CHAPTER 22
Biographical Profiles of Mary Kay’s Siblings
Chapter Index
Background
- Move from Ogden to Willits; life-changing event
- After seven years – sawmill business sold – move to Willits
- After seven years in Willits – move to Connell Washington
- Effect of the move on the children - and Phyllis
- Patsy’s mother died when she was three – Phyllis, the only mother she knew
- Ten-year-old Patsy and 5-yer-old Mary Kay took the bus to California – alone
- Patsy, age-16 meets future husband Bennett Anderson – marry four years later
- Patsy and Bennett’s children
- Patsy and Bennett’s residences
- (much more to come)
- Bruce’s birth
- Faithful to the Lord – but his high school sweetheart’s dad disagreed
- Choices that changed Bruce’s course through life
- Bruce joins the Army – both a good and bad experience; the bad, devastating
- Bruce is discharged from the Army and returns home
- Bruce, his marriage and children
- (more to come?)
- Anne left Connell to attend school at BYU Provo
- Anne and Bill Ellis marry
- Anne and Bill’s children
- (Much more to come)
- Rodney’s birth – family moves from Ogden to Willits
- From Willits to Connell – Rod’s third move in 13 years
- Rod is hit with ricocheting buckshot – potentially deadly accident
- Rod and a classmate provided half-time entertainment at basketball games
- Rod and his mother go to college
- Rod leaves on a two-year Church mission
- “I felt the spirit of the Lord every time you came into my home.”
- Rod begins school at Weber State – (__, 1967 – events between mission and Weber?)
- Rod and Penny’s courtship – (stories to come)
- Rod and Penny are married in the _______ Temple (stories?)
- Rod graduates from Weber State - construction - Gregory and Jeffery born
- Raft River, Idaho – Farming with Bennett Anderson
- Riverdale, Utah – Rod returns to building houses – Katie and Julie are born
- Move to Dietrich, Idaho - business opportunity with cousin
- Rod’s parents join Rod and Penny in Dietrich
- Stanley and Bradley are born
- Economic recession of 1981-82 – double digit mortgage interest - housing collapsed
- Family moves 540 miles east to Craig, Colorado
- Life in Craig – a good experience
- Period of personal growth – friends at Church and in the workplace
- Tragedy – Greg has cancer – terminal
- The other children marry
- Rod and Penny return to Utah – Church mission and Temple
Background
Move from Ogden to Willits; life-changing event - The William I Southwick and Sons partnership bought 20 acres of land surrounded by federal forests ten miles north of Willits, California, just off U.S. Highway 101 in 1947.
WWII ended two years earlier, millions of soldiers were returning home, starting families and buying new houses; the demand for lumber was huge.
Merchantable timber on federal forestland east of Ogden was being depleted; forcing longer hauls to bring logs to the mill; they needed new territory. Southwick’s plan was to move their sawmill from Ogden (800-miles), set it up on the new site near Willits, build housing for the families and sell sawn lumber on the open market.
A one-room home and a few outbuildings were on the property. A beautiful clear-water stream which they could dam-up for a log pond ran through the parcel. Ralph and Phyllis moved into the home; the brothers either built on the property or bought a home in a nearby town and commuted – grandpa and grandma built a house on the site.
The remote location was idyllic for the children. The Southwick children grew-up with brother, sisters and cousins as best friends. Fishing, hunting, hiking and exploring the wooded mountains that surrounding their homes was their recreation. (See Chapter 1, Mary Kay).
Commentary – Willits is 35-miles inland from the Pacific Ocean (from Fort Bragg). Its elevation is 1,400 ft., annual precipitation, 51-inches.
After seven years – sawmill business sold – move to Willits – Mary Kay wrote, “The sawmill business’s first year was hard, the second, somewhat improved, but still the income was inadequate to sustain seven growing families and grandpa and grandma.” Grandpa and grandma went to Utah, Verlon moved to Dietrich, Idaho where Dale was living (Dale was a professional rodeo cowboy competing for prize money in the rodeo circuit). Raymond went to Othello. Washington.
Lee, Harold and Ralph purchased the Borden’s Dairy retail franchise in Willits and moved into town in 1955. Ralph drove one of the open-door home-delivery trucks - early morning delivery. Mary Kay said she often got to to ride with him.
After seven years in Willits – move to Connell Washington – It became apparent that the Borden’s Dairy operation could not support three growing families. One family would have to go.
Raymond and Ruby, who were living in Othello, Washington, called Ralph and Phyllis in1960, with a business prospect (Phyllis and Ruby are sisters).
Confined animal feedlot operators and horse racing stables almost exclusively used pelletized alfalfa hay. The two families would pool their money; buy pelletizing equipment, purchase baled hay from nearby farmers, pelletize it and ship it to their customers for a handsome profit.
Raymond proposed that the two families sell their existing homes, buy two adjoining residential building lots on the edge of Connell (24-miles southeast of Othello) and help each other build two attractive chiseled-façade, colored cinder-brick homes (both men were experienced in residential home construction – part of their business when they lived in Ogden).
Connell’s geography and geology; fauna and flora are dramatically different from Willits. Connell’s agricultural based economy; large-acreage farms; open fields of principally grain and hay, stood in stark contrast to the forests that surrounded Willits.
Ralph and Phillis considered their options and agreed to Raymond and Ruby’s proposal. They sold their home and interest in the dairy - moved 760 miles north to Connell - in the summer of 1960.
Effect of the move on the children - and Phyllis - Mary Kay was 17, starting her senior year in high school; Anne was 15 and Rod 13. Patsy and Bruce had already left home; Patsy married Bennett Anderson - living on a farm near Ogden; Bruce enlisted in the Army. Mary Kay wanted to stay in Willits her senior year and live with extended family – request denied.
Phyllis had a plan – life-long ambition and retirement insurance for her and Ralph. Phyllis would go to school at Washington State University in Pullman, 80 miles east of Connell - to become an elementary school teacher. Phyllis would be a part-time mom; staying in Pullman during the week, often home on weekends. Mary Kay, the eldest child at home, was to take the lead as homemaker while Phyllis was away. Aunt Ruby lived next door - help and advice.
The children’s educational environment changed significantly. The high school student body was a third the size of Willits. The senior class had 31 students.
Anne and Rod’s high school experience in Connell was good – they had time to participate in school activities and develop new friends. Rod’s non-school experiences continued to be outdoors; hunting upland game birds and fishing with his dad, uncle and cousins.
Mary Kay said her senior year was a disappointment. Her new classmates and leaders had already planned the extracurricular activities for the year; they had to make room for Mary Kay; she didn’t fully fit-in.
However, Mary Kay said her high school experience had a profoundly good result. It provided impetus for her to work and save for a college at Weber State and find her eternal companion.
Patsy Ruth (1937-present)
Patsy’s mother died when she was three – Phyllis was the only mother she knew - Pasty was born May 1, 1937 in Ogden. Her mother, Erma Sophia Shupe died suddenly from Spinal Meningitis on November 27, 1940. Patsy’s father, Ralph Southwick, was 30-years-old when he married 23-year-old Phyllis Rebecca Dickerson on November 5, 1941.
Ten-year-old Patsy and 5-yer-old Mary Kay rook the bus to California - alone – When Ralph and Phyllis moved their household goods to Willits in 1948. There was no room on the truck carrying the family household goods for all the children. Ralph put 10-year-old Patsy and 5-year-old Mary Kay on the bus to San Francisco – safe, but scary for little girls. (See Chapter 1, Mary Kay and Chapter 21).
Patsy, age-16 meets future husband Bennett Anderson – marry four years later – Patsy, living in Willits, was visiting grandparents Utah when she met Bennett. The attraction was there but certain events had to happen first; Patsy had to graduate from Willits High School. Bennett had proposed and they were engaged to marry in 1955 – but something happened; Bennett was called on a two-year Church mission. The faithful couple communicated through the mail until Bennett returned home. Patsy Ruth Southwick married Alvin Bennett Anderson on May 27, 1957.
Patsy and Bennett’s children – Four children; Ralph Bennett (February 22, 1958); Becky Ruth (November 16, 1959); Kyle D. April 30, 1964 and Jillyn June 14, 1971 (spouses, children, dates and stories to come.).
Patsy and Bennett’s residences – Kansville (? Town not on map - dates), Utah - Raft River, Idaho - Carlin, Nevada – Jerome, Idaho (dairy farm operator) - Jerome (renting home from Kyle) – Jerome (renting home and ranchette from Mary Kay and Harold) - West Haven, Utah. (name confirmation, dates and stories for each location to come).
Ralph Bruce (1938-2017)
Bruce’s birth - Bruce was born December 28, 1938 in Ogden, Utah was the second child of his father Ralph Southwick and his mother, Erma Sophia Shupe. Erma died when Bruce was 23 months old. His father’s second wife, Phyllis Rebecca Dickerson was the only mother he ever knew.
Faithful to the Lord – but his high school sweetheart’s dad disagreed - In the opinion of Bruce’s siblings, he has lived a life of dramatic opposites. Through his high school years in Willits, he was close to his family and lived a life of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He graduated from the Church’s Primary organization and was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood. Bruce was a fast runner and was recognized as a record-holder in football and certain track events. California colleges offered athletic scholarships to him.
His future looked bright, however he was deeply in love with a beautiful girl at high school named Gale – and she with him. However, Gale’s parents were members of a fundamentalist Christian religion that apparently published or promoted outrageously false, wicked, cunning and libelous books and literature against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Bruce told his family that Gale’s parents accepted these books as fact, ergo they hated “Mormons.” They told Gale to stop seeing Bruce – she complied. Bruce’s life seemed to turn upside down.
Choices that adversely changed Bruce’s life – With the rejection of Gale and her parents, Bruce allowed his emotions to rule his thinking. He apparently wanted to run away from the problem – and no one could dissuade him.
His family observed another disturbing thing about Bruce’s thinking. In a way, Bruce accepted Gale’s parent’s ridiculous assertions that he was not Christian – leading him to essentially blame the Church and his family - for the loss of Gale.
He turned his back on his many opportunities for college and a successful life. Things that were once important to him; athletics, college education and developing leadership shills took a back seat. The only people with whom he confided and trusted were his peers – young people who were no wiser than himself. His primary confidant was his classmate cousin. They would enlist in the Army.
Bruce joins the Army – good and bad experiences - the bad, devastating - The military experience was both good and bad for Bruce. On the positive side, he learned valuable skills working with equipment and even excelled in his performance – so much so that his military officers saw his leadership qualities and offered to send Bruce to Officer Training School. Bruce refused the invitation.
Bruce continued to make choices with his leave time off-base with his buddies, e.g., bar-hopping, carousing and becoming a heavy consumer of alcohol – a life style that was incompatible with what his parents had taught him. The drinking became an addiction.
Bruce is discharged from the Army and returns home - When Bruce was discharged from the military, he returned home but appeared embarrassed and uncomfortable around his family. They encouraged him to go to college. He attended BYU – Provo for a brief period but then dropped out. He returned to his hometown of Willits. There he met and married his sweetheart Audrey. He found employment as a machinist with Remco Hydraulics, Inc. where he spent the rest of his working career.
However, he frequented the bars. Bartenders in at least one bar give Bruce free drinks because he brought his drinking buddies with him. Bruce seemed to disregard the negative effects of his use of mind-altering substances and their devastating adverse effect on his family relationships, economic wellbeing and character.
Commentary – His daughter, Vicki Lane wrote in his obituary, “Bruce had a rough life and it seemed to continue until the day he passed away. He dealt with life in a way that many of us would not even consider doing; but we all have our ways of coping. He did love us as we did him, even though showing it was hard for him. I heard my love when he would say, "Hi Vic" with a big smile which I will never forget.”
Bruce’s parents and siblings consistently and repeatedly encouraged him to return to the principles he followed as a youth. Outwardly, he has not done so. However, Bruce’s family sought to stay close to him and provide encouragement and good example whenever possible.
Bruce is a good man with a marvelous heritage. His Father-in-Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ loves him. Even though the last chapter of his mortal life is written; he lives in the world of spirits – there is still opportunity. (Appendix 1).
Bruce, his marriage and children - He married Audrey Beneita Leard on May 21, 1966 in Provo, Utah. They have two children; Suzette Michelle (October 18, 1967) and Chase Bruce (October 21, 1970 – Chase died ____. Both children were born in Willits. At the time of his death, Bruce lived in an assisted living home in Ukiah. His body was buried in the Willits Cemetery.
Anne Elizabeth
Anne left Connell to attend school at BYU Provo - Anne was born July 4, 1945 in Ogden, two and a half years after Mary Kay. She graduated from Connell High School in 1962. Enrolled at BYU-Provo.
Anne and Bill Ellis marry - While she was attending Brigham Young University, she met Willard Holmes Ellis. They were married on September 1, 1965 at the Salt Lake City Temple.
Anne and Bill’s children - They have six children: Willard Southwick (July 4, 1966); John Gregory Southwick (February 2, 1968), Grant Southwick (May 21, 1970), Nathan Eldon Southwick (December 31, 1973) Rosemary Anne (July 27, 1977) and Samuel Eldridge Southwick (August 14, 1986).
(To Come - Anne to provide information of her life before meeting Bill – Each location they lived - including the dates and description of important events – Church and community - birth and marriages of their children; dates, key events – character-shaping experiences.)
Rodney D
Rodney was born in Utah and grew-up in California and Washington. He and his sweetheart, Penny, raised their family in Utah, Idaho and Colorado and now reside in Utah.
Rodney’s birth – family moves from Ogden to Willits - Rodney was born on November 11, 1946 in Ogden. He was a baby when his family moved their sawmill business to Willits.
Rod was nine-years old when his family sold their sawmill business and moved into the city
From Willits to Connell – Rod’s third move in 13 years – Rod’s parents moved to Connell, Washington for business reasons in 1960. Rod would
thirteen when his family moved from Willits to Connell.
Rod is hit with ricocheting buckshot – potentially deadly accident - Rod was pheasant-hunting with his father, uncle and cousins when he was hit by buckshot. Rod made the mistake of placing his loaded shotgun in the back of the pickup truck he was riding. When he jumped into the bed of the pickup, he accidently jarred the gun and it discharged – hitting the metal of the truck on an angle, thus causing the buckshot to ricochet - Rod was hit on the left side of his body by buckshot. While he soon recovered, the surgeon did not search for all of the buckshot for fear his procedures would sever nerves and cause further injury. Rod still has buckshot buried in the flesh of his left arm and face.
Rod and a classmate provided half-time entertainment at basketball games - Rod enjoyed gymnastics. At Connell High School’s home basketball games, Rod and a companion carried a trampoline onto the center court at halftime to entertain the crowd with their stunt performances.
Rod and his mother go to college - A year following graduation from high school in 1964, Rod’s parents moved to Provo, Utah so that Rod’s mother could complete her college education and get her teaching certificate. Rod enrolled at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, 75 miles south of Provo.
Rod leaves on a two-year Church mission – After one quarter at Snow College, Rod received his mission call – he began his mission on ___________, 1965 - Gulf States Mission with headquarters in ________. He served primarily in _______,Tennessee and _______, Arkansas.
“I felt the spirit of the Lord every time you came into my home.” - One of Rod’s compelling experiences was with a family of five living in White Haven, Tennessee. The Mother asserted she was a five-pack-a-day cigarette smoker. Because of her spiritual experience, she gave up tobacco and along with her children who were over eight-years-old joined the Church. Her husband, while supportive, had not joined the Church by the time Rod was transferred to another city. She told Elder Southwick, “I felt the spirit of the Lord every time you came into my home.”
Rod begins school at Weber State – (__, 1967 – events between mission and Weber?)
Rod and Penny’s courtship -
Rod and Penny are married in the _______ Temple – Rod met Penny Colleen Thompson _ (where – when?) _______ and were married on March 11, 1971.
Rod and Penny have six children: Gregory T (July 18, 1972 died June 16, 1997), Jeffrey T (October 16, 1973), Katie (October 26, 1975), Julie (January 22, 1978), Stanley T (March 20, 1979) and Bradley T (September 6, 1980).
Rod graduates from Weber State - construction - Gregory and Jeffery born - Rod graduated with an Associate’s Degree – Building Construction in May, 1972. While Rod was going to school and ______ months later, Rod worked at ________, Penny ______?).
On July 18, 1972, Penny gave birth to Gregory T in the _____ Hospital. Jeffery T was born at the same hospital on October 16, 1973.
Raft River, Idaho – Farming with Bennett Anderson - Bennet and Patsy had acquired a ____-acre grain and sugar beet farm in Raft River. Bennett encouraged Rod to become a partner in the venture. Rod and Penny moved to Raft River in _____, 1974.
A year later, they received an offer to sell the farm at a profit. With Penny’s encouragement, they accepted the offer.
Riverdale, Utah – Rod returns to building houses – Katie and Julie are born – With the sale of the farm completed, Rod and Penny return to the Ogden area to live. They find a home in Riverdale and Rod finds employment in residential building construction. This move was a particularly exciting time for the family because it was here that Katie is born on October 26, 1975 and Julie, 27 months later on January 22, 1978.
Move to Dietrich, Idaho - business opportunity with cousin – After Rod’s father and mother and his brothers and their wives sold their sawmill operation in Willits, Verlon and Dale and their families moved to Dietrich, Idaho (35 miles north of Twin Falls).
Rod’s cousin, Mark encouraged him to move from Riverdale to Dietrich (200 miles) and join him in a residential house construction business.
Rod and Penny agreed. In the fall of 1978, they purchased and moved to a 27-acre irrigated farm with an existing house on it. The house would be suitable for a few years, but their plan was to build a new home and subdivide the property. The farm was planted into pasture on which they grazed cattle.
Penny said, “It was a fun time for the kids. They climbed trees, chased the chickens, swung from the trees, rode their bikes everywhere and started school.”
Rod’s parents join Rod and Penny in Dietrich - After Phyllis retired from teaching school, two of Ralph’s brothers and their families living in Dietrich, Verlon and Dale, encouraged Ralph and Phyllis to join them. Rod and Penny were supportive and said they would make room on their property for them to put a house. Penny said, “Rodney’s parents … came to Dietrich to live and put a nice modular home on the property. They helped with gardening and raising kids. The extended family gatherings were a great bonding time.”
Stanley and Bradley are born – Penny gave birth to their last two children while they were living in Dietrich - Twin Falls hospital. Stanley T was born March 20, 1979 and Bradley T was born 15 months later on September 6, 1980.
Economic recession of 1981-82 – double digit mortgage interest - housing collapsed – Rod and Mark’s residential house building business dried-up. To make matters worse, so did their other employment opportunities – Rod was only able to find part-time work.
Family moves 540 miles east to Craig, Colorado – Penny’s father, recently returning from a visit to Colorado, told them of an employment opportunity in Craig, paying excellent wages and benefits. A company named “Colorado-Ute Electric Association” had just completed construction of the largest coal-based electricity generation plant in Colorado near the extensive coal deposits near Craig. The company was in the process of hiring skilled and unskilled workers.
Rod and Penny left the children with Ralph and Phyllis and drove to Craig to investigate. The city, located in the northwest corner of Colorado, 120 miles east of Vernal Utah, had an elevation of 6,200 feet and a population of 8,000.
They found that the Church was established in the community with a new ward meetinghouse. While they recognized that living in Craig would be a much different from what they were accustomed, they were confident they could make it work. Rod and Penny accepted the company’s job offer and purchased an existing house overlooking a city park.
Sale of their Dietrich farm would take a while. Ralph and Phyllis, were very sorry to see their children move. They agreed to watch over Rod and Penny’s Dietrich property until it sold - two years later. They then moved to Twin Falls where another Southwick family, Raymond and Ruby, were living.
Rod, Penny and their children arrived in Craig with their furniture on ____ __, 19__, - it would be their home for the next __ years.
Life in Craig – a good experience - Rod did well at his employment. Penny ran a preschool day-care service in her home while her children were young – emphasizing to the parents her Christian values. Later, she found employment driving school bus. When she retired in _____, after ___ years of service, she had been promoted to dispatcher.
Period of personal growth – friends at Church and in the workplace - Overall, Penny’s assessment of their experiences in Craig was very positive. She said, “It was a blessing to be in the mission field. The family had many opportunities to serve in the Church. Rodney served as Bishop for five years. Penny served as ward Relief Society President twice. All four boys were Eagle Scouts. The girls excelled in school and were a good influence to all their friends.”
Penny developed close friendships with many of the motor pool personnel - many of whom struggled with personal and family problems. Penny said, “I loved the people with whom I worked.” Many came to her for advice – and expressed gratitude for her influence and example - helping them make positive changes.
Penny also had a direct influence in improving school district policy – establishing acceptable behavioral standards for students riding the bus - pin ups and bad language were out, mutual respect and polite behavior was in.
The children sometimes took their Book of Mormon and walk to the park across the street and engage park visitors with gospel subjects – fun experience for all. The boys left on missions from Craig and when they returned they married and moved to other cities with their families.”
Tragedy – Greg has cancer – terminal - Greg, the oldest in the family served his mission in Spain (dates). Days after he proposed to his sweetheart in (date) he discovered he had cancer.
The family was devastated. Greg asked for a priesthood blessing – he was encouraged to move forward with his plans. He married Trudy Nichols from Basalt, Colorado. They had two children; Mitchell Allen and Evan Ryan. When Evan was two months old his father, Greg succumbed to cancer and died.
Trudy later remarried, but the boys struggled, wondering why the Lord took their Father. Trudy’s parents were a big help for them financially and spiritually.
The other children marry - Jeffrey married Katrina Oliver and they had four children; Laurin, Amber, Dallin and Daniel. They lived in the Provo, Utah area where Jeff went to school and started his own plumbing business. For reasons only she knows, Katrina wanted to leave – she and Jeff divorced. Jeff married Alisha Shumway which brought joy back to the family along with a new brother Jonas.
Katie pursued an education in biochemistry and continues in that profession. She married ____name__ , on _____, 2016. (other info to come)
Julie served a church mission in Madagascar and married John Distelhorst, who also served in the same mission. John is a medical doctor (rank _____more info? ____) in the U.S. Army. They have been stationed in U.S. cities, currently, Miami and other countries including Iraq (medivac helicopters – under attack, John almost lost his life – Europe and Africa) They have four daughters; Megan, Heidi, Sarah and Alice.
Stanley married Kristi Davis (__ date and info __). Kristi waited for him to complete his Church mission in Argentina. They reside in Idaho Falls - five children; Grant, Carson, Travis, Bennett, and Maci. Stanly is an engineer working at the Idaho National Laboratory (nucellar) for Battelle Energy Alliance.
Brad served a Church mission in ____ California. When he was released, he enlisted in the Navy Seal Training program. He was successful in completing the physically and mentally arduous program and has made it his career (rank and stories to come). He has been stationed on U.S. bases in America and several countries throughout the world. Brad married Lori Kessler on (__date __). They have two children Kaelie, and Rylie. In the 2013 Seal documentary movie, Lone Survivor, the first scene was family visitors to the base in California. The cameras did a close-up of Rod walking with the other visitors.
Rod and Penny return to Utah – Church mission and Temple - Rodney and Penny retired on 2009 sold their home in Craig Colorado and served a Church mission in Armenia Yerevan. They settled in Payson, Utah and are now Temple ordnance workers. (more stories?)