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Janet Harris (Eller)

Joy:  I agree with Dan - don't miss Union Depot.  We had my mother's 80th birthday celebration there.  It's good that the beautiful depot which, is an important part of Ogden's (and the nation's) history, is in some way still preserved and used.  I traveled by train three times between Ogden and Boston in the 60's when Ogden was still the terminal for the Chicago to LA/SF traffic.

Try to see the Egyptian Theater.  I don't know if you remember it, but it's a 20's art deco theater which, fortunately, has been restored instead of torn down.  They use it for live shows and movies still.  My sister and I saw a movie there - "Red Nichols and his Five Pennies".  Last time I was in Ogden, there was nothing happening in the Egyptian so I "snuck in" just to see the theater, but it was too dark to enjoy it.  Hopefully you will be able to see it lighted up.  The ceiling looks like the sky and small lights (stars) twinkle.

I also have fond memories of Logan.  Thanks to Miss Neal, I went to USU.  The campus and town have changed a lot since then, but I visit every time I get to Utah.  Just a funny story about that time.  I dated a guy from NYC for a while back then.  He and some friends used to tease me about being a Mormon girl.  They said "Are you from Smithville or Hyrum?"  I'd say "No, I'm from Paradise".  

Enjoy your visit.  Have fun with your sisters.  If you ever want to visit Vermont, be sure to contact me.  It truly does look like Paradise, especially right now.  It's especially enjoyable since it follows a long winter.  No drought here.  Janet

Joy Fields (Wardleigh)

Janet & Dan, Thanks for your suggestions, I definitely will go down to Union Station and check it out.  I told my sister that we had to have lunch there.  I remember the Egyptian theatre and want to see it too.  I had lunch with Martie (Peck) Bond  today. It was so great and I found out that it was her mother who designed some of the displays there.  One about the Irish and one about Promontory point, ( think that is what it was, after all we had 53 years to get caught up on.  It was a delightful afternoon.  We plan on a repeat ASAP.  Val Lasko wants to join us when we meet again. 

Oh; Janet, I was in beautiful Vermont when I was about 15 years old.   My Dad did like to travel so after the family reunion in Virginia we made a little side trip up to Vermont.  I remember my Mom   bought some REAL Vermont maple syrup.  We hated it, because it wasn't sweet enough after that good old Log Cabin or Aunt Jamima's sweet junk.  JOY

Martha (Martie) Peck (Bond)

Joy and I had such a wonderful time catching up yesterday.  I wish more of us were closer.  It is amazing how much we had to talk about. two hours went by in 5 minutes.  I can't wait to see her again.

My mother was the creater of the railroad musiem at the Union Station and the two murals were dedicated to her by the painter.   She aslo raised the money to buy the Egyption Theater.  She and my dad were literally washing down the front of the theater when he got very ill so she had to turn over the project.  The people who restored the theatre did an amazing job.  This is a real highlight in Ogden.

Anyone else coming to northern Califironia so Joy and I can meet them for lunch or dinner?

Martie

Karen Peterson (Belliston)

Pete and I recently received a note from Gale Hester and were so sadly surprised to see it contained a copy of her husband's (David Hester) obituary! He was such a great guy and friend  in our high school class--smart, humorous, kind. We stopped in Louisville, Kentucky, in Oct. 2012 and were fortunate to find them home. We went out to dinner with them and had a wonderful visit. We had hoped to see them again if/when they visited Utah. I'm so glad we got to see both of them and can't believe Dave is one of the deceased from our class now. Do you remember that he spoke at our graduation exercises? His topic was Run Home to God. Seems quite appropriate at this time!
 

Joy Fields (Wardleigh)

Karen, I was also surprised  and sad that David has died.  The day before the notice was posted I sent him a birthday wish.  Gale was in my Psychology class in our senior year.  He and Gale got married just after I was married to Robert Wardleigh.  They also had their first child just about the same time as my first born arrived.  Not too long ago I messaged him congratulating them on 50+ years of marriage.  My heart goes out to Gale.

Norman K. Morrison

normThanks Evan for remembering my birthday. We are in West St. Paul serving a mission until December.

Donna Harbertson (Persinger)

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't responded for a while.  I have some sad news.  Don't know if you remember Bruce Swenson or not, but his obituary was in this past Sunday Standard Examiner.  It really had very limited information.  His viewing will be next Sunday at Lindquist's Mortuary June 21 from 6 to 8 pm.  Funeral on Monday June 22 at 11 am with at viewing prior to funeral from 9:30 to 10:30 am.  I have known Bruce most of my younger life.  We lived next to each other in the old Washington Terrace.  His mom and Dad, Ruth and Howard were a fun couple.  Bruce has an older brother Doug, younger brother Brian, and the youngest as sister named Kathy.  I have many memories from the time I lived in the Terrace.  Memories just like all of you had and maybe a few extra.  Playing hide and seek after dark, playing stretch by throwing our pocket knives just a bit farther so we had to stretch legs sidewise until we fell.  I remember getting my wind knocked out of me while I lived there, not an experience I would like to repeat.  Many games and many friends.  Bruce's dad raised chickens and when it came time to kill them word would spread throughout the neighborhood.  The gruesomely curious little darlings, me included, would gather around to watch the headless chickens run around.  I would not pick that for entertainment now, but then curiousity got the best of me.  Doug , Bruce, and some of the other boys in the neighborhood had a boys only club.  My dad was a hunter and he brought home some pheasants.  After cleaning them he showed me how the claws worked by pulling a tendon in the leg and foot.  I was mightly impressed.  I begged to keep the foot so I could show the boys.  They were impressed also and that is how I became the only girl in the the no girls allowed club.  Doug was few years older than we were and both he and Bruce played musical instruments.  The clarinet I think.  It was a life long interest for both of them.  The one thing said in the obituary was that Bruce was co-founder and manager of the New American Philharmonic Orchestra.  He was a good man.  I haven't seen him for many years, not since his parents died and I went to the viewing.  My brother said that he sees Brian sometimes.  So our graduating class in one less and the poorer for it.  In  1952 while living in the Terrace, I came down with polio.  That was the year of a national and world wide epidemic.  I can remember being sick just after school got out and everyone was scared about getting polio.  The  pools were closed and many other activities were cancelled.  My mom took me to the Dr. every day to have me checked.  One morning I woke up and Mom gave me a drink of water and it came out of my nose.  My mom started to cry and called the Dr., my dad at work, and my grandparents.  The Dr. took me and mom to the old St. Benedictgs hospital up 30th street, remember.  That was the designated hospital for polio patients.  I was diagnosed with two of the three kinds of polio.  I had bulbar which paralyzed the throat and chest muscles and that is why i could not swallow.  I also had muscular polio from the riight knee down and could not walk.  I was in an iron lung, and guess I am lucky to be here.  I know that now it was harder on my parents than me, because what does an 8 year old know, just that I was very sick and wanted to go home.  My parents weren't sure if I would live.  I had a tracheostomy so that my lungs could be cleaned out and I could talk, and was put in an iron lung.  I remember it well.  Not fun.  my mom came every day to be with me and my poor brorher was passed around or was left in the car.  He was only three.  There were many patients and the wards were large and lined with iron lungs, and beds with patients in them.  I was the polio patient of the year and even got my picture in the paper.  A distinction, I could have done without.  I missed the third grade and was home taught.  I wore a brace from the knee down on my right leg for about three years.  I have a permanent limp which became less noticeable as I built up my strength.  Many people were and are worse off than I was.  I have a good life and family.  I worried about post polio syndrome, but escaped that until now.  I have been having trouble with my voice and throat, and was finally diagnosed.  My vocal cords don't fully close and so I have a weak and raspy voice, and my swallowing is weak and I have to be careful with what I eat and how well I chew my food.  They say it is probably from having a trach.  I start therapy this week to try and strengthen my swallowing muscles.  I am just glad to finally have a diagnosis.  I know things will improve and hopefully I will get some of my voice back.  I have also developed a trigger finger and that is more annoying and painful than my throat problem.  I have to go see about what can be done.  Have any of you had or know someone who has a trigger finger?  When bend your fingers, the finger affected becomes stuck in a bent position and then it pops back into place.  I read that I might have to have surgery to fix it.  It just started happening about a month ago.  At least it is my left hand so I can still eat right.  I could eat anyway.  Hope all is well with you and that you will think back and remember Bruce Swenson, and know now what we didn't know then, that he was a fine musician.  We should have appreciated all our budding talents more then than we actually did.  I guess we were too involved with our own developing lives and interest.  Fun to look back.  Talk later.

Ruth Austad (Allred-Whiting)

Donna that was such a humbling message to read. Not only regarding Bruces passing but of your early and present struggles. I had no idea back in high school of your challenging life.  Thank you for sharing such a hearyfelt letter and I wish you well. I had two close cousins with similar struggles, iron lung, post polio  and you all are great examples to us of courage and survival.  I wish you well and thank you.

Martha (Martie) Peck (Bond)

Donna,

I so agree with what Ruth just wrote you.  

So sorry to hear of the passing of a fellow classmate.

Your story is amazing.  I, like Ruth, had no idea you had has such a hard life as an 8 year old.  I truly hope the doctors can find the right treatment for you throat and vocal cords and also your trigger finger.  You sound like you are a very courageous woman.  I wish you the best.

My very best wishes to you.

Martie (Peck) Boond

Janet Harris (Eller)

I do remember Bruce, but I didn't know him well.  What really surprised me was that you and he lived in Washington Terrace at the same time I did.  That caused me to go find all my class pictures from 1st through 4th grades to see if you were in my classes and if I recognized you.  All these years I thought there was only one class in each grade at our school.  How silly of me since one of the wonderful things about Washington Terrace was that it was kid heaven.  I have very good memories of that time.  In fact, a few years ago I wrote a piece about growing up at Washington Terrace at the end of WWII.  It's title (my address):  "B-60 Victory Road".  I will e-mail a copy of it to you and Dan and anyone else who is interested.  In the year of our 50th reunion I was on the trail of a man who has apparently written a history with pictures about Washington Terrace during that period.  I never did find it or him, but I'll send you his address and I still plan to try to get a copy.

My older brother also got polio at that time and was at St. B's.  Was your doctor Dr. Nelson?  I don't know about you, but I've heard and read the stories of my ancestors.  All 16 great-great grandparents came to Utah before the railroad - pioneers.  I can't imagine myself overcoming the ordeals that they faced.  But then I think that maybe  we have inherited that stamina from them and we just have different challenges now.  I don't know.  Thanks, Donna, for sharing part of your story and Bruce's.  I'll send you my story pretty soon.  Janet  

Joy Fields (Wardleigh)

Oh my; Donna, you have really had some struggles throughout your life.  I, like Dan and Janet, had no idea that you ever had polio or are suffering from some of the after effects from it.  I always thought of you as one of those blessed people who never had any problems, because you always were so bubbly and happy.  I admire you for your strength and courage.  As for our deceased classmates, it's always sad to hear about their untimely deaths.  I didn't personally know Bruce, but am completely aware of our mortality moreover, I am positive that he will be missed by all those who knew and loved him.   Since I just returned from Ogden a few days ago with one of my sisters Nadine, our focuses in our trip was to visit the family, places we lived, schools, churches, and graves  of family members it has been at the forefront of my mind just how precious life is.  It has been just about 45 minutes since I took her to the airport, so she can be back to her home in IL later this afternoon.  I will miss her until we can be back together in October for our birthdays. 

These past few weeks while Nadine was here, we have spent hours reading some of the stories about our ancestors.  One of my favorite was Elizabeth Ann Hardy Jones.  She was born in 1853 in England.  She, her parents and one brother came to the U.S. when she was 10 years old.  After her twin sons, (my grandfather) and the other children came to Ogden, she missed her family and the church so much that she took the train from CouncleBluffs Iowa to visit them, never to return to Iowa.  She wrote to her husband many times and finally convinced him to sell his property, and business and join the rest of the family in Ogden.  As the years passed she owned two business in Ogden.  one was a cafe/bakery at Five points.  She worked hard all her life and was an example to all who knew her , also those of us who are just now getting to really know her.  Elizabeth was a strong and faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints  all her life, inspite of the fact that her husband refused to have any part of it. She died in 1946 and is buried beside her husband in the Ogden cemetery.  Yes, families can be together forever.

Joy Fields (Wardleigh)

Janet, I would love to have the opportunity to read your story.

Frank Baden

It was a sad day today when I learned that Ron Wahlstrom (Class of 64) passed away on June 14, 2015 at his home in Beaver Dam, Arizona.  I worked with Ron at Mountain Fuel Supply for few years.  RIP Wally.

Martha (Martie) Peck (Bond)

Dan,  Good for you writing a book, what is the subject?  My daughter just fininhed her first book a memoir 480 pages so I know how long it takes.  She is an editor as a career so I am sure she would help you edit it whan it is finished.  Her editor is a guy who works for the NewYorker.  Hopeflly she will get an agent and sell a million copies.  I wish the same for you.  People who can write are my heros.  I so admire the talent ti takes.

Martie

Martha (Martie) Peck (Bond)

That is what creativity is all about.  You can go anywhere you want and then changer your mind...do we have minds left thtatt is the pressing question.

Joy Fields (Wardleigh)

Oh Dan, and anyone who is thinking about quitting this web site.  I just found it a few months ago and have been delighted to hear from some of you.  I was in Ogden last week and was able to get to so many of the old places and reminisce about life in the 60's and before.  When I was in England a few years ago I was amazed at the OLD structures that are still in use.  Many of the buildings were hundreds of years old.  The people seem to cherish the old and well worn.  In the US we tear it down and build something new it it's place before the paint even begins to peal.  I went Washington School  where I attended K-5th grade, I say was because it's torn down now.  The next disappointment was when I went to 12th and Washington Blvd.  Good old Mound Fort where I went  7th -9th grade and so sad, it's now a Wallgreen's drug store.  Keep up with your entries now that I have found some of the BLHS class of 62 now that I have found you.  JOY

Donna Harbertson (Persinger)

Hi again,  Dan I am so sorry you will quit using the Forum. I know not many participate, but those who do I appreciate and enjoy their comments.  Not everyone feels capable as a a writer, but  you obviously do and have had a very interesting well traveled life.  You remind me of my father who had a wonderful memory of his life.  He just remembered so much and was so fun to listen to.  I am so sorry I did not write down more of his stories  some of them were slightly or greatly exaggerated which made them more fun.  Not implying that you do, Dan,  don't get discouraged.  There has been an increase although it is slow,  there maybe a reading audience out there that you or I don't realize exists.  I know that my remarks don't come as often as they should.  Though I have come to learn more about some of my classmates than I knew while in school.  Your remarks about the Terrace jogged more memories.  I had forgotten about those mean red ants.  I got stung so many times because I wasn't paying attention while playing or running in the sandy areas.  My mom would get so mad when the wind would blow because she would have to clean the window seals.  The houses were not top notch and so sand seeped in under the sashes  remember all the bottle caps we wore on our shirts by taking the cork lining out and pressing it back into the caps from the backside of our shirts  and how funny our shirts looked when we removed the bottle cap buttons.  Remember all the lizards we caught.  We used to tie a string around the lizards back legs and tie the other end of the string to a safety pin and pin the lizard to our shirts.  We had a live lizard pin.  We would always (almost always) let the lizards lose to catch another day.  I would love a copy of Ellen's story.  It really was kid heaven  there.  Such happy carefree days we had.  We spent lots of time  just looking for four leaf clovers and we would actually find one on a rare occasion.  That was good training for me once.  I was pregnant with our first child and we were living in MilwUkee, Wisconsin.  We were so poor, but went to the zoo.  Going somewhere that actually cost money was rare.  Anyway we were sitting on the grass to rest my feet and pregnant body when I rubbed my eye and my contact popped out  and landed in the grass in front of me and disappeared.  I started to cry because I knew we could not afford a replacement, but resolved to find my contact.  My contact was tinted a light blue so I so carefully searched just like I had for four leaf clovers lo those many years ago.  So happily after what seemed like searching forever, I found my contact. So I guess the moral of this story is don't give up and I hope, Dan, that you won't either.  I guess we should enjoy and appreciate those who do participate. Much happiness to you. I will try to write more frequently and plan on learning more about you.  Also, polio was just part of my life, all of you have had your struggles and hard times. So don't feel sad about me, I have a good life. Still things will happen to us because that is the way of life. And because we aren't as young as we used to be.  So we will keep on keeping on and hopefully living life as full as we can and enjoy what is left. A second obituary came out for Bruce with more info. Another successful graduate of Ben Lomond class of '62, has gone, but left his mark in this world.  Luv, Donna

Donna Harbertson (Persinger)

Now I have to apologize to Janet for writing her name as Ellen. I guess my memory is so short and Ellen is a take off of your last name. I would still love to have a copy of your story.  It will jog more memories in my mind. I appreciate you all who participate in the Forum. Luv again, Donna

Joy Fields (Wardleigh)

Dan, since I fell to sleep watching Blue Bloods, it's after midnight and I am wide awake.  I had to laugh when I read your post about success.   One thing about being retired and living alone, it doesn't matter what we do or when we do it.  I told my sister who just retired that now there are only 2 days in a week.  That is Sunday and all the rest are Saturdays.  Since I am going to see my Daughter in "Catch me if you can", I should call it a night so I don't sleep during the play.  She is becoming quite the actress and of course she has always been a singer.  Singing runs in the family.  Good Night, sleep tight and so on.....  JOY

Joy Fields (Wardleigh)

How interesting, it seems like something right out of the movies.  Dan you have certainly had some exciting experiences for a kid from Ogden Utah.  And I thought my life was interesting,  well; not compared to yours.  My big excitement was to load 15 kids into my 8 passenger station wagon and haul them all to Primary, or to go up into the St. Louis Arch.  I'll just have to work on it while I can still get around.  Ok! I'll go on another cruise in October, but that sure doesn't compare to the things you have done.  Life goes on!!!

Joy Fields (Wardleigh)

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL YOU DAD'S OUT THERE AND ALSO THE FUTURE DAD'S TOO.  Oh my;  I just talked to my grandson, Robert III will be leaving his home in El Paso TX in just a few days to go to Georgia for Basic Training.   He has been in scouting all his life, is an Eagle Scout, and in JROTC in high school, and now this.  He will complete it just in time to go to school for his senior year.  After graduation he will serve in the Army Reserves with the plan to eventually go active duty like his dad.  I am proud of all who serve our country.

Janet Harris (Eller)

Dan:  I agree with you - I've always been fascinated with story.  It's one of the things that draws me to theater. I've always been reluctant to share my stories, however.  But I will share one that includes one of our classmates.  I hesitated to do so, but it's not negative, just real.  So here goes.

Because I have lived in Vermont for over 35 years, you would think that I have never "run into" a classmate.  In about 1979, however, I was working the 5:00-10:00 p.m. shift at the Dartmouth/Hitchcock Hospital in Hanover, NH.  My husband was a school teacher which required long hours with very low pay.  We had 3 children (1-6 years).  I wanted to be home to raise our children so I was always scrambling around working at home, at night, part-time, etc.  I had a job at the hospital distributing food trays to patients.  Picture me in my uniform:  pant legs at least three inches too short; name tag; hairnet.  

While waiting on the 3rd floor (heart floor) for the trays to come up on the dumb waiter, I was scanning the items on the bulletin board.  There was a group of medical students or residents sitting there.  I saw this newspaper clipping with a picture of Bill Devries about his having done the first artifical heart transplant.  Spontaneously, I said, "I know this guy!"  The students/doctors looked at me and I read "Who is this frumpy housewife?"  on their faces.  I felt humiliated.

I made it through my shift, of course; but on the way home I gave in to my wounded pride and cried.  My good husband consoled me and assured me that my life path and choices were important and I was doing a good job.  I've had lots of unglamorous jobs since then and feel lucky to have done what I have done.

That's not the end of the story, though.  In about 1992, I saw in the newspaper that Bill DeVries would be in Hanover to speak at a seminar for graduating Dartmouth College seniors about careers in medicine.  I went to the meeting and sat in the back.  I waited until he had "smoozed" with the students and went to introduce myself.  He said "I was thinking all through my talk that I knew you somehow."  I told him about my mid-life crisis which his press coverage had sparked.  He laughed and said he also had personally "paid the price" for his fame.  

Joy Fields (Wardleigh)

Father's Day is winding down, and I have been reminiscing about my own Dad. In the first place he was not my Biological father. That person, Mr. Fields was only a part of my life for the first 9 months when my Mother left him for the last and final time. I did see him once when I was about 9 years old and again with my older sister in about 1975.

My Dad was the man that married my mother when I was 2 years old. I'll say this about him, he taught us to be honest, hard working and many other important lessons. He was tough on us and if we ever broke a rule, we had heck to pay. He taught us to love nature, travel, and being self reliant. He also taught me to want my toast, pop corn and most other roasted, toasted, or bakes food to be well done.

Man, if my younger sister, Nadine (BLHS class of 65) and I ever got into an argument we wouldn't hear the end of it for a long time. One time I had gone to Mutual or MIA as it is called now when my friend Terry wanted to go to McDonalds after (across from Weber High) so of course I had to say yes. We got home really late. Man; did I ever suffer for that. Not only did he lock me out of the house, but he wouldn't talk to me for months. It was like I didn't exist. On the other hand, He used to say on some mornings "if you want a ride to school, you better come now. Of course I would grab my books and go with him even though it was only a few blocks to the school. We lived on 6th street just above Harrison. Several times after I was married he would tell my Mother that either the TV or toaster or something else, was broke and they had to get a new one. They would buy a new what ever. he would fix the old and give it to me.

Dad and my Mother always talked about him adopting the three of us Fields kids, but someone always need shoes, teeth fixed or some other necessary something so it never happened until when one of my friends had just passed CA State bar and needed some work. He said he would do wills, divorces, adoptions or anything else for pay, and that is when we were finally adopted by him. So my Dad is James Winford Steele, He lived 88 years and was productive right up to just before he died.

Steven Nielsen

Happy Birthday Dan Hutchison!! And happy Father's Day to a great man as well! I certainly enjoyed your U-2 Spy Plane discourse my man. Excellent! Thank you so much for sharing. - Also enjoyed Joy Fields' comments Donna's and and Janet's comments as well. -  I also felt like sharing something with classmates this evening; Susan and I raised 5 children and had all the joys and pain thus associated, four of our children married and have children of their own however our oldest son is childless. An extremely creative person with a masters degree in technical writing; he's also an alcoholic and throughout his life he's been our greatest trial! He's been married many times, broken many hearts and hurt numerous people; altogether he's spent over two years incarcerated in various jails for alcohol and drug abuse and by in large has been a complete train wreck. - All that said I've never given up on him. Neither has Susan. Parents just don't do that. We've wanted to believe me and although we have been embarrassed down to our tonails over his actions, we have hung in there with him. We did however stop enabeling him a few years back - that was a hard lesson to finally learn and to stick to - but we cut him off financially. Not emotionally, but otherwise. He's always known we love him. -- Then somewhere over a year ago before his last stint in jail I began to see changes in Patrick. A certain humility seemed to overshadow him and he began to care about others. Care about his siblings, and a family he was involved with. -  A fine LDS attorney, named Brett Skidmore and a Bishop named Call also had a lot to do with it... Really, I'm not exactly sure what happened, but my son began a journey back to the faith in which he was raised. He became humble, teachable, not so cocky and know it all; He became appreciative and thoughtful. He is working at a meanial night-time job in Ogden at present and has grown to love the people struggeling there as well. He's paying his debt to society with money and meetings with his PO. His future looks bright. To say the very least, there are tears on my keyboard tonight. He left me a father's day post on facebook today that I can't even believe. I'm 70, and never thought I'd see this day, a truly Happy Father''s day!     

Joy Fields (Wardleigh)

Steve, I am so happy for you and hopeful for your son.  It's a wonderful blessing,  I know exactly what you have been through and understand  your struggles from my own second child, Sherrie, who has now been thirteen years clean and sober.  It sure hasn't been easy, she had to go through rehab 4 times before she finally had the courage to leave her previous life and 3 ex-husbands behind.  She also works in Ogden and miracle of miracle's she has had a current temple recommend for the last few years.  It is not easy for recovering adicts, but with love and support they can recover.