My Father's Suicide Note and Attempt

Dearest Bill,  Bill, I admonish you to be everything you have the potential of being.  There could be no greater aspiration for a son.  Help you mother, she will rely on you greatly.  You will continue schooling, of course.  Help Weldon in doing the same, and Charles too.  I am sorry for the shame I have brought the family.  Please forgive me.  Love, Dad.

When I was a Freshman at Utah State, my father took a job at Brigham Young University.  He had his own apartment there.  However, it was discovered that he had stolen books from the Special Collections at the library he had worked at previous to this, Utah State University.  There was an intense investigation, and police were at our house going through my father's personal collection of books.  Apparently they found a book that matched those they were looking for.
My father, when all this came out, was very distraught.  It is stressful to be the subject of a police investigation.  He decided to take his own life.  He wrote every one a suicide note.  The one he directed to me is above.  He planned on walking in the mountains behind BYU and throwing himself off a cliff.  In the end he couldn't do it.  However, he did cut his wrists very badly, causing some permanent nerve damage.  Weldon, who was just home off his mission, went down to Provo to see if he could intervene with Dad.  Apparently he found him all bloody walking back down the hill.
During this time I was attending college, and sitting by a couple nice looking girls in class, trying to get to know them.  There was a story in the Utah Statesman about my father, and his seeking to be reemployed at Utah State.  (He was fired at BYU because you cannot commit a crime and work there.  He probably would have gotten the job too, except for the Statesman reporter you broke the story and caused some embarrassment for the library.)  Anyway these girls were talking about Dad and how foolish he was thinking he could get a job after stealing books.  I didn't tell them he was my father, but I never tried to be their friend after that either. 

Special Olympics: Roosevelt, Utah 1983

In 1983 I found myself in Roosevelt, Utah doing a field placement at Utah State Social Services.  In addition to completing my field placement, I would also complete a research project on rural social work.  It would be an incredible time.  During this time I would fall out of love with a girl, and into love with Sheri, my wife of 31 years.  I would participate in a musical, Men of La Mancha.  I would also work with Rose Miller.  Rose was involved in the community, and one of the things she did was the local chairperson for Special Olympics.  One of my work assignments was to rewrite the procedural book for the local Special Olympics.  When the Special Olympics event was actually held I worked as a volunteer.  Rose Miller was able to get Pace Mannion to come and be the master of ceremonies.  This was after his Senior year of basketball at the University of Utah.  Special Olympics was very impressive with all the hugs that each of the athletes was given at the end of every event.  It was a different experience.

Hyrum Invitational Llittle League Tournament 1979

In 1979, at the end of the year, Hyrum sponsored a little league tournament.  I think this is the only year Hyrum sponsored a tournament.  We actually sponsored two tournaments, one for 11-12 year olds, and another for 9 and 10 year olds.  Both tournies where double elimination.  It went without a hitch, until we got rain on Saturday for the  championship game of the 9-10 year old age, and we had to come back on Monday and finish it up.  The other thing is Hyrum had two teams in both leagues.  The Hyrum teams represented the Blacksmith Fork league which included Wellsville, Paradise, Hyrum and Nibley.  Kamran Preece pitched for the Hyrum team two.  Rod Stuart and Devin Fackrell for team one.  Team one took the championship without losing. 

Malad Tournament:

This is the last year of the Wardles running and coaching Hyrum Baseball.  Weldon had graduated from College and moved on.  I coached this year but would be involved with school the next year doing field placement, and then move on to graduate school. 
This year we sponsored a four city league, and called ourselves Blacksmith Fork Little League (We were no affiliated with the national organization but used the term Little League to represent an age group.)  From this group we selected an all star team which represented us at the Malad Tournament.  As you can see from the the tournament schedule we won two games and lost two games, not quite making it to the third place game.  We had some good players.  Terral Baldwin from Wellsville was our catcher.  Rod Stuart and Steven Banks right handed pitchers, and Devin Fackrell left-handed pitcher. Steven developed arm problems, and I'm not sure if he actually pitched at Malad.  Dennis Gittens also helped pitch and provide power at the plate.  Ryan Brown was an infielder.

Stevens Creek Ward: Snow Trip

I am not sure what year, but probably 2001 based on Caleb's appearance (age 6)

Caleb and Charity

Miranda on the end

Caleb and Brother Garn

RandieJane

Dave Danielson, Randie and Caleb in a chain

Mark

Caleb and Erin Hammond

Jeremy on the right

Jeremy and Brother Garn

Trevor Criddle, Brother Garn, Adam Roberts, Mark, Natalia, Stephanie Criddle, and ???

Natalia, Trevor, Sister Criddle, Mark, Syephanie, ???

Jeremy catches the Frisbee in front of Brother Garn

Caleb

Jean Juong and Natalia

Trevor, Brother Garn, Adam Roberts, ???, Jeremy Struk, Natalia, ???, Stephanie

Mark and Jeremy wrestling

Mark and

Miranda

Bishop Peterson, Sheri and Miranda

Caleb

Miranda

Caleb and Charity

Caleb

Mother's Day Book

One of my siblings created a Mother's day book which I rather enjoyed. If they recognize it as theirs I can get it back to them.  My mother has kept it all these years. 

St. Louis Cardinals Baseball: 1968

This is the scorecard for St Louis Cardinal Baseball.  I went an saw them twice growing up.  They lost both times.  However the team was very good as the won the World Series and 1967, and were national League champs in 1968.  This game they lost 1-0 to the Chicago Cubs with Ferguson Jenkins pitching for the Cubs.  The other game I saw they lost to the Giants 2-1 with Bob Gibson pitching for the Cardinals, and Willie Mays hitting a home run for the Giants.