WHEW!

WHEW…

I started this with the idea that I wanted my children and grandchildren to know something about my Father and Mother….boy did I get carried away!

The more I went through this process of writing, I thought of the future generations of our family that might want to know something of their history. With this little slice of our lives being told, I hope that each member of the family would accept the challenge of adding to this, your thoughts and stories.

It has been an interesting couple of weeks as I have written this….my mind has taken me back in time, bringing up wonderful feelings and emotions. Once in awhile it has been difficult and sad to consider things that were painful….but those times were part of life and over powered by the “GOOD” times of knowing and appreciating all that I have known and loved. It is amazing that our minds are able to recall with such detail what we were seeing and feeling as we skip along through our lives. It's comforting to understand how much our Father in Heaven has been a part of our lives and will be in the future.

I sure do appreciate Irene, Diane and Cathy’s help to get me going in this blogging thing.
From now on I hope to add little bits of information as they might come to mind but with no theme or order. I would like to tell all of you that I appreciate the words of support. What a GREAT buncha people in this family.

MY FAMILY

Top left..cousin Billy, Brother Bob, cousin, Kenny, his wife, Judy and me.

My uncles..Top.. Jack, Charlie, Don.. bottom..Ken, Bill, Jiggs.

Bob and Darlene's house where we got married.

MY FAMILY.

I guess it’s time to start talking about the rest of my family members.

AAAH, my older brother Bob, who I’ve mostly covered. Bob was 5 years older than I was so we didn’t hang around a lot together as kids. Bob was born with some foot problems that I think kept him from playing sports…but it did keep him out of the service. Later in life he enjoyed playing golf and I guess he was pretty good at it.

Bob was a little like his uncle Pete…a grumpy old sucker who had a fine sense of humor…I loved being around him. Bob was an extremely gifted person that was well known and respected in the radio control airplane community, designing, building and flying his planes. He was also a fine craftsman as a printer and with his wife established a good printing business. An avid sailor, Bob, Darlene and the kids Joey and Stevie enjoyed the time they spent on their boat “Gandolph”. He had good taste in wives because he married a good’n…they were great together and she was a big help in their business. They had 3 sons, sadly losing one to Cancer at around 6 - 8 years of age. It was heart wrenching to see what that disease was doing to little Bobbie. When the pain would start Darlene could see it and would quietly ask him to go to his room, after a few minutes she’d excuse herself and go to his room to console him. Darlene is an incredibly strong person, if the opportunity to pick a sister came up I’d definitely have picked her. I was certainly glad to have the opportunity of spending time with BOB as adults. He was fun to be around….moving to Nevada and then Arizona didn’t help with the visits but I tried to keep in touch by phone….I miss that.


Ron….What can I say about Ronnie...having two years between us means that your brothers but you don’t really spend much time together. It wasn’t until we both got out of the service and were working on the super modified pit crew that we spent much time together. I quit drinking so we didn’t have a lot in common after 1968. It kills me to not have had any way to help him with his “DEMONS”.

As a youth Ron was a pretty good athlete….playing football and on the track team competing with the Pole Vault. Ron also seemed to enjoy a good fight now and then.
After we both got married and had knocked down a few ‘Cool ones”, he told me that he always wanted to know if he could take me in a fight. We were at a cousin’s apartment and went to the garden area in the middle….the manager came out to find out what was going on and Ron decked him…the police came and the manager said that I was the one who did it…. so they threw me into the police car, much to Ron’s delight. Since I had no record, and the guy wasn’t 100% positive about my guilt, they let me go….there are many stories that I could tell of the times that Ron got me into problems but I think that we needn’t go into anymore. Joey, Stevie and Jack and I spent a day trying to find him on the streets around the Boardwalk a few years back. to no avail.

Since my earliest memories I think that I spent the most time with Pete, Ina Lee, Billy and Dotti. What great memories I have of growing up with that family. Pete was from what, I heard a pretty fair baseball pitcher that would have had a career had it not been for an injury to his arm. Because of his love for baseball he stayed close to the game by becoming an umpire in the California league…after that he worked at the San Jose municipal stadium as an usher…he would get us into the games and I would get a kick out of him sitting with 5 or 6 of his cronies during the game talking of old experiences that they had had. He was always fun to be around.

Ina Lee was the “Character” in the family she was pretty gullible and fun to tease. She suffered from chronic pack problems and was certainly in a lot of pain, but still loved to laugh.
Pete was about 10 years older than Ina Lee and treated her with the utmost kindness and love. After Pete passed away he was cremated…. Billy and Dotti put his remains in their garage I think next to the salad bowls…occasionally Ina lee would say “Sometimes I feel like Pete is here close by”, giving everyone a chuckle. Ina Lee was kinda like a second Mother to me. Billy was 4 or 5 years younger than I and I sure enjoyed teasing him…when he was around 8 he spent a few days with us in Santa Cruz…walking into our bathroom with his toothbrush, he looked around for the toothpaste and not seeing it he asked where it was…I pointed to the bar of soap and said that this is what we use…he wet his brush and lathered it up. As he brushed his teeth with Dial soap he had the saddest look on his face…my Mother hearing all of the laughter from Ron and I came into the bathroom and was “MAD” at me for my little stunt.

Dotti was pretty young so we never got close as she was growing up. When I got out of the service, Billy, Ron and I worked together on a race car and spent a lot of time hanging out together….with our love for sports and for some golf, we always had a good time.
We also got to spend time with Dotti and her husband and got to know Dotti better…she shares a lot with her Dad…She’s a grumpy old sucker, with a heart of gold and a great sense of humor…I enjoy keeping in contact with her to this day, she’s a sweetheart.

Kenny was a few years older than I…we would play together at Grandma’s house but never got close until I got out of the Navy…I would go over to his body shop and hang out with him, his Dad and Billy. He was a pretty “KOOL” guy that always had a “Kustom Kar”. He was kind enough to paint my car…and fun to be around. I wish that I had spent more time learning the trade with him. One of the best things about moving to Arizona was the chance to be closer to Kenny…he is more like a brother than a cousin…love that guy.

Other than Pete and Ina Lee, I was closest to My Uncle Jack, Who I was named for. Jack was an upholsterer like his Dad…He, and his family, took us in when my Dad died…I always had a liking for him…he was a good guy.

Moving to San Francisco gave me a chance to spend time with Elizabeth and AL. Elizabeth was a very smart woman that was an amazing, talented person. I would marvel at how she could type away, at WAY over 100 words a minute transcribing court proceedings….and carry on a conversation as she did it. Al was a “CHARACTER”…he had a small used car lot with a trailer as an office...I would go there from time to time but it seemed as though the same cars were always there. He had a refrigerator well stocked with “Acme” beer. At one time Al was going to do business with the NY Yankee baseball legend, Joe Dimaggio shipping scrap metals to Japan but I never heard of it happening. I do remember seeing the photos of Elizabeth and Al having dinner with Joe and his LOVELY bride, Marilyn Monroe, at a fancy restaurant.

Years later, Al suffered a bad stroke that left him unable to communicate but seemed to be alert…he was also paralyzed. Irene and I asked them if they would like to go to the “Temple Pageant” in Oakland with us and they said they’d love to. It was a GREAT performance and while I was gone to get the car, Elizabeth told Irene that being on the Temple property and having watched the pageant, she doubted that there was another place on earth that one could feel like they were in the presence of God. She then asked if there would be a way to learn more about the “Mormon Church”.

They took the lessons and asked to be baptized. I was asked to do the baptism and felt it an honor to do so. Prior to the service Almon, Al’ son, approached me and let me know of his concern for his dad’s health…as we were about to completely submerge him in the water. He told me that, being paralyzed and unable to speak, Al was terrified of water…He said that he bathed him everyday and that he was only in a few inches of water but he was really scared of it. In the back of my mind I was wondering if AL really did know what he was doing but Elizabeth assured me that he knew what he was doing and wanted to do it. I found an empty room and brought my concerns to Father in Heaven and asked for wisdom…I assured Almon that everything would be fine.

I baptized Elizabeth then walked to the side of the font and had the Elders bring Al to me, as I took this frail man in my arms to proceed with the baptism, I looked into his eyes and “KNEW” that he understood what was going on and wanted to do it. He was completely comfortable and relaxed in my arms as I performed the ordinance. What a wonderful experience to serve those I love in that way, and to witness the power of the gospel in peoples lives.

On to others..Uncle Bill, the first born to my Grandparents…Bill was a very humble man that I would only see at holiday times…he would drive up with his family in his big Cadillac but seemed unaffected by his success. When he was a youth in Coffeyville, Kansas he would wave to the engineers on the train as it passed their house. He took a job as a clerk in the railroad office and learned how to purchase things in other areas and sell them in town. He wrote that he was able to make pig “Slop” and sell it locally and make some money. He bought a flour mill and would go home at night and experiment with creating foods…he came up with a pancake mix and a breakfast cereal made of oats…he marketed them under the name “CHEERIO”. He sold the name and the products to General Mills for around $5,000.

Somehow I remember being told that purchased warehouses in the Midwest and had a truck line. When the Federal Government set up the ICC to control the working areas of the country for trucking companies, Bill’s line was “Grandfathered” meaning that they could go anywhere in the country that they wished to. He was approached by a farm implement company to be their distributor in the surrounding states because he could warehouse their equipment and move it to the clients for them. He sold his interests in the Midwest and moved to LA. There, I believe he made some money investing in movies. (I heard that but don’t know any of the particulars.”)…I know that when he was in his seventies an escalator company hired him as a vice president to something for them…a pretty sharp guy. His wife was also down to earth and a real sweet lady…Sadly they lived in LA and I didn’t get to know my cousins like I would have liked to, but they were really nice. His daughter Beverly and her husband George (Underwood) were nice enough to come to my 60th birthday party here in Mesa. Good folks.

Uncle Jiggs (George) was a pretty nice guy that had an upholstery shop in the Burlingame area south of SF. He was an artist that was once offered a job as a political cartoonist by a newspaper, but his wife wouldn’t let him take the job. (??) In my interactions with her I was less than impressed with her. Didn’t know their children…but my Dad and Mom seemed to like their son Bill.

Uncle Ken…A REAL nice guy that was always friendly to me. He was a body and fender man that taught the trade to his son, Kenny. He was married to Frances and they always seemed to be cheerful. I thought Kenny’s sister Joanie was nice.

Uncle Charlie…Charlie was married to a lady named Anne…she was an artist originally from France. Charlie was always FUN to be around. He loved to tell stories and loved to hunt and play cards …other than cards, hunting, raising and training hunting dogs …Charley didn’t do much else.

Uncle Don…Don was a hustler…he would be hired by furniture companies to go into their stores and conduct “Sales” for them….he’d write their newspaper ads, go through the store mark up everything 25% then mark them down a bit and run the store for them for a week or so. When I was very young my mom and Dad took me to a ballgame in Oakland to watch Don’s team Play the Oakland Oaks (A team in the Pacific Coast league) Don was the opposing teams catcher….I remember Dad telling me that Don was so slow he’d have to hit a home run to get a single. Don was always nice to me though…

Uncle Jack (John Emory) was in the Navy during WW2. He was the skipper of a minesweeper, I believe in the area around Panama. I was told that I had real curly hair as a small child and that my Mother loved my curls…When Jack came home from the war he took one look at me….grabbed me and my Dad and they took me to a barber.
(Thanx Jack) As I said, Jack would follow his Father into the upholstery business. When my Dad died Jack was pretty nice to be there for us.

My Aunt Lillian….This lady made the BEST pies in the WORLD. She was also very nice.
I’ve already talked about Elizabeth and Ina Lee.

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My Fathers side of the Family...

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I don't have many recollections of my Dad's side....my uncle Urban was a career officer in the Army (I believe that he he retired as a Colonel) and had, I think, around 5 kids...I only met them for a few hours at most once or maybe twice....I know that he was married a number of times so their kids probably stayed with their Moms...Don't have a clue how to get a hold of any of them.

I believe that it was in 1956, Urban came to visit us in SF...and I got to spend a little time with him...seemed like a pretty sharp guy. He was in Army Intelligence in W. Germany at the time...some of his work was as a Currier going between E. and W. Germany.

During WW2 he got a "Field Commission" as a 1st lieutenant...when he got home from the war the only job he could find was as a cab driver...so he went back into the Army..he was told he had a certain amount of time to get a degree so he did correspondence courses and got his degree from the University of Maryland. Later he was in charge of training at Fort Ord army boot camp...Ronnie was trained there under him....when he got out of the Army I believe that he went

to work for Bank of America.

My Dad had an uncle named Manuel that came to our house a few times....he was the head chef at the Claremont hotel in the hills separating Berkeley an Oakland...a very old and classy hotel.

My Grandmother (Who died in the 1920's, I think) had a sister named Phoebe..... There was also a woman that I met a few times named Mary Lanham, don't know how she was related but she was. She seemed nice.

Any memories of my Grandfather are really vague..... all that I know is...he was a barber and he died while he was living in Santa Cruz.

So there it is....A great family that I was privileged to become part of.

IRENE

IRENE

I will now take the opportunity to talk about my “BEST FRIEND”.

From the first moment that I saw Irene I knew that there was something about her that was different than other girls…she was obviously pretty and had a sweetness that was appealing….not to mention she looked GREAT in tight Levis. I also felt like she would be a wonderful wife and someday, (hopefully FAR in the future) she’d be a good mother.
Watching her and the relationship that she had with Sam’s children showed that she was comfortable being around kids. Someone who comes from a large family knows how to be loving and considerate of others.

I “LOVED” being around her and I guess that it was obvious to my friends and family because they didn’t see as much of me as they had in the past. Irene doesn’t speak out much and talk of her feelings…but she didn’t hesitate when I asked her to marry me so
I assumed that it was the same as her verbalizing her feelings for me, I think. Of course she told me that she loved me but for her to change her life so dramatically and move far away from her Mother and Father who were very dear to her really said, “I love you”.

Being so far from home and not being able to call her family like we do today…(Long distance calls were EXPENSIVE!!) She had to have been pretty lonely for “FAMILY”. It wasn’t long before the NEED to start a family came into her conversation. I wasn’t in the same hurry as her to begin a family but I respected the need that was obviously there so I said OK.

We’d moved to Gilroy and when it was time for her to have her little girl you would have thought that she was the happiest person on the planet. Her Mom and Dad came out to
be with her in our TINY house and were sure a help…Vicky’s tongue got caught in her throat one night and Irene woke up most of Gilroy. Her Mother quickly grabbed Vicky and cleared her air passage….good thing. Irene was in a panic mode and I don’t think that I’d been very close to one of those little creatures. I was completely worthless.

Irene’s Father did the honors in our living room and gave Vicky a “ Name and a Blessing”. Irene seemed to change after the birth of her little one. She was growing up with this little spirit in our home. I even went to Church with her and our daughter. She was happy that I was going to take the lessons to learn about the Church but I felt like this was all coming too quickly…and I really wasn’t in a hurry to quit smoking and having a beer or two. (or three… or four…) To her credit she NEVER tried to push the Church on me and she showed a lot of wisdom in that regard. I’m sure that when I asked the missionaries to not come back she was disappointed but didn’t let it show.

I think that anyone reading this will understand the nature of this girl…and also of the difficulty that it was for me to accept these HUGE changes in my life. I don’t think that anyone goes into a marriage understanding how much this is going to affect their lives.

Irene certainly helped me to come along this “NEW” path and I feel like I would never had been able to accept the Church and it’s teachings without her being there supporting me as I made this journey. Joining the church has given me some insights about this life and our relationship with Father in Heaven and the Savior.....and also with us as brother and sisters. After I joined the Church I got my Patriarchal blessing and was told that someday I would understand the things that Father has done for me to bring me to the Gospel. I believe that it wasn’t an accident that Irene came to visit her brother…take a job for a few days at Mel’s and me just show up and meet her there. The feelings that we had for each other were manifested so quickly and strongly that I feel that we we had to have been close enough in the spirit world that we were allowed to “meet up” like we did.

Meeting Irene and all that followed was not by chance…these things couldn’t be just a coincidence….Just recently I was talking with Dennis Perry and we were discussing my going through the experience that I had prior to my being able to teach him the discussions…he told me that he needed to have me work with him. I said that knowing him, he certainly would have been exposed to the gospel at another time and he would have accepted it. He said that he didn’t believe that was the case…he told me, “You were not a typical “Mormon”. You were a convert to the Church, also an artist and a musician. Those things and our friendly association brought the perfect situation to me to allow me to gain a testimony. I may not have been as receptive to the AVERAGE “Mormon”. I firmly believe that Fathers hand is in our lives and the situations that we find ourselves in are not by chance. He knows how we’ll react to the “Obstacle Course” that he has laid out for us and he puts us in these situations to allow us to grow from them.

Over the years it has been a challenge for both of us as we make this journey…Joseph Smith said that he felt like a rock being carried down a river, being bounced around, and having the rough edges knocked off until someday he’d be smooth and be what Father wanted him to be. Well I have have certainly been a witness to this process with Irene and I and it continues today…I guess “We just ain’t smooth enough yet”!

My children could not have found a more caring and loving Mother, and me, a wife. She has always put everyone else and their needs before her own. With my kids starting your own lives Irene was able to get out of the house and go to work…she was in her “Comfort Zone” and really didn’t want to go out “There”, but she did and it has been good for her. It has been fun to see her gain self confidence and stretch herself out. She is a kind and loving person and is always showing our children and grandchildren and myself where her heart is. I have tried to be supportive and probably surprised her when she made a decision to buy a car for herself…she picked it out and did it all on her own. When she came to me saying she wanted to buy our house I could only say yes… I didn’t even have to go see it and put in my two cents. I wouldn’t have wanted to accept this kind of responsibility at this time of life on my own of buying a new house, but she’s earned it by her unselfish sacrifice and also she needs it to have some security for herself in her later life.

I guess you can get a feel for my devotion and love for my “Wife and best friend” that has stood beside me for all of these years. We love and appreciate all our loving children and their children…this family is a testimony to me of the love that Father in Heaven has for his children, He has certainly blessed all of us. Irene and I are getting older and a little slower but were still enjoying life together. It can’t be any better than this.

MORE LIFE AS AN ADULT

MORE LIFE AS AN ADULT

While on a stake mission I learned another lesson that bears repeating. When your representing the lord, things always seem to fall into place and you don’t give it much thought in whatever capacity your serving.
A missionary companion and I were assigned to take over the teaching of a man
named Harry Dolittle. Harry and his wife lived in our Ward but his wife worked with a man that was a Missionary in another Ward….he taught Harry some of the lessons. (3 lessons I think)

My companion and I started on, I believe, the 3rd or 4th lesson but almost immediately, I had to stopped teaching… …something just wasn’t right. We had some film strips with us so we played one and then made an appointment for the next week. The following week we started in again but had to stop….I looked at Harry and said, “Harry, what are you struggling with?”
Harry told us that he might have a better grasp of Joseph Smith being a prophet, if he could believe that there was a God. AHAA! I told him that he had some work ahead and that he had to do some studying and spend some time on his knees, asking Father if he existed and if the things that he was being taught were real and we left some scripture assignments with him.

When we returned the following week…we no sooner sat down Harry shocked everyone, including his wife, with a pronouncement that he wanted to be baptized.
It seems as though he had been studying and praying and the spirit came to him testifying of the reality of, Father and of Joseph Smith and the Book Of Mormon. After we finished the lessons Harry joined the church, he and his wife were sealed together in the Oakland Temple and last I heard he was the Elders Quorum President in his Ward.

It’s comforting to know that even a bonehead like me has the spirit when representing the Lord…It’s truly his work and he will make sure that we don’t mess it up.

During this time I was also playing “Fast Pitch” softball and really enjoying it….I was a fairly good pitcher and even once threw a no-hitter….What Fun!!

I got a job working at Marriott’s Great America Amusement Park in Santa Clara and really liked painting the signs and the Warner Brothers characters, Bugs, Daffy, Wylie Coyote, etc. I used to kill time on the rides everyday when my shift was over waiting for the traffic to die down on the freeway. I came down with what was thought to be hepatitus and was off work for awhile and they replaced me. I was then offered a job by 2 salesmen from a decal printing company out of LA, Van Johnson and Phil Arnott, to move to Petaluma, Ca. and start a screen printing operation called Identity Services making signs and decals for Chevron, Safeway, Foster Farms Chickens, Boise Cascade Lumber Co.
Five years later I left when I was asked to take a 10% pay cut. I then was offered a job to setting up another shop for a company named Gamefield Concepts… a year and a half later, after I trained everybody and got the shop running I got laid off when they decided I was expendable. I started a little sign shop. Later, Van asked me to come back to Identity Services at a decent wage I said OK.

It was good that Van asked me to come back because my little sign shop was killing us…Irene had to take the girls, including a little one that joined us late…(Yeah Maren, that was you.) to live with her Mom in Layton, Utah for a few months while Jack and I stayed in Cotati, in my shop and sleeping in the van. It was truely a sad day when Gary and I took Irene and the girls to the train depot in Oakland to put them on the train. Jack stayed with me for awhile but was offered a chance to move in with a friend and his family. I couldn't blame him, it was lonely and difficult staying in the shop and sleeping in the van. When I went back to Identity Services I was able to bring Irene and the kids back…I hadn’t rented a place yet when they arrived so we stayed in a KOA campground for a couple of weeks…I said, “Hey, Think of it as a camping trip!” Irene wasn’t impressed with our little vacation.

I had played music, from time with some folks in San Jose during the ‘70’s but when we moved to Rohnert Park I started a band with a girl singer in our ward with a GREAT voice…but her and our bass player started fooling around with each other so I broke the band up and started a new one. It was pretty sad because the singers husband worked for me as a foreman at Identity Services and I was our bass players home teacher…. he was our singers home teacher….WHAT A MESS!! I replaced those two with some other people and had a pretty good band. After a while the music was getting hard to deal with because of substance abuse by some of the guys, so I broke the band up. I then started a band with a guy named “Cisco” we became “Cisco and the Kids” and were doing well around the area and were even offered a summer tour playing fairs and rodeo’s but Cisco's wife nixed that idea. (She was tired of him doing that for 25 years) It would have been fun and profitable.

I was asked to work for a company in Carson City Nevada but the company was AWFUL!! I then went to work for a LARGE company printing t-shirts in Reno as their art director…I decided to leave the company when asked to take a pay cut. The company was facing a lawsuit because I asked for and got more money than the lady I replaced. I went to a little sign company in Carson City and took it over…then the computer sign cutting equipment came out and people started flooding the area with AWFUL signs that could be done real cheap…between that and nearly FREEZING in -30 degree weather I had come to the end of my rope.

Gary had remarried after Sandy left him and was living in Mesa, AZ with his new wife, Sunni and their kids…yup all 10 of ‘em. I came down here to Mesa and stayed with them a few months while I found work and brought the family down…Without Vicky, she got married, and was starting a family back in Gardnerville. Jack was living down here in Phoenix with a few friends from Gardnerville.

Irene came down here with me first and the girls were to follow a few days later…. the funniest thing was to watch us get the luggage that the girls had brought with them off of the turnstile at the airport….Diane’s turned out to be a “HEFTY BAG”…What Fun!!

Since moving to Arizona a lot has happened… Like Irene did 25 years ago….I had a little challenge the the big “C” cancer, and….it appears as though we both have won those battles.

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer…it was rather advanced and the doc’s that I spoke to all recommended a “radical removal”. The evening prior to the surgery I asked my Bishop, Mike Stevens, who I had become good friends with, to give me a blessing. As he was giving the blessing, he also blessed the doctor that “He would do me no harm”. When I awoke from the surgery the doctor was standing there….since they don’t usually hang around after these things I said, “What are you doing here?” He said, “I couldn’t leave without talking to you…I was unable to get a good look at where I needed to cut to remove your prostate, I spent 3 hours working to do it…my attending physician said that since I had been doing this for 30 years I should trust myself and just make the cuts. As I started to, I had a deeling like I was shocked…I pulled my hands away and said that if I cut this man I will kill him…sew him back up.” He recommended that I get radiation treatments …I did external beam treatments for 6 weeks and then had radioactive “Seeds” put in. Six years later I’m still free of that ugly disease…thanks to a priesthood holder’s blessing and a doctor’s wisdom.

We have been blessed with 17 grand children and we love them all dearly…We purchased our new house 2 years ago this January…Hopefully business will pickup and we’ll be able to hold on to it. The economy has gone in the “Tank” this past year…here’s hoping that it recovers soon….Irene needs the value of this house to increase so that she has something to help out when I croak.

I have been playing a lot of music lately, it’s a great hobby that also brings in some money.

The band that I have now is the WEEZUL BROTHERS BAND. The band is really good and seems to be getting more and more attention from folks….hopefully we will get busier so that it can be bringing in more $$$$!

LIFE AS AN ADULT

REALITY CHECK…LIFE AS AN ADULT

With the Navy behind me I guess it was time to get on with my LIFE!

I bought a red ’58 Chevy Impala, with black “tuck and roll” vinyl upholstery and a floor shifter…man I thought I was stylin’….this oughta impress the ladies!! I took a job at the San Jose Mercury News working in the press room as a “Fly boy”….. moving the jumbo rolls of paper around to be printed.

The Saturday before Mothers day in ’64 I was talking with a buddy and he said that there was a purdy lil’ girl working at Mel’s Drive-In and that I oughta go and check her out…I said I would but had no intention of really doing it. I had a date that night with a girl that I had met a few days earlier….went out on the date and found that I couldn’t wait to get rid of her…dropped her off at her house around 10pm and was going to go back to my house in Redwood Estates. (In the Santa Cruz mountains I lived with 2 other guys, Bill Meukel and Rich Crawford...Later Bill was my "Best Man" in my wedding.... in a really cool 3 bedroom house with a rustic knotty pine interior.)

I thought of my conversation with my friend about the “Purdy lil’ girl at Mel’s so I decided to go see for myself….I noticed her right away when I pulled in and parked in the area that she seemed to be working. When she came over and asked what I’d like I told her that I would like a cup of coffee with 7 sugars but “Don’t stir it because I don’t like it sweet. She laughed and we kinda hit it off…I sat there nursing my drink and she would come over, when she wasn’t busy, and we’d talk. I think that she got off of work at midnite, her brother showed up to take her home and I told her that if she wanted I could take her home. She sent Sam away. (Bet she wonders why today!)

I sure can’t tell why we hit it off so quickly but I know that if it hadn’t have been that way we’d have never seen each other again as I very seldom went to that area of town.
We left the Drive-In and started driving…I was enjoying our conversation and didn’t want to take her straight home so we just kept drivin’ and talkin’. The next thing I knew we were in San Francisco…I remembered the Mel’s Drive-In on my old street so I took her there…we left San Francisco and took the coast road down to Santa Cruz then went by my house. I had been absolutely “Smitten” with this sweet little girl.

I told her that before I could take her home I needed to go to my Mom’s house and wish her a “Happy Mothers day” so we did. I then took her to her brothers. I spent the day there with her brother Sam and his family. When I wasn’t working that week, I was with Irene The next Saturday I did something that I sure wasn’t looking to do…I asked her to marry me….I guess that we don’t know when that can happen but when it does, and it seems “Right” you kinda have to act on it. She called her folks and told them and I’m sure that they were probably as shocked as my Mom was.

My mother took an instant liking to Irene, as her son had, so she supported the decision that we had made….Irene asked if I minded us being married by a Mormon Bishop… I didn’t care…especially since they don’t charge for their “Services”. Close by my Mothers house there was a Bishop that we called….he was a Dentist by trade which surprised me…I thought being a “Minister” was a trade. We went to his house to meet with him…after asking about our story he started trying to convince us to reconsider our decision…he was really abrasive, I thought, so I got up and we left. We found another Bishop that was a lot nicer guy and him being a Lawyer, didn’t seem to care that we were of different faiths (Me having none) and hardly knowing each other.
We were married on August 8th 1964, the day before Irene’s 20th birthday, in my brother Bob and Darlene’s backyard and then we all went to Ina Lee and Pete’s house for a reception ….Irene’s Mother and Father and Sam’s family also were there with us and the Grigg family along with some friends of mine. We took a weekend honeymoon trip to Ben Lomond (In the mountain’s out of Santa Cruz) in a cool little cabin. I remember waking up in the middle of the night going out on the patio…sitting there with the moonlight coming through all of the huge trees, I looked into the heavens at all the stars and thought…What in the hell have you done?? The reality of marriage and the desire to grow up and to start a family was a bit over whelming.

We moved to Gilroy where Irene went to work with my Uncle Jack as his receptionist in the upholstery shop. I worked in Morgan Hill making highway flares and clay pigeons.
Irene had the desire to have a baby and I agreed…1….and that’s all.

Irene had some “Mormon” books around the house and I would occasionally open and read a little in them….we went to church one Sunday and I was observing a group of young men in front of us reading Hot Rod magazines and visiting with each other and I thought to myself that I’ve never see that kind of disrespect in a church before and these people believe that “We are the only true church in the world” ????

We asked to have the missionaries come to the little house that we lived in… 2 old men showed up in a big new Cadillac to teach me the lessons. They were retired from owning a construction company in the L.A. area…they owned property at the end of the dam east of Morgan hill…they built a small golf course there with a tennis club and a marina for boats and sub divided the rest of the property for expensive homes. After a few lessons I asked them to not come back...they apologized if they had done anything to hurt my feelings and I assured them that it wasn’t the case….the thought of giving up my beer and smokes was hard to think about.

I took a job in Santa Clara at Memorex cutting computer tape sometime in February 1967. This is where I met the now “Infamous” Gary Fire. One day Gary told me that he’d been reading about a guy named, Edgar Cayce, who talked about many things relative to our relationship with Father in Heaven. He taught that mythological stories were more than just “Stories”….that tales of creatures that were half man and half beast were probably true because, as the “Gods” were attempting to create man they were making mistakes trying to get it “Right”.

Remembering the comments that I had been reading of the “Creation” by the prophets, I told Gary that this guy’s beliefs didn’t hold up. God wouldn’t make any mistakes creating us because we were “Created in His image”. Thinking more and more of the things that I’d read I suggested that Gary and I might find the missionary lessons of interest. Irene talked with her Bishop and said that she thought that older missionaries might be best….he sent over the Stake Mission President, Don Atherton, who lived in our ward. It was a GREAT choice.

Irene and I were joined in the lessons with Gary and his wife, Sandy. This time I was ready. The lessons were started by Don and his companion but then turned over to Elders Pack and Ash. They did a good job and it was wonderful learning of the “Plan of Salvation” by these well prepared missionaries. After much study and prayer I knew that the teachings and beliefs of the "Mormon" church were true and correct, we had our baptism in February of 1968 we then attended the San Jose 9th ward. They were a great ward and they opened their hearts to us. The ward had a well thought out plan that really got us acclimated to our new church and it’s culture. It was also really good for Irene to hear of these principles again and to strengthen her testimony.

In the old days, church was divided into 3 separate meetings. The first meeting was in the morning, then the Seventies had a program set-up for us that really helped us understand the Priesthood and it’s functions. Sunday School was taught by our Stake Patriarch, Brother Ward, who did a fantastic job of teaching us the basics of the gospel…both of these classes lasted for a year, along with that, there were many firesides for us with pretty good teachers from the ward and stake. I believe that the Lord knew Gary and I well enough to know that we were boneheads and would benefit by having a well done, thorough, foundation laid for our testimonies to be nurtured.

It was good for Irene and I and our little baby Vicky to be together each week at church…along with Gary, Sandy and their little one, Holly, who was a month younger than Vicky. Around this time on December 31st someone fired a rifle into the air and the bullet came through our roof and landed by the crib that Vicky and Holly were laying in…the noise startled us as we were playing cards with Gary and Sandy, celebrating the New Year.

Learning of Father in Heaven’s plan for His children here on earth….Irene and I started something that was to get out of hand…having kids. Jack Alan was born a few months after Irene, I and Vicky were sealed together in the Oakland Temple for Time and Eternity. Our little family was growing. (I was in the Oakland Temple one day and noticed 2 old men walking towards me…the gentlemen that taught me the lessons in Gilroy…they said “What are you doing here? And I assured them that they hadn’t done anything to keep me from the Gospel. They were delighted.)

Jack Alan came down with an ear infection so Irene took him to the Doctor. She was told that it was so bad that we had given him antibiotics and we should bring him back on Monday. If he didn’t respond to the treatment we’d have to put him into the hospital. He also said that he was very concerned about his hearing being damaged. All Jack did was cry over the weekend. On Sunday we thought it a good idea to use this new found “Priesthood Power” to work for our son. I called a guy in our ward to come help me administer the blessing. He came over and we tried but he was as new to this “Priesthood Blessing” thing as I was…it was actually an insult to Father, we were that bad. I sent my friend away and I called someone else with more experience and we did it right….I’m sure the Lord helped us and while we were blessing Jack, who was still writhing in pain and letting us all know about it, relaxed in our arms, stopped crying and fell asleep. The next morning Irene took him to the Doctor, who was astonished to find him completely healed. Another lesson learned.

I was working “Graveyard shift” at Memorex and one day while trying to sleep I experienced the “Scariest” thing that I’d ever had happen to me. I was falling asleep when I felt a huge weight upon me crushing me into the bed…I was unable to say anything or even breathe…remembering the Priesthood that I hold and the power of the Adversary, I could only try and say “In the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority of the Melchesidec Priesthood that I hold, I command you to leave.” I felt the weight come off of me and the room brighten….composing myself I slid off of the bed to my knees where I prayed and thanked my Father in Heaven for my Priesthood and His help.

I didn’t mention this to Irene but a few weeks later the experience was still vivid in my mind (as it is now that I’m re-visiting it) so I made an appointment with Bishop Mann.
After listening to my story, he assured me that this was real and that I was going to do something that Satan didn’t want me to do. I felt better and kinda put it oughta my mind, it was helpful to know that we have the ability to keep the adversary at bay.

Moving to Santa Clara we were in the Sunnyvale 4th Ward….we enjoyed our time there…I was called on a stake mission and 3 little ones joined us during that time..Cathy, Sheri and then Diane. It was while we were attending this ward that I met Dale Mouritson….Dale was working for the church as an institute instructor at Stanford, San Jose State and I believe at De Anza College. I worked with Dale when he was our Ward Mission Leader and our Seventies Group Leader and attended many of the classes that he taught….we learned much from him….(some of it probably true!!) He and his lovely bride Marta, became good friends of ours.

While on my mission I got to work with many good people. We got a referral card from the Oakland Temple from a girl named Karen Perry. My companion and I went to the address on the card and were met at the door by a young guy that looked like a hippie, with his long hair….he asked if he could help us. He was puzzled that we would want to talk with his sister, (he thought we were cops) When she came to the door we explained that we were from the Mormon church and were responding to her inquiry. She invited us in and said that she’d like to hear more of what we believed. I told her that we had 6 lessons to present to her that would teach our beliefs and that it would be our pleasure to come back the next week and start. After she indicated that she’d like to set up a time I turned to the young lady visiting her and asked if she’d like to join us and was assured that she had no intention of being there with us…I then turned to her brother Dennis and he said that he’d like to hear our presentation.

Teaching Karen and Dennis was exciting, they were anxious to learn and took their reading assignments very serious. They attended church with us after our first lesson and, even though Dale taught the “Investigator Class”,as he would have if he were teaching a class for the Council Of Twelve”, they devoured the information and studied on their own. They both joined the church and jumped right into the Ward.

Dennis went to work printing for us in our T-Shirt business…most days, when he was through working, he’d come over to the house and sit watching Super Chicken on TV with Jack. Jack thought himself to be Super Chicken and that Dennis was his “Side Kick” Fred. Dennis would go out with me as a missionary companion but he wasn’t an Elder yet so he wasn’t allowed to teach….but…on the way home he would rail on me about the way that I was teaching…so I had to remind him that I was the one with the “Spirit” and the mandate to teach!!! (So there Dennis!!”) Of course he was right, I didn’t NEED to answer the question that they asked, since we’d be covering it in the next lesson. But I’d answer it anyway!! It was fun to watch what happens when a person completely throws them selves into learning and living the Gospel. Dennis accepted his mission call and was sent to Palmyra, NY and served his mission there. Upon his return I had a sign business and I hired Dennis to help ….he was artistic and picked things up rather easily. He then went to BYU and worked at a sign shop in Provo. (Oh I didn’t mention that Dennis is also a fine guitar player.)
His parents also joined the Church…real nice folks!!

Years later, I wanted to find Dennis to let him know that Super Chicken was about to graduate from ASU and become a high school English Teacher…he thought that was pretty neat because he was teaching English at the University of Missouri at Rolla.
He had been a Bishop and was just called to be a counselor in his stake presidency…I do believe that I may have found out why the Adversary wanted me off of the path I was on.

Dennis has since gone on to be an Associate English Professor at BYU and a Bishop of a "Student Ward"...he also has a jazz band made up of his fellow faculty members there at BYU. I have been able to spend a little time with him, his wife and meet some of his grown children...what a GREAT family he has been blessed with. Dennis and I now keep in contact with each other a few times a year...what an honor it has been to be a friend of his.

EVEN MORE EARLY MEMORIES

Albie Pearson and me

1957

US Navy 1962

The USS Pollux AKS-4

The USS Ranger CVA-61

Willow Glen High School, San Jose....there were around 5 streets around the high school

that were named after cousins of my Father....at one time my Dad's Grandfather owned

a large ranch that covered the area around the high school. When he died his kids devided

it all up and sold it... WAAAA!

EVEN MORE EARLY MEMORIES

My uncle Pete, who was an umpire in the California league, told me that the San Jose Red Sox would be doing their spring training in Santa Cruz and if I’d like I could be their “Bat Boy”. (They were a farm team of the Boston Red Sox.)
Whoa!!! How cool could that be??? Get to wear the teams bat boy uniform and every thing. Not so fast…The only uniform that would fit a “Walk on” player named Albie Pearson was MY uniform!!!

When I met him he was a 19 year old pitcher…. The manager, Red Marion…(an ex 2nd baseman from the Cardinal organization) lined the team up on the first day of training and had them sprint from one side of the field to the other…Albie took of like he was shot out of a cannon…Red said, “Son, go play right field”.

I learned a lot of “new words” being on the field and in the clubhouse with those guys for that 2 week period…guess I’m just a fast learner. Albie wasn’t like his team mates…guess he was younger than those other guys and had never been in a professional clubhouse…his vocabulary wasn’t as colorful as the rest of the team. Albie was a pretty friendly guy that was friendly to this 12 year old. I asked him if he’d like a home cooked dinner and he jumped at the invite so he came to our house for dinner.

My folks were impressed with this polite young guy….he told us that his Dad was a track star back in his home town and held all of the track records in his town and that when he got to high school the records still belonged to his Dad. Albie then said that he broke all of his Dad’s records. During the meal my Dad asked him if he had a girl back home and he said that was engaged to his high school sweetheart…..(AAAAWWWW that’s sweet.)

He had a great year in San Jose and the Red Sox won the California league by 17 and a half games…the next year he found himself in the Texas League , he won the league “batting crown” with around a .360 average. We were living in San Francisco in ‘56 or ‘57 when he was signed to play for the SF Seals I got to see him again and he would leave me tickets from time to time at the stadium box office.

He was traded to the Washington Senators and was “Rookie of the year” in 1958. He retired with a bad back in ’63 I believe. In the mid ‘70’s I heard that he was in San Jose speaking to some youth at a church…I had my uniform on and was on my way to pitch a fast pitch game and dropped by to see him. I stood in the back as he gave a great motivational talk to the teenagers there…after the talk there were a couple of dozen kids crowded around him, I walked to the side of the group and he glanced in my direction…I hadn’t seen him since I was 16 years old but he recognized me and excused himself from the group for a minute…when he came over to me reaching out his hand he said “Jack, What are you doing here?” we talked for a few minutes and he asked about my folks...he said to say “ Hi” to my Mom. He asked if I had heard his talk…I told him that he had done a good job with the kids…He asked if I was a Christian” and I told him “You betcha, sure am.” He asked what church I attended and I told him that I was a Mormon….he looked at me kinda puzzled for a second then said, “I guess the Lord loves Mormons too.” I said “You bet He does.”

That was the last time I talked with him until a week or so ago, I found out how to get a hold of him and left a message…he called me back and we talked for a little while…he is a minister in a church in California and has a ranch for kids…still a good man doing good things.

Back to our days in Santa Cruz…I hated leaving there because it was a wonderful place to grow up...(before the hippies took the place over.) Moving then to San Francisco was quite a culture shock. There were few black people or Asians in Santa Cruz. It took a little getting used to…mostly the races stayed apart from each other, even at school. I really grew to like SF because it was a fun place to be and it was easy to travel all over the city on the buses and trollie cars…The golden Gate Park was only 4 blocks away...downtown wasn’t very far and there…at the end of the street that I lived… (Geary Blvd.) there was an amusement park, Playland at the Beach, which was like the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz….there was a skating rink there and that I believe is where Bob and Darlene met. Got to go see the Niners play for free once in a while because not many people watche “Pro football” in those days.

I attended Roosevelt Junior High School. I was asked to take a drama class by one of my teachers I thought it would be an easy class so I took it. I played in a few plays in the 9th grade.( they did a play in the spring and another in the fall) I and another fella won the best actor award. Went to George Washington High School and played JV baseball and JVfootball…there were 3500 kids in that school mostly whites & blacks but also a buncha Asians. There were only a few juniors on the varsity so there was no chance of playing “Varsity” ball until I was a senior…. had a lotta fun but was a 135 lb. linebacker and back-up quarterback…only took a few snaps in the games…but I was the starting left linebacker.

I attended a Presbyterian church there once in a while…they had a good youth group with a few pretty girls…I also used to hang out at a gymnasium at the “Star of the Sea” Catholic Church….enjoyed boxing on some boxing nights there …I was a fairly good student…never any honor rolls but never in any trouble…just kinda cruizin. Think I see a pattern here, Eh?

My Dad died in 1957, I was in my junior year…we moved back to San Jose because Mother just hated that place.

I didn’t do well at Willow Glen High school in San Jose…it was a very wealthy school and all the guys I hung out with had relly nice cars and money seemed to be easy to come by for them….unlike SF, without a car it was pretty hard to get around to find and keep a job while your in school. Since I was not very motivated, missing my Dad…I left school and went to work. When I got laid off of my job I was faced with, no car, and down the road a few years getting drafted. I decided to enlist in the Navy.

I took the test to join the Navy on July 5th 1959…on the 8th I found myself in San Diego going to boot camp with my shaved head!! After Boot Camp I was sent to the USS Ranger, an aircraft carrier stationed in Alameda, CA. I was put into the Radar Division which was pretty cool because you not only observed everything that was going on around our ship but we spent a lot of time on the bridge where the Captain was. We worked on the clear plastic board that was used for tracking all the ships and aircraft in our part of the ocean. It was also a cool place to observe the flight “Operations”.

In February 1960 we made a cruise for 7 months to the far east..Hawaii, Japan, Philippine Islands, Taiwan, Hong Kong.. While at sea, one of our chiefs came up to me and asked if I’d like to fly off of the ship in an airplane…we would be going out as a “Radio satellite” (It was a way to trick an enemy into not knowing where the fleet really was.) Flying off the ship was cool…landing back on a moving ship was frightening but pretty interesting.

When we returned to the States I bought a 1952 Ford 2 door hardtop with a Corvette engine that was VERY fast, from a friend with the last name Overbeck. When the Navy sent me back to Japan for my remaining 2+ years, I told my Mom to get the car to Kenny and for him to sell it for me. If there was anything left that I owed on it to pay my friend...Kenny told me a few years ago that he pulled the engine pulled the engine and sold it to a guy. and scrapped the car. Don't know whatever happened after that.

I was asked to go to Radar School…going to the school was like going back to boot camp…after a year and a half on the carrier I knew the job and it didn’t need all of electronics training…You NEVER fixed gear… you called an electronics tech to do that and I certainly wasn’t looking at this Navy thing as a career. So I asked them to send me back to the fleet.

I was sent to a supply ship, the USS Pollux stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. We would spend 3 or 4 months in our home port area then spend a few months going down to the ports south of us in Japan, then on to Taiwan and Hong Kong...and a few weeks in port at Subic Bay, Philippine islands. I was on that ship for over 2 years.


When I was down to the last 2 months on ship before my time in the Navy was up, I slid into 2nd base in a softball game breaking my right ankle….they operated on me and 6 weeks later sent me back to the states to Oak Knoll hospital in Oakland, CA. for another operation to remove the screw holding my ankle bone together. A month later I got out…I served for 4 years 1 month 4 days and 8 hours…but….who counted??

Leaving the Navy in ’63 I was 22 years old and HHHHAAAAAPPPPPPYYYY!

MORE EARLY MEMORIES

YO-YO Champ

Clyde Beatty Circus Poster

Gault Elementary School, Santa Cruz

MORE EARLY MEMORIES

My earliest memories wouldn’t be complete without talking about my dog Blackie, She and I were born at the same time... we got her when she was 6 weeks old. My father trained her and she was my constant companion. She followed me every where….when I would walk to school she would follow at my right side…if I stopped she would also and sit until I started again…when she was told to “Stay” she would sit and not budge until you told her to move…you could throw food at her while she was in the “Stay” mode and she would look at it and you waiting to be told that it was O.K. for her to move.

We had her until we were both 16 years old…she was blind and then lost control of her bowels, my Dad said that sadly, it was time to “Let her go”…he took her away, I couldn’t go with him….I know that she and I will see each other again and it will be a GREAT reunion.

When I was probably in the 3rd grade I was climbing a tree and fell breaking my left elbow…don’t believe that I climbed anymore trees.

Moving to Santa Cruz was pretty cool because there was so much to do…Ronnie and I went out for Little League tryouts…it was the first year that Little league came to Santa Cruz, 1952. My brother went to a minor league team because he was only 9..but I was picked up by the Red Sox. They gave us really cool uniforms that were made of wool and always smelled kinda funny and itched like crazy….but you could overlook that cause you were in the “Big Time”. They even built a real Little League baseball field at the Harvey West complex next to a regulation diamond. I loved playing baseball and always wanted to pitch…everyday I would ask my coach if I could pitch and he would say that I was needed at shortstop. Finally, when our chances of winning the league championship were gone, he told me that I was to pitch that day. The opposing team wasn’t used to someone that threw as slowly as I did so thier game was completely off…we were playing the hated “Yankees”.... they were the best team in the league…we won 4-3....only because my best friend came in and saved the game in the last inning after I had loaded the bases…WHAT FUN!

Santa Cruz was great a great place to be because it was small and I could ride my bike all over town and do things. We had the Boardwalk, with it’s "Big Dipper" roller coaster and the salt water pool......we also had the ocean to catch a few fish in with my dad off of the wharf. One day I went to the mouth of the river at the ocean and after swimming I found that I had misplaced my shoes…I walked across the wooden railroad trestle in my bare feet. I then had to walk home with all of the wooden splinters in the bottom of my feet. Dad had to take me to the doctors to get them removed and I got a tetanus shot…DAMN, that little incident hurt.

I was called into the Nurses office one Monday morning, when I was in the 6th grade and was told that the school had called my Mother...I had eaten lunch the previous Friday with a friend, Billy Hunt, and that he had come down with POLIO…what a shock….this was a horrible disease... the world was just beginning to get a grip on a cure. (This was before the Salk vaccine was being given to everyone.) My Mom took me to our Doctor’s office about a mile down the road from our house. The Doctor sat me down and showed me 2 GIANT bottles of a vaccine that he said they had been working on and it “Might” work….MIGHT?? (What an ugly word.) He said that since there was so much fluid he would have to give me a half a dose in each CHEEK! “Drop ‘em and roll over!”..The “MEAN MAN” said. It seemed that it took about 15 minutes for him to load up my buns!! When he was done I got off of the table and was rubbing each cheek…I told my Mom that I didn’t want to sit in the car, I’d rather walk home. She told me no and the Doc took her arm, they turned their backs to me and I heard him whisper rather loudly…”Oh yes, he DOES want to walk home. He’s got a lot of fluid in there and if it doesn’t get moved around it will just knot up in there.” I walked home and am sure that the walk helped. Fortunately the stuff worked because I was never bothered by that UGLY disease. A year or so later we moved and Billy was still in his “Iron Lung”.

My brother Bob was a pretty smart guy, designing airplane plans. He was also selling the orchids that he raised. The funniest thing that he ever did was to buy a used belly tank from an airplane and try and make it a “Sea going vessel”….he made a cut on the top and built a seat in it, kinda like a kyack…we all went down to the river for the maiden voyage…he got in and we pushed him out into the river…as he tried paddling it turned upside down and we thought that we’d lost him…What FUN!!

When Bob was getting close to his 16th birthday he spent a summer out commercial fishing, when he returned he had enough money to purchase a green 1939 Chevrolet Coupe…he lowered it and put on “Straight pipes” and sure made a helluva lot of noise. (That was cool!) One day at dinner time he announced that he wanted to quit school..(I think that he was a sophomore in high school) I was shocked when my Dad looked up from his food and said…OK! If I would have made a request like that my Dad would have said…”NO son, I think that you should stay in school as long as you can.” But my Dad and Mom knew my Brother, and his work ethic well, and knew that he’d be fine. He got a job at the Mission Printers, I believe it was and started his life in the printing trade. He later started a printing business in Santa Cruz and sold out to an employee and retired at the age of 47....tough life...play with planes, play golf and sail on the "Gandolph".

My career as a Yo-Yo champion…Back in the 1950’s Cheerio and Duncan Yo-Yo companies would send out “Pros” to hold Yo-Yo tournaments throughout the country.
If you won the competition at your school you moved on to the “City Championship” competition…well I did and I won. Got my picture in the paper…standing with the girl that won the other part of the tournament, (The girls part.) It was purdy embarrassing to see the picture come out and the girl was at least a head or maybe two taller than I was…funny how ALL my friends had to bring that to my attention.

I got a call from a photographer in town to have me come down to his studio to try and take "Time" photos of me as I did my “thing”. Back in those days there was a magazine called “LIFE” that would have unusual photos in the back and he was trying for a shot at it. It didn’t work, the thought of me doing my Yo-Yo thing in a magazine NOT standing next to that gargantuan girl, kinda appealed to me. The city championship qualified me for the State of California Championship Tourney in Sacramento …I went but was totally outclassed.

We then moved to San Francisco and upon arriving found that they had 2 tournaments… a guy that I met at the Presbyterian Church that I attended was real good and was entering the one at a movie theater downtown and he suggested that I do the one on TV…We did and both won… so I was the San Francisco Co-Champion I won a Raleigh bicycle, made in England…WOW cool bike!! That ended my career.

When I lived in Santa Cruz, the Clyde Beatty Circus was coming to town so my buddy, Curt and I got up at 4am on a Saturday and went down to the vacant lot that they were setting up the 3 ring circus under the “BIG TOP”. We got to help move things around and watch the elephants help set up the huge tent….it was fascinating to watch and we scored free passes for the “SHOW”. While we were working, the “STAR”, Clyde Beatty, Big game hunter, movie and circus star, drove up to us in his Cadillac convertible and called us over to talk. It was great looking at the inside of that car and seeing the lions mane floor boards and the leopard skin seats….it was COOL! (O.K. maybe not for the animals.)

(I remember the seats being Tiger skin but I defer to Curt's recollection of them being Leopard.)

My Relationship with Curt and his family was very good. They were a nice family and were very involved with their church, they would invite my brother Ron and myself to attend church with them. On one occasion I was asked to go with them to go to San Jose, to the Civic Auditorium, to listen to the man that led the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and his conversion to Christianity.

It was interesting to hear the gentelman speak of the changes in his life and to observe that even one that had helped cause so much pain and anguish, such a short time before this, could be forgiven by those he had hurt. Certainly a good lesson for me to learn. At the point of time in the meeting that people are encouraged to come forward to "Be Saved", Curt's Mom asked me if

I felt the desire to go forward....I told her that I didn't.

I attended many different denomination's services over my growing up years but never felt the urge to be involved in "Organized" religion. Funny that I would end up joining the most "Organized" religion in the world, but the only one that I knew, had the ability to return me to my "HOME", along with my family, to Our Father in Heaven.

MY EARLY MEMORIES

MY EARLY MEMORIES


As I try and recall, with my brain cells whirling about, they seem to be crashing into each other…I wish that I had the words to describe the images that I have in a way that others could see these images.

On Wabash St. we lived in a small house…but in those days most houses were smaller than we see today. As you walked into the house from a tiny porch, there was a living room about the half the size of Jack & Heathers bedroom. Behind that, a small kitchen that had a huge sink for my brothers and myself to wash the dishes…it only seemed huge because I was not the biggest kid in the 4th grade!!

I only see a small patch of lawn in the front with no grass in the rest of the yard. In the backyard, behind the small garage and my brothers pigeon coupe, there was and even smaller house that Pete and Ina Lee and their baby, Billy lived in. Pete worked at Safeway in the produce section after getting out of the Army in 1945. They were the nicest folks on the planet I thought…every time that I saw Pete and would ask how he
was doing he’d say, “What the hell do you care?” That would crack me up…he also taught me about “Do you know why the chicken crossed the road?” I have been able to wear that into the ground with my children and grand kids…HEY, traditions need to be continued.

We would go to my Grandparents house and I loved that place...it was a Victorian style house with a “Sun room”. The sunroom was outside of my Grandparents bedroom and ran almost the length of the south side of the house, with plenty of chairs to sit on and was completely screened in…it could also be accessed from the back porch.

Interring the house there was a “Drawing room” on the right, with a door that slid open. The room was hardly ever used. To the left there was a bedroom that I slept in when we would spend the night. Since my Grandfather was an upholsterer. He always had scraps of material that my Grandmother would make into quilts…REALLY HEAVY quilts, because the materials used in making furniture in those days was very thick. They felt comforting with all of the weight on me.

As you walked into the house, walking straight ahead, there was a larger room with a fireplace and a buncha chairs and sofas. Making a left turn at the end of that room was a
very large “Dining room” with a HUGE table. On the floor, as you interred the room was a floor heater that blew warm air into the room…it was the only heat in the house as I recall and we would stand on it on cold mornings to get warm. Air conditioning? Are you kidding??


Behind the room was the kitchen…there were 2 bedrooms to the side of the dining room and another bed room off of the kitchen that I would also sleep in occasionaly. My grandparents room was the back one off of the dining room.

Going down the back porch stairs you walked into the backyard…on the left was the “Tank house” that Wilbur lived in. The backyard was pretty good sized and could probably hold 5 or 6 cars. My Grandfathers upholstery shop was at the backside of the yard. The side of the house had a large lawn with some good sized trees. What a NEAT house this was.

I remember my Grandmother as a rather small woman that ALWAYS wore an apron and a smile. My Grandfather was a pretty happy guy…the only thing I ever remember him saying to me was, as I was watching him with a mouthful of tacks doing his work...he pulled out his handkerchief and blew his nose. He then showed me the handkerchief and said, “You think that’s dirt but it’s snot!”

One of the hazards of a visit to my Grandparents home was seeing my Uncle Otto…not sure if he was my grandmother’s or Grandfather’s brother but I can still see him laughing as he would poke you with his walking cane! You steered clear of that portly old man.

I fondly remember the Christmas holidays at this old house…everyplace you went in the house there were dishes holding the BEST homemade candy in the WORLD! The rocky road and divinity candy was great but my favorite was the peanut butter fudge …MMMMMMM! I sure do miss that stuff.


With my Mother having 9 brothers and sisters there were always a lot of good times...the women would be in the kitchen cooking or in the living room, the men in the dining room playing penny ante poker and all of us kids would be playing out in the yard. What FUN TIMES!

My Grandfather passed away when I was around 7 years old…my Grandmother died just after Irene and I got married…the old house on N. Morrison was sold to people that tore it down and built an “OLD FOLKS” home that my Grandmother spent the last years in.Behind the room was the kitchen…there were 2 bedrooms to the side of the dining room, the back one was my Grandparents room…behind my grandparents room, accessed from the kitchen was another bedroom that I would also sleep in.

Going down the backporch stairs you walked into the backyard…on the left was the Tank house that Wilbur lived in. The backyard was pretty good sized and could probably hold 5 or 6 cars. My Grandfathers upholstery shop was at the backside of the yard. The side of the house had a large lawn with some good sized trees. What a NEAT house this was.

I remember my Grandmother as a rather small woman that ALWAYS wore an apron and a smile. My Grandfather was a pretty happy guy…the only thing I ever remember him saying to me was, as I was watching him with a mouthful of tacks doing his work...he pulled out his handkerchief and blew his nose. He then showed me the handkerchief and said, “You think that’s dirt but it’s snot!”

One of the hazards of a visit to my Grandparents home was seeing my Uncle Otto…not sure if he was my grandmother’s or Grandfather’s brother but I can still see him laughing as he would poke you with his walking cane! You steered clear of that portly old man.

I fondly remember the Christmas holidays at this old house…everyplace you went in the house there were dishes holding the BEST homemade candy in the WORLD! The rocky road and divinity candy was great but my favorite was the peanut butter fudge …MMMMMMM! I sure do miss that stuff.


With my Mother having 9 brothers and sisters there were always a lot of good times...the women would be in the kitchen cooking or in the living room, the men in the dining room playing penny ante poker and all of us kids would be playing out in the yard. What FUN TIMES!

My Grandfather passed away when I was around 7 years old…my Grandmother died just after Irene and I got married…the old house on N. Morrison was sold to people that tore it down and built an “OLD FOLKS” home that my Grandmother lived in.

She was only 4'-11', but what a huge HEART!

Our house on Wabash St. in San Jose


My Mother…(Holding her dog "Demi", looks like Pete holding Billy..at Grandmas house.)

Dorothy Grigg Francis was born on June 29th 1911 in Coffeyville, Kansas. I believe that the family moved to San Francisco during the 20’s but ended up moving to San Jose very soon after their arrival in California.

She attended School at San Jose High and was into gymnastics…she used to say that she was on the girls basketball team…which used to get a chuckle out of us since she was only 4’-11” tall. I’m sure that she was telling the truth because she was certainly a scrappy little lady. When my friends would be over at our house and would comment about my Mothers height I would always say, “Oh I haven’t introduced you to my Mother have I?” They would reach out to shake her extended hand and she would drop them to there knees with her “vice” like grip.

My Mom loved working in the garden and was quite happy to spend the day bending over with her knees locked pulling weeds.

Mother was a sweet person that got along with everyone…her and my Dad were GREAT examples to us as to how a loving relationship could be developed if a couple is on the same page. My Cousin, Kenny, told me that he appreciated my Mom because one of his Aunts that really treated him with kindness…I would think that all my cousins probably would say that also.

The house that we lived in at 163 Wabash St. in San Jose had a septic tank in the backyard behind our small garage and my brother Bob’s pigeon coupe....that just happened to be where my folks setup the clothesline to dry our clothing. One day my Mom went out to hang up the wash and we heard a horribly loud scream coming from
the back yard…my brother Ron and I ran to the backyard and were shocked to find that the ground had given way and my Mother was standing up to her waist in waste!!

After moving to Santa Cruz my Mother was always there at my little league games giving support because my Dad was working…he made as many games as he could but Mother certainly took up the slack.

One game I remember pulling my head as I was trying to field a groundball…our coach (My best friend’s Dad, Carl Sandman.) asked me to hang around after the game, so my Mom and I waited. After everyone had left the coach said the I needed some extra work…he had me kneel and then he backed up and from about 40’ away, started throwing balls at me that “Short Hopped” a few feet in front of me and would bounce up hitting me in the stomach and chest area… after 10 or 20 hits he said when you get tired of being hit you’ll watch the balls with a REAL desire to catch them. I looked to my Mom for some support and relief …she just turned her head away letting me understand that I was on my own on this one! It worked and I became a fairly good shortstop.

I remember being along side my house with my best friend Curt Sandman playing catch and we started yelling at each other…I went over to confront him and a pushing match started..after a few minutes of this we heard my Mother clear her throat and looked to see her watching us from an open window…She said, “Ya know I love a good fight, but you guys are boring me..start swinging or shake hands and quit foolin’ around.” She was a tough lady.

My mother HATED San Francisco but loved working with her sister…when my dad died we moved back to San Jose into my Uncle Jack’s house with his wife Betty and their 2 kids Gail and Bruce…we stayed there a few months until my Mother found work then we moved into a small house on Cottle the same street as Willow Glen high School.

It was really hard to watch my Mom struggle with the loss of my Dad and working hard to keep us going with a roof over our heads and putting food on the table.

After I left high School she got me on at Grosken Company doing landscape work with my Uncle Pete…the job only lasted for about 4 months and since I had no car to go look for work and not wanting to wait for a “Draft Notice” to arrive when I was older and probably married with a family, I decided to enlist in the Navy.

After I got my service time done, met Irene and got married….My Mother told me that my “Uncle Wilbur” and her had been dating for awhile and what would I think of her marrying him. I told her that even though I had known him all my life it seemed a bit strange because he was like an uncle to me but that it was up to her not me. She was very conflicted because of her feelings for my Father but he had told her that he knew how she felt about my Dad and that he wasn’t wanting to change the way she felt but that he would treat her with kindness and love…and that he did.

It was probably a bit difficult for him to get used to having a buncha kids around but he settled into the role of “Grandpa” and was just that to our kids….A really good man.

Wilbur had come home with some of my Uncles back in the thirties and stayed there with my Grandparents…during the war he served in the Army Air Corps as a mechanic, when the war was over he came back to San Jose and made an apartment in the “Tank House” behind my grandparents house. I grew up knowing that “Grumpy old man” because he was always yelling at us when we’d sneak into his apartment. He kept up the yard for my Grandparents and stayed there taking care of the house and watching over my Grandmother until she passed away.

I know that Wilbur had some siblings but never met them nor heard him speak of them. Wilbur was great after I got to know him as an adult and sure enjoyed our kids and was always ready for a game of dominos or cards.

My Mother and I were having breakfast one day at her house. We were alone so I guess she felt that she could talk….She said “Your gonna think that I’m crazy but I have to tell you something..after you were baptized and you dried off you and your friend Gary came back into the room and sat down waiting for his wife to come out and join you. It was quiet and I was watching you…as you sat there a strange thing happened…you took on the appearance of your Father. Not in my imagination, you really did.” I told her that that it doesn’t surprise me at all and that I think that my DAD was trying to tell her something…That he was there and what I was doing was the real thing. I believe that when she crossed over to the other side he was waiting for her and since their work has been done for then they are together.