirling dresses to wear,
She was so happy; she put bells on her shoes and ribbons in her hair.
When a senior, she twirled at the head of the band,
And all the parades she marched in, we thought she was grand.
Her twirling lessons were a real attraction,
Soon all the girls here were in action.
They made up routines and were as happy as could be,
They danced and pranced for many people to see.
Jill started at it when she was only four,
She keeps Ruth, Grace, and Lenna going and gave lessons to many more.
We enjoyed their music and the lively sight,
We knew this was what they enjoyed and we thought it was all right.
They are happy sweet girls to be around,
I'm sure they are as good as ever could be found.
She waves good-bye to the bus man,
And hurries to the house as fast as she can.
She is always smiling and singing a song,
I know in Kindergarten nothing has gone wrong.
She has many papers and pictures to show,
And can hardly wait until her brother and sisters are sitting in a row.
After dinner she rings the bell,
Then the children are ready to hear the stories she has to tell.
The front room is the place where they will be,
Most of the afternoon playing school, you see.
There are books and pencils to pass out,
Sometimes I peek in to see what it's all about.
The songs they sing and the games they play,
The pictures they draw and the poems they say,
Will stay in my memory for many a day.
The cows are coming from the hill, you see,
They have to cross the road to go where they need to be.
The meadow pasture is not far away,
But it's here, the cows, they want to stay.
As soon as they step on the oil and start to slide,
They come right back with a swift little glide.
The family is called out, also the dog, Rover.
It's a tremendous job to get those cows over.
Oh, some of them will go across without a fight,
But others you have to beat, drag, or pull with all your might.
With a whip in your hand you stand holding your breath.
Hoping the bull will not stomp you to death.
But if you stay with them an hour or two,
You will accomplish the job you set out to do.
After the cars have all gone by,
And you feel like you want to cry.
Something happens to the main boss,
And with a snort and a jump, they all make it across.
We shout, "Hurray!" The cows are over the road and on their way,
To the meadow pasture to stay for many a day.
Styling hair was her hobby at the age of ten;
She started out by giving a demonstration for 4 H club then.
The name of the demonstration was "How Do Your Hair Do?"
After watching it, we all knew,
A blue ribbon was won at State Fair.
From that time on, Annie's hair got the very best care.
These hair dos were never fixed in a hurry,
Most of the time they were a big worry.
Trying to get them to look just right,
Took thought, sometimes day and night.
Some mornings she was up at five,
Trying to make her hair look like a beehive.
Another time it would look like a bird's nest,
With little birds sitting there to rest.
Sometimes she came to breakfast with her hair ratted up high,
Her Dad looks at her and gives a big sigh.
Then off to school she goes looking so neat,
We look at each other and say, "Isn't she sweet?"
We bought the Billy goat from Ina Day,
When the children first saw him they begged for him to stay,
He was little and cute and active and gay,
Five dollars is what we had to pay.
Louise thought he would be so much fun,
But we soon found out, he kept us all on the run.
Jumping and bouncing, he went around,
Everything we had it seemed he found.
Everywhere one looked, he was there,
One morning he was found in the front room lying by a chair.
He was found down the basement in the fruit room,
We began to tire of him real soon.
He was on the lawn and in the garden,
We wanted to give him to the game warden.
Chewing and sniffing, he went along,
He was happy, thinking nothing was wrong.
After four months we knew he would have to go,
Although the children still all said "No!"
When he was gone and the mischief was mended,
We were happy our anxiety had ended.
The farmhouse is big and roomy and people are welcome,
Many have ate and slept here.
Children and adults of all ages have come from far and near,
There is happiness and joy inside these walls,
The people who live here have the name Calls.
Friends come to climb the mountain, ride horses, and coast on the hills,
With all this activity, they seem to find some new thrills.
At times the house has been so full we wondered what to do,
But with everyone helping, we always made it through.
It is not a surprise when I arise in the morning to see,
Children for breakfast, who don't belong to me.
Not just one extra place will be set, but three or four,
And we can always find room for them and even some more.
We enjoy having others spend some time at our place,
It makes us happy and puts a smile on our face.
The front room is cheery and bright and a place we share,
There has been twirling lessons, meetings, parties and dinners held here.
People have come here for things they want done,
To have their hair fixed, sew a dress, or have fun.
This has not just been a house to live in; it has been a home.
The children all want to come back, no matter where they roam.
The memories of living here will always stay,
In our minds for many years after we have all moved away.
Kay told us about this girl whose name is Virjean,
She was a little different than anyone he had seen.
He started to date her and brought her home for us to meet,
We liked her and everyone thought she was neat.
One summer he went to Burlington to give her a ring,
When he came home, he didn't say a thing.
Her picture was taken down off the shelf and put away;
And not put up again for many a day.
He bought new clothes and a car, and went to school in the fall,
But this girl he couldn't get out of his mind at all.
So when she called him up, and said she would like to talk,
He accepted the invitation to go for a walk.
She told him she was sorry she had refused the ring,
Now she wanted him more than anything.
So to the temple in the middle of the year they went,
And the rest of their life together they spent.
Brent, you come and stayed with us so much,
When we see you eat, we think you are Dutch.
As a small boy, you ride your bicycle from town,
You put an umbrella over your head when the rain comes down.
You always have a bright idea in your head,
In the summer it is sleeping out under the stars in a bed.
Making root beer and popping corn and flying a kite,
Lots of times you stay with us all night.
When you buy a car you fill it with tools to the top,
You work on your car and never stop.
You have Annie help you find a date,
You want to get married before it is too late.
Annie tells Ellen she would look cute by your side,
Then you get up courage and take her for a ride.
It is only a few months until you say,
I'd like to be with Ellen every day.
So you are married in the temple in June,
You do not take much time for a honeymoon.
You live in a trailer for a year,
While you are building your home near.
When the proper time has gone by,
There is a little baby to cry.
You settle down and take your work to heart,
So now go on from here, you have a start.
When the day is over and I have settled down at night to sleep,
Alas, someone comes down the stairs with a big leap.
They are walking and mumbling and stumbling around,
I jump out of bed to see who will be found.
It is Grace in one of her dreams,
She has them quite often it seems.
Sometimes she turns the light on and it is bright,
I wake up with a little fright.
She does many strange things as she walks around,
But we get her back to bed safe and sound.
One night she took the covers off her bed and put them in a car,
She said, "I dreamed I was struggling in a war."
For a while we are were wondering what had gone on in the night,
As we searched for those covers but we found them all right.
When Alden went to his car to take a ride,
He found those covers lying inside.
He said, "Is this what you are hunting for?"
Then Grace told us about her dream of the war.
It's a refreshing feeling to take a walk to the hill --
Everything seems to wear soft green coats,
The sky above holds little clouds like boats.
The colors seem so fresh and new,
It thrills me to walk through the dew.
In summer when days are long and the sun is bright,
Everything seems to be growing with all its might.
I thank God for such a beautiful place to live,
I am amazed at the wonderful things He has to give.
Often on these walks, I see airplanes away up in the sky,
There are several of them flying by.
I think of Kay and wonder if he is up there,
I am deeply concerned since he took to the air.
When the planes come up over the hill,
I see a bright streak, then hear a roar and I stand still.
They are going so fast they are soon over the valley, far away in another town,
I think of the many times Kay flies, and wonder if he will safely come down.
In the fall when the leaves are all colors, there is never a prettier sight,
I can't help but think this world was created and made all right.
There is wildlife to see, deer, moose and bear,
Sometimes I even have a little scare.
There may be a porcupine or skunk behind a log,
That is when I hang on to the dog.
In the wintertime when the moon is shining and the snow is deep,
I think of many memories I want to keep.
When the nights are cold and the snow is hard,
We go coasting and have fun, there is no time to be bored.
I take my walks in any season and most everyday,
I feel good and keep well by doing it this way.
I go morning, noon or night,
Anytime there is a spare minute in sight.
There is a man I know who has never been slow,
There are many things he set out to do,
First of all, to be a father true.
He built a home where children could play,
It was planned and worked out in his own way.
He built a hotel where travelers could rest,
And a dance hall where people came dressed in their best.
This was enough for a year or two
But he had just started on the things he had planned to do.
He was in partnership ten years, each with two good men,
They helped him get started for there was not much money then.
To have a farm had always been in the back of his mind,
Before many years he owned one of the very best kind.
His children all learned how to work,
There was not one who would shirk.
To work on construction and have a batching plant too,
Were some of the other things he set out to do.
For many summers the cement trucks were on the go,
Wynn, Ralph and Don were good drivers we know.
To sell hardware and building materials were included in the plan,
To do all this, he had to be hard-working man.
The trips to Salt Lake and back to Afton were many,
He made them without much help, most of the time, not any.
He built homes good and sound,
For many of the dear people around.
Helped build bridges and dams and signs,
He made up many plans and designs.
At times when he was so tired, he couldn't sleep at night,
He had bad dreams and would kick and snore and fight.
And sometimes when things went wrong,
He would sing a little song.
He was true to his faith and served his God,
He was like Nephi of Old to hold to the rod.
When life is over he will be able to say,
"I have not wasted a single day."
His hard working hands will be proof of this,
We all love him and will give him our kiss.
Our Singer sewing machine is dependable and faithful as can be,
Santa brought it at Christmas in 1949 to me.
Seven girls on it have learned to sew,
One right after another in a row.
It has sewed most everything we wear,
Besides darning and mending every tear.
It has been with us for many years,
The girls, when learning to sew, sometimes shed tears.
While working on 4-H club dresses to take to the fair,
But most of the time blue ribbons were pinned on their articles there.
The machine is always ready, sewed something every day,
It was never folded up and put away.
It has sewed all kinds of dresses; party, house, school and wedding,
And many useful pieces of bedding.
Shirts, blouses, pants, aprons and suits,
The boys have even tried to mend their boots.
There were not many fixing bills that had to be paid,
In all emergencies, it came to our aid.
In the beginning it didn't cost much money,
But through the years it has worked like a honey.
In November 1968 I took my turn to stay with mother,
We have decided to take turns to help her, all the sisters and the brothers.
Two weeks I stay in her home trying to make things bright,
She is sick and needs help and someone in sight.
I help her fix her meals, rub her feet and comb her hair,
She is well enough for me to give her a permanent while I am there.
I take a walk where I played when a child, over the hollows and hills,
It reminds me of my younger days with thrills.
In the town where I go to shop around,
There are still some dear friends to be found.
Mrs. Laker needs a ride to a funeral she wants to attend,
So I go to get her down the lane, where she lives at the end.
Mrs. Weber, so little and frail I go to see,
She seems happy to visit with me.
I come to Afton to mail some bills, to vote and spend an hour or two,
Then go back to mothers' when I get through.
Evan and I attend a High Priest dinner in my home town,
He is in Afton, his folks bring him down.
While I am there we take time off to go to Elmo's daughter's wedding,
We quilt a quilt so mother will have more bedding.
The quilt top she made has lain around,
She is glad to have it off the frame and ready to be bound.
Zoy comes and I put a permanent in her hair,
She is happy to have it cut and put up there.
I fix some tile in mother's bathroom,
Then come home late Saturday afternoon.
We canned peaches, pears, prunes, and tomatoes,
Twenty bushels they numbered in all.
Dad and Kayland are working,
In Soda Springs, this week of the fall.
Tuesday night our family took part,
On the program in the M. I. A.
All of the family was there,
But those who were away.
School was to start in a week,
So five of the boys had a haircut.
The washing for fourteen was done,
So we wouldn't get in a rut.
Arrangements were made for a family picture,
The time was Saturday night.
All the children were bathed and clean,
They were dressed for the occasion just right.
When we were all ready and anxious,
We had to wait for Kay and Dad,
Because they were not here,
It made us feel kind of sad.
When they arrived home,
They needed help to get ready.
It was so hard for the children to wait,
And soon they became very fretty.
After much effort and worry,
The picture was taken in our home.
We wanted it while we were all together,
Before any of us started to roam.
We were up at four Sunday morning,
We had to take a long ride.
To Laramie and back we were going,
With our baby at our side.
This trip was to take Kay,
And his two friends to college,
He had a scholarship there,
And wanted to gain more knowledge.
We traveled 825 miles,
Passing through two rain storms on the way.
At twelve o'clock that night,
We thanked our Heavenly Father for our protection all day.
As time passes on and weeks come and go,
This week in September 1954,
Is one we will surely remember,
Forever and ever more.
March 1, 1968, the Junior Class presented the class assembly, "What Is An American," to
the remaining student body. It followed through from the beginning of our nation's
history to our present day America. Students portrayed the "ancient' and the "modern"
American through song, dance, skits, and reading. The serious and humorous side of
Americans was brought out in some detail. Jill and Jan Robinson dressed up and did a
dance, "Long Tall Texan."
To be tall you had to find a cardboard,
That would make you ten feet high.
Then you went to work drawing a face and finding clothes,
'Till most of the night went by.
Pants, boots, shorts and hats had to be just right,
You sat up and thought about the dance half the next night.
Then you found a record you thought would do,
And practiced the dance a day or two.
Friday came and you two were on the stage going around,
Everyone seemed to like the idea you had found.
Your picture is taken and put in the school paper for all to see,
How you look when you work on something you wanted to be.
Oh, a hunting I will go,
Over the land and hill,
It is my first hunting trip,
So it should be a big thrill.
It is freezing outside
And there is snow on the ground.
But there are elk in the hills
To be found.
I have my shells on my belt,
But where is the gun?
Steve is ready to go,
And wants me to share the fun.
I'm sure I can bring home
The winter's meat,
But the gun is in the cabinet
Locked up neat.
So I sit and fret and wonder
How to get my elk or bear,
Dad is away and doesn't seem to care.
It is snowing and blowing,
But school is let out,
All the men are busy
Tramping the hills about.
I have my hunting license,
And I'd like to check it today.
I'll have to do something,
Before the time slips away.
I would borrow a gun from my brother Dee,
But he doesn't understand or see
Why he should loan his new gun,
When he thinks I should have one.
So after much thought, planning and care.
I decided to just go look for the bear.
With a family of little children all around,
We put our faith in God so sound.
All the things that could happen in a day,
Is difficult for anyone to say.
With tractors, trucks, machinery, saws, horses and cattle,
Some days seem to be quite a battle.
There are many other things on a farm,
Each day we are thankful to get through without harm.
But with love, patience and care,
Knowing God is always there,
We start each day anew,
And our faith has always shown us through.
To be humble and to love,
Is to worship God above.
I want to grow in knowledge all the way,
So humble I will have to stay.
To be happy and content, love plays an important part,
We know this, because it comes from the heart.
I have always kept in mind this test,
It will prove me more than all the rest.
Going to church in the winter time,
When all around the ground is white,
Is not an easy task,
But we know that it is right.
We shiver and shake when we look
Out at the ice and snow.
Then think of all our cars and wonder
If any of them will go.
There is the Ford, the truck and the boys' car ----
The old pick-up and two or three more,
We have faith and say, "Where there is a will, there is a way,"
And put on our best clothes to keep the Sabbath day.
Some of the time we are seen going along,
Crowded in the old pick-up, singing a song.
But we have a feeling of joy and content,
When we are back home and the day is spent.
The children all run out the gate twenty minutes after eight,
When they come home at night it is really quite a sight.
They all have something interesting to tell,
They say, "We like school very well."
They are happy that Ben will drive the bus again,
They think he is the best of men.
To climb the mountain for a Christmas tree over a twenty year span,
The children, each in his/her turn has proven he/she can.
Each tree brought home will look better than the one last year,
There is joy and rejoicing when it found and is here.
Some of the trees are short and some are tall,
On some many of the branches were lost from the fall.
They are taken to the basement to be fixed up just right,
And when they are trimmed they are a pretty sight.
It is good to have a horse that is faithful and true,
Ours was a real friend all the years through.
He was a good horse to ride and he also pulled the hay,
He was caught and used every day.
When he was young he had pep and style,
So there were some accidents once in a while.
Jennie rode him to town to play ball,
Once he dumped her and she had a hurt leg from the fall.
Louise and Lenna went off his backside,
One time when they were taking a ride.
Don went head first in the corral after a quick stop,
When we saw him there he looked like a mop.
Dianne and Grace went off when he jumped after seeing a bear,
They went in a heap on the ground right there.
To Wynn this horse was very dear,
He used him more than anyone here.
The horse was with us for twenty-five years,
When he died, we all shed some tears.
He was a sorrel and his name was Ted,
One day after being rode, he fell over dead.
It was the summer of 1963,
We had a daughter who was a bride to be.
To make preparations we had to go away,
So we went in the truck with Evan to Salt Lake this day.
It was late before we left the shop,
Evan was in a hurry and didn't want to stop.
So five hours of setting up straight,
We reached Salt Lake before too late.
Louise and I spent some time shopping in the town,
While Evan got his load and tied it down.
With a heavy load and a long way to go,
We toured along behind the many cars in a row.
We hoped to arrive home by midnight,
So we settled down to ride in the moonlight.
At Evanston we stopped to see if the load was riding all right,
But alas, there was trouble so we worked here part of the night.
After traveling for a while we felt like we needed some sleep,
We went along slow, and the road was steep.
We stopped in Randolf to rest and walk around,
In a half hour we were again homeward bound.
At 9:00 a.m. Louise was to be to work at the Star Valley Drug,
She went to sleep on my shoulder, and slept sound as a bug.
As we came around the horseshoe bend,
The night had come to an end.
I looked out of the window and what do I see,
Little old cars coming in; one, two, three,
Those boys of ours, work and work for days,
And change those little cars in many ways.
They seem to be a real attraction,
The boys come from all around and show a reaction.
Day and night the work goes on,
Sometimes right on the front lawn.
It's hard for Dad to find his tools,
The boys seem to forget that to put things back is the rule.
The grease and the dirt that goes along with the job,
Sometimes even makes a mother sob.
The first one was started in 1961, (Don)
I thought, "I'll sure be glad when that is done!"
I did not know then that not long it would be,
Before two more little rods
Would be standing around for us to see.
Ralph decided that he wanted one,
And by the end of summer of '65,
His little hot rod was ready to drive.
He took off for college looking so proud,
"What an ambitious boy!" I said out loud.
Now Ben has one standing out there,
It is sure to get the very best care.
It will only be a year or two before
That little car will look like new.
So you see how things do grow ----
Three little hot rods all in a row.
September, 1965
The little Ford Car in our yard that Warren looked around to find,
Is a two-door sedan and brings back memories to my mind.
It is like the car we had when we were married,
I thought these cars were long gone and buried.
Warren works on it with enthusiasm and care,
He knows these cars are very rare.
He hopes to have it going when a drivers license he can get,
This is a year away but he doesn't slow up a bit.
With these hot rods, our patience is growing thin,
Warren is like his older brothers have been.
But as he is our seventh son,
At last we are through with hot rods when this is done.
The leaves on the mountain are red, yellow and gold,
We know that summer has gone and the days will grow cold.
The cattle are brought close around,
When the frost begins to go into the ground.
The hay and the grain are stored in various ways,
To be fed out in the cold frosty winter days.
The carrots and potatoes are taken in,
They look delicious in the vegetable bin.
The fruit and jelly and jam is on the shelf,
I am proud to think I canned them myself.
The school clothes are ready and pressed,
The children can hardly wait to be dressed.
The school bus will be on its way,
One will stop at our place every day.
The snow will cover the ground,
But we will feel secure and sound.
The Thunderbird car has been in the family for many years. It was first seen in Afton in Rex Worthlin's car show window. It was the year of 1956.
The color of the car is a pretty blue. It is very small. It has a white hard top and a cloth top or it can be without a top. It has power windows, a new feature in cars at that time. A spare tire is on the back.
For a few months many people admired the car in the garage showroom. There was always a crowd around it. One day the car and driver stopped in our farm home drive way. To my surprise, my younger brother Lee had bought it. He wanted us to see it so he stopped on his way home to Freedom. His Uncle Harold Warren was a sales person for cars at the Worthlin garage. He had some influence on Lee buying the car. Lee paid $4,000.00 for it.
Lee was a bashful, shy, farm boy. He loved the farmland and home and had no intentions of being a "show off" but he didn't go anywhere and stop without people gathering around him. Kay had a chance to drive this car shortly after graduating from high school. Many of Kay's friends admired this car.
Lee took his mother with him most of the time. They made many trips from Freedom to Afton. They went to Idaho Falls often to check on mother's camp cabins there. Lee used it on the farm. Even little pigs had rides in the trunk.
In 1968 when mother was in the hospital in Salt Lake after an operation, I rode in this car with Lee and my brother Calvin's wife, Corrine, there to see her. I drove the car part of the way back home.
After Lee's accidental death in April 1964, Evan and I bought the car from the family for $2,000.00. It depreciated half in 8 years. We had the car for 34 years and just drove it once in awhile. Where ever we went in it there were always people around it asking questions and wanting to buy it.
The car has been in several Star Valley High School parades. One time we were going to a 4th of July celebration in Hyrum. We were guided in line with all the parade vehicles. We had not planned to be there and had a hard time getting out of the line. After we parked there were a dozen people around us.
In 1980 at our farm home, we were pushing it to get it started and a man with a family came in a new Thunderbird touring car and offered to trade it for ours. He then offered $8,000 or more for it. Evan said, "No-It is not for sale."
In 1987, on a television national report on cars, this model Thunderbird was in 4th place of cars most sought after, and was valued at $20,000.00. This unique car sat in the garage of our Logan home for many years. Almost every week someone would stop by to look at it. At one time, we were offered $40,000 for it. Sometimes it pays to keep things.
Ben was around the car a lot and fell in love with it. After Evan's death on the 4 June 1989, Ben helped with work on the farm to get the car. In July 1994 he took the car in exchange for the work, with a promise it would stay in the family. The car registered 72,000 miles on the speedometer. Ben has worked on the car and made it look like new.
I've had rides in it with Ben. On my 80th birthday was one special time. In 2001 Ben brought it to a car show in Afton and won a prize for it there. He has won prizes for this car in other car shows as well. There will always be sweet memories about this little car for me and for Ben and maybe some others too.
Written November 2004
Our cattle loss was heavy in May 1962,
Before the month was over, we wondered what to do.
May second, four two-year old cattle bloated and died,
This was such a shock, we almost cried.
Next morning another one was found dead,
We became a little fearful and sick in the head.
The cattle were moved to the north pasture near by,
Here three beef cows died and we did cry.
Then a milk cow died in the barn,
Another one lay dead outside by darn.
The loss of ten cattle made us wonder what to do,
One more big steer died before the month was through.
The dog killed some of the neighbor's sheep,
With such a heavy loss we couldn't sleep.
But we paid for the damage and the dog had to die,
And when it was all over we gave a big sigh.