Helen Gubler Squire

I have taken a long break from my blog and have left off in the middle of my maternal grandmother's life history. I will return to her history later.  

My sweet mom, Helen G. Squire, suffered with Alzheimer's for nine years and I had the opportunity to help care for her. Although, I lost my true mom a long time ago I came to love my mom in her condition.  She passed away from a blood clot to her heart.  So she went quickly. She died on Thursday, October 16th in the presence of my dad, my brother Brad, his wife, Jo Ann, myself, and two healthcare workers. I don't think there could be anything more tender than to witness the woman who gave you life pass through the veil.

I would like to share my mother's obituary that my sister, Verlynn, wrote.  

Helen Gubler Squire

1930 ~ 2014

Bountiful, UT—Our loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend, Helen Gubler Squire, passed away October 16, 2014 peacefully returning to the open arms of her Savior and Heavenly Parents. Surely there is great rejoicing and blissful celebration in heaven as we mourn her passing on earth.

Helen was born May 3, 1930, to Joseph Edward “Ed” Gubler and Thora Wilson Gubler in LaVerkin, Utah. She was the fifth of seven children. Helen danced her way into the heart of DuWayne G. Squire and these sweethearts were married for eternity in the St. George Temple on December 10, 1947. They were blessed with nine children; two of their little angels died as infants.

Helen was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in numerous callings including Primary President, Relief Society President and Primary chorister. Blessed with the voice of an angel, she was known for her beautiful soprano voice and she filled her home with music. DuWayne and Helen served two missions—the St. George Historic Sites Mission and Virginia Richmond Mission; they also served as temple workers. A woman of wisdom and ever stalwart in the gospel, Helen was an amazing example of faith, commitment, and charity, sharing her testimony in the life she lived.  She was a teacher, exemplar, and friend to all. Helen will be remembered for her faith and faithfulness as well as her devotion to her family and her Savior, Jesus Christ.

She is survived by her loving and devoted husband, DuWayne G. Squire, and children: M.J. (Joan) Squire of Kaysville, Kim (Nancy) Squire of Layton (serving a mission in Uganda), Brad (JoAnn) Squire of Bountiful, Verlynn (Tom) Sheffield of Bountiful, Sheralee (John) Steele of South Jordan, Melodee (Dean) Thornton of West Jordan, and Cyndee (Bret) Gallacher of Farmington. Among her posterity she counts 32 grandchildren and 46 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death and joyfully welcomed home by her parents and grandparents, along with two beautiful children Kirk DuWayne and Krystal Squire, and two grandchildren, Colton DuWayne Steele and James Preston Thornton. Special thanks to her Hospice caregivers Brandi and Leslie.

Funeral services will be held Monday, October 20, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. in the Bountiful Dry Creek Ward, 720 East 500 North in Bountiful, Utah. Family and friends may visit Sunday night, October 19 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful, and Monday morning 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the church prior to the funeral. Graveside services and interment will be held Tuesday, October 21, 12:00 noon at the LaVerkin City Cemetery in LaVerkin, Utah. 

Funeral Program

Squire Brothers: Adrien, Scott, and DuWayne

The following pictures were from the LaVerkin Graveside services.

LaVerkin Pallbearers: Closest L to R: John Steele, Dean Thornton, Derek Gallacher
Back L to R: Bret Gallacher, Corey Squire, Kirk Gallacher

Kirk Gallacher placing a rose on the casket. The beautiful floral spray on the casket was made by Kirk's wife, Sharlet.

DuWayne Squire with siblings
Back Row: DuWayne and Lorene Turner
Front Row: Sandra Howard, Phil and Don Squire

DuWayne Squire with children:
Cyndee Gallacher, Melodee Thornton, Sheralee Steele, Verlynn Sheffield, DuWayne Squire, MJ Squire, Brad Squire
Missing Kim Squire, who is currently serving a mission in Uganda, Africa

Helen Gubler Squire's resting place next to her sweet children, Kirk and Krystal Squire.

Life History of Thora W. Gubler-Part 2

 The theme for this section of my grandmother's history is fire...

During this time, Ed was on a mission in North Carolina, where he served for twenty-eight months.  We had dated a few times before he left for his mission, and corresponded during that time.  He arrived home in March 1923, and we took up dating again.  We were married in the St. George Temple on my father's birthday, which was 13 September 1923, by President David Cannon, who had married both of our parents. We went on our honeymoon to California where he had employment.  As we were crossing the desert from St. George to Las Vegas, Nevada, we had 17 flat tires.  The tires were so hot that they wouldn't hold a patch.  When we reached Las Vegas, we were able to buy a kit and that ended the tire problems.  We arrived in Bakersfield, California where Ed worked on a hospital and earned $1.00 an hour, which was big wages at that time.  They ran out of money during November, so the job ended and we returned home.  I was the only happy one to be coming back to LaVerkin, but I was so homesick. (We heard that the hospital to this day was never completed.) We came home and lived in the first home his father and mother built, just behind their new home.

On September 14th, 1925, we bought the Fletcher home.  We were so happy to have our own home.  Just before Thanksgiving Ed and I were picking over beans at night in our kitchen, when a big turkey flew through our window, shattering glass everywhere, and landed in our big tub of beans. It took me so by surprise that I let out a scream and nearly frightened Ed to death as I was so near confinement with our first child. Our first child was born on December 1st at 6:00am in our home.  We gave him the name of Lyman "W" Gubler, Ed was so happy to have a boy!  The births and marriages of our children are as follows (I left off complete dates for those still living.) :

Lyman "W" 1 December 1925, married Norene Bringhurst 22 November 1948
Faun, 2 January 1927, married Jack R. Eves 11 May 1944
Ramona, 7 April 1928, married Melvin Linbert Gifford, 6 February 1948
Thell "W" -----, married Elaine Nyborg, 15 July 19--
Helen, 3 May 19--, married DuWayne Gilbert Squire, 10 December 19--
Edward Wilson, 3 December 19--, married Janet LaRae Seegmiller, 22 May 19--
Gail, 30 March 19--, married Boyd Jay Earl 25 Nov 19--

While Ed was working down at the LaVerkin hot springs we had 300 small chickens that I had come home to take care of them.  During the night I was awakened to hear my neighbor, Pearl Webb, calling to LaFell Iverson that Thora's house was on fire. I jumped out of bed and grabbed the three children from their beds and rushed them outside to safety. Then I noticed that it was the outhouse and chicken coup that was on fire.  I took the children back inside then my neighbors and I grabbed water hoses and started putting the fire out.  We were able to save most of the chickens and half of the coup.

One afternoon while Ed was at the church house playing baseball, Lyman and a neighbor boy, Paul Webb, were playing with matches up in the barn, which we had just filled with new hay and straw.  They had made a tunnel back in the hay and were using it as their hideout, knowing no one would catch them playing with the matches that so intrigues young children, when to their dismay the hay caught on fire.  Paul, being three years older than Lyman, sensed the danger and they both scrambled out of the tunnel to safety before the whole barn was consumed in fire.

Ed had gone to the temple with his dad and mother and I was again home alone when fire struck, but this time it was to be our home. I had baked bread earlier and was in sewing on a dress for Helen when a young girl named Essie Aassy called and said, "Thora, your house is on fire!"  All of the children were outside playing except Helen, who was sleeping in the back bedroom.  The fire started in the kitchen, through a faulty electrical wire.  People came rushing from everywhere to give help, but the only things we were able to salvage was the sewing machine, the dress I was working on, all the beds and my piano. (It still carries the charred side where the heat was so fierce.)  Everything else went up in smoke--all our clothes, pictures, dad's books and missionary journals--it was all in ashes at our feet in an hour's time, as it was just a frame home.

Life History of Thora Wilson Gubler-Part 1

Thora Wilson Gubler is my maternal grandmother.  I have spent a lot of time on my paternal lines and thought it was time to focus on my maternal side.  This history was written by my grandma and was included in a book that was compiled by my Uncle Thell and Aunt Elaine for Thora's 80th birthday.  The book was entitled, 80th Star Leaves Cosmic Trail of Ancestry, Honoring Thora Wilson Gubler. Dated May 20, 1983.

History of Thora W. Gubler

I was born in Virgin, Utah, 20 May 1903 to Morris Wilson, Jr. and Minnie Ann Stratton Wilson.  My cousin, Elola Stratton, and I were both born the same day on Uncle Powell Stratton's birthday.

We moved from Mountaindale before I was one year old.  My father built a house with a lean-to over a cellar in LaVerkin, so his family could be with him while he worked on the Hurricane Canal, to get water to the city block he owned in Hurricane. (The granary house is going to be restored by Eric Nielson.) Dad later sold this property in Hurricane to the Stanworth brothers for $600.00, as he was called to be the Bishop of the LaVerkin Ward in June 1904, where he served in this capacity for 24 years.

I was baptized in the LaVerkin canal, just above my home, by my father on my 8th birthday, after which we enjoyed a big dinner.  We had many happy times in this modest home.

Charles Cottom and son, Walter, built our new home and we moved into it when I was nine years old.  It was like heaven to have my own bedroom.  When I was 12 Dad bought a new piano and I took lessons from Sister Maud Judd.  After Ed and I were married Mother and Dad wanted a new radio and said we could have the piano for what the radio would cost.  We purchased a lovely 3 1/2 foot high floor radio and happily made the change.  This piano has brought many happy hours into our homes throughout the years and I still enjoy playing it.

When I was in grade school (which encompassed the 1st through 8th grade) we had a religion class before school for the 7th and 8th grades.  Ezoe Woodbury was the organist for it, and when she wasn't there I played "Catch the Sunshine," as she wasn't there quite often it became necessary for me to learn other hymns as fast as I could.  Emil Graff was my teacher for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.
(see photos: https://familysearch.org/photos/images/1485500?p=1035905
https://familysearch.org/photos/images/3805413?p=1035905
https://familysearch.org/photos/images/1427165?p=1035905)

I nearly always got A's on my report card, but got B's in deportment, as I sat between Moroni Sanders and Whitney Jones and they were always yanking my long braids and putting them in ink bottles.  The teacher caught me as I turned around to hit them back.

When I was 12, my brother Paul was born, and Dad hired Mina Morrell, who was 18 or 19, to come and help during the day and evenings.  She was dating Ed at the time, so Emma Woodbury and I called Ed and told him Mina wanted him to come up--so he came and surprised her as they sat out on the porch (Emma and I were hiding on the deck just above them) as Ed kissed her goodnight, Emma and I giggled and had a lot of fun about it, little dreaming in later years Ed and I would date and end up marrying each other.

I attended the first 9th grade class that was held in Hurricane.  During this year I contacted the flu, along with my father and brother, Wayne.  About two weeks later the doctor came to check on us and then went onto help others at Toquerville.  He told them that he was afraid that Bishop Wilson and his daughter would both be dead by morning, but because of a special prayer circle held especially in our behalf that night, we made a turn for the better and made a complete recovery.

In order to finish my high school education, it was necessary for me to move to St. George, where I lived with Sister Julia Graff and her daughter, Rachel, who was my best friend.  (This was Emil Graff's mother and sister.) During this time, I and another girlfriend Partha Gubler, became very homesick and decided to borrow a couple of horses and go home over the weekend.  We started the long journey home (much farther than it is now, with improved roads).  By the time we arrived home, we were both so sore that we had to be lifted off our horses.  The only thing I could think of at that time was that same long miserable trek back!

During school we were asked to put on a vaudeville show, in order to raise money for a class project.  There were six girls and six boys that did the chorus.  In order to have something special and different, we asked Rachel's brother , Grant, who was living in Salt Lake City, to pick up some music that he thought would be good for this production, and one of the songs he sent down was "Oh Gee, Say Gee." Our songs went over with great appreciation with the student-body and the community where it played for three nights with capacity crowds and we made good money.

During the summer, Rachel and her mother moved back to LaVerkin and Rachel would clerk in the store--so when the ward had a special program they asked us to do a number and we decided we would do that lively little number of "Oh Gee, Say Gee."  The chorus goes something like this: "Over here, over there, she's a little bit bare, so she wears a lot of leaves to protect her from the air. Oh gee, say gee, you ought to see my gee gee from the frigie isles." Everyone in the audience got a big kick out of it except Dad, and he was really furious to think that we would sing this song.

Life History of DuWayne G. Squire - Boating & Testimony

 I have left out the section on the rest of DuWayne's posterity as we are all still alive and probably should not list all of his children and their spouses and grandchildren due to identity security.  Therefore, I am jumping to some final thoughts of Dad's in regards to the boat.  We had the boat before my memories began. I have a pure love of the old blue boat and the wonderful memories that were formed surrounding it. I even remember being laid down in the bow of the boat to take naps on a mattress formed from orange life vests. The boat definitely anchored our family and bonded us together.

DuWayne Waterskiing at the age of 77. He could probably still waterski today at the age of 86, but he sold the boat this year.  He did ski up until age 84.  I never knew anyone that could flow in and out of the wake and ski for 15-20 minutes at a time. It was pure joy for all of us to see him out there. No one could drive the boat better for him than his sweet wife.

In 1967 we decided to get a boat for our family recreation. I found a boat that would be great for fishing and was large enough to pull a water skier and so I put a holding deposit on it. When I took Helen to view the boat, she took one look at it and said, “Just one cotton-picking minute. If we are getting a boat I want it big enough to hold the whole family; I don’t intend to be stuck on the beach in the hot sun all day while someone is out water skiing.” I will ever be grateful that Helen spoke up because I, too, preferred a larger boat, but I was trying to be conservative and was afraid I would get some resistance if I spent the extra money for a larger boat.

I had made the deposit on an outboard boat being manufactured by Gulfstream Boat Company and so I went in to their factory to talk to them. Gulfstream had only been in business a year or so and when I went into their factory they had a newly designed boat, the first one of its design for 1968, which was nearly completed. I asked the price and they quoted me $3500 for the boat and a nice trailer. That sounded like a good price and so I asked if they would transfer my deposit onto that boat, which they did without any hassle! This boat had an inboard-outboard 160 hp Chevrolet 6 cylinder motor and was 192 feet long, just perfect for our family needs, with plenty of power and size. I must admit that Helen and I both think that was the best $3500 we had ever spent.

Our whole family has loved the hundreds of outings we have taken that boat on. We have taken many annual trips to Lake Powell, to Flaming Gorge, and to Bear Lake along with hundreds of trips to Willard Bay, Pineview Reservoir, Echo Reservoir, Utah Lake, Yuba Dam, Deer Creek Reservoir and Wanship Reservoir. We have also been to a few other lakes and reservoirs in Utah and Idaho. Helen and I, along with each of our children, have learned how to water ski, first on two skis and then to slalom on one ski. I might add that we especially loved going to Lake Powell. We have many fond memories of camping along the shores and have even held sacrament services and testimony meetings on one or two of these outings, which seemed to draw our family closer together.

We had the privilege of taking Helen’s Dad and Mother to Lake Powell and even though her Dad had trouble walking he insisted on walking the mile or more to the foot of Rainbow Bridge. They were real sports in roughing it out with us and seemed to enjoy every moment of the trip on the lake.

Not only was the boat a blessing to our family but it was to our whole ward and stake. I have taken the Scouts and Explorers on dozens of trips to Lake Powell and to Flaming Gorge. We have taken the boat on many ward outings to Bear Lake and to Hyrum Reservoir. We have taken ward youth (both boys and girls) on many outings to these lakes. Hundreds of the Bountiful Twenty-fourth Ward’s youth have learned how to water ski behind our boat. When some of them got married they told me that the first time they could afford it a boat was top priority because of the great experiences they had on our trips.

I must admit that our boat, water skis, and life jackets were damaged and abused much more from youth not of our family than from our family. I don’t regret that at all because I feel their friendship and memories are worth far more than was the cost of repair and replacement. For instance, on one occasion, Dave Haygood, one of the Explorer leaders, was skiing behind my boat around Lone Rock in Lake Powell and he wasn’t too adept in doing so and as I made a pass driving toward Lone Rock he thought I was much closer than I was and fearing that he would crash into Lone Rock he let go and took one of the greatest tumbles I have ever seen. In doing so he tore one of my nice water skiing jackets in half. The laugh I had brought tears to my eyes and it was well worth the cost of a new ski jacket.

The older young men who were learning to waterski were by far the hardest on the ski equipment and on the boat seats. They were big and very clumsy and as a result tore off the foot bindings on the water skis and tore up the jackets as they kept falling, etc. It was always a relief when they finally learned to ski.

Just before Helen and I went on our mission to the Virginia Richmond Mission in January 2002, I sold our boat to Kim and Nancy and they have kept it busy each summer since. I bought another Gulfstream boat a year or so older than the one I sold to Kim and Nancy. It belonged to Bish and Tom Horne and hadn’t been used for about twenty years and so I thought it ought to be like new, almost! Not so; they hadn’t serviced it and taken care of it like I did my boat. I found it had been put away with water in the outdrive foot and had some other problems. As a result, it kept me out of mischief for several days while I overhauled it. We did have it out the summer of 2004 and Tom, Verlynn, and I had a wonderful day water skiing on smooth water on Pineview Reservoir.

A month or so before we took my boat to Pineview, I was invited to go with Kim and Nancy to Echo Reservoir and I had a good ski run while there with them. M.J. and Joan also have a boat and we have met up and had our boats out on the lake together. Sheralee and John also had a boat for several years, so I know that the fun times we had together as a family meant a lot to all of them.

I know that my remarks are brief concerning my family, and that is by design since I have been keeping a journal in which I have expressed my feelings in detail. I also hope that each of my family members are following the Prophet’s admonition and are keeping their daily journals wherein greater detail of their life’s history will be recorded.

In closing, I would like to bear my testimony to my family and to anyone else who may read this history, either by design or by chance.

I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world and of the earth and all that live thereon. He is the Only Begotten Son of God and, as such, has atoned for all the sins of mankind. All that is required for each of us to enjoy the fruits of His atonement is to truly repent and come unto Him with broken hearts and contrite spirits.

I know that Joseph Smith, Jr., is the latter-day prophet called to restore the gospel and the keys of the kingdom of God and that they will never be taken from the earth again.

I know that we have had a succession of living prophets at the head of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from Joseph Smith, Jr., to our present prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley.

I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and through prayerfully studying it, we can draw closer to our Father in Heaven and to Jesus Christ than we can through the study of any other scripture available to us today. It is written with a promise, and I have put Moroni 10:4 to the test and have received a personal witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

I also love the Bible, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. I have learned much from each of these scriptures and have been spiritually edified on numerous occasions as I have read and studied them.

I have a witness that the Holy Ghost is real for I have been moved by his promptings on many occasions. I cannot say that I have ever heard a voice speak to my physical hearing, but I have heard the still, small voice prompting my conscience on many, many occasions. While at BYU, I have had the Holy Ghost open my mind with revelations of books and notes which I had previously read and studied. They were so visible that I could read from them and actually turn the pages in my mind. While serving as bishop, the promptings of the Holy Ghost became so automatic that on several occasions I began to think that I was very smart and full of wisdom. When that occurred, I could always depend on a humbling experience which left no doubt in my mind as to where the intelligence and wisdom was coming from. How thrilling it was to have the Lord give me a person’s name for a position or give me the perfect answer or counsel to give someone who had come in for repentance or counseling. On many occasions, I have been blessed to give someone a blessing containing information for afflictions and problems which only the person and the Lord had knowledge of. How humbling and, I might add, terrifying it is to realize that you have acted as the Lord’s mouthpiece.

I love the Lord, Jesus Christ, I love my Father in Heaven, I love the gospel and the scriptures, and I love my family. To these things I bear my humble witness in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Amen.

Life History of DuWayne G. Squire - Scouting and Other Church Callings

Everything progressed very well in the job with Bish’s Sheet Metal, and Bish seemed to be pleased with my efforts. In fact, he gave me a $500 bonus at Christmas time. I was overwhelmed since I had never had a bonus given to me before. We lived in our home nearly devoid of furniture; at least we had none in the living room. We didn’t have drapes, and so Helen put up sheets in the windows. When Bishop Edgar Barton, Glen Gold, and Walt Gadd, our new bishopric, visited us, they sat on the hearth and we brought in some chairs from the kitchen. We enjoyed the Bountiful 3rd Ward, and I was soon made the Elders Quorum secretary. Later, they began to add on to our chapel because of the influx of people moving into its boundaries and they made me the project clerk. I paid all the bills for purchases of materials, made out the payroll, and paid the payroll taxes, etc. When that project was finished, I was called to be ward clerk under Bishop Norman Bowen and later under Bishop Joseph Cutler and again under Bishop Jack Bangerter. In all, I served as ward clerk under seven bishops. I also had two or three stints as the Aaronic Priesthood general secretary and as secretary of the adult Aaronic Priesthood. I served as Scoutmaster for about five plus years when the enrollment was 30 to 35 scouts. That had to be one of the hardest and yet most rewarding calls I have ever had. The scouts really put me through the refiner’s fire. For the three or four years prior to my calling as Scoutmaster, they hadn’t done anything in scouting except play games in the cultural hall. I was charged to get them going on scouting, and that was met with much weeping and wailing. Sometimes I was the one doing the wailing, and it would have been very easy to quit.

We plodded through the first couple of years but slowly a change came about and in the last three years we had a good troop and had some record breaking successes in the number of rank advancements and Eagle Scouts. In fact, the Davis County Clipper published an article on the Bountiful Troop 218 setting a badge record as follows:

Eighteen Boy Scouts of Troop 218 set a new Lake Shore District record when they gathered up 84 merit badges at their Court of Honor this week. In addition, the troop of 35 members received an Eagle award and 14 other rank advancements. The troop is sponsored by the Bountiful 24th Ward. DuWayne G. Squire is Scoutmaster.

Mr. Squire credited “a very good troop committee and two very able assistant Scoutmasters” for the success of the troop’s advancement program.

Glenn B. Goodrich, Bountiful Stake Scout Leader, said that all nine troops in the stake are high in achievement. “About 95 percent of the boys and leaders are in uniform” he noted.

While serving as Scoutmaster we had many great scout camping trips to such places as The Teton Camp up in Idaho. Another camp was up in Pinedale, Wyoming. In Utah, we went to the North Fork of the Bear and to Steiner Camp in the Uintah’s, and to many wilderness camps. We also enjoyed water skiing trips to Bear Lake, Flaming Gorge, Lake Powell, East Canyon, Echo Reservoir, Rockport, and several other places.

Many of the Scouts learned to love outdoor cooking and some became rather proficient. Harold and Ruth Yancey lived in our ward at the time and had their son, John in our troop. After one of our camps in the Uintah wilderness, Ruth asked me if I would teach her how to cook my famous Goulash. She said John can’t stop talking about how wonderful it was. She said that he tried to tell her all of the ingredients and she has cooked them and he said they were not anywhere near as good as when I cooked it. I told her the main ingredients were potatoes and onions. To that I add whatever I have available, such as eggs, hamburger or wieners, bacon, etc. Ruth said, “I have used those ingredients and the kids turn up their noses at it.” I told her, “You are leaving out the most important ingredient—that is, you must take them up in the mountains and let them run all day long, then serve them the goulash and they will love it! In fact, I believe they would love about anything you would put before them.”

To finish out my callings in the Church while in Bountiful, I was called as Bishop Dean Chipman’s second counselor (in the Bountiful 24th Ward) and served there for about five and one-half years and was then called to be the bishop for the next five and one-half years. Following that, I was the Priest Quorum instructor for about three years. I was then called as the high priests group leader for the next three years. Currently, I am teaching the sixteen-year-olds in Sunday School.

I had a great experience while serving as the bishop. I was truly blessed with great men assisting me in the bishopric. Ralph Wilcox and Val Randall served as my counselors. J. David Hepworth, Charles G. Miller, and Edward D. Cox served as our ward clerks. William R. Nutter served as our executive secretary. All of these brethren served with me the full five and one-half year term. That may be some kind of a record.

We called Shirley K. Van Wagenen as the Relief Society president and she too served the full term with us. What a beautiful person, and such a great spirit. Shirley really took a big load from my shoulders.

While we were serving as the bishopric, the Church went through several major changes. The Young Men and Young Women’s MIA program was changed two or three times to combat Satan’s running rampant with the youth. We had the hippie movement, the youth rebellion against parents and against all authority, the free love and sex movement coupled with heavy doses of pornography and, finally, the drug culture.

The last major change inaugurated during our term was the block meeting schedule. This was designed to meet the needs of the members of the Church more fully throughout the world and to better utilize the Church facilities in rapidly growing areas. This change really helped those who had to travel great distances to attend their meetings. Prior to this change, families often had to travel to the ward chapel several times a week to attend such meetings as Primary, MIA, Relief Society, priesthood, Sunday School, and sacrament meetings. Under the block meeting schedule, travel was cut to once a week for most families.

While serving as bishop, I performed 20 marriages of which 8 later went through the temple, I had the privilege of calling 33 young men and women to serve on missions (I should say that I recommended them for missions, since the Lord is the one that called them to serve), I conducted and spoke at 14 funerals and spoke at 4 funerals outside the ward. I had several other opportunities to perform marriages and to conduct funerals after my release as bishop of the ward. In these cases, I talked them into going to the acting bishop who currently had the stewardship.

Serving as bishop gave me opportunity to make many eternal friendships and has heightened my love and respect for my brothers and sisters in the gospel. The only sad part of the calling was concerning those with whom I counseled who could not overcome their sins. We held six bishop’s courts resulting in three excommunications from the Church. I am only aware of one of the six who repented and really benefitted from the court.

Since I feel I gave my calling and stewardship as bishop my best effort based on my knowledge and experience at the time, I feel no remorse for my efforts and would only thank the Lord for the great experience.

I have digressed a long way from the time we moved to Bountiful. I might add that our move to Bountiful has been a good move for our whole family. Bish has, for the most part, treated me very well with bonuses nearly every year and a fair salary for most years. If I had it to do over, I would probably have taken a job with the government or some large corporation where the benefits were better and where they funded a retirement program. Who knows, maybe I am better off where I am presently.

One thing is for sure, I cannot complain about my life thus far. The best thing that I ever did was marry Helen. That has brought about the next best thing—the beautiful children Helen has brought into my life.

Left to Right: Back Row: Brad, DuWayne, MJ, Kim
Middle Row: Helen, Verlynn
Front Row: Cyndee, Melodee, Sheralee