Easter Old and Not Quite New

This is a picture of Grandpa Rex and his brother Gordon. Lovelock, Nevada, 1919.  Rex would have been 3½, Gordon just turned two, and sister Miriam would be born a few months later. Easter would have been April 20 in 1919. Who knows for sure if this was taken on Easter, but the baskets and eggs are a pretty good indication. As in many of the photos of young Rex and Gordon, they were dressed almost like twins in cute outfits. 

Fast forward 59 years ...

Grandpa Rex had switched Easter companions. Here the year is 1978.  Ironically, this photo was discovered in an album belonging to Grandma Lucille in the years after all the grandparents were gone. Mom/Margie's folks and Dad/Lamar's mom and Grandpa Vic were good friends and got together socially quite often, as this photo would indicate. Fun photo finds in unexpected places ... almost like hunting for Easter eggs!  

 

Priesthood Preview ~Scott and Chris

 This will  be backdated to 1977

Over the years, there were many presentations and awards. Often, the programs would be slipped somewhere (baby book, journals, filing cabinet) to preserve them to look back on in future years. The program above was found in Scott's baby book. For an enlarged copy, look in Dropbox in the 1977 year.

The Priesthood Preview, 1977. Chris Westra was noted as one of the "boys to be honored" along with several others from the Cottonwood 11th ward. Scott is listed as one of the "Deacon Quorum Presidencies and Advisors" (again, for the 11th ward). 

Harry Peckham was at the piano  (his wife taught piano lessons to Wendy and Jen). One of the speakers, Dee Hadley, lived across the street from the Westra home. It is hard to read (small print) but Mom is also mentioned with several others "Appreciation is extended to ..." (although the spelling here is Marj Westra) as part of the Stake Primary Board.

The three songs with lyrics listed ... not any I am familiar with from later years in the church (serving in primary, having boys of my own). Not much information online about them either, although two of them were included in LDS songbooks.

I Want to be a Deacon (B-88) in "Sing with Me" 1969 edition.

Don't Envy the Boy (L-80) 1979 edition (as this is AFTER this presentation, the song must have also been available in some earlier publication).

This picture in Dropbox doesn't indicate this was the night of the Priesthood Preview, but it does showcase the two Westra boys pointed out in the program, and they are dressed up in their Sunday best (although November 12 was actually a Saturday).

After the post went live, Mom had these memories ...

Out of all the Stake Priesthood Previews I went to as a mom and several I helped put on as a Counselor in the Stake Primary, two things that have stayed with me:

• The ones I helped put on:  A Leadership lesson I learned from the Stake Primary President (and previous ones):  The stake Primary President kept a loose-leaf binder with all the details from that year's Priesthood Preview------amounts of food, supplies needed, samples of programs, costs, invitation samples, etc.  Then the binder was passed on to future Presidents to continue to benefit planning for future Priesthood Previews.  I thought that was a great idea.

• One thing during one of the programs, by one of the stake presidency, and I have remembered ever since is this:  He called up one of the boys in the stake and told him, "I have heard that you are a very good and accomplished young man.  Therefore, I am going to make you King of England.  Then he put a fancy King's robe about the boy and crowned him "King of England."  Then he went on to teach that he had no authority to make that boy King of England----just as other religions have no authority to do things like that.  And told how our priesthood authority comes from God and we must have that authority in order to have prophets, etc.      It was a good way to teach that point.

School Certificates in the 70s

The Westra siblings excelled in school, so of course there were certificates and awards sent home throughout the years. Some of them got saved ... and then scanned, and now preserved and posted on the blog and into Dropbox.

1974 ... Chris got an award for reading "at least 12 books" during the summer vacation.  I wish we had a recorded record of the books he read (as we do in Shane's Booklist, Age 11). Mrs. Bullock was his teacher, which would have put him in Third Grade. Mrs. Bullock was remembered for reading aloud to the class, favorites such as "Baby Island" and "Sonny Elephant" were introduced in 3rd grade. 

Wendy's box had a "Vacation Reader's Diploma" for 1974 and 1975.

That would have been 1st and 2nd grade for her.

 

For Scott, 1975 started 6th grade, his final year at elementary school. In his box, there were three certificates saved from that year. "Good Citizen" of the month (no date on the award though, so we don't know which month!) He got an award for serving on the "Safety Patrol" and another for special services in the office. What a helpful guy!

... another reading award for Chris, in 1977 (5th grade)

Historical Certificates from the Seventies ... Scanned and Saved forever!

Wendy's Baptism ~ Shane's Blessing

There are no pictures of Wendy in a pretty dress or a white baptismal outfit, but there is a certificate to indicate it happened (typo on Dad's name too!) Here's Mom/Margie's memories written in Wendy's baby book ...

You were baptized on June 5, 1976 (Bicentennial Year). You would have been baptized in May, but we were expecting baby Shane any day (due April 17). We waited a month so that the baby could be blessed on the same Sunday you were confirmed. 

So on June 6, you were confirmed and baby Shane was blessed. You bore your testimony during fast meeting. It was the first time any of our children had borne their testimony. We were very proud of you. Both your grandparents came and Aunt Lorrie and Jason and Katie (Uncle Merrill was out of town on business).

After Sacrament meeting, we had a nice family dinner. Saturday, after you were baptized, Dad took you four kids to dinner at Farrells to celebrate and we gave you a book about Joseph Smith. 

While not specifically labeled ... this looks like it was the Sunday in question. Shane looks very young, dressed in a white "blessing" type outfit, and as mentioned in Mom's memory, Jason and Katie are there in the picture too.

The next generation repeated this baptism/blessing combo a couple of times. In 2002 Chris's crew combined Kaden's baptism and Camden's blessing, and in 2003, Jen's family had a baptism/blessing with little Landon and baby Cooper. 

Shane Shows Up

Mom's Memories (written in 2020): We were back in Salt Lake. I chose the St. Mark's hospital since I wanted a private room, albeit, they were very small rooms. Then I chose a doctor who delivered there. He was probably a good doctor, but had a very poor bedside manner. The doctor visits consisted on his saying, "Any questions? See you next time." With Shane's birth, it was the only time I was told by a doctor at one of the last visits, that I would probably come early. Then he was 16 days later than his due date! It just started to feel unreal, like this baby would never be born! He was 8 lbs. 12 oz. Our biggest baby.

From the baby book:

• It was Monday, May 3, 1976. 6:10 a.m.
• 8 pounds 12 ounces, 22 inches
• Dr. W. Adams
• Dad's Notes: Our new baby was scheduled to arrive 17 April 1976 but was 16 days late. Finally, early in the morning of 3 May, 1976 at about 12:30 a.m, Baby Shane decided to let his mother know he was ready. Bags had been packed for weeks, so his mother showered, his father called Grandma Burgener, and Mom and Dad left for the hospital in the little yellow-orange Vega. Arrangements had already been made with the new St. Mark's hospital at 13th East and 39th South, about a 10-minute drive. Shane didn't seem to be in a big hurry, so we took our time, arrived at the emergency entrance to the hospital, took the long walk to the elevators, and went up to the 2nd floor, past the nursery. It took us about 10 minutes to roust up a nurse, but we finally made contact. Margie changed into hospital wear and got into a bed for tests, hooked to a monitoring machine, and a long wait. Dad went back down to officially check-in at 3:05 a.m. Dad was quite queasy after the birth, and had to leave for a few minutes. Grandma Burgener came to stay with the children while we were at the hospital. Dad came home in time to get the kids off to school, and then hit the sack for a few hours to try to make up for lost sleep the previous night. Dad stayed home from work that day. They next day he took his "cigars" (tootsie rolls packed in a cigar box) and passed them out at work.
• Mom's Notes: Shane was born at 6:10 a.m. The cord was around his neck and he was very blue. We were quite frightened as it seemed to take several minutes to get him crying. His color improved rapidly after that. LaMar was with me all during labor and birth (for the first time). We called the kids and told them about their new brother before they went to school. 
• Shane slept through the night the day he was one week old. He slept through the night most nights after that.
• Shane loved the pacifier, starting his first night home. He seldom went to sleep without it.
• June 6, 1976. Shane was blessed by his Dad in the Cottonwood 11th ward. Wendy was confirmed the same day. After the meeting, we had a nice family dinner at the house. Both grandparents came, and Aunt Lorrie, and cousins Jason and Katie (Merrill was out-of-town - Shane shares this birthday with Uncle Merrill).  
• Shane started smiling a little and making a few "goos" and gurgles at four weeks. He laughed a little at one month. He rolled from his stomach to his back on June 3, when he was one month old. He rolled from his back to his stomach just before four months. 
• At six-weeks, the doctor (Dr. Steven Carr) discovered that Shane's feet turned in too much. He recommended a bar to force his feet outward and even loaned one that his children had used. At five months the special shoes/bar didn't have to be worn anymore. 
• September 25, 1976 the whole family went to Lagoon on a special, $12 per car. Grandma Burgener and Karen also came. This was Shane's first big outing (4½ months old). He had his little hand stamped along with all the rest of the family. He was very good, pushed around in his stroller the whole time.  

Very glad to have all this information recorded in the baby book (and now the blog!)

Here's a little peek at the baby book, and some of the other saved mementos.

As with the other "birth stories" I'll include the captured DMarie TimeCapsule ...

... there was something similar typed up and given out at the hospital

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