80--CONTINUED--28--LIFE GOES ON

I decided to write these posts so my family would know something about our lives, but decided that there was not much interest in what I had to say, but it is also for my own history and I plan to print it out and keep a record of the things that I remember.

There was a small place where the Alamosa library sent books to Manassa, as a lending library. I was asked to be in charge of it and I was at that place (it was an old building next door to the Conejos County Gas and Oil), one day a week checking out books. The county decided to build a library near LaJara. I was ask to be on the board of directors. We planned and worked on the plans for a year or two. When the time came to get books and make a library out of the nice building, I was asked to be a paid employer and to resign as a member of the board of directors. I went to Alamosa to prepare books that were given to us from their library, as they didn't need the books that had been used to loan to Manassa. I worked there for some time to prepare the books with the name of our library and to take our the Alamosa stamp, and to be taught all they could teach me about running a library. I also helped to get new books to fill the shelves. When the Library was prepared, I went to work there.

Marie DeHerrera was hired as the librarian and Vangie as an assistant. I helped Marie to learn how to be a librarian, as they had taught me. She had a degree and had not been trained to do a library. I loved my work there. It is a nice library and is well used.

I worked there for 6 years. When Arlo had surgery in Denver, I spent all of the time that he was there with him.. Larue and Harold lived in Colorado at that time and I stayed with them and rode a bus back and forth to the hospital. I worked when we were home again, and while we were waiting for him to be able to go on our mission. When we got our mission call, I was replaced and didn't work again until we returned from our mission. When I returned, I went back to work again. I was working and came home on December 7th. The house was dark and I was anxious, because Arlo was always home and had lights on. I found him in his chair. He had died. There are times when life takes a sudden change. My eternal companion and dear husband went on ahead of me.

I stayed on at the library for a year and was glad to have the work. At the end of the year, I moved to Mesa. My library days were past. That time was a special time of my life. I had spent 7 years helping to establish and run the Conejos County Library,

80--CONTINUED--27--MY LIFE CHANGED

When Arlo and I returned home from our mission, it was good to get home. Our family had redone the outside of our house and it looked so nice. We were pleased. We were assigned to talk in all of the wards in our stake. I learned things about Arlo that I had never heard before. He loved our mission and it was good for both of us.

Gordon Dean was living in our house when we got home. It was good to have him there while we were gone and it was good for him to have a place to stay. We had been home a short time,(the end of October) when he died. That was a sad thing for all of us. We loved him so.

I went back to work at the library. Arlo spent some time over at the old garage. He had a wood working machine, that he enjoyed. We went to the cabin and spent some time. It was a quiet time for us. On the 7th of December, I came home from work and found him dead in his chair. My life changed.

I was glad to have my job. It was such a change for me. I didn't sleep much. Sometimes I would read all night and get up and go to work. I raised a garden that year, too. I got myself very busy. I was on the cemetrary board for a number of years and still was. I was president of Hospital Auxiliary, I was on a genealogy board at the Alamosa Library. I was on a board of directors for a building that was to house older people. I was gone before they finished it. I was the County Republican Woman. I didn't give myself any time for thinking.

Elma and Hazel were on their mission and I felt so very alone. I was glad when Larry and Jeanette came to spend the summer with me. I look back and realize that I was not a very good hostess for them. I loved having them there and I enjoyed the children. Larry built new cupboards in the kitchen for me. I hated leaving them behind when I left. They were so nice. My home was nicer than it had ever been.

Don and Gloria were there for me too. They were so considerate of me. When I moved to Mesa my life changed. I missed my children and the family in Colorado, but I loved working in the temple. I bought the honda from my boss at the library, so I was able to go home at least once a year. If there were special things going on I went more often than that. I still enjoy going back to Colorado.

Sometimes the hard things in life help us to grow in a way that we would not otherwise. I love my life and my family. The Lord has been good to me.

80--CONTINUED--26--ANGELS IN MY LIFE

Arlo, He gave me a home and children. We had may good times, a mission and temple sealing.
I love my Arlo.

My Mom and Dad. They gave me life, the gospel, self-worth and love. My Angels.
My grandparents. They sustained me through one of the hardest times of my life. I love them and my aunts and uncles and their families. They are Angels to me.
My brothers and sisters. They are a mainstay in my life, along with their mates, my Angels.

Don, It is hard to say all of the great blessings he has brought into my life. He is very special to me. He is an Angel to me.
Gloria, a dear daughter-in-law. She has been there through hard times and joys. She is a daughter to me, a special Angel. I love her.

Kent, He has been a friend to me all of my life. I spent a year of joy with him. He makes my heart sing. He is one of my special Angels. I love him.
Betty, The Lord sent us a special Angel, when we got Betty. She is my Kidsie. She is a blessing to me. I love her.

Bonnie Lynn, My Sweet , Angel Bonnie, She is always there for me. It is not possible to say all I feel for her. She is my only daughter and one of my dearest friends. She fills my heart with love.
Emery, He has been a help and a blessing to me in so many ways. Angels come in different packages. I am glad that he is a part of our family.

Larry, I begged to get him. He has been a great joy to me. It is impossible to say the blessing he has brought into my life. What a great Angel he is to me. I love him.
Jeanette, I told her when she and Larry married that she was an answer to my prayers. The Lord sent me an angel when she became a part of our family. I love her.

These are part of the Angels in my life. I didn't put in the grandchildren and great grandchildren. Each of them have a special place in my life. They are my Angels.

My life is full of Angels. I have friends who drive me places since I don't drive anymore, people who uplift my spirit and love me. How thankful I am to the Angels in my life.

80---CONTINUED--25--GREAT GRANDCHILDREN

My great grandchildren are one of the great blessings of my life. My oldest grandchild is Matthew and the youngest is David Long. I would love it if all of them were as close as Shandi's children are. It is fun to get to know them personally.

Don and Gloria have 10 grandchildren, they are Jason and Becky, Marcy and Troy's children. Adam, Aubree, Katee and Riley, are Danette and Gary's children. Cory and Loritta's children are Brandi, Austin and Jacob. Each one is special to me. I have been blessed to have them as my family. The times I have spent with them has been very special to me.

Kent and Betty have 6 grand children. They are Andrea's children, Matthew, Luke and Ashleigh, and Robert has Hannah. Brenda and Tim have Aubrey and Chloe. When I think about these children, my heart swells with happiness. I don't know any of them as well as I would like to but I know a lot about them and love their pictures and information about them.

Bonnie and Emery have 6 grandchildren. Shandi and Todd have Amber, Michael and Meagen. Emery J and Daylynn have Alex and Anthony. Riley is a part of our family eventhough Monica and Chad are not together. All of them are special to me.

Larry and Jeanette have 4 grandchildren. Craig and Brina have Bradly and Luke. Julie and Clint have Leslie and David, David is our newest grandchild. I haven't seen him yet. It was fun to see them this summer, (not David). I always enjoy the children. I love them so.

I have had great joy with the ones that I have spent time with. All of them are part of my blessings now and I hope for eternity.

I made a crude map of the Bingham family property. I hope it will show you some of the things about our home between Romeo and Antonito. When we took pictures of it, I knew that it had changed so much that you wouldn't be able to tell what it had once been. It was a nice home and the out buildings were in good shape. Time does things to places and the memories go away.

One of the Bingham Homes

When we were in the San Luis Valley for a family reunion, we went on a picture taking expedition. These are the pictures of the Bingham family farm after many decades. We'll invite Mom and her siblings to write what they remember about this home.

When I was 9 years old, we moved from Manassa to this home. It was 3 1/2 miles from Romeo and 3 1/2 miles from Antonito.

It was a nice home, but the bathroom had never been finished, and water had never been piped into the house. The floors were hardwood and on the South side of the living room and dining room were french windows. They were like doors and could be opened like doors. there were three bedrooms on the North side of the house with a hall and the room that was not finished as a bathroom, was between the west room and the middle room. The west bedroom was the boys room and the middle bedroom was Mama and Daddy's room. There was a closet between the middle room and the girl's room, which was on the East. That closet was the full length of the bedroom and could be walked through from the middle room to the girl's room. The Livingroom and the dining room were one room. There was a fireplace between the 2 french windows. The door between the kitchen and the dining room, was a swinging door. There was a sink on the south wall of the kitcyen with cupboards on each end. The house was heated with wood and coal. The West entrance was into the kitchen and the East entrance was into the living room. In this picture you can see the windows on the North. Each bedroom had a window and the unfinished bathroom was the little window. The East bedroom had a front window also.


This picture (below) is the South side of the house. The trees are cottonwood trees. At one time we had a garden there, but it wasn't the big garden. On the back of the house, in line with the trees was a cellar. It was as big as a commercial cellar. It burned down one year when Daddy was in LosAlamos, working. It was big enough to park the car in the cold weather. It had double doors. For some reason, it did not burn the car, even though the car was parked in the cellar at the time it burned.

There were two big honeycycle bushes on the this side of the house. For several years there was a couple of yellow canaries that built a nest in those bushes. From inside the house we could see the nest and watch as the eggs were laid and hatched. That was so interesting. We were all disappointed the year that they didn't return.
On the North side of the house, we had a big garden. It was almost an acre. There was a row of rhubarb along the South fence. There was fence around it and there were willow trees along the West fence. We had a wonderful garden. We raised all vegetables and strawberries and raspberries. One year there were so many carrots that they filled a wagon box that was about 8 feet long and 4 feet wide. Our cellar was really used in the winter. Potatoes, cabbages, carrots, apples and anything that needed to be protected from the weather.

-- Gatha --

This is the front entrance to the house. There were bushes on each side of the porch and a beautiful lilac bush on the north corner. There was a hedge on the South side of that lawn that went from near the house to the fence in front of the house. The highway between Romeo and Antonito ran just in front of the house and a railroad track was East of the highway. There was a train that ran from Alamosa to Chama, New Mexico every morning and returned every evening.

80--CONTINUED-- 24 --Tender Mercies from the Lord

In my lifetime I have been the recipient of many blessings from the Lord. They began the day I was born to Ted and Cora Bingham. I was a very loved child and member of a good family. My parents were loving and kind. I have wonderful siblings, that I love. I only remember my Grandma and Grandpa Dunn, because my dad's parents died before I was born. Daddy had one sister and many cousins and aunts and uncles, but I didn't know them very well, But my mom came from a big family and I loved them very much and they loved me.

I was blessed to learn about God and Jesus Christ, from the time I was small. I was baptized at the age of eight. I grew up in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, all of my life. Those are great blessings to me. I love the Lord with all of my heart. The gift of charity is one of the greatest blessings of my life. Paul tells in his writings that if we don't have charity we are nothing. I pray for that gift.

One of the blessings of my life is being married to a man who worked hard and furnished us with a home. Many blessings came to me because of my marraige. I was blesses to be sealed to him and my children in the temple. That is one of the greatest blessings of my life. The greatest blessing of my life is my family.

Donnie was our first child and he has been a blessing and at times a trial as all children are. He was the sweetest child and young man. He loved everyone and was kind and always saw the good side of people, when he was young. I ran over him with our car when he was about 2 years old. It was a miracle that he wasnt killed or injured, but he only had gravel burns on his back. I took him for exrays and all was well there. He has had all kinds of things that could have injured him, but he survived all of them. I used to tell him the the Lord was protecting him for better things. I believe he was. Donnie Served a mission for the church in Central America. When he returned home he got a job with the Phone Company and did that work all of his working life. He is now retired. He married Gloria Culler in the Mesa, Arizona Temple, and that has been a blessing to him and our family. Their three children, Marcy, Cory and Danette are my jewels, along with my other grandchildren. Each of their families are my joy, too. Marcy and Troy and Jason and Becky, Danette and Gary and Adam, Aubree, Katee and Riley, Cory and Lorrita and Brandi, Austin and Jacob are all very precious to me and are part of the tender mercies of the Lord, to me. Don and Goloria now live in Kanab, Utah.

Kent, our next child was such a tender hearted child. WE had a special feeling for each other all of his life. He survived bee stings all over his body and a snake bite. Both of them were frightening experiences, but they did no permanent damage. Kent served a mission in Torreon Mexico. He was the only one of our children who served in the armed services. He was in the army and served in Long Bin, Viet Nam, at headqurters. I am thankful that he was able to return home safely. He was in Colorado Springs still in the service, where he met and married Phyllis Hurtubise. They had Robert and Andrea. Kent got his BA degree in Colorado Springs and taught school for a time. He now works for IBM. Kent and Phyllis divorced and he married Betty Ann Wagner. Her children are Brenda and Eddie. The grandchildren from Kent and Betty are Andrea's Mathew, Luke and Ashliegh. and Robert's daughter Hannah, Brenda and Tim's daughters Aubrey and Chloe. Eddie was taken home to the Lord and had no children. He look forward to seeing him agaion. How can we say more about the blessings of the Lord to us. I am very thankful for Kent and Betty's family. Kent and Betty now live in Colorado Springs.

Bonnie Lynn, our next child and only daughter, When she came to our home and I was so pleased to get a girl. She is a person who never makes waves. She is as sweet a daughter as a mother could ever want. She has always been a blessing to me. She was her daddy's sweetheart. She went to Mesa and stayed with Leon and Jean and went to beauty school. When she returned, she worked in Alamosa as a beauty operator for a while. She served a mission in Idaho. After her mission she went to California and lived with Ina and Henry. That is where she met Emery. They married in California and lived there for most of their married life. Their children are Shandi, Emery J, Monica and John Henry. They went through a period of divorce. Ward and I went to Fallbrook, and lived there for almost a year. Later Bonnie and Emery married in the San Diego temple and all of their children were sealed to them. Their grandchildren are, Shandi and Todd's children, Amber, Michael and Meagen. Emery Jay and Daylynn have Alex and Anthony. Monica has no children and John Henry is not married. Bonnie and Emery now live in St George.

Larry is our last child. He was born in Romeo area. Arlo was working on a farm for Thales Smith and Larry was born at home. LaRue, my sister was expecting a baby at the same time as me and Harold was overseas. Both of us had our babies at our home. He was a big baby. Almost 10 pounds. He is such a smart person. He wore out our encyclopedias by reading them. When he was in the first grade in Manassa, he had brights disease, which is a kidney disease. His blood pressure went so high that the doctor gave him a shot that could have killed him, but it saved his life. We spent 10 days in Denver in the hospital, doing all kinds of tests. He never seemed to have anymore problems with that. Larry was at home after the other children were gone. He was 22 when he decided to go on a mission. He went to Argentina. He had many baptisms. When he came home, he went to BYU. He met Jeanette Cheshire there and they were married that winter. Both he and Jeanette finished their college after they were married. They had four children when Larry graduated with a masters degree in civil engineering. Arlo, Craig Brian, and Julie were born in Provo. Anita, Debra and Eric were born after their schooling. Their grandchildren are Leslie, Julie and Clint's daughter. They are expecting their second child. Craig and Brina have Bradly and Luke.. How very dear all of these members of my family are to me. Larry and Jeanette live in Hewitt, Texas, where Larry is working in his field on airplanes. Debra is in college at BYU Idaho and Eric is still at home. Arlo and Anita are in the Salt Lake area and Brian is in Colorado.

I have 3 sisters, and 2 brothers. Barbara, LaRue, and Doris Faye. Leon and Keith are my brothers. Keith died and now I have one living brother. When my parents died, Doris Faye came to live with Arlo and me. She lived with us for 6 years. She is like my child.

All of these people are my family and my great blessing. I love each one of them.
I believe these are tender mercies from the Lord.

THE HOUSE ON 3RD STREET (80--CONTINUED--23)

Arlo and I moved our family from the house across from Maggie Weston to the house on 3rd street. That is where we basically raised our family. When we moved into that house, it was in terrible condition. It had been vacant for a number of years and there had been no care of it. Most of the windows were broken. We had to replace them. There was about 6 inches of dirt on all of the floors. The walls were plastered and it was a poor job, so there were holes in the plaster. We repaired the bad places and at later papered the walls. It had good floors and was structurally sound. There was a place for a bathroom, but it had never been finished. Arlo put in the bathroom. He found an old bathtub that was ancient. It was small and in good shape. We worked hard to make a home out of it and it did make a good home for us for many years.

The floors in the joint living room and the dining room were hardwood and were beautiful when they were cleaned and polished. We put new linoleum in the kitchen. The three bedrooms had wood floors and we didn't cover them for a few years. We painted them. There were colonnades between the living room and the dining room. I always liked them. There was a china cupboard between the kitchen and the dining room. I liked that too. There was a pantry that had cupboards. It was good. There was a big window in the dining room. I made a covered bench in front of it and it was a good place to take a nap in the winter. The sun shone in it. I put Priscilla curtains on that window and it was pretty. There was a big window in the living room. I put draperies on that window.

We had a big yard and there was no grass when we moved there. We gradually did a lawn. We just mowed the weeds and it made a fair lawn. I raised a garden every year. We had an irrigation ditch in front of the house and that is the water I used to water my garden. The land there raised wonderful vegetables. I have never had a better garden than I had there.

There was a field in back of the house that Arlo used to keep his horses at times. When the boys were home they mowed the back yard and it really looked good, but it was too much work for me after the boys were gone. The horses and small mules kept the weed down when they were there.

Our house was around the corner from the garage that we owned. It was handy for Arlo's work and we were close to the store and church also.

I'm sure those walls could tell many stories. We bought a piano when the Romeo Ward was abandoned and the ward moved to Manassa to our new chapel. The piano had been the Romeo Ward piano. Kent and Bonnie Lynn took piano lessons. Donnie bought the piano, but he didn't take lessons. Larry started, but didn't last long. I loved the music from that piano. Music is a great blessing in a home. That piano is now in Cory and Lorrita's home.

Our neighbors were: Dorothy and Shelton Sowards on the north, Elma And Boyd Padgett across the street. Donald and Deon Jarvies North of Elma, Boyd and Ouida Brady North of the Shelton Sowards' Carlyn Sowards and family on the South of us. Cecil Haslett's family on the Southeast corner of our block.

80--CONTINUED--22 OUR MISSION IN ARIZONA

When all of the children were grown and had homes of their own, the Bishop called Arlo and me into his office and asked us to go on a mission. Arlo wasn't sure that we could do it. He sold the garage to Mitch and Mike 'Gary and they didn't pay anything on it and so it came back to us and we didn't have a job, except for the pay I received from the Library. Arlo told the Bishop that we would let him know our decision on Tuesday night. We talked about it and Arlo said he couldn't turn down his call, when he had expected his children to accept their calls. We didn't have an income if we went. The Bishop said the ward would send us, but that didn't feel good to Ärlo, but he decided to accept.

When we went for our physicals, Arlo didn't pass and was sent to Denver, because he had a serious heart problem. He had to have by-pass surgery. The doctor said he had a total blockage and was on the verge of a massive heart attack. He said he wouldn't have survived. He had 4 by-pass .

At the library a short time earlier, the county called me and asked several of the library staff if we were interested in a Blue Cross and Blue Shield medical policy. It would cover 100 percent of the cost of all medical bills. The agent said he didn't know how they could offer that policy. He said as an agent for the company, he was only allowed to get a 90 percent policy. I bought it and the county paid part of the payments. That insurance paid all of the three surgeries that he had.

When the surgeries were all done and paid, they called me by back to the county and told me that it was a mistake that we got 100 percent coverage. If we had not had that, we would not have been able to go on the mission, because we would have a big medical bill to pay.

On Arlo's ( Larry's son),2nd birthday, The 29th of September, Arlo and I entered the MTC. That night when we were all settled in our room, we got a phone call from Larry and Jeanette. Jeanette's father died that day.

We rode on bus to Holbrook, Arizona, where the Mission Home was. It was the only mission in the church that there was no airplane service. We stayed in the Mission home that night and the next day we went to Peach Springs, Arizona, where we worked for about 8 months of our mission.

When we first arrived there, they didn't have a branch president. The president thought Arlo might have to be the branch president. The searched the members of the branch and found a man who was not active in the church and Arlo helped him in many ways.

One of the first things that we did was go to the top of a hill near the town and Arlo took of his coat for me to kneel on and we knelt and he gave a Priesthood Blessing. That was a special experience for me.

We lived in a trailer house which was by the chapel. It was old and about ready for the scrap heap, but we did enjoy our time there. We had a lot of things that made our mission special.

80--CONTINUED--21

We spent many hour in the mountains. I remember one time Alta and Tiny and Norene and Sheila and Isabel and Don and RaeDean and Gordon and Arlo, and Doris Faye and Donnie and Kent and Bonnie Lynn camped out on Wolf Creek Pass. It was a beautiful place and I had a lot of pictures that we took up there, but I don't know if I have any of them now. Arlo was holding Bonnie Lynn. I saw somewhere that it was said that in that picture the child was Donnie, It was Bonnie Lynn. There was a picture of RaeDean and Doris Faye. It was close to the highway and we heard trucks passing by all night.

We made what we called a Brigham Bed. Out side was a dad, then all of their children between the mom. Next was the next family, starting with the mom, the children of that family and then the dad. The dad of the next family was next, then their children and the mom, until all of the families were in the bed together.
Cooking on a campfire and eating on the ground on a ground cover and playing games and telling stories.

I remember another time all of the same people camped in the Conejos Canyon. It was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed Grandpa Vance's family.

One year we went to the South Fork on the Conejos. LaRue and Harold and Eddie and Grandma Lawson and our family camped. There was a raspberry patch and we made jam and ate all the raspberries that we could pick. We mad a tent with poles and blankets for the kids to sleep in. We had fried fish and fried potatoes.


I remember one year LaVerl and I took some of the cousins to the flat below the cabin where they made a camp ground. We set up two tents. One for the girls and the other for the boys. We stayed there several nights. The girls decided to move their tent after several nights, and had just got it set up and all of their things in it when it started raining. One day Edgar, Ethel and Don and Elma came to have lunch with us. Just about the time that they arrived, it started raining. The lightning struck a tree nearby. I said that it hit a tree close because I felt a chip hit me, and Edgar said he didn't think so, but he went looking at the trees near where we were and and found where it had struck two trees that were side by side. It peeled the bark on both trees from the top to the bottom in a line about 3 inches wide from the top to the bottom of both trees. I watched those trees for several years, after we bought the cabin, and I walked along the river. One of them died.

Later, we had the cabin to stay in. That was nice for all of us. There wasn't as much preparation to get ready to go and we always had a place to sleep. There are a lot of memories there. I still enjoy going to the cabin. I never get enough of it. Those are precious memories. I enjoyed the reunions that have been held at the cabin. We had several with the Vances. Cecil and Jessie and Richard and his family and RaeDean and their children and Earl and Winnie and their children. Those are times that I enjoy remembering. There is a picture of Arlo, Earl, Richard, Gordon and I don't remember who else. There is also one of Earl and Winnie, Jessie and Cecil and Arlo and me.

I remember reunions with the Dunn family. We have some great pictures that were taken at the cabin. Those were wonderful times.

I remember many times as a young girl going to Aspen Glade Camp Ground. I always loved that place Arlo didn't like it very well so we never went there often with our family. We camped more at LaManga Camp Grounds. That was good too.

What kind of man was Ted Bingham?

He owned a 1929 Chevrolet Coach that he purchased from "La Jara Filling Station." The title was recorded 10 Nov 1936. He lived in Manassa, Conejos County, Colorado in 1936.

1. 3 Sep 1916. Ted was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was confirmed by Christen Jensen.
   
2. 27 Dec 1935. James Edward Bingham was ordained an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This took place in the Manassa Ward.
3. April 30, 1937, he was chairman of Troop 273, Romeo Colorado of the Boy Scouts of America.
   
4. 7 February, 1942 He paid a license fee of $5.45 to the State of Colorado to register his 1929 Dodge Sedan. His address at the time was Romeo, Colorado.
   
5. He held a Chauffer's License for the state of Colorado. It was issued on Valentine's Day 1945. It give his birth date as Aug 8, 1998. He had brown hair and blue eyes and was 5' 7" tall.He registered for the selective service board of Manassa, Colorado 16 February, 1942. He was a resident of Romeo, Colorado at the time.
6. He paid $2 for a Small Game Fishing and hunting license 16 Feb 1942.
7. On March 26, 1945, he paid $7.69 for 148 shares to the Manassa Land and Irrigation Company
8. He was Asst. Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 273 Romeo, Colorado 31 December 1942.
9. He was a member of the Railroad Union for the D. & R.G.W.R.R. Co. His payroll number was 30434, but no date was given on the card.
   
10. On January 26, 1944, he signed his Union Card for the Santa Fe, New Mexico Local 1353 Brotherhood of Carpenters.
11. On June 10, 1944, He purchased a Resident Combined fishing and Small Game hunting license. He was a resident of Romeo.
    
12. On the 21st of January, 1946, he paid a $5.45 license fee to the State of Colorado to register his Chevrolet Coach. His address at the time was Romeo.

I never knew my grandfather personally, but after seeing copies of these documents, many of which were at one time carried in his wallet, I feel that I know him a little better.

The original documents are in the possession of Gatha Wilson. Thanks Mom for sharing them with me.

80--20--CONTINUED

I am wandering in my thoughts. I was thinking about the marrying in our family. Don and Gloria were the first. Don and Gloria met as Warren and Helen when they would come and visit us from Farmington, they came to see their family. We usually had a dinner together at our house. When Don went on his mission, He and Gloria wrote to each other. On his way home from his mission, he first flew to Farmington, before he got home. From that time, they spent time getting prepared for a wedding. They were married in the Mesa Arizona temple.

They had a reception in Farmington and one in Manassa. It was a lot of fun. Gloria is a wonderful daughter-in-law. I have always appreciated what a special person she is. Don is also a wonderful person. As a small child he was very considerate of me and always spoke kindly to me. They and their family are a wonderful part of my family. I feel that the most important thing in our lives is family and the fact that we will be a family forever.

Don went to work for the phone company Aunt Ruth heard about that job and it was a blessing to them from the start. They lived in an apartment over a store at the beginning.

Marcy, Danette and Cory are our first grandchildren. They are precious to us.

The next wedding was Kent and Phyllis. Kent met her as they were in the army in Colorado Springs. They were married in Manassa in the Relief Society room. They had a reception at our home. They lived in Colorado Springs, where their children were born. Andrea and Robert are a special part of our family.

Divorce is a sad thing and it was hard on everyone. We missed the children for a long time and that was hard. Great blessings are ours because of the children. We love them very much.

Kent was alone in Colorado Springs and after a time he called me and ask me to live with him. I was in Mesa, Arizona. I was working as an ordinance worker in the temple. Because Kent had a job and I didn't have a job. I went to Colorado Springs. That was a good time for Kent and me. We enjoyed the singles program in the church. That is how Kent met Betty. We were like a threesome. When they decided to marry, I went back to Mesa. They were married by a justice of the peace. The wedding wasn't wonderful, but the marraige was a blessing to all of us. How thankful the have Andrea and Robert back and to have Betty. She is such a special person, she is my Kidsey, and is great for our family. I love her and Kent and Andrea and Robert and children. We also gained Brenda and Eddie. Eddie is the first one of our family to go home to Heavenly Father. We miss him. Our family is growing.

Bonnie and Emery were in California. Bonnie was staying with Ina and Henry. Bonnie met Emery at a Singles dance. Emery was not a member, but he went to the dance. He persued the friendship. He was baptized there.

They were married in Lancaster, California. Kent and Phyllis and Robert and Andrea and I drove to California to the wedding. They had a reception in a big hotel in Lancaster. It was very fancy. They also had a Reception in Manassa. They brought roses from California in 5 gallon buckets. The hall was full of roses. It smelled sooo good. I made their wedding cake. It had a fountain.

Bonnie and Emery lived in Torrance, California for a few years. Emery and his brothers owned an apartment complex there and that is where Shandi and Emery J were born. Monica and John Henry were born in Fallbrook, California, where they moved.

I am thankful for Bonnie and Emery and their children Bonnie is a special daughter and I am thankful for Emery. He is so good to me.

Larry and Jeanette are our last children to marry. When Larry returned home from his mission, he decided to go to BYU to school. He met Jeanette there. Larry went to BYU for the Summer term. On Decemer 15th that year, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple.

They had a reception in Murry, Utah and one in Manassa. Both Jeanette's mom and I had chosen to have gingerbread houses as center pieces on the tables. It was christmas time and the halls smelled so good.l

Jeanette's mom and dad came to Colorado for the reception. I said that Jeanette was an answer to my prayers. They said that she must be an answer to someone's prayers. She had been going to college in a small college and had never wanted to go to BYU, but she felt a reason to go to BYU. They said she had considered a mission but decided not to go. I still feel that she was an answer to my prayers. They have worked so hard to raise a righteous family. They have had home evening every monday night of their lives and have done many family things. I know that great blessings are in store for them.

When Larry graduated from BYU with a masters degree in civil engineering they had Arlo, Craig, Brian and Julie. Ainta was born in Texas and Debra and Eric were born in Colorado.
I am very thankful for Jeanette. She is a special lady. I am also thankful for Larry. He has worked so hard to make a good life for him and family. I am thankful for each of the children from this family. They are special to me.

I love my family with all my heart. They are the reason for my happiness. I look forwarde to an eternity with them.

Dentures

Betty and I went to the movies one evening. I decided that in order to take full advantage of the environment, I needed a good chewy caramel. It tasted wonderful until I heard a loud crack when the anchor tooth snapped off. There was no pain, but my partial was loose in my mouth and had to be rebuilt to add another tooth.

Mom (Gatha) was forever using Super Glue to repair her dentures. She looked so cute when she smiled and her front tooth was missing. I prefer her smile however, with a full set of pretty white teeth.

I remember many, many years ago, Doris Faye got her first set of dentures. She was really young when she got them. She was having a hard time getting used to them. As we knelt around the bed for family prayer, Doris Faye had hardly begun and her upper dentures came flying out and onto the bed. We all had a good laugh.

We had a similar experience this week when Betty's dad went to the restaurant to celebrate his 88th birthday with Betty and Wick Bohanan. He was trying a new adhesive, Sea Bond. It didn't work as well as he hoped and he ended up with his dentures in his plate rather than in his mouth.

I watched Dad (Arlo Vance) for years eat without dentures. I appreciate his sacrifice for us, but he would have been so much more attractive with a mouth full of ivory cutting instruments. I'm personally very grateful for my dentures. They may be a bit hard to get used to, but food is so much better when we can chew it well before we swallow it.

I have been so tempted to take the plaster impressions of my teeth as a white elephant gift to a church party. Betty tells me that would be in very poor taste. Can you think of a humorous denture adventure to share with the family for a little fun?

How does one express love?

There are three little words, "I love you." How can we be sure that people hear them and know that we feel that way towards them?

There was a little poem that I used many, many years ago when I gave a two and half minute talk. The poem says it all.

WHICH LOVED BEST?

"I love you, Mother, said little John;
Then, forgetting his work, his cap went on.
And he was off to the garden swing,
Leaving his mother the wood to bring.

"I love you, Mother, said rosy Nell,
"I love you better than tongue can tell."
Then she teased and pouted full half the day.
Till her mother was glad when she went to play.

I love you, Mother," said little Fan,
"To-day I'll help you all that I can;
How glad I am that school doesn't keep!"
So she rocked the babe till he fell asleep.

Then stepping softly, she took the broom,
And swept the floor, and dusted the room.
Busy and happy all day was she;
Helpful and happy as a child could be.

"I love you, Mother," again they said,
Three little children going to bed.
How do you think that mother guessed
Which of them really loved her best?

by Joy Allison (1917)

80--CONTINUED--19

I have been trying to think of things to add to my posts. Some of the things that come to mind are some of the thing we did as my children were at home. Arlo never had time to go with us as we wandered here and there, but we did do a lot of things. We went to Las Alamos several times. One time we went with my sisters and all of the children. There was a crowd of us. We went to see Nona and were in the VW pickup and it broke down. I don't remember how we got home, but Arlo had Tommy Rogers load the pickup on his truck and bring it home. The motor was replaced several times on that vehicle. It also gave us a problem as we drove it home from Los Alamosa. We did get it home that time.

Several times we went to Denver to take Bonnie Lynn for a check up on her ear. I went back to see what I had written about these things and found that I had told most of these things before. I know that as I am getting older it is easy to tell the same story many times, sorry about that. I could erase this but it took time and thought so just read it again. I don't think anybody is reading this much anymore anyway.

It has been fun to watch the great grandchildren come along. Our first great grandchild is Matthew. He is a blessing to us. I don't know the order of the grandchildren, so I need to go to my records to check that out.

Wow, I got comments before I finished the post. I was taking some time to think about the things that happened in those times.

Kent reminded me of the floats we made for the garage. The year that he was talking about was the year that Jack Dempsey came to Manassa. Kent helped me make a whale on the VW pickup. I think I have a picture of it. If I can find it I will put it on the blog. We made the whale out of the pickup and a float on a trailer behind it with a chain and a spear attached in the whale. Diane Luster was riding in the float behind. That was a big job. It was shown on Albuquerque television. It got second prize in the parade. I don't remember how many floats I made, but I did one every year for a time. We lived around the corner from the highway that run through town. The parade started on the West end of town and went the mile to the East end of town. It went through town both directions. So we could watch it twice. Cars were parked on both sides of the streets. The town was full. Many side streets had cars parked and they walked to watch the parade. I think our parades were as good as any small town parade. There were beautiful floats.

Manassa was really busy the year that Jack Dempsey came for the celebration. The 24th of July was a special time in Manassa. We always had two days of celebration. The first day started with a blast of dynamite to wake everyone up. There was a parade both days at 10 o'clock. Some years they had a program about the early days of the town or of the church. A barbecue was served in the cultural hall both days. There was a hamburger stand, a carnival and a rodeo at the fair grounds. The rodeos were pretty professional, with bucking horses, bull riding, calf roping, barrel racing. and other fun things. They had cotton candy and snow cones and other food.

The town became a large place as families had family reunions and people coming to help celebrate. The stores closed for the parade and the rodeo. There were people everywhere.

80--CONTINUED--18

I decided to tell some of the things that happened to us through the years.
When Arlo was in the hospital with his back, I went to work at hot lunch in the Manassa grade school. I worked with Maggie Weston. The hot lunch was a great blessing to the children. Our meals were well planned and I learned a lot about planning meals for a big group and how to prepare well. We made our own bread. Maggie mixed most of the dough, but I did it once in a while. We even made the buns for the hamburgers. Once Bruce Jarvies came back 9 times for another hamburger. I often wondered how he held so much. They were sloppy Joe hamburgers and were very tasty. We served as much food as the children wanted as long as it lasted. We cooked beans once a week and we did many good things. The government furnished many good foods for us. We got real butter, turkeys, and many other foods. Our meals were really good. Many times we had leftovers and we took them home. That was a real blessing to us, as Arlo was not working and my pay was small. I worked there for several years. I learned to clean up after doing a job and putting things away when I was through with my job. That is a simple thing, but it has made my life more simple.

When Arlo was able to go to work after his surgery, we bought the home across the road from Maggie. That was our first home that we owned. Things in life happen in small steps. Line upon line. We lived across from Maggie when we bought our first television.

I remember when we lived there Arlo bought a red pickup. I could not drive it in the snow. It took me a long time to be able to drive it on snowy roads. Arlo could get in it and drive very well.

We lived in a house with running water in the house and a bathroom, when we lived in Romeo, That is the first indoor bathroom we had, but when we moved to Manassa, we had a hand pump in the kitchen, but an outhouse. When we moved the our home across from Elma, Arlo installed a bathroom and we then had running water in the house. We did live simple, but I loved my life, eventho you would feel that it was surely awful.

We spent a lot of time in the mountains. Arlo was a fisherman and enjoyed hunting. He took us to the mountains often. I enjoyed that.

James Hazlett Jack and Georgia Ann Horton Jack

James Hazlett Jack was born October 24, 1831 in Knox county, Tennessee, the eighth child of Allen Jack and Elizabeth White McCouley.

Georgia Ann Horton was born May 30, 1841 in Lebanon, De Kalb county, Alabama, the daughter of Preston Betty Horton and Elizabeth Malone. the oldest of 15 children. Her father was very prosperous, and her childhood was a happy one. Her education was complete for that time. One of her teachers was James Hazlett, a mild mannered young man. She married him on July 22, 1858. T

hey had 3 years of real happiness and prosperity. Then came the Civil War. James had seven brothers in the Confederate army, most were officers, but he joined the Union army. Because of his brothers he was not put in the firing lines, but acted as home guard, scout and spy.

One day he was swimming across the river with some papers. His son was on his back hold up the papers. Someone shot James in the back. They were near the shore so he made it and his son helped him. They hid him in the bushes. James told his son to take some papers to James' wife, Georgia as she would know what to do with them. Before daylight, Georgia was back with medicine and food. She hid him a hollow gum tree. He stayed there until he was better, but he was always stooped over for the rest of his life from being crouched over in the gum tree. He was in poor health for the rest of his life.

Mr. Berry was a good friend of Jim's and was also a runner for the Union army. As soon as Jim was able, Mr. Betty helped and they went to a Mormon settlement hiding by day and traveling by night. They then wrote Georgia and Mrs. Berry and told them to come to them. Georgia had a mule and Mrs. Berry had a spring rig. They loaded just what they had to have into it and started out. When they got to the river, the guard wouldn't let them cross until Georgia showed him a letter from Jim. He told them to go back a ways, pretend to camp, feed the children, and put them to bed. In the night, they were to come back and get help from them.

They did as they were instructed. They crossed the river in Chattanooga, Tennessee and proceeded on. As they passed a grove of trees, they heard some soldiers talking about hanging five men. They said Jim Jack was through being a spy, that he was hanging to a tree. Georgia could not go on without knowing for sure. She unhitched the mule and straddled him. She took her old musket and went to the place of hanging. None of the five men was Jim. When she returned to the spring rig, the soldiers had taken everything off the rig and scattered it looking for important papers and other items. Georgia, still astraddle of the old mules said, "I just turned that old musket on those men and made them load everything back on the fig." It was unheard of for women to straddle a horse much less brandish a gun as Georgia had.

When they reached their husbands, thy were destitute for food and somewhere to stay. Their son, Bob, was only 6 or 7 years old and he got a job in a blacksmith shop running the bellows. He stayed with this many years. He learned the blacksmith trade.

After the war, Georgia states that there seemed to be a curse on the land. It didn't produce as it had before.

Elders Morgan and Lisbon brought the Gospel to them. Georgia was ready for baptism right away.

She said, "I don't see how anyone with sense could fail to see the light." Jim was slower to accept the Church but was a staunch Latter Day Saint once he accepted it. It was the final blow to the Jack family when James Hazlett and Georgia Ann joined the LDS Church. It was bad enough for them to join the Union army, to to join the Mormon Church was unforgivable.

In 1879, the James H. Jack family was called by the Church to settle the San Luis Valley. They came to Pueblo, Colorado by train. They stayed for a while, then bought wagons and teams before proceeding on to the valley. They came to the fort at Los Cerritos in April 1879. They had just been in the valley 16 days when their oldest daughter died of pneumonia. She was the first Anglo woman buried in the town of Manassa. Untold hardships were their lot in their new home. They were used to the mild climate of Alabama and Colorado was so cold.

Food was scarce. Flour was sold for 8 a hundred, but Georgia was resourceful and managed to have food when other families were without. She always shared with others.

James Hazlett died May 13 1893 following an operation performed on their kitchen table in the Jack Bend.

Georgia died January 27, 1927 at the age of 87. She was survived by only three of her eleven children.

Simeon Adams Dunn, The Mormons; 100 Years in the San Luis Valley of Colorado; 1883-1983, Compiled and Edited by Carleton Q. Anderson, Betty Shawcroft and Robert Compton, Published by the La Jara Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Adobe Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico

80--CONTINUED--17

After Arlo Died, my life changed. I was still working at the Conejos County Library. I worked there for 7 years. The following year I was very busy. I kept myself so busy that I didn't have time to think. in all. I was on four major boards. I was president of the Conejos County Hospital Auxiliary, I was on the board of directors for the building next to the Hospital that was built to house people who were in need of housing where they had help from hospital personal. I was Republican Committee Woman, and I was on the Cemetary Board of Directors and I was also on a group of people from the Alamosa Library, (genealogy).

I stayed home for a year and then moved to Mesa, Arizona. I lived with Georgiana Lillywhite, as a companion. She was 90 years old. I worked there for her for one year. While I was there I was called as an ordinance worker in the Mesa Temple. One day Kent called me and said he needed me to live with him. He and Phyllis had divorced and his life was difficult at the time. I lived with Kent In Colorado Springs for a year. That was a special time. Kent and I had a great time. He met Betty while I was there. We did singles things and he worked at the job he has now, but the company changed. He has been there a long time. I worked for a drapery company. Kent and Betty married on the 30th of January 1987. With their marriage I gained two more grandchildren. Brenda and Eddie. I am glad that they have been a part of my family. Eddie is the first death of the family, other than my husbands.

I moved back to Mesa and lived with LaRue and Harold and with Leon and Jean. I went back to work in the temple. Dottie Vance and I rented a house and shared three different homes in Mesa.

On the 15th of June 1987, Anita was born. in Greenville, Texas, where Larry was working as a civil engineer for an airplane place. I went there and stayed with them to help out with the children. Anita has been special to me ever since and still is. I love her dearly. I pray for her happiness.

On the 8th of August, 1989, John Henry was born. Shandi had been staying with Dottie and me, which she did several Summers, when Bonnie called that John had been born. Bonnie had toxemia and was in serious condition. The doctor sent her to SanDiego hospital by ambulance and they took John early. He only weighed a ltttle over 3 pounds. As soon as he was born, Bonnie was OK. Shandi and I drove to SanDiego in my Honda car, which had no air conditioning. It was a rather hot ride. He was small enough that Emery held him in his hand and he came from Emery's finger tips to his wrist. I have a picture somewhere. You would never know it know it now. He is a big young man.

On the 22 August 1990 I entered the MTC to go to the Washington, Seattle Mission. I served there for one year. I was released on 8th of August 1991 I was in the mission field when Debra was born.

Larry and Jeanette moved from Texas to Denver, where he worked for Martin Marietta. That is where Debra was born, on the first of February 1990. She was a beautiful child. She is a lovely person.

In 1992 I moved to St George. Ina called and said that Henry was seriously sick and she needed help. I left Mesa that day and never returned to Mesa to live. I lived with Ina after Henry died. I met Ward Wilson and we married on the 7th of August 1993, for time only in the St George Temple. On our first anniversary we were in the MTC, going to the Illinois, Chicago Mission. We served there for 14 months. Ward had parkinsons disease and was not able to do the work after that. We were released in October, 1993

On our way home from our mission, we went by to See Kent and Betty, in Longmont and, Larry and Jeanette, in Denver. I remember Ward saying that Debra was the prettiest little girl that he had ever seen.

Our last grandchild, Eric was born in Denver on the 28th of May 1994. That makes 18 grandchildren. That is our heritage. Those who came to our family, hopefully will be ours for all eternity. because all of their families are sealed for eternity and I believe with all my heart that they will all be there, because it it a promise.

TO BE CONTINUED

80--CONTINUED--16

in 1981,on 27th of November, Craig was born. Now Larry and Jeanette have two sons. Larry was working at a shop where they make bedroom sets. He was still going to BYU and Jeanette was doing everything she could to help. She baby sat, sold tupperware and whatever she could to help. They were a growing family.

About this time, our bishop called Arlo and me (Gatha) into his office and ask us to go on a mission. Arlo was a little undecided. We didn't have an income to supply the money to pay for our mission and he didn't want anyone else to pay for it. The bishop said the ward would pay for it. He told the bishop that he would let him know on Tuesday following the Sunday when he ask us. I think it was a difficult decision, but he said, "he had expected his children to accept their mission calls and he couldn't tell them that he had turned his call down." He also knew that I wanted to go, so he told the bishop that we would go. We filled out the papers and when we went for our physical, we were told told that his heart was not healthy enough to go. He was sent to Denver, where he had bypass surgery. The doctor told us that his heart was on the verge of a massive heart attack. He had two more surgeries. One of them was to resew his sternem back as the first scar opened. Then he had bypass into his legs. I don't remember how long all of this took us.

Several months before our call, I was working at the Conejos County Library, I was asked if I would be interested in purchasing a Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medical Insurance. I decided to take it. I offered 100% coverage. The agent told me that he didn't know how they could offer me this policy, He worked for them and could only get 90%. This policy paid 100% of the bills for all three surgeries were completed, and when they were over, I was called to the county again and was told that they didn't know how I got that policy. After the time for healing and being ready, Arlo got Social Security, which paid for our mission. It was a time of miracles as far as I am concerned. The Lord made it possible for us to serve a mission. We entered the MTC on the 29th of September 1982, on Arlo, (our grandson)'s 2nd birthday. That night we received a phone call from Larry and Jeanette that Jeanette's father had died.

Our mission was a very special time for Arlo and me. We enjoyed the work and had a good time growing together. We got home on September 10th 1983.

Brian was born while we were on our mission. He was born on the 9th of July 1983. We saw him for the first time when we went to Provo for Thanksgiving.

All of our family went to Provo, to spend Thanksgiving with Larry and Jeanette. That was a special time. Gloria said that Arlo told Donnie how much he loved him. That was a thing that he did very seldom. Talking about his feelings was not easy for him. That was the last time all of us were all together as a family. Arlo died on the 7th of December 1983.

The next Summer Larry and Jeanette and their family came to Manassa, from Provo and spent the summer with me and were a big help to me. Larry built cupboards in my kitchen and it was fun to have the there. I wish I had a better memory.

Monica was born in 1984. She was born in Fallbrook, California. She was a beautiful little girl. Bonnie and Emery now had Shandi, Emery J. and little Monica. She is my eleventh grandchild.

Julie was born the next summer on the 7th of May 1985. Larry and Jeanette had been in school ever since they were married. Now it was time to move on. Jeanette had graduated from BYU earlier and now Larry graduated with a masters degree in civil engineering. They had four children and it was time to find work.

TO BE CONTINUED !

80-- CONTINUED--15

Bonnie and Emery were married on November 11, 1978 in California. Bonnie had been living with Ina and Henry in California. She met Emery at a singles dance and he began coming to see her and they were married. On 23 August 1979, Shandi was born. I went to California to be with Bonnie and help take care of the baby. She was the first one to be born out of Colorado. Emery was so pleased with Shandi. She was a sweet child and I am so glad that she is my granddaughter.

Larry and Jeanette were married on the 15th of December, 1979. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Their wedding was special. They had a reception in Utah and one in Manassa. Jeanette's parents came to colorado and stayed with us for the reception. That was nice.

They were living in Provo, Utah where both of the them attended BYU. until Jeanette graduated. James Arlo was born on 29th of September 1980, in Provo. Arlo is a very special person and I have always admired him. One time I went to Provo and stayed with them for a few days and I pulled him around in the wagon that his dad made for him. He cried when I went home. I have always felt bad that I didn't live closer to all of the grandchildren.

Emery J. was the next grandchild. He was born on the 1st of December 1980. Bonnie and Emery were living in Torrance, California when he was born. Bonnie wanted me to come and help her with Shandi. He was expected so close to Christmas that I tried to talk Arlo into going with me, but he said no, so I said that I wouldn't go and leave him home alone for Christmas. Arlo decided to go with me. That is one of the times that he and I had a wonderful time together. Emery J. came a little early so by the time we got there, he was about 10 days old. We had Christmas with them. Bonnie and Emery took us to San Diego to Sea world and Wild Animal park and to Lancaster to see Ina and Loyd and family. On the way home they drove us to Provo to see Larry and Jeanette and Arlo, who was 3 months old. We flew home from Salt Lake. That was nice to see three of our grandchildren, Shandi, Emery J. and Arlo. Also to spend time with Bonnie and Emery and Larry and Jeanette.

TO BE CONTINUED !

Where have the years gone?

I dearly loved my cousins in Manassa. It was good to share our lives with one another.

If I had run into EJ on the street, nose to nose, I'm afraid that I wouldn't have known him, but when I saw his boys, each of them bears his father's mark.

I used to love it when EJ would come into the Filling station in Manassa. Dad would give him a soda and a sack of peanuts. He would sit in the old desks in the station and swing his feet as he drank his pop.

I went on a mission and away to school. EJ and his family moved to Arizona. I don't think I saw him more than once or twice in the years that followed. Many years later, when I was in Arizona to visit my Mother, EJ and his wife took me in for the night and made me feel welcome.

Last year, I was diagnosed with cancer of the thyroid and was uneasy about the diagnosis. I was grateful when EJ reached out offer his support. It was so good to talk to him, and how I yearned for those simpler times in my life. Alas, we can't turn the clock back.

I was excited today when I saw Doris Faye and some of her family on Facebook. That's where I pulled the picture above. I am hoping that although we can't go back in time, we'll be able to rekindle some of the relationships that we hold dear.

80--CONTINUED--14

Danette was the next grandchild. She was born on the 30th of August, 1970. She was always a wonderful granddaughter.

It was so much fun to have two sweet little girls. They lived in Alamosa and we lived in Manassa, so we saw them often. It was fun to watch them grow and to be loved and enjoyed by them.

Arlo loved his little girls. It was fun to watch them together. I think grandchildren are a blessing to grandparents. I think they can enjoy them in a way that raising your children, you don't have time to cherish them in the same way grandparents do.
Cory was next in the line of grandchildren. We were pleased to have a grandson. He was born on 15 of June 1972. Trying to write about them is difficult, because you can't express the feelings you have for each of them in a way it would be good for them to know just how precious they are.

When these sweet children were small, Gloria had migraine headaches about every three months. She would be in bed for two or three days and I would go stay with them until Gloria was able to take care of them. Those headaches were so hard on her. It was a great blessing when she outgrew them.

kent and Phyllis were married in 1973 and Andrea Kay was born on on the 11 of October 1974. That is the anniversary of my mom's death. It was good to have something special happen on that day. Andrea was a beautiful baby and has ever been full of love.

Next came Robert Kent. He was born on 20th of February 1976. Phyllis had toxemia before Robert was born, so I went and stayed with them for 2 weeks because Phyllis was confined to bed. Robert was special to me and still is.

TO BE CONTINUED !

80--CONTINUED--13

If I remember more things of the school years, I'll go back. I was thankful that Don chose to go on a mission, but I pushed too hard and he didn't feel ready. It is good to let children be more responsible for their decisions, as they get old enough. I wish at times I could go back and be a wiser mother.

I mentioned before that Arlo and I were sealed in the Mesa Temple. That was the happiest day of my life. I will forever be thankful for that blessing. Now it is up to all of us to make that eternal. When my mom died my dad said that if there was nothing to the power of the sealing, it would be a great blessing, because of the peace it gives when one is gone on before. I know by the Spirit that those sealings are from our Heavenly Father. It is a great blessing to know that families can be together forever. My prayer is that every member of our family will work toward that blessing, that we may all be prepared for that. I also believe that living the principles of the Gospel, makes for a happy life here and now.

Don came home from his mission and right away was ready to find a wife. I'll forever be thankful for the choice he made. Gloria is a special part of our family. He was married to Gloria Culler in the Mesa Arizona Temple, on the 28th of September 1968. They have been together for many years. They have survived many trials and have grown from them, as all of us do.

It was in natural order that Marcy Lynn was born. Warren and Helen came from Farmington to be with them when the baby came. Don had worked for the phone company ever since he returned from his mission. He was working on a crew that worked out of town some of the time. He was In San Luis, with the person he was working with. Gloria was ready to have the baby and they couldn't find Donnie. They called the hotel here they were staying and they said they had checked out the night before. They called Arlo and me and we drove to San Luis and went to the hotel where they were supposed to be and they told us the same thing, that they had checked out the night before. We didn't know what to do. We drove around town to see if we could find their truck. We gave up and started home, when we saw a car from the phone company and stopped him. He said for us to follow him. He came to see what had happened to his crew. He went to the hotel and demanded to see the room where they had been staying and there they were in the bed. Marcy was born, before Donnie got home, but all was well.

Marcy was our first grandchild, she was born on the 24th of July 1969 in the Alamosa Hospital. She is the first grandchild for Warren and Helen, too. She gave us a good start. It is wonderful, the way a family grows. She is small but mighty. I do love that girl.

When Marcy was old enough for them to take her to Farmington to show her off to Gloria's family, they had a car accident. They hit a bridge abutment and it threw all three of them out of the car. Gloria was thrown a long way and had many cuts and bruises. Don didn't seem to have any serious problems. Marcy was in a car bed. The bed went out with her in it. She got a cut on her finger and that seemed to be all. That was one of the miracles of our family that all of them survived. It destroyed the car that Gloria had worked for. Life goes on. I am thankful for that.

TO BE CONTINUED

80--CONTINUED--12

A lot of things happened through the years that my children were in their school days. A lot of things were going on, but because I wasn't involved in many of the things, I didn't know much.

Everyone had their friends I'm sure I don't know all of them. Donnie had Freddie Holman, Eddie Holland, I can't think, Don, you add, if you like. Kent had Eddie Holland and I think he liked his cousins best. Bonnie had Her cousins, Nancy, Delores, Jill, and Ramona McGinnis, Janice Johnson, Larry had Robert Sorensen, Irene, Jeff Horton and Larry Dean White. My memory is gone.

There were school proms, church dances, wrestling matches, football and basketball games. Life was busy and full. We had family reunions, Then came the missions and college and many other things. Donnie played football for a season. Larry wrestled. Bonnie belonged to the cheerleaders. Kent worked in the school library.

I was busy with church callings. I was on the Relief Society Stake Board for 7 years. I was on the Primary Stake Board for seven years also. I went into Salt Lake City for the meetings for each that were held before General Conference. I had the privilege of staying for General Conference each time I went.

After Donnie graduated from high school, he went to college for one quarter. That wasn't his thing. Next came his mission.

Kent graduated and went on his mission. He came back and went to Adams State. Then came the Army for him. I think one of the best times for him was when he was in college. There was a group of them that had a lot of fun. I'll write more later.

TO BE CONTINUED !

80--CONTINUED--11

The week that my car, that had been Elma and Boyd's burned, Larry had a terrible mishap. He was working at a service station, a part of a school program, He was trying to take the steering wheel off his car, for some unknown reason and I called to tell him to hurry home or he would be late for Grandpa Dunn's funeral. A short time later Gordon Dean came to the mortuary and said Larry had been in a car accident and was in the hospital, which was by the place where the accident happened. Larry did not put the screws back in the steering wheel and it came off in his hands. The car was hit broadside by Mr and Mrs Zinn and their baby (Troy, Marcy's husband) and Mrs Zinn was in the hospital also. Arlo and I were in a state of shock. We didn't know if we should go to the funeral or the hospital. I called the hospital and talked to Doctor Thomas. He said Larry has cuts and bruises and some broken ribs, but he will be alright, so go to the funeral. Larry had cuts on his throat by his jugular vein, but he as OK.

Kent Had an accident on the way to Colorado Springs, after the funeral, where he was stationed in the Army. He was on the east side of Wolf Creel Pass, almost to walsenburg. Kent called Arlo but he wasn't at the station. Ronnie Nite went to see how he was and take him where he needed to go and I didn't even know anything about it until Ronnie had already gone. I was really upset that they didn't give me a chance to go to see how he was. His car was in a garage in Walsenburg until it was repaired. The insurance that Kent had on the car sent a check to pay the damage, but the man at the garage would not accept the check, so Kent had to go back again with the money to pay for the car. I went with him, the man was not going to accept the money either. I was so aggravated at the man. Kent told him to take the money or the car. He then said take your car. I told the man that he was not an honest man. I embarrassed Kent. He had been afoot for quite a while and needed the car. He made three trips to pick it up. Kent, please, add some of the things about your accident.

That was three cars in three days. Kent got his back. Mine was ruined. Larry's was as bad as a car could be and he got out of it alive. I think there is a picture of it somewhere.


I got a long way ahead of my story. After we went to the temple, the missions, began. Donnie went to a Central American Mission. He served in several countries. I would like for each of you to tell us (in this history), some things about your missions.

Kent went to Mexico on his mission. Bonnie went to Idaho on her mission and Larry went to Argentina. Arlo and I went to Arizona, Holbrook for our mission. After Arlo died I went to Seattle Washington and after I married Ward, we went to Chicago, North. Our missions were a wonderful part of our lives. Please each one of you tell about your missions.

Before these things happened, The Manassa High School was joined with LaJara, in a new school building, South of LaJara. The School was called Centauri. Donnie and Kent and Bonnie all graduated from Centauri High school. Larry was a senior. Donnie had played football and broke his shoulder and wasn't able to play anymore. All of my children were smarter than I was in school. Kent was working in the school library and they were combining an old library in Capulin and had duplicate books. Kent brought several boxes of books home. There were some of the classics.

I was helping Arlo in the garage, because all of his helpers were busy at other things. The books that Kent brought home were such good books and as I helped in the garage, I read most of the books. I enjoyed working at the garage with Arlo. I think that was the best time we had together. We really enjoyed each other. Well, our mission was also a great time.

I'm not sure the order of things. I'm just telling things as they come to my mind. Not necessarily in the time they happened.

TO BE CONTINUED!

80--CONTINUED--10

My children and I went on several trips. Arlo had to work and never was able to go with us. We went several times to Los Alamos, where Keith and Erma lived. A few times my sisters, Doris Faye, LaRue and Barbara and their children went at the same time. We went to Bandalier Indian Ruins, the Laboratories where they worked on the atomic bomb. Keith worked in one of the places were they did some kind of scientific research. That was always fun.

My dad, Ted Bingham worked in LosAlamos when they were working on the atomic bomb. Of course he didn't know what was going on there. He would work away from home in the winter, sometimes, when the farm work was done. and the boys could take care of the farm. Mom sometimes took him to work, so she had the car. At other times he rode with someone else. At that time there was not a very well finished road up the mountain and it was a scary ride. There was a gate at the entrance where nobody could pass, without a pass. I never went with them to LosAlamos then, because I stayed home to keep the house and whatever I had to do.

When we went up to visit Keith and Erma, Keith or Erma had to come to the gate and sign a pass, so we could go in. The gate was there for many years. It is no longer there.

We also went to Pueblo and visited with Nona and her children. One time we went in the VW pickup and it stalled and we had to find a ride home. Tom Rogers brought the pickup home in one of his trucks.

Arlo was pretty good about our little mishaps. I guess he was accustomed to our car problems. Sometimes we went through cars like women go through hosiery. I never had a car of for my use after our little Plymouth car was no longer usable, until Arlo bought Elma and Boyd's used car. It was short lived. Doris Faye took it to Alamosa to get some things for Grandpa Dunn's funeral and the car caught fire and that was the end of my car. I only had Arlo's pickup or one of my children's cars. I don't think I can even name all of the cars we wore out or wrecked.

Our Christmas' were special times. We had a hardwood floor, that had to be waxed and polished by hand. It was beautiful when it was polished. When Arlo and I married, he had never really celebrated Christmas the way we always did. He didn't think we needed a Christmas tree. I told him that when the time came that I didn't have a Christmas tree, he would know that I was too old. I have always had a tree. His family were very poor and didn't buy Christmas presents. Arlo learned to love Christmas. One of the traditions that we had was on Christmas Eve. we did the story of the birth of Christ and after had a family testimony meeting. Everyone didn't have to bear testimony, but everyone told of their love for each other and how special our family was. I believe that is one of the things that helped Arlo gain a testimony of the Gospel. He loved Christmas. He would sit in his chair by the fire and watch the lights on our beautiful tree. It shone on the floor where the floor was polished.

Arlo loved beautiful things. He was really interested in Bonnie Lynn's ballet concerts. He would watch an opera on television. He loved good music. Those are things that helped me to know how deep and sweet his feelings were for good thing.