December 2012
Dear Family and Friends,
I value the friendships made over the years. I want you to know at this Christmas time my love and appreciation for the positive influence you have made in my life and the lives of my children. I am still trying to adjust to life without Jay. It helps to keep busy with family and church. I have enjoyed this past year serving as a missionary at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. I have standby flying privileges from my years of working for an airline so fly up every Wednesday morning and usually fly back to Arizona that evening. If any of you are in Salt Lake on a Wednesday afternoon I would love to give you a tour of that beautiful dedicated building. The auditorium has 21,000 seats with no obstructions and throughout the building there are over 50 original paintings plus a six acre roof garden with a beautiful view of Temple Square. Each week I have many wonderful missionary experiences giving tours to people that come from all over the world. Besides being a Conference Center Missionary I also serve as a spiritual care volunteer at the hospital here in Mesa and I have set a goal to go to the temple at least once a week. I am also the Mesa Alma Stake Historian and Keating Ward Canning specialist. This keeps me busy along with keeping up with my 11 living children, 64 grandchildren and 19 (plus more on the way) great grandchildren. I love to travel and enjoy invitations to travel with my children and families.
I miss Jay writing in rhyme about our family. Let me give you a quick rundown. Miriamand Tony live in Council Bluffs, Iowa where Tony is serving in the Stake Presidency and Miriam is a seminary teacher. They just opened their 10th Papa Murphy Take Home Pizza store. They have six of our great grandchildren. Kasey and Emily live in Provo and expect their second boy in February. Skylerand Rebekah and their two children live close to them in Council Bluffs, Carrie and Bret and their three children live in Bremerton, Washington. They are moving to Washington, DC for six months to work on a special project with the government. Dallas, Colby and Jamie attend BYU. It looks like they will have at least two weddings this year. Kayla, their youngest is the only one still at home. She is a junior in High School.
Marlene and Mark and their thirteen children live close by me here in Mesa where Mark is director of the Church Cannery. Melanieand Nate recently moved to Provo and are expecting their 4thchild, Bonnie and Spencer and their five with one on the way are in Mesa. Jordan and Kaitlin are completing his master’s degree at BYU and moving to Houston with their baby. Dallinand Laura are attending podiatry school in Des Moines and are expecting their first in March. Carl graduated from BYU and planning on going to medical school this fall. Garyis up at BYU. Rebekah is serving a mission in Guatemala and Jaron a mission in North Carolina. Emily graduates from Mesa High this spring and is excited to be one of the ten virgins in our Easter Pageant. I have an extra room if any of you want to come to Arizona for Easter. Quinn just turned 16 and is excited to drive. Their youngest three boys are Kyle, 13, Tyler, 11, and Ryan 8.
Rauna and Fred will have all eight of their children home for Christmas. Adriannejust graduated from BYU Idaho, Erin and Dantley have two cute little boys and are here in Mesa , Carinnefinished her mission in Argentina, Parker is at BYU, Nathan just returned home from his mission in Chile, Chelsea is attending BYU Idaho, Jamie is one of my four grandchildren graduating from High School this year. They have all applied to BYU and hope to get in. Their youngest Dale is a freshman at Mesa High. They provide plenty of entertainment for me because they all like to be in school and other musical and drama productions.
Joann and Robert live in Ohio where he is the Civilian Chief Engineer at the Dayton Air Force Base. They have nine children. Robert also serves in the Stake Presidency and Joann is the Primary Chorister. Camille and Jason live in Boston with their two little boys, Travis graduates from BYU this year and is planning a March wedding, Braden returned from his mission in Bulgaria and attended a semester at BYU Jerusalem. Derek is on a mission in Brazil, Janae graduates from High School this year, Evan is a High School Freshman,and Levi is in middle school and nine year old twins Spencer and Preston keep them busy.
Vernon and Connie live in Arkansas where Vernon is Dean of the Accounting Department at the University of Arkansas. They have a busy household of twelve children. Alison and Robert will finish at BYU this year, Alison with a bachelor’s degree and Robert with his masters. They expect their first baby in May. Their next two children, Melissa and Hyrum are also at BYU. Rebecca, Benjamin, Rachel, Bethany, Matthew, Daniel, David and Mason keep things busy at home. Their youngest is four.
Ray works in Chandler at Intel. He is still not married but we all have our hopes that it will happen soon.
Kenneth and Jenni enjoy living in Provo and all of the activities around BYU. Kenneth works as a doctor caring for the newborns at Utah Valley Hospital. They have five children. Betsy has two older brothers and two younger brothers. She enjoys Irish Folk Dancing competitions. Jaredwill graduate from High School in the spring, Marcus and Jared both play in the high school band. Adam was baptized just a year ago and Andy two weeks ago.
Margie and Russ are in the Air Force. Russ is currently training pilots in Del Rio, Texas. Margie is President of their Relief Society. Lucy started kindergarten this year and Jay (named for his Grandpa) keeps his mother company at home.
Melvin and Tami live in Farmington, Utah. Melvin is an anesthesiologist at the Davis County Hospital. They have three girls and then three boys. Kaitlin started Junior High this year. Ashley and Kaitlin are great violin players. I love hearing them perform. Lauren is a third grader. Their three little boys are about the same size. They were cute Three Musketeers for Halloween. Tanner is in Kindergarten, Carter turned four this month and Logan had his second birthday last week.
Dean and Jennifer live in Tacoma, Washington. Dean baptized Jennifer and they plan to be sealed next month. Jennifer is a wonderful homemaker. Dean’s two girls are Devyn in 4thgrade and Brielle in the first grade.
Amy is so good to stop by and help me. I don’t know what I would do without her. She enjoys fixing up her home. She has as great job as the program planner for the Arizona Hospital Association.
I hope this didn’t get too wordy for you but I didn’t know what to leave out. They are all so special to me. In summary ten of my 64 grandchildren were married in the temple with a good possibility of five or six more this year. I have 15 grandchildren that attended BYU this past year, four graduating from high school in the spring and three grandchildren that were just baptized. They all bring me lots of joy. I am attaching our family picture taken July 2011 at our Utah Family Reunion. All of Vernon’s family were in Europe except for Alison and Robert and missed the reunion.
For years Jay wrote a poem for us to include in our Christmas greeting. This is one of my favorites.
My love and wishes that you will have a lovely Christmas with your families and a New Year filled with the greatest blessings of our Father in Heaven.
Love, Lavona Richardson
Dear Family and Friends,
I value the friendships made over the years. I want you to know at this Christmas time my love and appreciation for the positive influence you have made in my life and the lives of my children. I am still trying to adjust to life without Jay. It helps to keep busy with family and church. I have enjoyed this past year serving as a missionary at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. I have standby flying privileges from my years of working for an airline so fly up every Wednesday morning and usually fly back to Arizona that evening. If any of you are in Salt Lake on a Wednesday afternoon I would love to give you a tour of that beautiful dedicated building. The auditorium has 21,000 seats with no obstructions and throughout the building there are over 50 original paintings plus a six acre roof garden with a beautiful view of Temple Square. Each week I have many wonderful missionary experiences giving tours to people that come from all over the world. Besides being a Conference Center Missionary I also serve as a spiritual care volunteer at the hospital here in Mesa and I have set a goal to go to the temple at least once a week. I am also the Mesa Alma Stake Historian and Keating Ward Canning specialist. This keeps me busy along with keeping up with my 11 living children, 64 grandchildren and 19 (plus more on the way) great grandchildren. I love to travel and enjoy invitations to travel with my children and families.
I miss Jay writing in rhyme about our family. Let me give you a quick rundown. Miriamand Tony live in Council Bluffs, Iowa where Tony is serving in the Stake Presidency and Miriam is a seminary teacher. They just opened their 10th Papa Murphy Take Home Pizza store. They have six of our great grandchildren. Kasey and Emily live in Provo and expect their second boy in February. Skylerand Rebekah and their two children live close to them in Council Bluffs, Carrie and Bret and their three children live in Bremerton, Washington. They are moving to Washington, DC for six months to work on a special project with the government. Dallas, Colby and Jamie attend BYU. It looks like they will have at least two weddings this year. Kayla, their youngest is the only one still at home. She is a junior in High School.
Marlene and Mark and their thirteen children live close by me here in Mesa where Mark is director of the Church Cannery. Melanieand Nate recently moved to Provo and are expecting their 4thchild, Bonnie and Spencer and their five with one on the way are in Mesa. Jordan and Kaitlin are completing his master’s degree at BYU and moving to Houston with their baby. Dallinand Laura are attending podiatry school in Des Moines and are expecting their first in March. Carl graduated from BYU and planning on going to medical school this fall. Garyis up at BYU. Rebekah is serving a mission in Guatemala and Jaron a mission in North Carolina. Emily graduates from Mesa High this spring and is excited to be one of the ten virgins in our Easter Pageant. I have an extra room if any of you want to come to Arizona for Easter. Quinn just turned 16 and is excited to drive. Their youngest three boys are Kyle, 13, Tyler, 11, and Ryan 8.
Rauna and Fred will have all eight of their children home for Christmas. Adriannejust graduated from BYU Idaho, Erin and Dantley have two cute little boys and are here in Mesa , Carinnefinished her mission in Argentina, Parker is at BYU, Nathan just returned home from his mission in Chile, Chelsea is attending BYU Idaho, Jamie is one of my four grandchildren graduating from High School this year. They have all applied to BYU and hope to get in. Their youngest Dale is a freshman at Mesa High. They provide plenty of entertainment for me because they all like to be in school and other musical and drama productions.
Joann and Robert live in Ohio where he is the Civilian Chief Engineer at the Dayton Air Force Base. They have nine children. Robert also serves in the Stake Presidency and Joann is the Primary Chorister. Camille and Jason live in Boston with their two little boys, Travis graduates from BYU this year and is planning a March wedding, Braden returned from his mission in Bulgaria and attended a semester at BYU Jerusalem. Derek is on a mission in Brazil, Janae graduates from High School this year, Evan is a High School Freshman,and Levi is in middle school and nine year old twins Spencer and Preston keep them busy.
Vernon and Connie live in Arkansas where Vernon is Dean of the Accounting Department at the University of Arkansas. They have a busy household of twelve children. Alison and Robert will finish at BYU this year, Alison with a bachelor’s degree and Robert with his masters. They expect their first baby in May. Their next two children, Melissa and Hyrum are also at BYU. Rebecca, Benjamin, Rachel, Bethany, Matthew, Daniel, David and Mason keep things busy at home. Their youngest is four.
Ray works in Chandler at Intel. He is still not married but we all have our hopes that it will happen soon.
Kenneth and Jenni enjoy living in Provo and all of the activities around BYU. Kenneth works as a doctor caring for the newborns at Utah Valley Hospital. They have five children. Betsy has two older brothers and two younger brothers. She enjoys Irish Folk Dancing competitions. Jaredwill graduate from High School in the spring, Marcus and Jared both play in the high school band. Adam was baptized just a year ago and Andy two weeks ago.
Margie and Russ are in the Air Force. Russ is currently training pilots in Del Rio, Texas. Margie is President of their Relief Society. Lucy started kindergarten this year and Jay (named for his Grandpa) keeps his mother company at home.
Melvin and Tami live in Farmington, Utah. Melvin is an anesthesiologist at the Davis County Hospital. They have three girls and then three boys. Kaitlin started Junior High this year. Ashley and Kaitlin are great violin players. I love hearing them perform. Lauren is a third grader. Their three little boys are about the same size. They were cute Three Musketeers for Halloween. Tanner is in Kindergarten, Carter turned four this month and Logan had his second birthday last week.
Dean and Jennifer live in Tacoma, Washington. Dean baptized Jennifer and they plan to be sealed next month. Jennifer is a wonderful homemaker. Dean’s two girls are Devyn in 4thgrade and Brielle in the first grade.
Amy is so good to stop by and help me. I don’t know what I would do without her. She enjoys fixing up her home. She has as great job as the program planner for the Arizona Hospital Association.
I hope this didn’t get too wordy for you but I didn’t know what to leave out. They are all so special to me. In summary ten of my 64 grandchildren were married in the temple with a good possibility of five or six more this year. I have 15 grandchildren that attended BYU this past year, four graduating from high school in the spring and three grandchildren that were just baptized. They all bring me lots of joy. I am attaching our family picture taken July 2011 at our Utah Family Reunion. All of Vernon’s family were in Europe except for Alison and Robert and missed the reunion.
For years Jay wrote a poem for us to include in our Christmas greeting. This is one of my favorites.
CHRISTMAS IS COMING
The Christmas season's upon us--
That "magical" time of year,
When the world's in a better mood,
With charity, hope, and cheer!
When we're commemorating,
Celebrating Christ's birth;
And all the things He's done for us,
From heaven and on earth,
The miraculous nativity;
His life of service and care;
But most of all His atonement--
It's blessings which we share.
We feel a little more "peace on earth,"
More "good will towards men"--
His spirit really does touch us,
As Christmas comes again.
Oh--one more thing--a suggestion,
For a more special Christmas view;
Think not "How much do I need to spend,"
But "How best can I serve you"!
The Christmas season's upon us--
That magical time of year!
May your Christmas time be happy--
Brim full of Christmas cheer!
--Jay M. Richardson
The Christmas season's upon us--
That "magical" time of year,
When the world's in a better mood,
With charity, hope, and cheer!
When we're commemorating,
Celebrating Christ's birth;
And all the things He's done for us,
From heaven and on earth,
The miraculous nativity;
His life of service and care;
But most of all His atonement--
It's blessings which we share.
We feel a little more "peace on earth,"
More "good will towards men"--
His spirit really does touch us,
As Christmas comes again.
Oh--one more thing--a suggestion,
For a more special Christmas view;
Think not "How much do I need to spend,"
But "How best can I serve you"!
The Christmas season's upon us--
That magical time of year!
May your Christmas time be happy--
Brim full of Christmas cheer!
--Jay M. Richardson
My love and wishes that you will have a lovely Christmas with your families and a New Year filled with the greatest blessings of our Father in Heaven.
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