Saying good-bye to an old friend!

The memorial service today for Don Johnson was very nice.  Centre Stage was in attendance and did some great performing.  Jenna gave a lovely eulogy, and Robbie sang some numbers with Kevin Rose and Keely Milikin that were very nice.  There was a bagpiper doing "Amazing Grace" and "Danny Boy."  And a 21 gun salute and "Taps."

Afterwards there was a reception at the house - lots of good food and plenty of familiar faces:  Kristin and Charlie Mendel, Tony Tedei, Mrs. Rittenhouse, Sandee Gray, Maria Gray, Margaret Mira, Sue Wiliams, Kip and Judy Gomez, Jo and Bailey Porter, Robin Sieverling, and others I recognized but didn't know their names!

Eliza, Erin mentioned that your note was very sweet and she truly appreciated it.

Thinking about Don brought back memories of Girl Scouts and Brownies and Mayflower and Clifton and train trips and Mammoth and Girls' Camp - all the aspects of our friendship with the Johnsons.

Friends are indeed precious.

Saying good bye to an old friend -

We got word last week that our friend Pat Johnson had died unexpectedly.  It was quite a shock - I had last seen her a few months ago - and she'd greeted me with her usual smile!  Pat has been there for the Terrill family many times - for one thing, she was the workhorse in the kitchen at Phoebe and David's reception - she had volunteered!! And many of the Terrills had the opportunity to perform in shows and roadshows that she directed.

 

Her funeral services were today.  Many were there,  and it was a lovely  celebration of her life.  Cassie and Jason spoke, Cassie sang, and Mike Parson delivered a wonderful talk on the plan of salvation.

It was really nice also to see Mike and Helen Moore - and Todd Jorgenson!!  It's too bad it takes a funeral to get folks together.

Our condolences to Cassie and Jason - may good memories bring them comfort and peace.

The passing of a friend

Dad was able to attend the funeral service today for Desirae's mom Diane. She had been ill for some time, and in fact had moved up to Utah to be near Desirae.

He said he had a great visit with Desirae - who said, "We have a family just like yours - a girl, then a boy, then three girls, then a boy!!" He also said it was a lovely service, and that it
was done entirely by the family.

Jan in the office at Clifton lives on the same street - says the house has been fixed up and "staged" so it can sell. She said it really looks great.

Old days - old times - old friends - the years go by quickly. Diane was always so supportive of Desirae and her membership in the church. A fine woman, and though her abilities had declined with her illness, she will be remembered fondly.

And doesn't that photo look like Desirae???

Saying goodbye to a friend

Saturday was the memorial service for our friend David Marshall. Harry F. was one of the speakers, Eve sang with the Primary chorus, and Dawn and Dad gave the opening and closing prayers. Sue Cornwall also spoke, as did Bishop Stevenson. There were 4 or 5 other speakers who gave remembrances.

It was a lovely service. The spirit there was a good one. The chapel was full, and many stayed after for the luncheon. It is difficult to say goodbye to someone who seems to have left too soon. But with the right "send off," it seems like we are able to adjust and move on. I certainly hope it served that function for Karla and Corey.

Saying goodbye to a favorite aunt

We got up at 3 a.m. on Saturday, Harry picked us up at 4. We got to LAX at 5. We landed in SLC at 9 a.m., Utah time. It was overcast and chilly to us - the natives were in shorts and flip flops - they thought the 48 degree temps were warm!! We were bundled up!!

Frances and Dee met us, and we drove to Orem for Virginia's funeral service. It was a lovely service. All four kids spoke. Jack and Thailia sang, Stacy, Susan's daughter, played a Chopin Nocturne on the piano. All the grandchildren and great grandchildren sang "A Child's Prayer," and it was very touching, as most singing by children is. I think Virginia would have been pleased.

Steve and Susan at the luncheon after the service. In true Mormon style, we had ham, funeral potatoes, green jello with fruit, rolls and cake!! (And we were glad to have it, since we'd only had juice and peanuts on the flight up!)

Frances with Julie and Stacy, Susan's daughters. Julie is a marathoner too - and one year we ran into her with her parents at Boston.

Bill Taylor came, as did Mary and Genieve. We were able to go over to Mary's for a brief visit also.

Trudy came, as did Doug, LaDenea, and children. It was nice to visit with them.

It was great to see Jack and Thailia again.


Chuck with his kids Ethan, who is standing, Jean Ann and James.

Dad was pretty tired, but I don't think that's why his eyes are shut!! This shot includes Virginia's 4 kids.

Steve and Susan with their kids: Julie, Emily, Stacy, John, Adrianne. John and Julie are twins.

I remembered to have someone take a shot of us - so you'd know we were there. Karen had planned to drive down, but the time got away from all of us. As it turned out though, our 6:06 p.m. flight got delayed and didn't leave until after 8 p.m. We could have met them at Temple Square, taken a tour, and still made our flight!! (There's a shuttle service at the airport that can do just that for you!!)

We did run into our good friends Larry and Ginger - who were on our flight - and knew it was delayed so they didn't arrive until after 7!! But we didn't have a way home, so they graciously took us and Grandma Terrill home. Truly a tender mercy!

It was indeed a "quick trip," but really worth the effort and resultant fatigue. It's too bad we only seem to gather for funerals!

Another good-bye

I'm not sure how many of you knew or remember Denys Lytton - the mom of Tiffany and Sayde - but she died Monday, and the funeral service was today. She had battled breast cancer a few years ago, and she seemed to have beaten it. However, she was diagnosed with bone cancer just a week before she died. Her older daughter speculated that she just got tired of fighting. At least she did not suffer - and the family was grateful for that.

Tiffany and Sayde were good friends with the Moore girls - who were there today too - and they both joined the church. They are not active today, but they have good memories of their times attending our ward. And Tiffany's son is one of my students.

When her girls were attending church, Denys enjoyed having visiting teachers - and for many years that was my assignment. I loved visiting Denys - I used to note that many active member sisters were hard to pin down for a visit, but Denys was always open to my coming!!

They asked Dad to officiate at the funeral - which was held in the Zook chapel. It was a nice service, and Dad did his usual great job. He quoted William Butler Yeats - doesn't get much better than that! They had a time when anyone in the audience could come up and speak, and Helen M. and Michael M. both spoke. That was like old times!

I will miss Denys. I saw her often when she came to Clifton to pick up Arthur, her grandson. And we'd see them at different weddings or in the line at Pavilions - Monrovia is a small town!

At the funeral, I learned that Denys had been born and raised in Monrovia - lived here all her life!

Melissa sang "Each Life That Touches Ours For Good," and I thought that was a fitting way to close this chapter in our lives.

In Memory

I'm not sure how many of you kids remember Chester Escobar, but he died Saturday. He joined the church when Dad was the bishop. He was introduced to the Gospel by Michael and Marita Coppieters - now there's a name from long ago - they were both tall and very blond - they sounded as Scandinavian as their name implies.
Chester had lots of struggles, but as Dad pointed out - he was one of the funeral speakers - Chester had his act together as well as he could get it together. I think there's a lesson there for each of us.

Depending on what we are given, we need to do the best we can. And if we are given more opportunities and more blessings and more advantages - then we need to do more.

He was certainly always genuine. And he really liked Noah - said Noah always looked him squarely in the eye when he greeted him - and he appreciated that.

Remember his wife and sons in your prayers - they will need love and support now too.