Hi From Charlene

Hi!

Happy Halloween! We hope that all is well with everyone.

We are happy to have the harvest gathered in. Van bottled

28 quarts of peaches and 28 quarts of grape juice. We didn't have

many apples this year, so we just ate what we did have right off

the tree.

Marc just received his results for his Step III exam. He did well!

Now he will be a licensed physician. He is relieved to be at this

point in his training.

We took a short trip to visit with Marc and his family last month.

Jordan had a T-ball game which was more like "Bunch Ball" but

fun, nonetheless. We also were able to enjoy the Primary Program

Marc was able to come just long enough to hear Jordan say his

part and then scoot back to the hospital.

School is going well for me. So far, so good. There have been

several cases of H1N1 flu in my class. We just keep crossing

our fingers that I don't catch it and bring it home.

We love all of you!

Charlene

News From Jean and Lyle

Hi All! We hope this finds all of you well. The main purpose of this letter is to inform everyone that we opened escrow on a home yesterday. We are planning on closing escrow no later than November 5, but we are hoping that it will be a week or so sooner than that (as soon as we can get the mortgage, which can take a couple of weeks, they have to do the home appraisal and everything). The current plan is that we will be moving, in the next two weeks, temporarily into Mom and Dad Murray's home until we can get our new home painted and make a few repairs. We think we'll be at Mom and Dad's about a month. So, the long and the short of this is, we're planning on moving to Suisun City, CA by early December 2009! love,the Lyle Murray Family Oh, btw, for those of you who might want to know- The home is a 4/2.5 on .15 acre. It is 1890 sf (we are currently living in 925 sf). It appears to be a nice, clean neighborhood. The house is about two blocks from an elementary school and the public library. We are EXTREMELY excited, although sad to be leaving Penngrove School and immediate family. We'll not be too far away though!

What is This?

Anyone Remember This Hill?

Do you know who these people are?

From Anna and Wilmer's Journal

Thursday, September 13, 1979

This Journal was given to me by our son Neil and his wife Ella and family. I finished my 1971-79 Diary yesterday; dad gave me for Christmas December 1978. LaVora is here with us. She washed the upstairs windows inside and outside. I washed the curtains from our room. They come out beautifully. LaVora put one back while Dad and I hung the others on the line. I meant to bring them in before we t to Roosevelt but forgot.
We went to do a little shopping then went to see Alice, as it is her birthday today. She is 82. No one was home, so we left our card and the ones Alice and Thelma Mathews gave us to give to her, and went through the cedars to Bluebell. This road always has many memories. We pointed out to LaVora where we had the camp wagon where we spent the first months of our marriage herding goats for Uncle John Ashby. Then we stopped to see Verona, but she wasn’t home. (We) stopped at Ronnie’s Store, Velma had gone home but we did see Bruce and one of Gary’s girls. No one was home at Bernard’s or Velma’s so we went on to Altonah through Clay Basin. It had been a long time since LaVora had gone that way. We visited with Lester and then came back home. My curtains had blown partly off the line but were ok. LaVora wanted to put up the peaches Clyde brought last night but I told her there was another day. She has worked so hard to help us before she goes back home. We really love and appreciate her. Wish she didn’t have to go back so soon. Dad made a fire in the fireplace. We visited and had a snack while we enjoyed it. I don’t write so good while I’m in bed.

Story Time From Neil

Back in the good old days when we were very young and lived in Altonah our home was what mother referred to as the John Ashby home. It was a two room house with one room serving as the kitchen and dinning area and the other room serving also as multi purpose room. It was our bedroom and our living room. It was years later that I found out that there were such things as a couch and a big chair etc. The furnishings in this room consisted of a bed which we referred to as the day bed. That is in the daytime it folded up so that it served as a couch. At night it folded down so that it was a bed. I remember in those days that LaVora and I slept on camp cots. Then, too, we did not know that a clothes closet was a part of the bedroom. But we did know about wardrobes. It seemed that in that day Sears and Roebuck or Montgomery Ward made and sold about everything. The wardrobe was one of those items. It was merely a portable clothes closet. As I recall along with the daybed we had this wardrobe. Then, too, it really was not very big.
In that day we also lived on the Ute Indian Reservation. Most of the Indians lived to the south and east in what was known as White Rocks and Myton areas. There were this two Indians that lived up to the north of us, From time to time we would see them riding by on their way from or to town. Their names were Two Horn and Tu Rouse. I use to listen to the adults tell about when the Altonah Pioneers (Grandfather James B. Murray and others) were building the Farmers Canal from the Yellow Stone River to their farms that from time to time Two Horne or Tu Rouse would take a few shots in their direction. These kind of stories put just a little bit of fear in a child’s mind. I recall this one day when LaVora and I were home alone and we saw these Indians riding up the road. We became quite frightened for we were sure they would come in and scalp us. We looked for a place to hide. It was the wardrobe. Like I say it was not very big but it was big enough for two frightened children to hide in. We were quite relieved when they rode on by without stopping.

From Neil

September 26, 2009

Dear Family

Where has this summer gone? It seems like it just passed me by. I did, however, get a trip or two to Myton as well as a trip to Idaho and a picnic up Provo Canyon. Oh, yes, I got the opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting.
As you know the trips to Myton were work projects. Over the past two years the trees and other vegetation regrowth has about turned our place into a jungle. After three trips and after several members of the family were turned loose with trimmers, pruners and chain saws there are not as many trees etc., now as there was. Dewey, Jerry and I spent a day in Myton. We did a lot more cutting and clearing. Jerry got on the chain saw, Dewey got on the weed trimmer and I got pair of pruners. We added to the pile of tree limbs. Now we need to find a time to go out and haul them off. While we were out there I had planned on treating Dewey and Jerry at the Frontier but Jerry brought each of us a Hershey bar. This got us by until we got back to Orem and we all went to the Sizzler for Dinner. Curtisy of Dewey and Beverly.
It has been nice to have Jerry and Marylyn close by and Dewey and Beverly stayed with me for a few days. While Dewey and Beverly were here we frequented the restraints a number of times. This one day Jerry and Marylyn took us to a camp ground up Provo Canyon for a picnic. The camp site they choose had lots of trees and a nice stream of water running past our picnic sight. It was really a present afternoon. Then all too soon Dewey and Beverly were gone. Jerry and Marylyn say they will be here until the end of the month or until it snow which ever comes first.
And, yes, I did get to speak in Sacrament meeting two weeks ago. When it came my turn to speak the member of the Bishopric conducting held up five fingers which meant “you can take five minutes.” I told the congregation that I felt like I was on the High Council again. So much for my opportunities, but you know, I did not mind.
Bruce and a friend stopped in last Saturday. It was good to see him. I’m glad he was able to take a few minutes with me.
Do take care.
Love, Neil

Jerry and Marylyn News

Hello Murray Family!I guess everyone is tired of sending in news to Allison for the Murray Newsletter Blog, since the only ones we hear from, lately anyway, is Uncle Neil, and our family. Maybe we should do this just "whenever" someone has some news they want to share with the family (just my suggestion) and then we won't feel under any pressure. It's been fun though, Allison, and thank you very much for your awesome efforts. And, a big thank you to Neil for giving us such fun and interesting things to read and figure out!September in Utah was fun and October in Utah looks very promising. We have taken some beautiful canyon drives to see the Fall colors. This is a beautiful place to live in the Autumn! We will be going back to Petaluma the end of October, but we have enjoyed our visit with Dewey and Beverly, visiting with Neil and look forward to LaVora's visit for a week on the 15th. Jerry is busily engaged in our basement putting up the molding and door trims. We are doing the temple work for a Murray family from Ireland. We don't think they are related to us, but a friend did the research and asked us if we wanted to do their temple work. Neil and Jerry put a lot of work into a rental agreement for the Myton house and then sent it to our possible renter. We haven't heard back from him, so maybe the terms were too tough. Those boys are pretty rigid about how they want their old home treated! Maybe we will be on the lookout for a new renter.News flash from our family: Lyle and Jean are buying a fixer-upper house in Suisun, CA - about an hour from Petaluma. We sure will miss having them just across town, but it is a good thing that they will be putting money into a home of their own instead of down a black hole. Their Michael turned 7years old and Andrew turned 1 yr. in September. Have I ever told you how cute our six grandchildren are?!?!Jerry and I are getting together with the senior couple missionaries we worked with in the MTC International Office. I went to lunch the other day with four of the sisters and we had so much fun catching up. Jerry and I hope to attend a session in the Draper and the Oqquirh Temples before we go back to Petaluma.Well...that's about it for this month. We hope you are all healthy, happy and busily engaged in worthwhile things. Happy General Conference weekend!With love,Marylyn (and Jerry)

Hello From Jean and Lyle

Hi all! I hope this finds you well. We are good but BUSY! Michael is in second grade and is doing well. He's one of the top readers in his class and is learning double digit addition, carrying tens, and studying geology and lifecycles in science. His improvement just from last year to this (we only have a 5 week break summer.....) is astounding! Izabella is in kindergarten this year and she LOVES it. She burns through her 4 to 6 pages of homework in about 20 minutes and asks for more. Anytime she brings home any kind of paperwork she tells me "guess what mommy, I got more homework today!" If its only informational papers for me she gets SO disappointed. She is learning phonics and doing well. She has learned the letters a, b, m, n, r, s, t- their sounds and names, and she is already figuring out how to spell words by sounding them out (like cat, sat, bat, hat, ran, can). We have a dry erase easel in the living room and she'll just spend 30 minutes sounding out and writing different words. She is learning her numbers 1 through 10 and doing many creative art projects that she loves! Penngrove is so awesome!!!!! The teachers have been wonderful and both sets have allowed me to bring all the kids in once a week to help in the classroom (Michael's room for about 40 minutes in the morning on Fridays and a little over an hour in Izabella's classroom on Wednesdays). I'm also doing the book orders for Michael's class this year. If feels so good to help out the teachers. They are amazing and underpaid. Their dedication and commitment, I just can't say enough about them!!!! Kathrynn is as mischievous and hilarious as ever. She speaks very concisely and will tell you exactly what you should and shouldn't be doing. She is now waiting very impatiently to start school herself. If you ask her what her or anyone else in the family's name is she will very clearly tell you Daddy, Mommy, Michael Blaine Murray, Izabella Jeanne Murray, Kathrynn Heather Murray, and Andrew Lyle Murray. She doesn't say just their first name, its the whole thing. She likes to help me out and she also does very well independently. She loves to color and play imaginative games. You'll find her quietly in the living room playing with her toys (mostly animals, she LOVES animals, she usually walks around saying, "I love your doggy, I love the kitty", as a matter of fact, that's what Kathrynn is saying most of the time, she LOVES everything, or she hates me, but you know, that goes with the mommy territory, they love you and they hate you, laugh or cry, there's no in between.....). Andrew is not quite walking yet but he climbs everything. If he can't climb onto it he'll push a stool or chair (even from another room) up to it so that he can climb it. He gets on and off the beds, couches, and chairs in the kitchen. He can't get onto the kitchen counter, but he can push the chairs up to them so that he can reach the entire thing. No really many signs of walking. He will stand up by himself, but he doesn't like to do it. He will walk along things, and push things from room to room standing up, but no walking by himself. All the other kids were walking by now, but I'm not too worried about it. I can hardly keep up with him on all fours, I don't know what I'm going to do when he's running on two!!! Andrew is still the happiest baby in the whole world. He is also the most loved. The kids will squabble, usually Kathrynn being the odd "man" out, but everyone LOVES Andrew. The kid is going to be spoiled rotten, even if I don't do it the kids will (and I'll be hard pressed to not spoil him myself, he melts me, I'm putty in his 1 year old hands.....). He is talking a little, you know, dada and mama, and he's into everything. Lyle is well, work is stressful but its work and we're all VERY glad he has a job in these rough times. I'm good and busy just trying to keep everyone fed, clean, caught up with their homework, keeping the house clean (and of course Lyle helps with ALL these things too) and getting everyone to where they are supposed to be mostly on time. By the way, Michael had perfect attendance last year, and no tardies. Thanks to Lyle making breakfast and lunches, the kids working with us to get to school on time, no illnesses (amazing!), he was one of 15 kids in the entire student body of 320 that accomplished that. He's already missed 1.5 days this year because of illness, but neither he nor Izabella have any tardies, and tomorrow is the day of our first three week break! Where does the time go! Well, I hope this finds you all well. Sorry that its been so long since I've written. I'm swamped!!! I love you all, and the rest of the family does too. Thank you for your love, support, and tolerance. We miss you! love,jean and family

Oh, I forgot, Lyle got up early on Michael's bday day, even though it was a school/work day, and made homemade pancakes from scratch (you know, home ground whole wheat flour and all the other ingredients) for the family, that's the photo of Michael and the Micky Mouse pancake. No offense to all you all, but I really do have the best husband in the whole world. Thanks to Jerry and Marylyn. I don't think my kids will appreciate, at least until they are trying to have families of their own, and perhaps not even then, how great their dad is. Thank you Lyle. I love and appreciate you, and the whole world should know it! :) Thanks to all you husbands, grandfathers and fathers, you'll never really know the influence you have on your kids, but they take on many of your character attributes and they look up to you so very much! love,jean

Murray Reunion 2010!

Greetings!

I hope all is well with the Murray Family. We had a great visit with Dewey and Beverly when they came down for Zach and Karlee’s wedding.

I have finally heard from Camp Nauvoo. Unfortunately, most of the week I requested was taken up by the church.

So, I ended up reserving 4 Nights. Saturday July 31, and August 1, 2, 3. We check out of the camp by noon on the 4th.

I know that this is not what we originally planned, but I hoping that it is still early enough that it will still accommodate everyone.

Please let me know your thoughts about the dates and if you are planning to attend.

Lots of Love,
Travis

Austin and Kyra Fisher's First Day of School and Ball Game

Hello From Jerry

Dear Family-

We have been working on the yard and trying to keep the deer, squirrels and gofers out of the garden and walnut tree here in Petaluma. The garden was starting to produce when we left to go to Utah . I guess I raised a garden for the animals and the kids as I do not think we will get much from the garden this year.

Marylyn is happy to be back in Utah so she can visit her family and live in her house. She is looking forward to all the Fall colors on the mountains and canyons. We went on a picnic up the Provo Canyon with Dewey, Beverly and Neil the other day and we could see that the trees are starting to turn even though it is still rather warm. We enjoyed our time with the Neil and the Dewey's.

We are back in Utah staying with Allison in our Provo House. It seems strange to be here and not serving a mission. We have a lot of time on our hands, although I still have lots to do in the basement. We will just probably keep working on it every time we come back to Utah.

We just returned from our semi-annual trip to Montana with our friends the Lewis’ and the Buchan’s. We spent a week with them in their cabin next to West Yellowstone . We had a great trip but the fishing stunk. I was able to hook a few, but was never able to get them into the boat. That was about all we could complain about as the rest of your time was peaceful and restful. We took in a play at West Yellowstone and went to see Old Faithful . It was not too faithful as it was over a one half hour late. It did give us time to eat our lunch.

This past week we have been out to Myton to do a little clean up on the place and see if we can rent it. I think we have some one who will rent if for a year. Just need to get a contract to him and get the money out of him. .

A rather slow month for the Murrays.
Love,
Jerry (and Marylyn)

Allison's Life

Hello Family!
Just a quick update. I think it was last month that a friend and I were able to attend the temple open house. It was beautiful inside and out! What a great experience to have! I hope everyone who could was able to make it out there!

I was also able to get together with a group of old friends and have dinner with my old bishop and his wife. It was great getting together again! We're planning on having a ward reunion at the end of the month, so I'm looking forward to seeing even more people from my past!


I hope everything is going well for everyone else! Dewey and Beverly are here for a little bit and I was bugging them about posting something on the blog and they said their computer has been down! I hope that is the reason why I haven't heard from lots of my cousins for the blog! :)

Joseph Elison Beck Story

There follows a letter, concerning Joseph Ellison Beck, sent to me by my daughter Sharon. Due to the length of the prayer I’m only going to include a part of it. If anyone would like the full prayer please let me know and I will send it to you. Neil

Dad,Here is the story that I found in a book about pioneer women. I found it under Hannah Forsyth Beck.Joseph Ellison Beck"...He first heard the gospel at a street meeting conducted by Apostle Orson Hyde who was on his way to Palestine to dedicate the land as a gathering place for the Jews. He was impressed by the elder's message and determination to fulfill the mission assigned to him. At the close of the meeting Joseph stepped to the front of the crowd and handed the speaker a wallet containing money and departed without letting his identity be known, only asking to be remembered in the dedicatory prayer on the mount of Olives, which he did."
(The following is a part of the dedicatory prayer mentioning grandfather Beck.)
PRAYER OF ORSON HYDE ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES "O Thou! who art from everlasting to everlasting, eternally and unchangeably the same, even the God who rules in the heavens above, and controls the destinies of men on the earth, wilt Thou not condescend, through thine infinite goodness and royal favor, to listen to the prayer of Thy servant which he this day offers up unto Thee in the name of Thy holy child Jesus, upon this land, where the Son of Righteousness set in blood, and thine Anointed One expired."Be pleased, O Lord, to forgive all the follies, weaknesses, vanities, and sins of Thy servant, and strengthen him to resist all future temptations. Give him prudence and discernment that he may avoid the evil, and a heart to choose the good; give him fortitude to bear up under trying and adverse circumstances, and grace to endure all things for Thy name's sake, until the end shall come, when all the Saints shall rest in peace. ---------------------------------------

"Do Thou also look with favor upon all those through whose liberality I have been enabled to come to this land; and in the day when Thou shalt reward all people according to their works, let these also not be passed by or forgotten, but in time let them be in readiness to enjoy the glory of those mansions which Jesus has gone to prepare. [PARTICULARLY DO THOU BLESS THE STRANGER IN PHILADELPHIA, WHOM I NEVER SAW, BUT WHO SENT ME GOLD, WITH A REQUEST THAT I SHOULD PRAY FORM HIM IN JERUSALEM. NOW, O LORD, LET BLESSINGS COME UPON HIM FROM AND UNEXPECTED QUARTER, AND LET HIS BASKET BE FILLED, AND HIS STOREHOUSE ABOUND WITH PLENTY, AND LET NOT THE GOOD THINGS OF THE EARTH BE HIS ONLY PORTION, BUT LET HIM BE FOUND AMOUNG THOSE TO WHOM IT SHALL BE SAID,'THOU HAST BEEN FAITHFUL OVER A FEW THINGS, AND I WILL MAKE THEE RULER OVER MANY."]"O my Father in heaven! I now ask Thee in the name of Jesus to remember Zion, with all her Stakes, and with all her assemblies. She has been grievously afflicted and smitten; she has mourned; she has wept; her enemies have triumphed, and have said, `Ah, where is thy God?' Her Priests and Prophets have groaned in chains and fetters within the gloomy walls of prisons, while many were slain, and now sleep in the arms of death. How long, O Lord, shall iniquity triumph, and sin go unpunished? ------------------------------------------- And all the glory and honor will we ascribe unto God and the Lamb forever and ever. Amen."

On the top of Mount Olives I erected a pile of stones as a witness according to ancient custom. On what was anciently called Mount Zion, [Moriah?] where the Temple stood, I erected another, and used the rod according to the prediction upon my head. -----------------------
May grace, mercy and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, rest upon you all from this time, henceforth and for ever. Amen. Your brother in Christ, ORSON HYDE
JOSEPH ELLISON BECK - HANNAH FORSYTH MARGRET FRANCENA BECK - RICHARD MURRAY JAMES BECK MURRAY - ATTA ARMELIA ASHBY JAMES WILMER MURRAY - ANNA MARY WINKLER LOVE YOU DAD,SHARON

Where is this?

What are these two items?

Name These People....

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal

Friday, August 8, 1980

I hacked out the big weeds on the road by Davis’. Ardis and Iris had cut the lawn sometime before but these weeds were too big for the mower. I worked a while then laid in the shade to rest. Soon I had them down. It looks better. Dad cut grass in the ditch. I also quilted some during the day and paid the bills. Fred came up to have me tell him about his Insurance papers.
Neil and Ella came. We visited then went to Roosevelt to change their garments for new style ones. Ella bought some for their families. I bought one pair to try. But Dad didn’t want any. We stopped for them to visit Fay at the L & L. While we waited we saw a mounted deformed lamb. It had one head, eight legs, and two hind parts with a tail on each end. The one hind part was right under the head. One lamb seemed perfectly formed with the other in the front. Soon Ella and Neil were gone too. Sorry they missed Jerry and the family.

Monday, August 18, 1980

It is Wilmer’s 77th birthday. I wanted to go to see how his blood is but he didn’t want to go. He didn’t get even a card from me, but I made him a good dinner and a chocolate sheet cake. This is what he wanted. He received a card from Grace and one from Verona. Also made two apple pies and put them in the deep freeze. Dad weeded a while, while I picked currents. I picked a few ears of corn for Kay Dennis and gave her some cucumbers and took some cucumbers to Doris. Velma and Ross called Wilmer and sang happy birthday to him. Then Sara and Claude called him. Ruth just called and wants some corn. We had just settled down to sleep when Darrell called for Dads birthday. Dewey called. It was nice to hear from all of them. I wonder how the Jerry’s are coming.

Story Time From Neil

When we first moved to Myton the property was completely fenced with an inner fence enclosing the area where the house is located. There were three gates, a small one on the south side or in front of the house and two on the north side of the house. One of these two gates on the north was a large double gate opening into the barn and the area north of the house. Then, there was another small gate opening into the area where the house is located. The land to the west is where we kept our live stock. I don’t remember a lawn any where on the property. The first summer we were there it seems that dad tried to grow watermelons on the ground east of the house. Then the following year we decided to plant a lawn. As you well know there is a lot of work that goes into the preparation for a new lawn. First you work the ground to develop a good seed bed. Then after you sow the lawn seed, so as to help maintain the moisture for the seed to germinate, we covered the area with straw. Then you need to keep the planted area wet by frequently watering with the hose until the small grass seed germinates and sends its root down into the soil. Well we had gone through this process and the grass was beginning to show green shoots above the straw cover. Things were going well and our potential lawn was looking nice.

In those days, out of necessity many people kept a few live stock especially a milk cow. We were no different. I don’t remember how many cows we had at that time but I do remember we had old Black. She was a good sized holstein, that filled a fourteen quart bucket at each milking. She had on her head what I would call a perfect set of horns and was a smart old gal.

Before I become the family cow herder we had what I called the town herder. It was a young man by the name of Joe Tanner. Each morning he would start picking up animals in old town and work south picking up people’s cows, who wanted him to herd their cows, as he went. I think our animals were his last pick up before he drove them into the vacant areas south of town to graze.

As it turned out Joe was human and due to neglect of duty or something he let that herd of cows get away from his kind care and keeping. In other words, he lost them. Well old Black took command of the herd and led them, all of them, back to our place, and with her perfect horn she opened the south gate and led that bunch of animals, and there was not just a few, onto our new straw covered wet lawn. I’m sure you have heard of sheep foot rollers; well we had cow foot rollers. There was four cow feet on each animal. It seemed like for years there was these deep hoof tracks all over our new lawn.

From Neil

August 31, 2009

Dear Family

In our family August was a month of highs and lows. We had a sad event take place in Ella’s family that was a downer but yet there were a few bright spots as well. Thank Heavens for that. It is like I used to tell Ella, when I was Bishop and when I returned home from whereever I had been, and she reported to me the things that had happened while I was away, if at least half of the report could be good news or at least positive, we could make it through the challenges that come with the job.
The first of the month Ella’s sister, Vera’s son, Michael and his wife Myrna’s son, took his own life. He left a wife and a young son. I think they had only been married since 2003. It was a very tragic thing. Death is always difficult to deal with but a situation like this is even harder.
The rest of the month went by with us watering and mowing lawns and other related things. The 29th, however, we did step things up a little and make our way to the Myton homestead to do a little clean up. There was a great representation from all of the families. We cut, trimmed, pulled and piled weeds, trees and shrubs. I also cleaned the sprinkler heads that I could find. I was surprised that there were a few heads that I did not find. I guess that means that I will have to make another trip to locate them after Amanda waters and locates the heads for me. I just hope they are still there. After our labor we made our way to the Frontier Café and had dinner. Yes, we even had scones. On the way home Deward had to drive up the Ioka lane to the Revola dugway and then drive through Arcadia. It was a good day. Today, however, I’m feeling some muscles that I guess I have not used for a while.
Sunday, Dewey and Beverly stopped in for a few minutes. They were on their way to Arizona. Jerry and Marylyn came just as they were leaving. So our visit was quite short. Jerry and Marylyn went to church with me. The visit with them was short but it was a quality visit.
I hope everyone is well, Love you

Neil

From Reed

Just a little update from us. Last Friday Nathan graduated from BYU in Chemical Engineering. Saturday morning Nathan and Nicole packed up and left for Penn State where he will be studying Nuclear Engineering. We are happy for their new adventures but is does seem a little unfair since they are expecting our first grandchild in December. Kerry has already figured out the flight plans and travel arrangements.

Reed

Pics From Jerry's Birthday Weekend!

Newest Grand-dog

I adopted a a dog and her name is Nikki. She's a pretty calm dog, I actually walk faster than her when we go out!

Love,

Jennifer

Hello From California Murrays

Happy July birthday to LaVora, Neil and Jerry! Neil's family and friends surely celebrated him in style. Wow! Can't wait to hear all the particulars. I think that LaVora went to Chicago and then had a nice quiet day home on her birthday...anyway, that's what she wanted. I don't know if she actually got it. As for Jerry, who celebrated his 70th...I know...I know...He doesn't look his age and he is married to an older woman! The Jerry Murray clan gathered for the BIG occasion. Lisa, Kyra and Austin came in on the 21st; Allison arrived on the 23rd and everyone else lives around here. Friday was the REAL start to the birthday celebration when we walked across the Golden Gate Bridge. Remember how we did that for the Murray Reunion that was held at our house? We had a little picnic in Jenn's backyard afterwards. That night we had a spaghetti dinner. Saturday, we all went to a huge park with a small lake in Santa Rosa for a picnic, paddle boats and a super playground for the grandkids. Sunday, after church, Lyle and Jean BBQ'd chicken and steak and vegetbles to add to other sidedishes for a delicious meal. The Lewis', Buchans and Martins also came to help Jerry celebrate. Monday, Jerry and I took Kyra and Austin out to the beach and then we all met for a taco salad dinner that evening. Tuesday, Lisa took us out to our favorite Chinese food restaurant for lunch before we made our run to the airport to send them all home. Jerry was a good sport about the whole weekend...Our other big news is that Jenn adopted a dog. The motherly instinct is coming out in her as we watch her try to teach and train Nikki. We are headed to Utah to spend September and October at the end of this month. We can't wait to see those mountains full of glorious fall colors and to "bug" Allison.It will soon be back-to-school for all the youngins, so we hope you all enjoyed your summer vacation!Thank you to Travis for getting the 2010 Murray Reunion going. We hope to see a good turnout.
Love,Aunt Marylyn and Uncle Jerry

Story Time From Neil

August 1, 2009

Another story about cars: I was just wondering, how many miles do you get on a set of tires? I recall in the 1950s, on my blue Buick I could expect about 1200 miles. Then going back a few more years I think they measured it in miles per tire. I remember this one day when we were on our way to visit our grandparents in Altonah that we had had several flat tires and dad had gone through the procedure of removing the tire from the car and making the necessary repairs on the tire putting the tire back on the car and driving on. I’m not quite sure where we were when as dad was fixing the tire for the umpteenth time he said one more flat and we are going to turn around and go home. I think we were just north of Upalco when we had that last flat. Dad fixed the tire and then true to his words we turned around and went home. The interesting thing was that we did not have another flat tire between there and home.

Dear Family

July 27, 2009


It was so good to see Allison and Lisa and the children at my birthday open house. I must say it was quite a surprise. I was sorry that the time together had to be so short. Thanks so much for coming. I also, want to thank all who sent me cards or letters for my Birthday. It was great to hear from you and to know that you are doing well. This last three week has really been interesting. I think the children have filled everyone in on most everything that has happened, that is about the red convertible and the open house.
You see, for years I have told the children that when I got rich I was going to have my self a Red Convertible. Well July 8 the children had a dinner for the family in my honor and when they came to get me Reed came with a Red Convertible. We drove to the UVU union building with the top down. The meal and company was wonderful. I think the children had fun. Then there was the Open House on the 18th . The people who come were such great friends and relatives. I really appreciated their effort.
Another thing that happened to me that they did not tell about was our President and Sister Cook’s home coming. To help this story make since I will give just a little background information. For all most nine years I was President Cook’s Executive Secretary. As you know when your work that close and long with some one there is a special love that is formed between each other. Then following President Cook I was President Jensen’s Executive Secretary for about three years or up until the time that I hurt my self and had to be released. Anyhow on a Tuesday evening I was at the Stake Center to have my recommend renewed and as I was sitting there waiting my turn President Jensen walked by me and as he did he leaned over and said “I will pick you up Sunday morning at 9:00 and take you with me to sacrament meeting at the second ward”. So Sunday morning he did pick my up and took me to the second ward. I had expected to sit in the audience but he took me with him to the stand. There I got a hug from President Cook and a hug from Sister Cook and then got to listen to them report their mission. To be able to share the stand with the three of them, for me was a neat but humbling experience. They had served in Argentina for three years where President Cook was mission President.
Deward, Reed and I were in the basin last Thursday to do some work at the Myton house. We changed the locks on the doors and went to Roosevelt for lunch at the Frontier. Deward and Reed had scons. While at Roosevelt we stopped in to see Ella’s Sister, June and Brother, Fay. June is recovering from an operation she had for cancer. She had also just had some skin cancers removed from her arm. It seems like when it rains it pours. Her husband, Kenneth, is looking after her welfare. Ken can now say that he is the Chief Cook and dish washer.

Love, Uncle Neil

Guessing Games From Neil

What is in this picture?

What is this?

From Anna and Wilmer Murray’s Journal

Saturday, July 26, 1980

Today is Neil’s 51st birthday. We intended on calling him but when we call too early he is out jogging. So we went to weed and also pulled some rhubarb. We were gong to call after breakfast but we were just eating when he called to tell us he loved us. So sweet of him. He is a son to be proud of. Tomorrow will be LaVora’s and Jerry’s birthdays. Fred Todd called to see if we were going to Roosevelt. He wants to pick up his new glasses. ……. I mowed the lawn until dark,

Sunday, July 27, 1980

I put the roast on to cook (Lamb). We had a good meeting. After Relief Society and Priest Hood meetings Clark Roberts had an Organ Recital. The fellow who sold it (The Organ) to the Ward came to demonstrate what it could do. Dad stayed out in the foyer. I had to wonder what he was doing. …. The music was beautiful. The first piece he played was Come, Come Ye Saints and then Danny boy. ….. I was afraid Dad would try to walk home, so I left, reluctantly. Dad had decided that is what he was going to do. … We had our lunch then a god nap. We tried to get LaVora on the phone but no answer. We tried again. This time the line was busy. Finally we found Travis. LaVora and John were in Chicago with Shawna. So we called there. They had just left. So we chatted with Shawna. We went down and got Fred to come have gooseberry pie with us. We chatted. Then Ruth called. LaVora and Travis called and wanted to know who we were talking to for so long. We had a nice visit with LaVora. We went out to see if the corn I planted last Monday was up. Checked the cucumbers and found several small ones and one just right to slice. So we had a lamb sandwich with cucumbers and tomatoes.

Monday, July 28, 1980

We tried to call Jerry but no one answered. So we called LaVora to see if she got him yesterday. She did. They left this morning. We really made a haul in the cucumbers on the weeds. Dad took our 3 baskets full and I got 3 buckets full. …

Saturday, August 2, 1980

Jerry called this morning and said he would be out on the bus this evening. I called JoAnn for her birthday (yesterday) they will be out at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow. I cleaned the front and dinning room. Neil called and said they couldn’t leave before 1:00 p.m. I went out to tell Dad about Jerry’s call and started weeding. I had picked the strawberries before. We made quite a haul. …….

From Charlene

We have been discussing as a family (the Neil's) modes of transportation to
Nauvoo next summer. Is there anyone from the West who would consider
chartering a bus with us? Some of us will be flying to St. Louis and then meeting
up with the bus...provided there is one. Other ideas we have kicked around
are renting RVs or going on the train. There are pros and cons to each
option. Please let us know of your great ideas for getting to Nauvoo.
Thanks!
Charlene

Check out that car!

We had a wonderful time at our family dinner celebration. Look what Dad arrived in!
Too bad we had to take it back!
Thanks for all of your contributions to make Dad's 80th Birthday great.
Love,
Charlene

Greetings to the Murray Family!

I hope this finds everyone well.

It is time to start making plans for the 2010 Murray Reunion!

I have made a request for the facility Camp Nauvoo during the week of August 2, 2010 for three consecutive nights.

Camp Nauvoo is run by the Community of Christ. (Previously called the RLDS Church.)
We will have exclusive use of the camp.
There is a lodge with a fully equipped kitchen, shower facilities, cabins and RV hook-ups.
You can check out the place by visiting their website: www.campnauvoo.org
There is lots of room so the place will accommodate everyone.

The camp will let me know the exact dates after the church has requested their dates for that week.
If some plan to come the entire week, they can visit some of the other church history sites in the area.

I need to get an idea of those who are interested in attending.

The Tucker clan will definitely be there!

Please let me know your thoughts!

Love,
Travis

Myton Dedicates New City Building

Myton Dedicates New City Building
Uinta Basin Standard 6/30/09

The annual Myton Daze celebration held over the weekend featured a special event this year: the dedication of the municipality's new city hall. “Our new city hall for me is just a wonderful addition to our town and the progress that our town is making,” said Mayor Kathleen Cooper. Cooper’s roots run deep in the city – her great grandfather Calvert was the first president of the town and her mother served as mayor for 17 years. So Cooper made sure to incorporate some of the town’s history into the structure of the new building. Over 100 years ago the town’s original name was The Bridge, after a bridge the U.S Cavalry built across the Duchesne River. When there were too many bridges in Utah to distinguish the town it was renamed Myton after postmaster H.P. Myton. “This is a representation of the old first bridge,” Cooper said, pointing out the wooden trellis that spans the front of the city building. “The architecture was made to look like an old river bottom and how it would flow through the rocks.” Cooper worked closely with Salt Lake architect Vern Lloyd and Epic Engineering in Vernal to ensure a depiction of the old bridge was incorporated into the structure. “I can’t believe that Myton could have such a great building,” said Cooper's father, Bud Cooper, who is also curator of the Myton Memories Museum. “That was the only bridge across the Duchesne River so that had to be built into the new building to mark the history of the bridge and Myton,” he added. “It’s a credit to our community.” Mayor Cooper also included two bricks in the city hall sign made in the Myton brick foundries back in 1915. “Myton has such a great history and this is really just a continuation of the involvement that they’ve had in the Basin,” said Rep. Kraig Powell, R-Heber City. “I think this will actually be a type of revitalization for Myton to be able to continue to be the participants that they’ve been all throughout Basin life.” The ribbon-cutting for the building included opening remarks by Cooper – the incumbent mayor for almost eight years – and a dedicatory prayer by LDS Bishop DeNile McKenna. Larry Cesspooch, a member of the Ute Indian Tribe and a spiritual leader, performed a blessing of the building earlier in the day. “Our community is very diverse,” Cooper said. “We have a population of Native American people and it's very important in their lives that buildings get blessed. A Mormon bishop blessed the building as well. I just wanted to make sure all cultures were covered as far as our building being blessed and received as part of our community.” People outside Myton are taking notice of the tiny town as well. “It’s very exciting to see Myton get something new,” said Roosevelt resident Anna Beath. “I think Myton is making great strides. They have done so many new things here lately to bring Myton into the new century. It’s just amazing.” The new city building was made possible, in part, by the state Permanent Community Impact Board through a 50/50 grant-loan package. Cooper said Myton will repay half of the $900,000 it received from the CIB for the project. “So we got this building that we only have to pay $450,000 for,” she said. “We also have a renter here with the housing authority that will be paying a little rent so that will help us some on our payments.” The new building is Energy Star compliant and many of the materials used were recycled or natural products like the bamboo dance floor in the spacious great room. Rental of the space – which is available to the general public for meetings, weddings, banquets, and other activities – will also help cover the cost of the monthly payment. The facility also consists of office space for Cooper and her staff, a storage area, a kitchen, handicap accessible restrooms, a city council room, a shared office for sheriff's deputies and victim advocates, the housing authority office, and a library which has a nine-station computer center. “My dream is that we’ll have sort of a regional history center here like they do over in Vernal,” Cooper said. “I don’t really foresee that Duchesne County will have enough money to fund us as a library, but we’ll put our books in here, do more grant writing, get newspapers digitized, and get some oral history grants and have people do oral histories. “Our community is small,” Cooper added. “Now our citizens will have something beautiful to look at, right next to the beautiful church. We've got new roads and a new fire station. I know our people will be proud to be from Myton.”

From Reed

Neil's Birthday!

We are celebrating Dad's 80th birthday with an Open House on Saturday, July 18th.
The Open House will be from 3:00 to 5:00 at the church house where he served as Bishop.
225 East 200 North, Orem.
If you have memories or stories you would like to share, please let us know!
They can be sent to me, Deward, Sharon or Reed.
Thank you for you help!
Love,
Charlene

The Jerry's

Marylyn said it was my turn to write something for the Murray family blog so it will not be as news or interesting as if Marylyn was to do the writing. Things have been rather slow for the past month. As Marylyn is not up to doing much as she is still recovering from her operation. Therefore we just hang around the house. I am still working on the yard and trying to get rid of all the junk we have collected over the years. I make sure all the garbage cans are full each week and take advantage of the city clean up days. I have got rid of a washer dryer combo, a fridge and a few other odds and ends. We spent the 4th of July week end in Petaluma. In fact we got in a little trouble with the police on night of July 3rd. Kevin and Susannah came over for dinner and after dinner we went down to the church to set off the fire works that Kevin had purchased. Turns out he is really in to the 4th and fireworks. Just as we were setting off the last of his fireworks a police car showed up. They got out and watch the last one with us. They then proceeded to tell us that the only day we could set off the fireworks was on July 4th. They were nice and only giving us a verbal warning. We spent the 4th evening at Lyle's place setting off his fireworks and eating a great meal. He live in a great location to see the city fireworks, so we sat out in the cold weather and watched what the City of Petaluma had to display this year. They did a great job and Lyle's kids thought it was great. Hope the rest of the Murrays and relative had a great 4th of July.

The Jodi Page Family