Grandma's Old Letters

I found some old letters in my Grandma's closet. Most of these were written by my Dad when he was little.

The last bit, on the index cards, is I presume the talk my Grandpa Dee gave at my Dad's mission farewell.

I'll start with my favorite first:

Hi Dad,

I missed you to day. Have you worked hard? I bet you have. I hope you don't come home cranky and mad, because when you come home cranky and mad you're hard to live with. Let's get off this stupid subject.

Don't question me about my homework, because it's all done. I thought I'd tell you this it would save alot of yelling. Because I'm trying to not get yelled at for the rest of the week.

Excuse the mistakes, but you will have to get along with them. Of course unless you don't want the letter.

LOVE,

JERRY JOHNSON

daddys little boy jr. Jerry Johnson

Johnson

Jerry                           Dec 5

on sunday I ho yo sunday school, I sit rite down and dont play pool I listen to the Teacher. it isnt so fun but it teaches me the holy one.

WHAT MOTHER DOES FOR ME

1. CLEANS HOUSE
2. DOES LAUNDRY
3. COOKS MY MEALS
4. TOLERATES MY MOODS
5. SHOPS AND BUYS ME NICE THINGS TO WEAR
6. BUYS ME THINGS SHE THINKS I WOULD LIKE
7. DOES NOT  GOSSIP ABOUT ME
8. STICKS UP FOR ME
9. LOVES ME WHEN I'M GOOD
10. GIVES ME SPECIAL LOVE WHEN I'M SICK
11. LETS ME WATCH T.V. IN BED
12. IS CONSIDERATE OF MY FRIENDS
13. IS FRUGAL WITH MY MONEY
14. IS GOING TO LOVE ME MORE WHEN SHE CAN

Not to be secretive on my behalf but many of the favors she has done for me I have forgotton. It came upon a day so bright she washed my clothes clear out of sight, she cooked my food she cooked my meat then after dinner she'd rub my feet. If I wanted to watch a show shed leave me alone and go out and sew, any thing shed do for me, take care of me injured or let me just be. But Im so glad to have her near, she is my sweat mother, she is my dear.

Love

Stink Head

 thanks mom for being what you are. I usually don't show I love you because thats kids stuff you understand but I do. thats all the mush Id better wright or youd think you were clear out of

SIGHT

LOVE

Jerry Johnson

I want to welcome you here today, it is really heart warming to see so many people here. I especially want to thank the people that have come any distance to be here today.

Lately people have been asking me who and what has had the biggest influence on Jerry in helping him decide to go on his Mission. Of course the teachings that he has grown up with in Sunday School and Primary have had a tremendous influence on him. Also the teachers and leaders he has had, but I think the one person that has had a big influence on Jerry has been Karen. Karen has always tried to keep Jerry on the right path.

About seven or eight months ago, Jerry was studying to take an apprentice ship test and one night Mike, Karen's husband was helping Jerry with some Math problems and Jerry said, "I think if I pass this test I won't go on my mission." Karen piped up from the front room, Michael you stop helping him right now. Also, Jerry's friends have had a big influence on him, right noe he has a lot of friends on missions. We appreciate the type of friends that Jerry chooses, and have always tried to make them welcome in our home. We can't think of a friend that Jerry has ever brought home that we didn't like. This goes for girls as well as boys.

One family home evening about 4 years ago each family member was supposed to write down all the good things a Mother does for them and this is what Jerry had to say.

Jerry is a kind, considerate and understanding person and I know Jerry with make a good Missionary and I pray that the Lord will bless him and take care of him for the next two years and I say this in the of Jesus Christ.

Amen

How many of you read the essays in Friday nights Herald on Family Life, written by students at the Timpview High School. In one of the essays, a girl wrote, "God is like Hallmark. He cared enough to send me the very best." That's the way I we feel about Jerry. 

You might call me somewhat of a skeptic, I have often sat in the audience and listened to parents of Missionaries or returned Missionaries tell about how many blessings they have when their Son or Daughter is on a Mission and how they never missed the money that they sent them. I would sit and think now lets see, 150.00 a month for 12 months is 18 hundred dollars a year for two years, that's 36 hundred dollars. It seems like a person would miss that much money, but you know even though we have sent Jerry 200.00 each month for two years we haven't missed that money, do you know why we haven't missed that money? Because Jerry had enough money to support himself on his Mission. But let me explain to you what happened.

After Jerry left, each month we would take money out of his savings and put it into his checking account. When it came tax time in 1976 our tax man said why don't you support Jerry on his Mission, that way you can claim him as a dependent on your Income Tax and that will help you on your taxes, so that is what we decided to do and didn't think the IRS would mind as long as it was for such a good cause. Before Jerry left we told him that as long as he was supporting himself on his Mission that we would try to get him a Building Lot here in Orem. In January we had the opportunity to do just that. Last Dec. e were fortunate enough to be able to take a trip to Hawaii to see Karen and her family and the three of us will be going over again this

year for the Holidays. We have been able to do some improving around the house and to be able to send out little grand children something once in a while and to have all the necessities we needed and you know Jerry still has over half his savings left. I really feel like we have been blessed and have had some extra help and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

You know getting a son ready for a mission is almost as much work as getting a daughter ready for a wedding.

I don't think many of us realize how much a boy has to sacrifice to go on a Mission, his hair, his beard, and his truck. But seriously how many of us would be willing to sacrifice everything we have worked hard for two years plus giving up all the things we love and enjoy.

Awww... Tender. Found this with my Dad's letters. Clearly the Johnson boys are cherished above all else... :)

Marvelle Rosetta Jones Reynolds

My grandma Marvelle passed away last month, at 90 years old, and I was lucky enough to design and make the program for her funeral. It was so fun to go through old pictures of her and other family members. I wanted the program to be like a scrapbook page, something people could keep to remember her by. I don't know why I didn't post this before. I wish I could get the pictures bigger, but they get blurry. Sorry.

Front Cover

Text on the side

Daughter of Carrel Lewis and Josephine Warren Jones. Marvelle was beloved by all who knew her. She was notorious for her compassionate service, often showing up on neighbors’ doorsteps with meals, despite her own health. She worked as a nurse at LDS Hospital for 50 years.

Marvelle loved horses, and grew up riding. She married John Wesley Reynolds on September 18, 1940 in Salt Lake City, Utah. They had 6 children: Don, Jo, Wesley, Jacque, Martin and Jeannie.

Marvelle’s legacy is left in the hearts of all who knew her, especially in her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

“You’ve lived your life well,
As family and friends will tell,
Serving others until the very end
A hand, always willing to lend.
6 children & 31 grandchildren,
Can’t wait to see you again.”

Goodbye Mom, Grandma, Great grandma and Friend. We’ll see you on the other side.

Families are Forever!

Inside

Here are some of the pictures, bigger. These are the only ones I have saved on my computer.

This is grandma's house. I think her mother (my great grandma) is who is standing outside.

Grandpa - John Wesley Reynolds, my uncle Don, and grandma.

Grandma and grandpa, before grandpa died (Well, I guess that's obvious...)


Marvelle

Before she passed away (she had a stroke, so she was alive but unresponsive) I read to her from her personal history. I learned a couple cool things. The story has always been told that one of my great grandpa's was a sheriff and ended up with Jesse James' horse. This is, in fact, true. There is also a picture to document this. Which, at this time, I do not have.

Also, my grandma's side of the family originates from Telluride Colorado. That was pretty exciting news from me. Mostly because of Josh Gracin's and Tim McGraw's song, Telluride. Anyone who knows me knows i am a huge country music enthusiast, and I particularly like this song, so this piece of news was just exciting.

Telluride

When I was nineteen I threw my stuff in the car

I headed up to the Rockies, got a job at this bar

Selling beer to the locals, just barely getting by

On the tips from the rich kids, there on daddy's dime

But when I saw her walk in one night

I knew that I'd be all right in

Telluride, the snow falling down I was waking up in that sleepy little town

In her eyes my world came so alive

I never will forget the moment she arrived

In Telluride

We spent that whole winter tangled up by a fire

Casting shadows on the cabin wall, drowning in desire

Confessing all our secrets and laughing out loud

So high up on that mountain, I thought we'd never come down

It was a dream we were living in

And I was the happiest I'd ever been in

Telluride, the snow falling down

Waking up with her in that sleepy little town

In her eyes, my world came so alive

I never will forget all those sleepless nights

In Telluride

Telluride, whoa-oh-oh

It ended just like a movie scene

And I had to play the part

Of the lover who stood there and watched her leave

And me with the frozen heart

In Telluride, the snow falling down

Standing there alone in that sleepy little town

In her eyes, my world came so alive

I never will forget the day she said goodbye

In Telluride, the snow falling down

Waking up with her in that sleepy little town

In her eyes, my world came so alive

I never will forget all those sleepless nights

In Telluride

Love,

Brittney