Erin - Lighting Things Up

As you know, Father, I was once a very studious person. Because of this, I'd usually start doing homework when it was still light outside, and keep working after it became dark. I never bothered turning lights on because I was so wrapped up in the excitement of my homework... which is where you came in. Whenever you'd see me sitting on the couch staring at a textbook you'd ask if I wanted a light on and I'd say that I was okay without it. Then you'd turn one on anyway, pause, and ask, "Is that better?" And, of course, it always was. It might sound kind of lame, but I always loved when you'd do that. And in a way you've been lighting things up for me my whole life. Whenever I have a question or problem about something--school, work, friends--you have the perfect answer. Mom and I have talked a lot about how you have such a great perspective on so many things in life. I don't know how you do it, but you're seriously the perfect Dad. I definitely want to end up being just like you as a parent... but in a more womanly way hopefully?

-Erin

Carole - Playing the Guitar with John

When John and I started hanging out together, I found out he played the guitar. I had been trying to learn to play the guitar from a guy I spent some time dating during Spring Term who also played. This guy let me borrow an extra guitar from him and he attempted to teach me, but it didn't get very far. He was quite condescending and only taught me really easy things. He wanted me to get something just right before he'd teach me something new. John, on the other hand, gave me lots of encouragement and trusted me with much harder songs. I learned a lot from him and learned to play some fun pieces...on the guitar still borrowed from the other guy!

-Carole

Matt - Electronics

For work, Dad had a laptop starting in the early nineties. There was a game on it with two gorillas on buildings, à la King Kong, that would throw bananas at each other. You adjusted the angle and velocity of the throw, and tried to hit the other gorilla, and the first one to hit won. We loved that game. We were able to take advantage of Dad's technology quite a bit, actually. Dad used a laser pointer for his presentations, and he told us how one time Mike was playing out in the rec room and Dad pointed the laser right by him to see what he would do. Perhaps because Mike was a big fan of Star Wars growing up, he just looked at the glowing red dot, and didn't even care! He just accepted it as a part of his world, a naturally occurring phenomenon. For work, Dad always had new computers and projectors, which he used a ton for presentations and things like that, but at home he used the projectors to play humongous-screen movies on the wall or a hanging sheet. We watched "The Sixth Sense" on one of those big screen nights, and it made a big impression…perhaps more than Dad bargained for. All of the boys ended up sleeping in the same bed that night! Dad has always been computer savvy, and as I learned more about Microsoft Excel in college I realized that Dad had been doing some of the advanced stuff for years, writing programs to help clients out and things like that. Dad helped us out whenever we had difficulties with computers, especially when we had homework trouble. He taught me to save my work often after I lost a huge project because I didn't save my work at all, and coached me through Power Point presentations and everything else I needed to know. Until I was proficient at typing, Dad would help type up my reports for me because he did it ten times as fast, if not more. He was always willing to help, and always willing to have fun.

-Matt

Shelbi - Like Father, Like Son

My memory of John is something that I see every day as portions of him are mirrored by Matt. I am always telling Matt that he is doing something like his dad, which is a good thing. Before I was married people would tell me to marry a guy who's dad treats his mom well. This was to be a foreshadow of how he would treat me. So when I think about John this is what I see. I see Carole with her laptop doing her family history work and John standing there asking "are you OK?" "Can I get you a blanket?" "Do you want me to open the door?" Or he would be headed to the kitchen and would say that he was going to make her a little snack because she might be hungry. John is not only a wonderful husband, father/father-in-law but because he is wonderful he has been able to be such an amazing example to his kids so much so that they have carried on his loving personality.

-Shelbi

Meghan - Alligator

When we went out to the pool to swim, we would usually play Alligator. It was so fun, but I was also very scared to play. Whenever I let go of the side of the pool, I tried to swim all the way to the other side, but I would usually get caught by Dad. I loved playing Alligator with him and I've had many good memories.

Meghan

Brenna - Dirt Cake

One day, near the end of the middle of kindergarten, Dad came to my class too teach us about soil. He told us about what he did for living, and then presented a pot of soil to us. What was worse was that it was crawling with worms! I was confused when he scooped some into a little cup and gave it to me. I wasn't sure what to do, until I saw bits of Oreo and brownie amongst it. I love how dad took the time to be with us and do little things to make us happy.

--Brenna

Mairin - Sleeping in my Parents' Room

When I was little I was never supposed to sleep in the middle of my parents bed because I would kick my Daddy. Of course I didn't mean to kick him. That's when we came up with when Daddy was out of town I could sleep in my parents' bed and not when my dad was here. But when I'm sick sometimes he invites me to sleep on the recliner in his room, even if he's home.

-Mairin

Tara - A Motor Home Outing with Dad

I like going to the motor home with dad when it's in storage to start it up and work on it. When we drive around he lets me ride in the front seat, with my seatbelt on.

-Tara

Matt - Music and Dancing

Dad loved to dance, and according to Mom, that talent was what first caught her eye! He also loved music, and entertained us with his ability to play music by ear shortly after hearing it. We would get home from a Disney movie, and the first thing that would happen would be Dad heading to the piano and playing the theme songs immediately. He could play the guitar, harmonica, piano, and accordion, and could probably pick up other instruments and figure them out after a few minutes. After getting one of our first CD players, he would host dance competitions out in the living room and entryway, while we were belting out "Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog," songs from The Beatles, Styx, Boston, Steve Miller Band and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at the top of our lungs. My favorite songs that Dad would play were "The Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy From Company B," which he would rock out on the piano, and "Stairway to Heaven," which he played on the guitar. I had no idea that it was a Led Zeppelin song until much later in life! It had always been the calm, pretty song that Dad played for us. Dad had a huge part in helping us kids love music; as for dancing, let's just say that Doug and Steve didn't learn their moves from Dad.

- Matt

Doug - Lost in the Desert

This memory is interesting because there's absolutely no reason that it should be a good one, but somehow it is. It was Spring Break and Dad was taking the boys and Nathan (I guess Nathan's a boy too, but anyways) dirtbiking/4wheeling in Moab, UT for our first time. We were all fairly inexperienced riders, but we were sure that between Dad and Uncle Steven being there, plus Matt's trusty "Pocket Guide to Moab" map, we'd be just fine. The first day out was a lot of fun. We were flying through trails, popping wheelies, enjoying the scenery; it just couldn't have gotten any better. Then, as the sun made it's trip across the blue sky and the first day started to turn into the first night, the problems emerged. First, my trusty bike broke down. So we hooked it up with a tow rope to the 4wheeler and continued on our way. Now that "way" was determined by none other that good old Matthew and his little pocket guide. We'd come several miles over rocky terrain, and knew that it'd be a long way out if we just backtracked. Seeing how the sun was heading down quickly, and I was being towed behind the Outlander, we trusted in Matt to find us a shortcut back to camp. What were we thinking, you ask? I still haven't found a good answer to that question. I'll spare you the entire lengthy story and just say that for the next 7-8 hours we rode over the toughest trails known to man. Through streams, weaving between valleys of rock, and at one point, came to a cliff shearing upwards so steeply that it most likely wasn't meant to be even thought of climbing over. Did that stop us? I wish it had. We'd gone so far and struggled for so long that we decided to go right up and over. In my extreme tiredness I remember admiring Dad's ridiculous strength as he practically carried each of our dirt bikes up the rocky wall, step by step. Really, I wish you'd seen it. It was incredible. After the cliff experience we were sure (with Matt's encouragement ringing in our ears. "I'm sure we're almost there, guys") that camp was just around the next corner. As it turns out, the cliff was put there for a reason. Just a mile or two later, the trail wound it's way up a wooded hill and completely disappeared. There was no where to go but back the entire way we came. So we did it. All that stuff I mentioned us going through before, we did again. Only backwards. Down the crazy cliff of death, back through the valleys of rock (which seemed to be squeezing closer together than when we'd last seen them), through the streams, and back to where we'd first turned down this dreaded trail. Finally, thanks to Matt's one useful thing he brought along- a green laser pointer, which he waved through the air hoping for help to come-we heard the best sound in the world. Uncle Steven, who'd come out to find us in the pitch black darkness. We left my dirtbike behind a tree to come pick up the next day, I jumped on the back with Nathan, and after what was probably an hour (but felt like more) later, we made it out. When I look back on this experience I have to admire Dad in many ways. One, for the patience he showed. He stayed calm, he didn't kill Matt, and just kept on going until we made it out, not getting discouraged. Also I saw his toughness. The way he hoisted our equipment up the cliff, and never seemed to get tired, even as the hours continued on. Although I probably prefer to never have anything like this happen to me again, if it ever does, I know I'd want Dad to be there with me. Then everything will turn out fine, just as it did here...sort of.

-Doug

Mike - Five Thousand

One time Dad and I were playing Five Thousand and I didn't have any points and he had over 5,000. I had one last turn to try to catch him and win. I rolled and every time I rolled I got points and in a single turn I got more than him and won. I think I still have the score sheet. Thanks, Dad, for teaching me to play Five Thousand and for not getting mad when I beat you.

-Mike

Mairin - Daddy gave me a ride

One day we had a primary activity and we were almost late. Then we saw daddy. He was on the four wheeler. We asked him to give us a ride and he did! It was so fun!

-Mairin

Lyndie - Crying on John's shoulder

One of my favorite memories of John was the summer Doug had left on his mission. I was trying to go to dental hygiene school and my parents didn't want to help me in any way. I was distressed and ran over to the Kelly house looking for some comfort. I walked through the front door and saw the whole family (and by whole family I mean extended as well) stare up at me. I had water in my eyes and someone said, "What's wrong?" That was all it took for me to burst into tears and run to the closest arms, which happened to belong to John. He pulled me away, patted my back, and said, "Go see Carole." I knew he cared because he sent me to someone that he knew would help me feel better. Fortunately his hugs come more generously now! :-)

-Lyndie

Steve - Dad, the Protector of the Family

Alright let's see...

You know, growing up in California out in the country surrounded by orchards and fog made for some scary times as a kid. However, I always felt safe because of my big, 6' 2" father that I was sure could beat up anyone or anything that tried to do us harm. From ghosts, to kidnappers, to bigfoot (probably my 3 biggest fears) I was sure that dad could handle anything and everything that could be thrown at us. However, his rough, tough exterior cover was blown one night when Doug, who was probably just a little 10 or 11 year old boy at the time, decided top put dad's manliness to the test...

Late at night, after it was dark outside, Doug hid himself in the shoe cupboard in the mudroom waiting for dad to walk in from doing something outside in the orchard. Dad walked into the dark mudroom, slipped off his shoes, and went to toss them in the shoe cupboard. When he went to open the cupboard he was surprised when the door flew open before he could even grasp the handle and a high pitched voice from inside shouted "BOO!" Dad jumped backward and gave a little shout of his own (to his credit, a much deeper shout than the one given by the person inside the cupboard, Doug.) However, instead of showing an awesome display of masculinity by picking the intruder up by the throat and tossing him easily aside, or wrestling him to the ground and wailing on him, or high kicking him to the face... dad reached out his index finger and gave the mystery intruder a little poke... Not the most comforting form of retaliation to a 9 year old boy, me, who could only sleep at night because he knew that his big, maculine father was watching over the house ready to lay waste to anyone who dared to threaten the fam...

Ha, alright just kidding, I have no question as to Dad's masculinity because I've gone head to head wrestling against him for years playing monster bear. I never quite understood the rules of monster bear entirely as to how you win or lose, all I knew was that I was wrestling against my dad, trying not to let him hold onto me for 20 seconds, and that we played until someone started crying and mom told us that we had to stop. Ha, I'm honestly so grateful though for a dad who took time to be a kid with the kids. Here on my mission I rarely, if ever, see that in other families. Doing things like this layed out a great foundation for building a good relationship with him because the earliest memories that I have of him are all very happy, fun ones... what a guy.

Love,

Steve

Erin - Dad the Baller

K I know you must have been super busy with work and stuff when we were growing up, but you always managed to have plenty of time to hang out with us. Besides monster bear ha, my favorite thing to do with you has always been playing sports outside. I couldn't have been much fun to play with when I was younger... I still have my journal with a bunch of entries complaining about how I jammed my finger and started crying and no one cared... Yeah all I did was complain, but you'd still make me feel wanted. And I know I'm not exactly up to your basketball-playing level now... You claim that it's because I'm always fixing my hair but that can't be true. Ha but the point is, you're lots of fun to play with and you always at least pretend that you need me to play in order to have fun. And that's really cool. You are definitely the greatest dad there is.

-Erin

Chris - Dune Trip with the Family

One of my first memories of meeting you was for Erin's birthday sand dune trip. As we were driving out there it started pouring rain but you told me to just hang tight by the car and that your oldest son who outweighed me by about 35 pounds would be back to pick me up. And as you rode off into the distance on your speedy dirtbike, I was left contemplating about whether or not you had ordered your son to take the scenic route to meet up with you and "accidentally" lose me off the back of your quad. It was at that moment that I knew that our destinies were fused together. May we have many more joyous experiences together. Happy birthday.

-Chris

Meghan - Overnight Boat Trip

When we recently purchased our boat, Dad, the four oldest boys, Erin (I think), and I slept overnight on it. We had a lot of fun tubing and wake boarding. Later, we put one anchor down and got ready for bed. While everybody was asleep, I was praying constantly that the boat wouldn't tip over. When we woke up the next morning, the boat had turned in a circle and we were closer to the shore. We wake boarded the rest of the day, until the left motor broke and we had to leave. Overall, I had a lot of fun and I'm still alive. Prayers are answered.

Meghan

Carole - How John and I Met

The first time I met John was in January 1983, when we were both attending BYU. We lived in the same ward at Centennial Apartments and he came to my apartment with his friend, Tim Ball, to set me up on a date with one of their roommates, Brad Connell. (The date never happened because I got back together with a guy I'd been dating for the past year!) I didn't see John again until the summer when he returned to BYU for Summer Term. By that time, I was unattached and dating a variety of guys. John and I began our relationship as friends when we hung out together on the 4th of July. We spent the day together reserving a picnic area for our ward at a park in Provo. I thought he was fun and interesting to talk to. I continued to date other guys during the month of July, but spent a lot of time with John. More than once a guy would come to my apartment to see me, only to awkwardly spend some time with both me and John. Before too long, guys stopped asking me out, but John and I had so much fun together that I didn't mind. The thing we did most often was talk and just hang out. We were "hanging out" a couple decades before "hanging out" became the norm! It was a very comfortable relationship without the stress that can come from being boyfriend and girlfriend. It was the perfect start to the 26+ years we've been hanging out since!

-Carole

Matt - Playing Golf with Dad

When he wasn't contracting for the CIA, Dad did stuff with golf courses. He probably played golf with the CIA people after they were done taking out drug lords and setting up his company as a cover. However, we did hear a lot about golf, and eventually Dad was given some clubs (I believe they were a kickback from his friends over at the Pentagon) and Gramps and Grandma gave the boys a set to share. I would use them mostly as pretend guns, at first, preferring the hefty weight of the irons to the woods; the woods just weren't solid enough to reconcile my imagination with reality. Plus, they were too bulky at the end. However, eventually (probably after seeing me sneaking through the orchard, laying a bead on one of my siblings with a pitching wedge) Gramps and Grandma decided we needed to take some lessons, and that was great. So we started golfing. We discovered that it was a ton of fun, and it was only then that we learned about Oak Patch. Dad would take us to this awesome 9-hole course just half a mile from our house. We would leave early in the morning, and get there when the sun was just cracking through the oak trees and a fine mist still covered the grounds. It smelled good there, of grass and river and heavy trees. Dad instructed us on club selection, putting, and helped us pull everything together that we had learned in our lessons. He sure learned a lot with his CIA pals! We would spend the morning recovering bad shots, picking out lost balls from the plants or from the river, and sometimes getting some really nice hits off. It was with Dad that I learned that there are few feelings in sports more satisfying than hitting the ball just right, so you don't even feel the club and ball connect. I think one of the only comparable feelings is wakeboarding when the water is just like glass and all is quiet and smooth and you are there in body, but it feels like you are floating just above the whole experience… I will never forget those times we spent out there. They felt like they would last forever, and although they came to an end, the memories will live eternally of when we were the boys with our Dad.

-Matt

(Editor's note: It's been a family joke for years that John worked for the CIA and that was why he would "disappear" regularly on "business trips". There's no basis to this joke!)

Doug - Sports Instruction from Dad

In order to tell my story of a dad memory, I'm obviously going to have to include sports somewhere, because he's been our go-to guy when it comes to learning how to dribble, catch, shoot, and pass a ball. Out of so many to choose from, the sporting memory of him that stands out more than anything else would be playing football on the front lawn. Whether Steve and I were decked out in our 49ers/Cowboy uniforms or just playing two hand touch, the guy throwing us the pigskin was always the same. I was always amazed at how no matter how fast I was running, he'd take two steps and catch up. Or how he never dropped a pass when we threw the ball back to him to prepare for the next play. He'd spend hours out there with us, dodging Sadie's poo's and coaching us to help us improve. Not that we needed it. It's great to know I have a dad who was willing to take the time to play with us, even with such a busy schedule. He always seemed to have his priorities in order, and continues that to this day. And everytime I step on the gridiron or basketball court, I know I owe the little skill that I have to Mr. Johnathon Acor Kelly.

-Doug

Brenna - A Thorny Stroll

One of my clearest memories of Dad was made when we lived in Visalia. I wanted to climb the big tree neighboring the garden fence. Whenever I wore shoes, I couldn't get as good of a grip on the bark, so I made the mistake of not slipping any on as I walked out the door. Dad was playing basketball with the some of the older kids as I made my way down the pathway leading into the garden. I slowly made my way closer to the tree, watching my step with the utmost precision, knowing that there could be thorns beneath my feet everywhere I stepped. I made a mistake of allowing myself to be distracted for a split second--I felt the blade-like thorns pierce the soles of my bare feet. I tried to step away slowly, but that only drove the thorns deeper into my feet and stuck more into them. Then I remember, in my agony, Dad lifting me up and laying me on my back in the grass. He took the little devils out one by one. I don't remember much of what happened after that, but I know that I was safe, thanks to Dad!

-Brenna

Courtney - Monster Bear

I remember playing monster bear with you. I always had so much fun. I never really gave it much thought to how it felt for you having at least five kids biting you, kicking you, punching you, jumping on you, and my personal favorite, tickling you, all at the same time. But we loved the game and you kept playing. It takes a kind father to be able to go through all that abuse and still love us. Thanks Pops!

-Courtney

Mairin - Throwing Up on Dad

We were camping by a lake (Jenny Lake in Yellowstone NP) when I was 4 years old. My tummy hurt and mom asked me if I wanted a bowl. I said no, then we went out on a walk by the lake. Dad carried me on his shoulders. My tummy started hurting more and then I threw up all over daddy's head.

-Mairin

Editor's note: We were all out walking but I wasn't close enough to know what was going on with Mairin and John. I noticed a lady with her husband staring across the beach area with a weird look on her face. She looked at me and said, "There's something wrong with that man." I looked over and it was John, bent over the water splashing it repeatedly on his head like a crazy man. I went to him and took Mairin while he went back to the motor home to "freshen up".

Mike - Axis and Allies

I was in Dad's office staring at the screen of the computer looking at Axis and Allies rules, dreaming of the day I would own the game, and memorizing strategies for playing. Dad appeared at the door. I looked at him and saw the game in his hands! It wasn't even my birthday yet, but he let me have it early. Needless to say, I crushed him in the first game we played together.

-Mike

Erin - Road Tripping it with Pops

Business trips... Seriously the best times. I always felt so cool being allowed to accompany you on these incredibly important adventures. We'd drive for hours and hours just talking about random stuff, then you'd pull over at a gas station and tell me to get whatever I wanted, which usually ended up being a Sprite and a bag of Skittles. You'd tease me about it as you picked up an apple and bottled water, which I would pretend to be annoyed about. The main thing I remember from these trips though is how well you treated me--you'd introduce me to important clients and talk about how great I was doing in school or track, let me choose what to watch on tv at the hotel or where to go out to dinner, and all of that kind of stuff. Even though I tease you about Mairin being your favorite child, I know that I always have been... just from these kind of memories. Ha thanks, Dad. You are just the best.

-Erin

Matt - Storytime with Dad

Dad told us great stories. Whether he was making up stories involving us kids, or retelling portions of his childhood, he was always captivating. We went on epic adventures as The Animal Kids. Those stories went on for years. It began with the four boys heading down to Mountain View Elementary for an assembly; the story was that a famous scientist was going to be giving a demonstration. When the assembly was over, all of the kids left and there was no one to help the scientist clean up his things, so the four boys stayed and helped him out. Because of our kindness, he told us he would show us something special; he gave us all a potion that gave us the ability to turn into any animal we wanted! We left the school, and while walking on the path home, there were some bad guys that started causing problems, so we all turned into greyhounds and chased them away. With that beginning, Dad created (I believe) our favorite line of fictional stories. Our favorite stories of all were the stories of his youth. We loved hearing them. We heard about his dogs: dogs that ran away in snow storms, beautiful Red Setters, dogs that cornered badgers in the middle of the night…and how Dad shot the badger with the shotgun that hung above his bed! Dad told us how he started driving trucks when he was 12 or so, because they were working on the farm and the work just had to get done. He talked about moving pipe, which we now know to be the work that instills moral character into young Idahoans. Dad taught us with these stories, too; once he was supposed to make sure water was flowing in a ditch, and he decided he could save some walking time by throwing rocks in the ditch, and listening for the splash rather than checking visually. After a while of throwing rocks and hearing splashes, it turned out that water hadn't been flowing. Stagnant water had been tricking him, and an area of crops was damaged. Thus we were taught about doing things right the first time. He taught us about being safe; once, his cousin was at the top of a conveyor machine that lifted potatoes up, and Dad thought he'd mess around by shaking the machine from the bottom. When he did so, the fast moving belt cut his cousin's hand open. Another cousin lost an eye when jumping on a bed with a stick. Most of the stories, though, were just for our listening pleasure. We loved the story of when Dad and all his siblings and cousins were hanging out on Sunday, and they all had been instructed to not ride horses or play with the cows. One bright cousin then saw a loophole; "They never said not to ride the pigs!" All the cousins then went and rode the pigs until they were too tired to play anymore. Dad rode lots of horses growing up. They were Arabians, and beautiful. He went camping one time, and a herd of mustangs, led by an all white stallion, rode right through his camp. He rode snowmobiles, and once he rode one without gloves on, and had to come in and place his hands under cold water for half an hour, and the cold water felt hot because he was so frozen. He also rode motorcycles, including a Trail 90 which, although never seen by us, was the stuff of dreams! It went anywhere, climbed anything, and was the ultimate bike. Dad would put Uncle Steven in front of him on the 90 and have Steven hold onto the handlebars, and Steven would have Dad climb steeper and steeper trails until they became insurmountable. Dad also read books with us, and the most powerful was Where the Red Fern Grows, the all-time most tear-jerking, most emotionally-involving, most-perfect story a young boy can hear or read. Dad telling us stories was an incredible part of our childhood. We would lie in our beds in the boys' room, or in our sleeping bags in the tent, or in the rec room, or in the backyard around the fire, and listen and imagine and dream.

-Matt

Rick - Dad Praying

Dad has always been a good example of spirituality. When I was preparing to go on a mission and was finding it hard to fully commit to the Church, Dad served as a great inspiration. I remember that no matter what he would pray both morning and night. He'd always kneel down next to his bed and stick his fingers in his ears to block out the noise and pray. Even now, I always stick my fingers in my ears when I pray to block out the noise like he does.

-Rick

Tara - Kitty Stories

When I was really little I started listening to Dad's Kitty Stories. He told them to us before we went to bed. The stories weren't just about cats, sometimes they were about other things like a little spider, and one was about Chris turning into a frog and Erin threw him away by mistake. Dad does sound effects for the stories and it makes them more exciting. Kitty stories help me get in bed faster, but then I don't want to go to sleep because I want to hear more stories. I'm ten years old and I still love Kitty Stories.

-Tara

Courtney - Gymnastics

Dad is always asking me to show him my latest new trick in gymnastic. He always enjoys watching... (Or at least he pretends that he does.) His interest makes me want to work harder and learn something new. (Though Mom would rather have me working on clogging instead, I am pretty sure that whenever Mom watches me do something new in gymnastics she just thinks, "With the time she put into learning that trick she could have learned two new clogging steps." I still love you Mom.) Dad's words of encouragement have made a big difference to me, not just in gymnastics but in everything I do.

-Courtney

Meghan - Learning to Ride My Bike

When I was about five or six, I learned to ride my bike. My helmet was on and bright green sandals on my feet. Dad held my bike up as I peddled. He told me he would hold on, but as I peddled he let go. I finally fell in the grass. I was very glad he taught me, though. There wasn't a better teacher than my Dad.

-Meghan

Mike - Motor Home Lifesaver

Dad has saved our lives while endangering them. We were on a motor home trip to Aunt Julie and Uncle Bill's house in Shelter Cove, California. There's a long winding road that has drop offs and lasts for 45 minutes of driving. We were all really scared. Erin tried to convince us to go to sleep so we would die without fear. After we arrived safely I felt grateful for my dad, and also grateful my mom wasn't the driver.

-Mike

Editor's note: What?! He doesn't think I could have handled that?

Rick - Focused Father

One time we were out riding at the sand dunes. Dad somehow got separated from the group and went off riding without us. We finally saw him a couple dunes away heading toward us. We stopped and waived for him to come over to us. He rode over and straight through the middle of our group without stopping. When we finally caught up with him awhile later and asked him why he didn't stop, he said that he hadn't seen us at all, despite the fact that he had ridden right between a group of about five of us.

-Rick

Brenna - How our Father Expanded my Mental Capacity...

I love how dad is never shy about his knowledge. He is really a smart man, and I admire him for that. I know a lot more with him than I would without him. I like getting his input on my stories, because he's always honest and I trust that his opinion is true. He's always there to help me with my Math and Science homework, and telling me little tricks and facts that become really handy when I least expect it. He gave me a really interesting book when I was ten or eleven called 4000 Things You Should Know. One of my favorite facts that he helped me discover was that more people die from coconuts falling on their heads than from alligators. But, that's another story...thanks dad!

-Brenna

Matt - Business Trip to Mexico

When I was eight and Rick was nine and Doug was seven, Dad took us on a business trip to Mexico. I don't remember the drive through California, but I do remember Mexico vividly. We went down to Baja, and I remember seeing light brown buildings everywhere, people hawking their wares and parrots along the roadside. When we stopped for gas somewhere, we saw that we had a bolt in our tire, and the gas station workers had it fixed in ten minutes. We bought Snickers bars there, and they were good. We got to the hotel that night, and it was right on the beach, literally; there was just sand surrounding it, it was kind of out in the middle of nowhere! We couldn't drink the water from the sink or use it to brush our teeth, we had to use bottled water. The hotel was pretty empty, as I recall. We went down for dinner, and ordered a ton of food, including my favorite childhood dessert, flan, and it was all super cheap and really good! The next morning, before we had to leave the hotel, we went and drove out on the beach. We all drove for the first time, and we learned why little kids shouldn't drive cars. We started just turning back and forth a lot, but when we tried to drive Dad's blue Bronco into a dune and through the water he had to intervene. We went out to breakfast and had eggs and other things, along with endless refills of the best orange juice that I have ever had. The young lady waiting our table just kept bringing it out, and I kept on drinking! After that, we headed out to meet with some growers. We sat in the Bronco while Dad went and talked. We were outside some fields and greenhouses. Later that day we headed back out. I remember crossing the border, and we must have slept after that until we got home. We had a great trip!

-Matt

Erin - Freeze Dance

So you dominate the piano. Some of my favorite times living out in the country were when you'd sit down to the piano in that big open room and start going at it. Then everyone, excluding Mom, would come in and attempt to dance. You always made this so much fun, and occasionally pause the song and tell us we had to "freeze!". We always tried to be in the most ridiculous poses possible--one foot in the air, on our heads, or with a goofy look on our faces. I can picture everything now... most of us would have swimsuits on underneath our pajamas because we had just finished hanging out in the pool, you had that focused look on your face while playing incredible songs, and we were busting out our pathetic dance moves, with me watching Doug and Steve while wishing I could be as cool as them. I didn't realize it then, but this isn't something most dads do. Thanks for making my childhood so much fun, Pops.

-Erin

Tara - Five Thousand

On Sundays Dad gets the dice out and plays Five Thousand with me and some of the other kids. I like playing with him because he's funny but serious when he plays it. I like winning.

-Tara

Lyndie - The Visitor

Another favorite memory of John is actually a recent memory. Every once in a while Doug and I recieve a text from John that says he is coming into town and we always get excited! I love when he comes to Phoenix and is able to spend time with us. My favorite part is seeing him away from the rest of the family because I get to see a different side of him. At home there is a lot of other dominant personalities (Mairin is a great example) that allow him to fade into the background but out on his own he is able to shine. He has so many stories and is so entertaining to talk with. He has a presence about him that is hard to explain but it is like he is one of us instead of playing the "parent" role. He jokes, laughs, and we have just such a good time with him! I love the days when the visitor comes into town :-)

-Lyndie

Rick - Seattle-Portland-Visalia

I always appreciated Dad taking us on business trips. I always knew that the trip would be a good time, that I would get just about any food I wanted, I would read a lot, and that I'd get to talk a lot with Dad. On one trip, he took me to Washington. It ended up that we needed to stay longer than anticipated and missed our original flight. Dad told me that we could either fly or drive back to Visalia. I begged him to drive back because of a selfish motive of mine. The girl I had a crush on from EFY and talked to every few weeks lived in Portland. After I begged Dad to drive back, I called the girl and arranged to see her the next night. She was working, so we'd only be able to see her at work at The Old Spaghetti Factory.We got there and sat down to eat and she took a break from hosting to visit for about 10 or 15 minutes. After eating, we walked out to the front of the restaurant where the girl was getting off work. I said goodbye and watched as she kissed her boyfriend (who looked like a jerk) who had come to pick her up from work. I felt really stupid. However stupid of an idea it was to drive back from Washington just for 15 minutes of seeing a girl, Dad never complained and didn't brought up the fact that I had just made a fool of myself. I think that this serves as a good example of Dad's positivity and easy going nature.

-Rick

Mairin - Good Greetings

When Tara and I come home from school and Dad's here, he'll hear the door squeak and know we got home. He'll say, "How was school today?" I feel happy that he's so nice and I say, "It was really great!"

-Mairin

Matt - The Secret Door

One of my favorite ways to temporarily escape from spraying weeds or picking up propping poles was to head to the river. I don't know how many times a week, every summer, that I would be long gone, with neither Mom or Dad the wiser, because I was sneaking through the neighbors' orchards, climbing trees and avoiding all human contact, in order to get to my remote hide-outs along the banks of The Secret River. I could spend hours out there, off in my own big world, exploring, spying on animals, eating wild grapes, catching lizards, with only Cocoa as my companion. I had more adventures than Huck Finn, but it all started with Dad's help.

One beautiful Saturday morning, Dad, Clay Sanner, one of Clay's friends, and all four boys headed out on a walk down the river. This was a common thing for us to do, but this time of the year was the best because the river was dry, and we could walk along the sandy bed. The river wound around various orchards, providing water for them, and we had access to it at the very end of our road. Most of the river had steep sides, dangerous sides that you avoided when it was full because if you fell in, it would be hard to get out. A dirt road ran alongside it. We walked down this road this one morning, and we got to the farthest stretch of the river that with which we were acquainted. It was here that our walks usually ended. This area ceased to be bordered by the dirt access road; the banks weren't as steep, and they were covered in trees and vegetation. Tule reeds and blackberry bushes were common, and the blackberry plants climbed up the surrounding trees and almost completely removed the river from sight. There was an area of the river about a quarter mile long that was entirely hidden, and this dark, unknown area was designated the Secret River. Dad told me how once, he got out there and there was a mist covering the entrance. As a young boy, my mind was easily captivated by the mystery of it, but I think its fair to say that all four of us boys were drawn to this fantastical place. On this day, our minds were even more excited than usual, having been filled with Clay's Big Foot stories, and as we descended the banks into this forbidden realm, everything took on an ethereal quality: the crunch of the sand underfoot, the morning light piercing the trees, the colors and smells in the cool air... We were adventurers, all of us, exploring a hitherto unknown world, and our excitement would soon prove to be well-founded. As we came around a bend in the river, we saw it. A bridge. An ancient bridge, who knew how old, was stretched across the breadth of the dry river. It was overgrown with plants on each end, and was worn through years of being pushed and pulled by the river's current. On one side was a rough portico, that we called the Secret Door. Dad seemed just as excited as any of us to see it all. It was all probably the project of some teenagers not much older than us, originally, but that day, it was our discovery. Someone had been here, someone before us, and had attempted to introduce some form of civilization in this wild area, and they had failed. We dared not venture up onto the old walkway, and to my knowledge none of us ever tried. In the midst of our amazed pondering, Clay and his friend hissed, "Look up there!" We looked towards the door, and saw nothing, but they yelled, "There's someone there!" and we ran for our lives. Our backs turned on that dilapidated old bridge, and our feet pounded in the sand just as fast as our hearts pounded in our chests. We burst from the wilderness, and climbed the bank back into civilization. Clay and his friend were peppered with questions, asking for details, but answers eluded us. Forever after, the Secret River held a mysterious reverence in my mind. I didn't go back to the bridge for years. When I did, the bridge was still there, looking as if it were just the afternoon of the day that we had first seen it. It still held that same mystery, and I didn't go back often. I wanted to preserve the memory of that place forever.

-Matt

Tara - Disney Lollipops

Once Dad went to Disneyland because Erin won a free trip for being student of the week in the whole Fresno area. He took Erin, Meghan, and Courtney and they got to stay in a hotel. When they came back Dad brought us some fancy twisty lollipops. We ate them by the pool. (Photo of Mairin enjoying hers!)

-Tara

Erin - My Hero of a Father

Remember when your daughter Courtney almost killed me while dirtbiking? Haha k so maybe it wasn't really that big of a deal... but I was pretty scared and you were kind of worried, right? You kept it so cool though and knew exactly what to do. And as I was freaking out I knew everything would be just fine because you were there and are capable of handling every situation there is. Things always work out when you're in charge, and over the years I've learned to just not question things you say or do. I used to tell Chris this all the time: "My dad is always right." And it's true. So good job.

-Erin

Mike - The Boating Trip

Once we went to the lake and it started to rain. A lot of us really felt like going home but dad said we should stay. There wasn't any thunder or lightning. All the other boaters left so when it stopped raining we had the whole lake to ourselves. It made it really fun. I'm glad we have a boat and dad takes us to the lake. We have a lot of fun there.

-Mike

Matt - Sports with Dad

Dad always loved to play with us, especially when it came to sports. He helped us when we were playing city league soccer, baseball and basketball, and even helped coach our basketball team. He would come to our soccer practices by the house on Johnson Court, and play with us in the fields there. I remember how he would kick the ball from his hand, straight up, and it would go SO high. It amazed me! I especially liked our games in the backyard of Johnson Court. We played a baseball game, Steal the Bacon, where one person would be between bases, and two were "on base," and the one in the middle had to try to get to a base without being tagged. We had soccer games there, with the big plants serving as goal posts. We put pecan shells around the grass, and it stunk when the ball got stuck behind one of the plants, because we were usually barefoot and the pecans were sharp! I'm sure the games got more competitive and fun for Dad when we moved out to the country. There, we were coordinated enough to play 21, Around the World and Two on Two games of basketball (or more, if Erin played…let's be honest though, I was better at climbing trees than I was at basketball, so I was more often than not an onlooker). Our grass was big enough to have full-sized sports games, and we didn't have to worry about hitting the neighbors' windows, so we could go all-out. We often played with Dad as the QB for both offensive teams, and so we would often find ourselves panting in a huddle, Dad all sweaty, drawing hooks and lines and zigzags and other figures on his hand to lay out the next play for us. Dad could always throw perfect spirals, and he tried to teach us. He tried to pass on all of his sports knowledge to us, but he ended up passing on something more: his love for sports, his love for life, and his love for us.

-Matt

Brenna - Oatmeal for Breakfast

For as long as I can remember, I have had my oatmeal the same way. I always stir brown sugar, milk, and pecans into the oat mixture. Most of the kids in my family thought I was crazy for having milk and nuts in it. I thought I was the only one who ate it that way until just recently when I discovered that dad and I have prepared our oatmeal the exact same way, and I didn't even notice. I'm glad I inherited his taste buds, especially when it comes to my favorite breakfast in the whole wide world!

--Brenna

Carole - Dancing...More than a Feeling!

I've honestly claimed for years that John and I were just friends for the first three months we hung out. We had a pure friendship with no expectations about being boyfriend and girlfriend, no concerns about what each other were thinking, and none of the confusion that can accompany physical contact. However, there was one thing I really loved to do with John that may have conflicted with the whole "just friends" thing. I loved to slow dance with him! At a ward party he asked me to dance to a slow song from the '70's, and I was amazed at how it felt to dance with him! We didn't just do the bear hug, turn in a circle thing...we actually danced with my hand in his, my hand on his shoulder, and his on my back. We moved around the floor with him leading very confidently as we laughed and talked. At the few dances we both attended that summer, I hoped to dance with him more than once during the night. So having to admit the enjoyment I had dancing with him would have been the only time I may have been able to crack and say, "Yes, I'm very, very interested in this guy." Fortunately, dancing with him was infrequent and I was able to keep that little secret to myself.

-Carole

Mairin - Traveling to Utah with Dad

I like it when Dad drives the car to Utah because we get to watch movies.

-Mairin

(Editor's note: Mairin was too nice...you need to read between the lines here. She meant it's way better when Dad drives to Utah because if Mom takes her, movies aren't allowed. Mom controls the media and listens to the satellite radio in an effort to stay awake and alert. Dad can stay alert without the aid of the radio.)

Matt - Uncompromising Obedience

Dad never compromised when it came to doing what was right. I cannot remember a single incident where he rationalized anything that went against the teachings of the Church, because I don't believe that there ever was a single incident. I have never heard him swear, I have never seen him make an excuse to not go home teaching, I have never seen him turn down an assignment or not pay a full tithe. I didn't always enjoy it at the time, but I was so impressed with Dad's attitude towards home teaching especially. He didn't go out to be able to report 100%; he actually cared for the people we visited, listening to them and never judging them. We drove really far to see everyone, too, all over the countryside. Dad served, and loved doing it. He loved working with the youth and Scouting, even though both groups were hard to be with sometimes, like when they went to the bathroom in his car as we drove back early from a Father-and-Sons campout or broke interior pieces of the Suburban off while he was out of the car for a minute. I got so mad both of those times, but I didn't hear Dad complain. Dad was always honest and always worked hard. He is my greatest earthly example, and I am so grateful that I can turn to him for wisdom and advice, because I know it is always sound. I want to tell everyone that my Dad is the best man I know, and I hold the highest respect for him. Dad, I am so proud that you are mine. I am honored to carry your name.

-Matt

Brenna - Dad and Our Many Musical Moments

During Christmastime every year, dad always brings out his accordion out to play for us. He plays all of our favorite songs, some even by ear. I remember for family home evening one night, dad sat down at the piano and we played 'name that tune.' He was mostly playing church songs, until I requested my favorite Disney movie tune. He was thoughtful enough to heed my appeal. Our dad is so talented!

-Brenna

Courtney - 4 Wheeling

I don't have a specific story about going 4 wheeling with Dad. I just always love going (the exception being when I nearly killed my dear sister, Erin!) I am glad that I have a dad who takes time out of his busy schedule to do something with me. I am looking forward to many more trips to go 4 wheeling with Pops to improve my already amazing driving skills!

-Courtney

Rick - Dad's Letter 'M'

I remember Dad's little home office in Mom and Dad's little closet at the Johnson Court house. He'd always have stuff sitting out and sometimes I would go and look at his handwriting. Dad has a way of disjointing his letter 'm' when he writes. To someone who isn't used to his handwriting, I'm sure that 'm' is completely illegible. The image of his 'm' stuck with me for a long time and I tried to match his 'm' as my handwriting developed. I'd erase an 'm' if it wasn't just like Dad's. Over time, I believe that my 'm' has become just as disjointed and illegible as Dad's.

-Rick