Piles of papers and memorabilia set aside for scanning in 2022 uncovered another Westra Newsletter ... this one from 1996. The border was added for the blog, the original was plain paper, but it looks like it was printed on a laser printer, instead of a dot-matrix, like some previous years.
I can't recall if I'd just invite myself over, or how often I imposed on Brother Strong to see his clocks over the years. He had a little (not so little really) playhouse in the back too, with tiny bunkbeds and a kitchen. I'm sure his grandchildren loved Grandpa's house!
July 1, 1996 Joined Mom in the morning to go to the funeral of an old Primary teacher of mine. Wayne Strong. He had been teaching primary for 30 years and taught all of the kids in our family. I remember going and sitting with him and drawing pictures in Sacrament meeting. He is also the man that made the fantastic clocks that would go see at his house even after I was out of Primary. In fact, I even took Grayson (and Scott and Amy came with us) to go see them. Gray was the only guy worthy to see this special man. The funeral was pretty upbeat, and the primary kids sang. Landon was a handful, not really bad, but a little too active for a funeral. I don't think Brother Strong would have minded though.
Mom/Margie: I remember most of you had him in Primary and Jeni especially loved to sit with him in Sacrament Meeting--I guess because Jen and Bro. Strong both liked drawing and were artists. I remember in his class, when you would learn The Articles of Faith (I think it was) he would reward you with a giant Hershey candy bar. I remember his clocks were fantastic. I didn't remember them being castles, but thought maybe cuckoo clocks, but all unique. His wife Marty Strong was ill with esophageal cancer, as I remember, when I was R.S. President. I remember taking dinner over and him saying how she had trouble swallowing unless there was gravy or something to help it go down. When she died, his clock making gave him something to do to help cope with the loss.
Derek: I love this! Brother Strong was my primary teacher too. He was really old by then. Dan was one of my good friends and we still talk. I remember when his Grandpa died. It's interesting - I've never really seen these photos (or seen Wayne Strong younger) but I can see a TON of resemblance between my buddy Dan and his grandpa!
December 23, 1982: I tended Penny Eardley’s two little boys at Strong’s house. Brother Strong was there but couldn’t tend them because he had an operation on his hips. He is very nice and his last name fits him perfectly especially with the death of his wife a while back. We made a snow fort – Chris is going to sleep in it tonight.
April 7: Happy Easter!! Rick’s mom had Easter Baskets out for us with goodies. Conference was excellent! We left for my mom and dad’s during the second session while we listened to conference in the car on the way. We enjoyed a nice dinner at my mom’s with all of the kids. Chris's family came and it was nice to see them since we don’t get to see them too often. We all gathered around the TV to watch President Hinckley on 60 minutes. Overall it went well! Besides President Hinckley they also interviewed the one who owns Marriot hotels and also Steve Young the football player. We visited with the family and then the little ones went on a little Easter egg hunt out in my parent’s backyard.
