What fun!!

I remember as a small child waiting for Dad to get home and standing at the top of the stairs as he walked in to sing, I'm so glad when Daddy comes home. We were always excited for him to get home. We loved it when he would play with us. He would tickle us mercilesly until we were afraid we would wet our pants. He would chase us up the stairs with us squealing the whole way. He would also lay on his back while we stood on his hands and then he would lift us up high in the air and try to balance us. We would also put our tummies on his feet and then he would fly us around like superman( while he was still on his back). When I was older, on one of our trips to Idaho to see his parents we went scurfing in their yard. They were flood irrigating and Dad found a piece of scrap sheet metal. Somehow, he tied a rope to it and pulled us all around the yard on it. We had a great time! Dad was real good at keeping a balance in his life. Thanks for all the fun times Dad. I love you!

Love Melanie

Dedication to The Lord

When I think of all the things I have learned from my father growing up, I can't help but think of his never ending service to The Lord, and his seemingly never ending source of energy to work. One of the times that stands out the most to me is from right before his brain surgery. He had been in severe pain for about a week leading up to the surgery, and had even tried to go back to work one day, but vomited shortly after arriving from the pain. I remember rubbing his back and neck to try and help him relax at night, and I have never felt anything like it. Every muscle in his body seemed to be in one huge knot and extremely tight. It was amidst all this pain that I remember him one night coming down from his room because he needed to make some phone calls for his church calling at the time. For some reason this image of him humbly making phone calls for The Lord, while in extreme agony, with the person on the other side of the phone never having any clue, (because he never let on while talking with them) has never left my mind. I know I will never forget that image for the rest of my life, and his determination to serve our Father in Heaven at all costs, will for ever be an example to me.

Computer Genius

It's funny what memories flash before you when prompted to think...when invited to share a memory of Floyd, instantly my introduction to computers came to mind. Back in 1990, just after we had moved into our new home and Daniel was a newborn, I began thinking of the potential part computers would play in our children's lives. Articles popped up often about how computers were the way of the future and that computer skills would be mandatory for future jobs and occupations. I figured they would also hit the schools. In very short time, Floyd and I were having frequent conversations about that, and I came to the conclusion that it would be a good thing to learn, despite Lance and Ben's lack of enthusiasm for a new electronic device of dubious value. The real truth be known tho, computers were being introduced into the family history world--that was reason enough for me!!
Despite my best efforts to learn about computers, their RAM, hard drive, etc. I didn't quite see the picture, so I went to Floyd for help in selecting the computer that would serve us best. THIS is what I remember best....he told me to spend the extra money and get the most RAM I could....and if I could get 25 MB I would be set for quite a while!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, I did--and it did, and I laugh every time I think of my computer now having 250 GB!!! We've come a long way, baby!!

Sunday School Teacher

One of the things I remember about your dad is when he was called to be our youth Sunday School teacher for a while. We were kind of a big, talkative class, and I remember that he just had a way of commanding our respect from that first day he taught us, and told us that if we wanted to learn, we should stay in class and he would teach us, but if we didn't want to learn we should go somewhere else. And I remember that we actually did listen, and I appreciated him a lot as a teacher, even though I think it was only for a short time.

This memory was emailed to me by: Suzanne Reeve
Thanks Suzanne!

"They made the new inactive guy a Bishop!!"

About the time when Floyd and his family moved to Gig Harbor due to starting his new job at Russell I was serving as the EQ President in our Ward. We had been working on a fellow who had not been active for many years. We learned that he liked basketball so we planned for a special night where many of us would show up and play ball to fellowship him. I made the announcement in Priesthood one Sunday and it was all set.

The big night came but the brother didn't show up. I'd also invited Floyd to join us since he was new to the area and loved to play ball too. I didn't think anything of it until several weeks later when Dave Allen came up to me at church very excited. He told me that they had just made the new inactive guy at basketball the Bishop of the other Ward! I guess I never mentioned to him that the real person didn't show up and Floyd was new to the area.

Later on at work I told Floyd about it and we both got a real laugh out of it. Floyd told me maybe that is why everyone seemed so extra nice to him, he just thought is was a very friendly group of guys...

Las Vegas - Circa 1993

I remember going to Las Vegas with Floyd for an industry conference when we worked together at Russell. We had quite a trip. We left on a Fast Sunday in the late afternoon. I decided to fast right on through until we would get a "meal" on the plane (remember those days?). It turned out to be a peanut flight....

Floyd and I checked into the hotel on the strip and quickly found one of the buffets. It was five bucks and all you can eat. They lost money on Floyd and I that night. Three helpings each not counting desert!

It was a productive conference and good to be together with Floyd. We had a FHE together in his room on Monday night. Lots of fun.

The quote I"ll always remember him saying on this trip had to do with the environment. We were staying at Circus Circus if I remember correctly and had to walk through the Casino to get to our rooms each day. There was such a bad spirit there. Floyd turned to me after walking to our rooms one evening and said, "I think the Holy Ghost is waiting for us outside!"

Well said, Floyd!

Fi, Fie, Foe, Fum...

Okay so a cute little story about my kids. We were in the car driving around town the other day and Hyrum and Gabe were playing a game guessing what sounds the other was making. Gabe was making the sounds: "Meow" and Hyrum was guessing: "A cat!" They continued for a while and then Gabe says "Fi, Fie, Fo, Fum..." in a scary voice. Hyrum excitedly says "Grandpa! Grandpa!" "No" Gabe says, it's not Grandpa (thinking it was just a monster). "Yes, it is!" Hyrum insists, "cause every time we play hide and seek with Grandpa he always says: Fi, Fie, Foe, Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman; be he big or be he small, I shall eat him; one and all!" At this Gabe, also excitedly, says "Oh yeah! Oh yeah, it is Grandpa!"
I sat in the front of the car and just smiled to myself so glad that my Dad takes time to play with my children. They love Grandpa and know that He loves them.