Kristy's Memories of Dad. Shared at his 70th Birthday Party Sept. 2022:

 Kristy's memories of dad shared at his 70th birthday party Sept. 2022:

1. When I was in about the 2nd or 3rd grade (?) I really, really wanted his radio/record player.  It was old, beat up, and covered with paint but I thought it was AWESOME!  I think I got it for my birthday.  

2. Summer vacations.  I remember going to California and one year we girls were made comfortable in the bed of a pickup truck with a camper shell so that we could sleep while traveling.  If I remember right it rained a bit and we got a little wet, too:)

3.  Riding in the back of trucks; especially fun when on a washboard dirt road!

4. Watching M*A*S*H and Princess Bride and how fun it was hearing him laugh.  That was probably as much fun as the show:)  His laugh is contagious.

5. One year, while still living in Tucson, we got a mini motorcycle for Christmas.  I might have been in the 3rd grade.  It was fun taking turns going on rides up and down the wash.

6. He did NOT play Barbies!  And I thought he didn't do our hair, but I learned this day that he did at least a few times attempt to do hair.  Didn't happen much!

7. I remember him playing co-ed softball with mom up at the church ballpark in Tucson.  Wendy and I and other friends would catch grasshoppers in Styrofoam cups. 

8. I remember playing catch, practicing batting (we had a wooden bat at one time that I really liked), and playing basketball at the hoop we got for Christmas when living on S. Miller in St. David.  Probably when I was in JH.

9. I only remember him swearing twice while growing up.

10.  He liked Classic Rock; the bands I remember most are Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

11.  I remember him being up early in the morning, sometimes as early as 5AM, when it was still dark, getting ready to go to work in Tucson.  He worked hard to provide for us.

12. I didnt eat honey until I was an adult because he had told me it was bee poop at some point while growing up!

13. He taught me how to drive a stick-shift.  I remember driving around Sierra Vista and stalling out a few times.

14. I remember one day at the Busby Meats Slaughter House he dropped a big, sharp knife and it went right between his toes!  

15. Before we moved to Utah, we lived in Esker and Amy Mayberry's home and one night the girls' electric blanket started to smolder and the mattress started to smolder.  The girls woke me up and we went over to grandma/grandpa's house.  Dad and I went back and smoke was just billowing out the windows!  He helped me drag the mattress out to the tank.  It never burst into flames, but it is often smoke that will kill ya!

16. Sharing a birthday, it seems we've always had a tradition to go out to eat for our birthday.  My oldest memory is going out to eat (maybe McDonald's?) in the 53 Chevy truck.  

17. In 1991-1992 I got into watching the UofA Wildcat basketball season (Sean Rooks, Khalid Reeves, Ed Stokes, Chris Mills, Damon Staudamire to name a few that I remember) and he watched with me. 

18. Worked with me at Silver Maple Leaf Apartments, doing maintenance, while living in Ephraim.

19. Always involved doing things with the grandkids.  Recalled him taking the girls bowling and fishing (joke about Rebecca beating us all! "It's easy for me" ~ Becca age 6 or 7 after catching fish one after the other).

Some memories I didn't share:

20.  In Tucson when I was 4th grade or younger I had a cat that I LOVED (Footsie) and she got sick somehow.  I'm sure $$ was tight then, but mom and dad figured out a way to pay for medicine/vet bills for Footsie.  

21.  FHE, church, and family scripture study was important to mom and dad.  They did their best to instill in us girls good values, faith in God, and love of country.  

22.  As an adult, I have appreciated hearing dad share his testimony and talk about his love of Jesus Christ and his convictions that Jesus is our Saviour and Redeemer.  I can feel that he is closer to Him has he's grown in his spiritual journey and walk with God.  I appreciate his good example and hope I can do the same. 

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The thing I shared about myself at the family reunion, that Ryan guessed was me, was that I like the smell of skunks! (I have a better one the next time we play that I hadn't thought of until I was back in UT! :)

The thing that Keith shared about himself was that he has seen the Northern Lights multiple times in his life.

It was such a fun/good family reunion/surprise 70th birthday!  I'm glad we were able to pull it off:)