Hyrum Second/Fourth Ward Friends Growing Up

I grew up in Hyrum, Utah.  I lived in the second ward, which was later divided to the second and fourth wards.  I lived there from second to fourth grades, and then 7th grade until I left on my mission.  I would hang with a group of friends from our ward.  Our relationships were closer in Junior High School.  we would sit on the heater on cold days by the back door, we would sit on a stairwell by the library and tell jokes, read Charlie Brown comics and make finger elephants.  We would also stay after in the seminary room as David's dad was a teacher.  We would play ping pong or tennis.  David's dad would sometimes give us a ride.  Other times we would walk home together.  One of those times we came upon an elderly woman who had fallen and broken her hip.  We were able to contact an ambulance and stayed with her until it showed up.  (This was before cell phones.)

David Keeley married Joyce Ballard and became a seminary teacher.  During high school he had a job at a diary and as a result was the only one with his own car, an old mustang.  David and Joyce are currently on a mission, showing church history sites including Palmyra.

James Salvesen had many brothers.  Then lived at the mouth of Black Smith Fork Canyon.  They had a cement pad where we played basketball for a couple activities.  James had younger brothers Ronald and Doug who were also in young mens with us.  James married Carma Nelsen but later divorced.

Mike Albrechtsen lived on main street, not far from Canyon Corner.

Randy Allen also lived on main street, and about 600 east.  He used to play the piano and could play fur elise.  He also played trombone in the band.  Randy wrote this back to me, "We have been living in West Jordan for over 40 years and like it here very much. I retired last April and Diane and I are having a great time traveling as much as possible."

Neil Frank is very good at art.  He mostly drew animals.

Terril Morgan lives in the Ogden area.  He sent me a wedding announcement saying he was marrying Kim Marie Sears.  He also was very good at art.

Vance Douglas has passed away.  He was hit by a car.

Mark Applegarth ran hurdles at the high school.  Mark married the daughter of Gary and Dixie Clawson.

Brad Thomas last I heard is a physical therapist in Logan.  He played on the basketball team in high school.

Kent Nate I am not sure where he lives but his son was in our ward for a time in Manteca California.  He and Brad were a year younger than me.  Kent played football in high school.

Randy Wood lived at Hardware Ranch.

Russel Egbert, a grade younger than me but we both did our missionary farewell together.  I am not sure where he went.

Wedding Announcements Received

Terril Morgan and Kim Marie Sears, Nov. 5, 1977.

Ray Ormond and Susan Allen  August 12, 1981, SLC Temple

Todd Nielsen: Childhood Friend

Todd was a good friend when we first moved to Hyrum.  I was in the second grade, and Todd was a grade older.  Our home had a smaller plot of land, but his was the center of a farm.  He had a nice swing set, a great sand box, and a tremendous climbing tree, as well as an orchard where the cows also grazed.  Most of my time, during my first few years in Hyrum, was at Todd's playing in the dirt.  We made great communities with tunnels and bridges.  It was great fun.  It is still the basis of my sand play at the beech; the tunnels we made.  Todd was always careful to not make the grade too steep.  We also enjoyed climbing his big tree.  It was an oak out by the barn, and we climbed very high.  One time my younger brother followed us.  We were sliding down through the branches to get out of the tree, what Todd called the back exit.  My brother followed, but was too light to bend the branches far enough for a safe landing.  He broke his arm.
The swing set had a really nice glider.  We use to slip off the back of the glider after we got it going good.  I must have slid to early one time, because I ended up underneath and it caught me in the head.  One of the times I cracked my skull open.
I us to play in their house at times as well.  This usually involved playing a game.  I remember we played Life frequently.
The Neilsen home was also the place for night games.  We would play kick-the-can or freeze tag or hide and seek.  I also remember collecting bugs from the flowers they had to the side of their house.
We lived kitty corner from the Neiesen's.  We lived there for my second through fourth grades, and then moved away for a couple years, and then moved back.  After moving back, Todd and I didn't play quite as much.  I mostly hung with the boys my age.  Todd's father, Reece, was the mayor for a time. At one point they divided the ward down the street between our homes.   However the broken arm incident was after we moved back.  My mom thought I should have done better with Charlie in light of my being a Boy Scout because I didn't even realize he had broken his arm.