1975 Summary

In Dropbox, Dad/LaMar has a small write up for most years. Some years are more complete than others. For 1975, Dad documented EVERYTHING! I found this year history in a random 3-ring binder, not on Dropbox. I'm not sure where it came from, or if there are other detailed years out there somewhere. Ironically, while this is likely the most comprehensive annual review that exists, there were so few photos to go along with it! Were pictures not taken, or are there some out there that might turn up? Hopefully that latter! Here you go ... anything and everything you wanted to know about Westra 1975!

• Ages: LaMar (38), Margie (33), Scott (12, finished 5th grade/Chytraus, started 6th/Westbrook), Chris (9, finished third grade/Bullock, started fourth), Wendy (7, finished first grade, started second), Jenny (5, started pre-school with Pauline Hodson).
• Significant Events: Scott had braces put on in July, orthodontist bill $950. Scott was ordained a Deacon on his twelfth birthday, after a ward Christmas party. Jenny gave a good performance in the pre-school Christmas program. Marge started out the year pregnant but had a miscarriage about February. She became pregnant again with Shane in July. Started the Christmas ABC book. 

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Outings ~

• Mar 16: We tried to get to Merrill and Lorrie's ward for Sacrament Meeting. They were to be the speakers as relatively new members of their ward. There was a big snowstorm, and we got stuck when we were almost there. Then, almost couldn't get back down again. The car stalled down on South Temple, and it turned out to be quite an ordeal before we got home again. 
• July 2-4: Marge and I went on a fishing trip to Strawberry with Rex and Zada. We left the kids with Merrill and Lorrie. I fished in the Strawberry River and in the small stream leading into the reservoir. I caught 24 fish.
• July 26: The boys and I and Brad Mauss hiked to Dog Lake. The kids enjoyed wading and swimming in the lake.
• July 28-30: Marge and I went to the Homestead for tennis, swimming etc. 
• Aug 3: Family outing at Fairmont Park.
• Aug 9: We attended the Norman Reunion in Mt. Pleasant. I played tennis with Demont and Jon Howell. 

Visits~

• Jan: Nelva and Arnold and family
• June: Karen Burgener stayed with us for seven days while Vic and Mom went on a vacation.
• June: Nelva and Arnold and family. Hike up Grandeur Peak.
• Dec: Nelva and Arnold and family.

Summer Stuff ~

• I played tennis about once every other week on the Univac Tennis Ladder. We bought three tennis racquets for the kids, and they got started.
• The kids took swimming lessons at Cottonwood High.
• I played a little softball on the ward "old men's" team.

AT HOME 

• Landscaping: We got some pretty rocks from Cory and Karen Rees up on the Avenues. We used Merrill's truck to haul them to our house. I spent quite a while putting them in place. We got another load of dirt. We bought some quaking aspen.
• Weather: I turned off the sprinkler system November 15
• Work in Home: I worked downstairs in the SouthEast bedroom, plasterboard, perftape, electrical, etc. I installed an attic fan. I purchased a heatilator for the basement fireplace.
• Major Purchases: Brown Suit (ZCMI $78). Storm Door, Crock Pot, Unicycle, Bike for Wendy, Cassette Recorder.
• Cars: Wagon and Vega (snow tires and extra wheels)

CHURCH

• Church Positions: LaMar continued as Assistant Stake Clerk, working for Pres Jackman. The job entails meeting each Wednesday with Pres Jackman as he conducts Personal Priesthood Interviews with Melchizedek Priesthood leaders. I type up the schedule for the Wednesday meetings, and remind the leaders of their interviews. Then I take minutes of the interviews and distribute copies of the minutes to Pres Jackman and to the leaders involved. I also substituted in Chris' Sunday school class a few times. Marge was called to work on the Primary Stake Board as the Stake Blazer leader. The job entails work in scouting, attending Round-table meetings, etc.
• Home Teaching: My companion was Sergio Marticornea. Families visited during the year were: Gary Phillips, West Pehrson, Gerrit Timmerman and John Heath.
• Genealogy: I worked once per week during November and December in the Genealogical Library. I turned in my indexes to the GS that I had made during the past few years. The indexes were of selected microfilms of certain counties in Friesland. The CS xeroxed them for eventual inclusion in their files.
• Scouting: Scott got started in scouting, first as a Blazer Scout, then as a Scout. Earned Tenderfoot and Second Class Awards plus merit badges. Scott also served as Den Chief for the Cub Scout Den. Chris was active in Cub Scouts. We attended the Pack Meetings almost every month. Chris entered the Pinewood Derby and won the first place trophy. Chris also entered the Cub Scout Olympics and won third place for his age group. He then participated in the Regional Olympics at Olympus High School along with Robbie Smith and Steve Pettegrew. Wendy started Girl Scouts and sang in the Cottonwood Mall Christmas tree.
• Stake Ranch Assignments: February 22, Grantsville/Mix Feed. May 10, Government Creek in Jesse Hays Motor Home/Repair Fences. July  8, Grantsville/Hauling Hay. 
• Missionary: Farewells- 2/23 Rick Turley/Japan, 4/20 Gary Jackman/Portland, 5/18 Ken Allred/Orem, 8/24 Kit Ginn/Montana, 10/19 Sam Jackman/Philippines, 11/9 Dave Collard(Murray)/Germany, 11/23 Kim Ginn/Oklahoma. Homecomings: 2/9 John Peckham

WORK

• Projects and People: I continued to work on the 90/30 ICAM Project -- releases 2.0 and 3.0. We worked at the North end of buildings C-D until November when we moved to the South end. Our manager was Dave Day. I was supervisor of the group, working on the REMI RDH. Other work members: Franci DeLong (BSC, DCT2000), Gary Blake (TTY-DCT500), Roy Nicholson (Slave Mode 1004), Keith Eberhard (Uniscope RDH), Rex Anderson (DCT1000 Batch). 
• Trips: Jan 13-23, Trip to Philadelphia with Barry Blake to test 90/30 REMI. While in Philly, Gary and I attended church meetings in Gerritstown, and we saw a movie, "Murder on the Orient Express". I also got my shoes resoled.
• Philadelphia People: Bill Mahoney, Bill McCann, Charlie Bright, Walt Fink, Dee Jenrette
• Work Parties: March 21, Group party at our house/Lasagna dinner and games. June 14, Univac Lagoon Day. August 27, Party at the Spruces for all of Dave Days group.
• Significant Events: October 31 - Release 3.0. Aug-Sep, UNA meetings.
• Car Pool: Bill Hoggan. I drive every other day.

MEDICAL: LaMar, back problems (sleigh-riding the previous December). Gave blood Nov 26

SOCIALS: Getting out and about with others.

Club Parties --

• Feb 18 - Party in Willardsens home/Turkey dinner. 
• Apr 19 - John Gadd's home/Dinner and old time movies
• May 31 - Visit Ghost Towns (Steve Carr). I took the four kids, Marge had a church meeting to attend.
• Jun 21 - Jim Peterson's home/Hawaiian Dinner
• June 23 - Party in Millcreek Canyon/BBQ/Bob Keiser
• Aug 1 - Ferron Hills home/Dinner and games
• Oct 26 - Maxwells
• Nov 29 - Party at our house. Bowling, return for snacks
• Dec 23 - Christmas Dinner at the Five Alls
• Dec 31 - Bill Nicholson's home. New Years Eve Party. Dinner and games.

Married Socials -- Ward socials held about once per week during the Pioneer Playhouse season. We had season tickets at the Playhouse and met before the play for dinner at the ward. Plays during the year were:

• Music Man
• The Long Road
• Solid Gold Cadillac
• 110 in the Shade
• In the Green Room
• Papa Married a Mormon

Socials, Dinners, etc (Marge and I)

• Jan 3 - Pipes and  Pizza
• Jan 11 - Ward Tubing Party
• Jan 25 - Dinner at our house. Elders, Sweet Adelines at the Ward, Sergio Marticorena and Lew Petersons to dinner at our house.
• Feb 14 - Valentines, Dinner at Sizzler
• Mar 8 - Dinner at Merril and Lorries
• Mar 15 - Dinner at South Seas
• Mar 17 - Movie "Airport 75" ... an earthquake occurred during the movie.
• Mar 29 - Easter Dinner at Normans
• May 10 - Stake Dinner Dance
• Jun 13 - Elders Party (Come as You Were - 50s)
• Jun 19 - Diner at South Seas
• Aug 8 - Stake Garden Party
• Sep 6 - Dinner at South Seas
• Nov 1 - Dinner at Yeates with neighbors, Hislops and Lewis's
• Nov 8 - Dinner at Sizzler
• Nov 21 - Stake Dinner Dance

WEDDINGS: 5/22 Jan Allred (Orem) w/Merrill&Lorrie, 6/25 Jeremy Meier, 7/31 Bob Fredricksen, 8/6 Roger Player, 8/14 Dave Fullmer, 9/12 Rob Carter, 12/19 Ken Allred (Provo) ~ Fog

I did revise things a little (changing placement a bit). 

I scanned the original typewritten pages and added them to the 1975 Dropbox folder. 

What was going on outside of the Westra World? 1975 is the year the Vietnam war finally ended. Bill Gates and Paul Allen created a little company called Microsoft. VHS tapes were introduced and the movie "Jaws" made its debut. "You'll never go in the water again". Da-dum, da-dum, da-dum ...

Dutch Christmas Song: SinterKlaas Kapoentje

When we were kids Dad often had little songs and sayings that he would share with us. One of these was a little Dutch Christmas Song called "SinterKlaas Kapoentje." I asked Dad to share the lyrics of this song (with the correct spelling) and he sent me this information:

Here is the little song they sing in Holland on Zinterklaas Dag, which is on the 5th of December.  

This is how it is spelled in Dutch (Nederlands).

SinterKlaas Kapoentje

Gooij wat in mijn schoentje

Gooij wat in mijn larsje

Dank ja SinterKlarsje 

Here is how we might pronounce it in some kind of phonetic way. 

SinterKlaas Kapoontcha

Go-ee vat in mine schoontcha

Go-ee vat in mine larssha

Dank ya SinterKlarsha

Here is a translation in English.  

SinterKlaas You little elf

Throw something in my little shoe                  

Throw something in my little boot

Thank you little SinterKlaas

Gooij = throw

Wat = something

Schoentje = little shoe

Larsje = little boot

Rick recently did a podcast of both Mom and Dad and Dad actually sang THIS SONG in his podcast! Dad starts to explain the background of this song around (9 minutes and 40 seconds into the podcast and then sings it! ) I think most of the Westra kids have this song memorized!  

My Dad has some wooden shoes from his mission that we would often use for Show and Tell at school. Jeni is wearing them in this picture at our Girl Scout Cultural Night:

 I think this picture was taken on Dad's mission. It shows the Dutch people wearing wooden shoes.  

Perhaps we were celebrating Netherland traditions with my primary class in 1975 when we placed all of our shoes outside the classroom and then later found them filled with treats!

1975: Wendy's Primary Class in the Cottonwood 11th Ward (Teacher DeLora Gould)

(Back Row) 

Tally Lloyd, Robbie Lindsey, KirkWahlen, Tanji Anderson, Julie Monson, Michael Richards 

(Front Row)

 Joey Orvin, Wendy Westra, Anna Marie Tims, Wendy Woodbury

Yellowstone

 

Scanning old photos, these two appeared. Dad/Lamar delved into his diary books and was able to add a date and location, and a few other details (although not pages of notes like in some of his "diary book" entries). So ... this was July 16-20, 1974. A trip to Yellowstone with  the boys and Burgeners. The girls (Wendy and Jenny) were left to be tended by the Norman side.  Here's what Dad had written down: 

1974 – 16-20 July.  Trip to Yellowstone, Take girls to Normans, Idaho Falls, Burgeners, Macks Inn, Idaho, Paddle Boats, Yellowstone, Fishing Bridge, Campfire Lodge, Grand Teton, Jackson, pick up girls. 

So, not a lot of memories or photos, but just enough to document a family trip. 

Those paddleboats look fun!

Westra Christmas - The Previous Generation

When I started up the blog, one of the first things I got up as posts were the Christmas Letters over the years. What was recorded in Dropbox started in 1997 (were they sent out before that?) and copies of the next 23 years (to 2019) are included on the blog, showing how the families changed, and how the newsletters changed. But Lamar&Margie weren't the first Westras to send out annual newsletters, Grandma Lucille did too! I don't know if they were sent out every year, but I was able to find copies of two newsletters, and a few photos ...

• The top left photo was labeled 1950. The one on the right wasn't labeled ... but is likely 1950 too (definitely within a year one way or the other) judging by the ages. Steven was born in 1946, Diane in 1943, Sharon in 1938 ... that would put them about 4, 7, and 12. Dad/Lamar would have been 13 ... where was he? Maybe taking the photo?
• The bottom two photos are from 1962. This is another example of the B&W/Color photo phenomenon. Two pictures ... two different cameras? (Old-Fashioned Film&Photos).  Dad/Lamar is missing from the color photo, so I assume he's taking the picture there. He is in the black and white picture, but Grandpa Joe is the one missing (taking the picture) there.
• The pair of photos (below, between the two newsletters) feature Lucille and Steven ... 1964 in front of the Christmas tree, and just two years later, 1966, as Steven heads out to Germany (mentioned in the 1967 newsletter).
• The first newsletter is from 1967 - Joe passed away in 1965, so Lucille was on her own, although she had likely met Vic, as they married by November 1968
• The second newsletter is from 1972

Christmas Season 1967 News From the Westra Clan

Written by Lucille Westra 

• January: Sharon, Kent and children, Randy, Ricky and Alyson moved to 740 Park Lane, Pocatello, Idaho, where Kent is Branch Manager for National Cash Register.  Diane, Jon and children, Mauri and Brad moved into Sharon and Kent’s lovely home on Adams Street. Steve was home from Germany on a furlough and became engaged to Diana Wathen at Christmas time “66.” He left January 14 for Frankfurt, Germany, to finish his service. He was here a month and we surely enjoyed having him home. 
• March: I went to Pocatello to spend Easter with the Amanns. 
• April: On the 29th of April, Dora Jean Wathen gave a lovely announcement tea for her daughter, Diana, prior to her leaving for Frankfurt, Germany to be married to Steve. 
• May: On May 10, we all went down to the airport to see Diana off on her big trip. May 27, LaMar, Marge and boys, Scott and Chris arrived from Richland, Washington, to spend their vacation in Salt Lake. 
• June: On June 28, Steve and Diana were finally married by the German Court in Frankfurt, Germany. A big mixup on her birth certificate made her wait 49 days to be married. Steve’s cousin, Jim Dunlop and his wife Joyce witnessed the ceremony. They came from Fulda (?) Germany where he was in the service. 
• July: On July 7, Steve and Diana were married by Chaplain Madsen in an L.D.S. Ceremony. The people in their branch went all out to give them a lovely wedding supper and wedding cake and gifts. They were all very pleased. On July 4, I went on a trip to Big Springs, Wyoming with Sharon and Kent and family.
• August: On August 25 I visited LaMar, Marge and family in Richland, Washington. Celebrated little Chris’s first Birthday on September 5. While there LaMar and Marge made their decision to buy a beautiful new home at 726 Saint Street.
• September: In September, Diana and Steve took a wonderful five day trip to London and saw many interesting sights and took lots of pictures. – Their Honeymoon. September 19, Diana left Germany for home. While there she worked in the Finance Department of the Church, and got some good experience.  September 29: Steve arrived home to enter school at L.D.S. Business College, in Technology Computer. It is wonderful to have my son and his wife back from Europe, and know that his two years of service is behind him. They have a cute apartment at 2616 ½ East 21st South.
• November: On November 13 we celebrated little Brad's first birthday. His Dad won quite a few trophies in golf this 1967 season.

Wishing you all an exciting Christmas Season, with Happiness in the New Year. Lucille

News from Lucille and Vic Burgener and Our Families

1972 Christmas Season

• February: On the 1st, Steven married Jan Thompson. She had a son Mike who was 5 years old. Now Steve has a ready-made family. We welcome them into our fold. This brings our grandchildren to 17. The Steve Westras live at 1727 Roberta Street. He bought this home a year ago, and is still working for Christensen Diamond Products Co as a programmer.
• March: Randy Amann became an Eagle Scout. We went down to Provo for the ceremony. We are very proud of Randy.
• April: Randy is a motorcycle enthusiast, and he won a huge trophy in the Widow Maker's Climb at the Point of the Mountain. He has won numerous trophies and was featured in the Provo News with pictures and story.
• May: We went to visit the Blomquists in California over the Easter Holiday. It was a fun trip. We all had an exciting time at Disneyland. We also visited my sister Maxine in Los Angeles, and our sister and brother-in-law, Alice and Paul, in Las Vegas.
• June: LaMar and Marge and family came for their annual vacation and visited us for two weeks. While here, LaMar was offered a job with Univac. He accepted and they went back to Richland to settle their affairs and sell their home. Gladys Burgener came for June Conference and we had a nice visit with her.
• July: Jon won the City Parks Golf Tournament this year, with a $1000.00 prize and a beautiful trophy. We went on a vacation to Campfire Lodge, Montana, then to Yellowstone Park, and on the way home, spent three days at Lava Hot Springs, swimming and golfing.
• August: The Westras arrived to be permanent residents of Salt Lake again. They found a lovely new home at 1677 Hermitage Circle, and entered their children, Scott and Chris in Woodstock Elementary School, Granite School District. LaMar started his new job on August 21st. We feel really blessed to have our children back with us again after eight years.
• September: Diane and Jon bought a lovely home in Vernal. A split level, 3-bedroom home at 427 South and 4th West. They are enjoying being homeowners.
• October: Barbara and Eb flew to Salt Lake and visited us for a few days. They drove a new car back to California.
• November: Gladys, Ron, Shauna, and Lisa came from Renton, Washington for Thanksgiving. It is nice to have our family around us on these special occasions. 
• December: Eldon has two more quarters of school to become an accountant. He is hoping to find a good job and finish up after that at night. Karen has started a job in the Community Training Kitchen and will be under the Rehabilitation Program.

1972 - At Grandma Burgener's House

Chris's Clark Start

 This will be backdated to 1972

Mom shared some memories of when the family first moved to Utah in 1972 ...

Chris was just turned 6 and in Mrs. Clark's 1st grade. Her husband had Meniere's Disease really bad and couldn't work, so she started teaching school.

I considered having Chris repeat Kindergarten, since he was small and young for his grade.  Also, they hadn't taught reading in kindergarten in Richland.  But still having 3 little ones at home most of the time would be hard, so I went ahead and sent him.  Having lunch at school was scary for him at first, so Mrs. Clark let him eat with her in the classroom.  He started out very behind in reading, but was so smart, he ended up being the best reader in his class and the principal awarded him a big yellow book about cars, trains, airplanes, etc.  Mrs. Clark would reward the kids with a small paperback book every time they read 20 books.  Chris is very competitive and that really motivated him in reading.  That is where I got the idea of the reading charts and reward after 20 kid books or 10 chapter books I have made for some of your kids.

Looking through the saved stuff, there were quite a few reading certificates and awards for Chris for the years to come. Looks like Mrs. Clark's jumpstart had lasting effects! Thanks Mrs. Clark!

Wish we had a written booklist like we do for Shane at age 11. 

Chris did comment that "A Wrinkle in Time" and its sequels were favorites.

Little White Dress

The little white dress ... it was old, passed down through generations. Of course the Westra girls don't remember trying on the dress, but they were familiar with the pictures and some of the story behind it. It was over a hundred years old... 116 years old when Wendy wore it, 118 when Jenny tried it on.

Both of the pictures above were taken at Grandma Lucille's home (Wendy in the back yard, Jenny on the driveway). The dress was originally Lucille's grandmother Laura's when she was a little girl. Born in 1853, Laura likely wore the dress in 1854 when she was a toddler. I checked out family search to see if there were any pictures of Laura,  Olive (Lucille's mother) or Lucille in the dress, but couldn't see any. 

But there is a picture of Dad/Lamar's sister Sharon in it when she was a year old.

... and a picture of Sharon's daughter Alyson when she was a year old.

Fun to see a little piece of history worn by different family members!

Early Poems from Scotty

If you check out the POETRY label here on the blog, there are several sonnets penned by Scotty.  There are several inventive invitations to the annual Father's Day (Father's Dad 2020), a couple Covid-inspired creations (Covid 2020, Covid Free World) and more, including the MOLES one shown below.

Scott shared this September 17, 2019 after Dad/Lamar went in for a skin check.

 (See the email correspondence on the WriteOn blog). 

Going through "the boxes" of saved stuff the parents have collected over the years, some of the earliest known poems written by Scott Edward Westra were discovered. Featured above, there was a complete booklet, mimeographed and stapled together, showcasing an entire classroom's odes to WIND. This was compiled in March,  when the wind blows in (like a lion or a lamb, depending on the year). The year this was written was 1972. At this time, the Westra family was still residing in Washington, although the move to Utah would come later that year (in August). Scotty would have been in the second grade, and his poem is there in the center (retyped below as well).

Wind

Wind whistling by

Bends the trees

Runs across the grass

Flies my kite up high

Sings a song to me

Wind

When Mom/Margie was looking through things, she  found a journal entry about little Scotty from 1970. He would have been in 1st grade at the new Sacajawea II school. His teacher, Mrs. McIntyre had noted how good he was at poetry and art, at just 6 or 7 years old. His teacher typed up his poems, with his drawings, bound them into a book and put it into the school library!

... there was another paper with a poem saved in the box, a rhyming dedication to the folks.

(Mom's notation ~ Scott age 9)

How sweet! No wonder this was saved for over 50 years!

Check out Little Lamar's poem for his mother!