80 -- CONTINUED --3

I hope to touch on all of the things in the 2 lists of 80.

I missed telling about my baptism. I was baptized in Manassa in the old brick Stake building that is on the northeast corner of the church lot, on 1 November 1936. There was a baptismal font, in the basement, at that time. I don't think it is there anymore. I don't remember much about it, but I am thankful for that blessing in my life.

Arlo and I moved several times before he went to work for Ed Guymon, and we moved into their two room house. There was no indoor plumbing, so we had a path. There was a running artisian well. The water was wonderful, sweet and icy cold. We had an oil heating stove and a cook stove that was heated by oil also. We heated water for washing and we carried the water for any use we had.

TO BE CONTINUED !

Doris Faye was living with us when we moved there. We lived there when Don was born. He was a sweet red head. Both Arlo and I thought that he was the best child that was ever born. He slept through the night, from the time we brought him home. Arlo washed out his dirty diapers. Can you believe that. He was so proud of him. Life does a drastic change when babies come. It was a cold winter night when Don was born. We had the model A and there was no anti-freeze, so we drained the car every night. When we were preparing to go to the hospital, Arlo had to fill the radiator with water and He had such a hard time getting it filled. He was so nervous. Don was born in the Alamosa hospital. Everything went well. The doctor that delivered him was Dr Hurley. He was the doctor that had delivered me and all of my brothers and sisters. He talked about my mom as he was waiting for Don to get here. I felt the presence of my mom at the time. I think she was there when each of my children were born.

I often took the children, Doris Faye and Don and the other children as they came, to see Grandma Dunn. She was like a mother to me and I felt her need at times.

Eighteen month later Kent was born. He had dark hair and was a good son. Kent has always been a special person to me. I was so proud of my boys. There are a lot of things that make a family. I loved my little family.

We were in the Richfield Ward when we moved there. I was a counselor in the Primary while we lived in Richfield. The LaJara chapel was built when we lived there and Arlo worked on the building. In the winter, there wasn't much work to be done on the farm, so Ed paid him to work on the chapel.

I taught a primary class there. One day the car wouldn't start. It was a heavy car. Not the model A. Arlo had made a crank for it, because that happened sometimes. I cranked and cranked and couldn't start the car. Finally I went into the house and prayed that the car would start, because I felt a great responsibility to be there to teach my class. I went back out and turned the crank once. The car started. I got there, but I was really tired. I know that prayers are answered. I love the Lord and am thankful for his care.

Three years after Kent was born we had Bonnie Lynn. I had always wanted a girl and was so pleased to get my sweet Bonnie. She was a red head, although it didn't really show red until she was about a year old. I told Grandma Dunn that it was red, but she didn't think so. I liked her beautiful hair. The Lord greatly blessed us as a family. When Bonnie was four years old, her eyes were crossed and she had surgery to correct them, Uncle Bill payed for that surgery. It is wonderful to belong to a good family, who are there for you when you nave a need.

Dad died - 62 years ago today

Today is the 62nd anniversary of the day my dad died. It is really hard for me to even think of that time.

In June Arlo and I drove him to Alamosa to enter the hospital as he was having surgery the next morning to repair a hernia. We went to Ruth and Bill's and had supper and then went to a movie. He had the surgery and there were complications. He had pains from adhesions from a former surgery. They operated to remove the scars, but that was not successful either. He developed a bowel obstruction and it progressed to the point that it burst.

The day he died, Keith sent a telegram that he had been released from the Navy and was on his way home. We tried to find him, but were not successful. Some of the aunts and uncles met every bus and train that came into Alamosa. He was home in time to go to the funeral. We no longer had a home and Keith wanted to buy back the farm and take the four (Leon, Barbara, LaRue and Doris Faye), to raise them. He didn''t have the means to do that.

After the funeral, Leon went to Farmington, New Mexico, Barbara went with Ethel and Don, to California, LaRue stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Dunn. Doris Faye went home with Arlo and me. Keith went to Los Alamos, New Mexico and lived with his friend Bud Richarson. He found work and remained there to marry Erma Rae and to raise his family.

The years go by, but the facts don't change that there was no place to go home again. After a year Leon went to Grandma and Grandpa Dunn's home. After 6 years Doris Faye also went to Grandma and Grandpa's home. Barbara was the last one to go to Grandma and Grandpa's home. All of them graduated from Manassa High School. I will forever be thankful to Grandma and Grandpa Dunn. They were a great blessing to us.

Posted by Kent for Gatha

My childhood

The first memories I have are when we lived in Saguache. Keith and I were playing in a two wheeled trailer , going back and forth in it until it hit the ground on front and then back. I fell out and cut my head. I still have a scar from that.

We moved from there to Manassa, We lived in a house that Eda and Rex Johnson live in now. We lived across the street from Wayne Rogers. They was an older couple, Aunt Tea and Uncle Al Nielson, that lived on the Southwest corner of the block on the South of us. We bought milk from them. Aunt Tea was Grandma Dunn's sister. She died and Phil Married Uncle Al. That is Nancy Dunn's mother.

While we lived there Mom was washing clothes in a washing machine in the back of the house. Keith and I got under the front porch and started a fire. It burned a hole in the porch. We ran to tell Mom that the house was on fire. She hurried and got the fire out.

We moved from that house to a house on the southwest corner of town. That is where we lived across the street from Lillie and Arch McKenzie. They were Helen Culler's parents. Helen and I always loved each other. We lived there until we moved to Romeo to the farm that is two and a half miles from Romeo and two and a half miles from Antonito. That is the home that we spent most of our lives with our family.

Memories

Although I never knew Grandma and Grandpa Bingham, they have touched my life.

For many years, I had a two drawer dresser that I put my clothes in. Grandpa Bingham had made it from an old upright Radio cabinet. I think that LaRue has it now.

I still have a picture that hung in the home of Grandma and Grandpa Bingham. I have really enjoyed it over the years. When it fell from the wall one time and the glass broke, I realized that it was actually the cover of a Relief Society magazine.

As I look at photos of Grandma and Grandma Bingham, I can see their grandchildren. I see Leon's boys in Grandpa, and I see Connie White as I look at Grandma Bingham. They left their marks on our contenances and on our hearts.