Hancock Tributes to Grandma Richardson

Mom Richardson,

        You are simply amazing!  Ever since I first met you when I became interested in marrying Joann I have been impressed with the love and attention you provided to each of your children, their spouses.  It has been fun to watch you and dad through the years as more spouses and grand children came into the family.  Somehow you never forget their birthdays and you have been to the blessings and baptisms and a million other special events.  There is no question that you love each and every person.  I feel so blessed to have been able to marry Joann and that she has been so strongly influenced by you throughout her life.  I see many of your character traits in her.  I am so thankful for your example of righteous living and your rock solid testimony of the gospel.  I know that you love the Lord and that you would do anything to help each family member to return to our Heavenly Father.  Thank you for being so wonderful.

Love,

Robert

            One of my mother’s favorite qualities is her faithfulness!  My mom is valiant in the gospel and has a strong testimony of the truthfulness of the church.  I have never doubted my mother’s strength in the gospel.  She has always been rock solid and a great strength and example to me through the years.  She is a lifelong missionary, and a great scriptorian!  My mom loves everything about the gospel!!—from church history and pioneers, to Old Testament stories, geneaology, missionary work, temple attendance, food storage, etc.  What a great example my mom has been to me and to her great posterity throughout her life!

            My mom loves her family!  Her spouse, her children and her grandchildren mean everything to her!  She has spent her life supporting, cheering on and loving her large extended family!  It has been amazing to see how mom can make each child or grandchild feel important.  This is a quality I have tried to emulate!  Mom’s great picture taking hobby has been an avenue to show her support through the years!

            My mom loves a party!  She got that from her mother and has spread this love to me and my children.  We love to have a good time—whether it’s having a pool party, going on a trip, helping with a reception, visiting with good friends, etc. My mom loves to be where the action is!

            My mom is compassionate!  It was a very hard task to care for Dad at home for his last few years, but my mom was willing to sacrifice and accomplish this very hard thing because it was the best thing for Dad.  We all learned about love and sacrifice through this great example!

            My mom is fun to visit with!  I love calling mom on the phone and telling her about my triumphs, concerns, events and feelings.  She always has a listening ear!  I will always cherish the road trip Mom and I took this past year to Branson for a family reunion with her siblings.  I loved being Mom’s companions and roommate!   Mom and I always have a great time together!

            My mom is a great friend and support to ME!  My Ohio friends all know and love my mom because of her frequent visits!  She has made so many trips to Ohio, which has been such a blessing to me since I live so far away from my family! She has made many, many, many trips to Ohio to support me and my family!  I will always be grateful for this!         

            My mother raise me to want to be a good mother !  She taught me what a good mother should be and how to be a good mother!

            I will forever be grateful for my wonderful mother!!  I love her dearly!

            Love, Joann

I don't think anyone else in the world outside our Richardson family can claim that their Grandma was more supportive than ours.  It is incredible the recount all the major events and activities in my life and find Grandma present at every single one of them.  Thank you for your unconditional love and for showing me what being there for someone really means.  I so admire your undying passion to stay the course and lead a righteous life through example.  Cheers to Grandma! 

Love, Camille

Grandma Richardson is everywhere! I love it! I've always felt so supported by her. One time I was dancing in a parade down the streets of Provo. Out of no where I saw grandma on the side clapping and cheering for me! I didn't even know that she was in the state, but then all of a sudden there she was. I was very moved. I believe that much of the energy I have for life, the intensity with which I've attacked school and other experiences, and the desire to preserve memories has come from Grandma Richardson. In essence, Grandma IS a major piece of who I am. I'll always be grateful for her great example and fervor for life!

 Love, Travis

How can I even begin to describe Grandma Lavona Richardson? I have never known anyone else like her. Of all those whom I do know, Grandma Lavona is perhaps the one whose life is most grounded in the Gospel. Seemingly everything she does and strives for is a reflection of her number one priority being a life in complete harmony with the Gospel. To her large and loving posterity, she has been an stirring example at every age. I have seen her be a caring mother to her children. I have personally experienced her individual interest in each one of her dozens of grandchildren. As a missionary four times over now, she is a continual inspiration to all of us to never cease living a consecrated life. In temperament, she is a gentlewoman--amicable and courteous to all. If she ever had a selfish bone in her body, it has long since been replaced. She brings the Spirit with her wherever she goes, and it is a blessing to all who interact with her. I will be literally eternally grateful for the magnificent heritage and example that I have gained from Grandma Lavona, whom I love and respect wholeheartedly and forever.

Love, Braden

I sure love my Grandma! She is always so concerned about what is going on in my life, even though Im just one of many grandchildren. I love her energy and desire to keep busy and be a  part of the lives of everyone in her prosperity. Whether she is watching my cross country race or band concert, or sending me a letter on my mission, it´s easy to feel her love and example in my life. Thank you, Grandma Richardson!

 Love, Elder Derek Hancock

My dearest grandma, it means so much

When you fly to Ohio for my shows and such

Although we roll our eyes at constant picture taking

I now realize it’s simply mem’ries you are making.

Joy filled my visit to Arizona with you

Although you thought I was missing after I flew

Your love shown through when you called my name

And when a smile crossed your face as I came.

I love Grandpa and I miss him dearly

But his presence is still felt in your house so clearly.

He smiles on his family from up above

And loves us all with a gentle love.

There’s no one with whom I would rather share a name—

I want to carry on its glorious fame

And continue its tradition of service and love

To those on earth and those above.

I love you, dear grandma for everything you do

And for not being afraid of being you!

With love,

                Janae Lavona Hancock

Evan's Tribute to Grandma Richardson

Grandma, Grandma dear,

Happy things come whenever you are near,

Your bright smiling face brings joy,

To all those who care to enjoy.

Grandma, Grandma, dear,

Happy things come whenever you are near,

Your happy personality brightens our day,

As you teach us what to do and say.

Grandma, Grandma, dear,

Happy things come whenever you are near,

Your wisdom is beyond your years,

And you always lend a friendly ear.

Grandma, Grandma, dear,

Happy things come whenever you are near.

Grandma, Grandma, dear

We just want you to know,

We love you so.  

Grandma has always been a big role model in my life. I always loved how she was never afraid to speak what is on her mind and how she is always so kind. She also always tries to get the most out of every moment and always looks happy. I feel I have been able to get to know her very well as one of her grandchildren because of many reunions and several visits. Even though the distance is great between the two of us she was never too hesitant to come visit our family. She has taught me a lot in my life and she had done several great things for herself and others. Love, Levi

My Grandma is one of the greatest women in the world. I can't believe I'm lucky enough to be her grandson. Grandma always has her camera ready to take pictures of everything.  This makes her very unique and the best women in the world.  

Love, Spencer

Grandma, you are the best grandma a kid could ever have.   You are so much fun when we play games with you.   It's so much fun to have you here when you come to our house. You are also really good at quilting. Grandma, you are the best. 

 Love, Preston

Mortensen Tributes to Grandma Richardson

Mom, Grandma Richardson, Lavona has been a powerful example in my life for many years.  I had been encouraged to look for good family when looking for a wife.  I was very interested in Rauna before I met her parents, and meeting them increased my interest in Rauna.  I felt our children would be very blessed by the up-bringing Rauna had received from her mother and grandmothers.   

I was also attracted to mom by her cooking.   Hawian Stack-ups continue to be one of my favorite dinners.

Lavona has always been so kind and thoughtful toward me and our family.  She is good at maintaining a well-rounded life and keeping us all involved in it.  I have always been amazed at the diligence she shows in her service to the Lord and to us.   She loves missionary work and has always worked at reaching out to others.

I very much look forward to an eternity being associated with Mom and Dad Richardson.

Love, Fred

Just like Grandmother Irene Flake, Mom Lavona Richardson has been a bedrock foundation in our family.  She has been the glue to hold together a numerous posterity, and she is every bit proud of the youngest as she is the oldest, and everyone in between.  Her life truly revolves around the gospel and her family, and she makes sure that the two stay tightly intertwined.  Some things are just absolute expectations, that no grandchildren would probably ever think twice of going against:  high grades and academic achievements throughout all years of schooling; heavy involvement in productive activities such as music, sports, church callings, and other service-oriented hobbies; Eagle Scout award for the boys and Young Women Medallion for the girls; serving an honorable mission or marrying a returned missionary; having high standards of modesty in dress and language and media choices; acquiring post high school education; choosing friends with high standards; consistent attendance at church meetings and the temple; and of course at the top of the list—marrying in the temple and remaining worthy of a temple recommend.  Truly, she is impacting generations through these expectations and the example she sets in all these areas.  She and Dad were an incredible team in raising a righteous posterity and in instilling love and the values of the gospel to give us that foundation to carry on to the succeeding generations.  “Valiant” is a wonderful word to describe her life.  We love and appreciate you so much!

-Rauna Mortensen

Tribute to Grandma Richardson

As children, we don't always recognize extraordinary people or circumstances for what they truly are. We don't recognize the dedication and selfless service of others until long after we should have thanked them for the great benefit they have been to our lives. Thankfully, we gain a little bit of perspective as we age, and this is my way to thank my wonderful Grandma Richardson for her wisdom, service, and love for me.

Grandma Richardson has always been a motivational influence in my life. I knew that her expectations for me were high and that she was proud of my accomplishments. She regularly attended my concerts, games, or performances and was always quick to congratulate me on my achievements. Her message to me was always the same: "Do your best and don't give up. The rest will come." I knew, though, that it wasn't just what I was achieving that she was proud of. I knew that she was proud of the person I was becoming and the choices I was making.  From "Grandma School" to family reunions and birthday phone calls, I always knew that she cared and that she wanted the best for me.

Her dedication to the gospel of Jesus Christ has always been front and center in her life. Her callings, her missions, her family legacy, and the way she treats other people have made this obvious to her family and friends. I feel blessed among her posterity to have spent my growing up years living so close to her and Grandpa. I am probably one of the grandchildren who knows her best, not to say she didn't visit all the others very often as well, but she was around for many of the smaller things with my family and not just the big events.

Her ability to do so much inspires me. She never seems to falter and always finds a way to make the important things happen. I feel so blessed to be descended from one so great!

—Erin Mortensen Frehner

Grandma makes such a good record of our lives that I don’t know where we will ever have a better record.  And that’s one way that her love is shown and will be passed on forever, because no matter how much time passes, we’ll always be grateful for the record she has kept and for that work she did because she just loved us.—Carinne Mortensen

My grandmother is a strong and stalwart woman of faith whose example of kindness and persistence in doing the will of the Lord has inspired me and my family to do good. This is her legacy and my sacred inheritance.--Parker Mortensen

I love my Grandma Richardson.  She keeps us connected with our pioneer ancestors.  She does this not only through example, obedience, and love, but she also does it through all of the stories she tells us of our noble ancestors.  I feel so blessed to be numbered among her numerous posterity.—Nathan Mortensen

I don't know if there is a more zealous grandmother on the planet than Grandma Richardson. She is a perfect hybrid of a cheerleader and an inspirational figure. She goes out of her way to be at every performance and event her grandchildren are involved in, and with encouragement and enthusiasm. But I think her strongest quality is her commitment to the gospel. She takes every opportunity to bear her testimony to her posterity and praise them for their diligent efforts to remain faithful. She is a woman who knows that family is the most important and that the only way to keep a family together is through the gospel of Jesus Christ.—Chelsea Mortensen

Lavona Richardson is many things. She is fantastically supportive of her grandchildren, attending countless concerts, performances, baptisms, recitals, and helping preserve memories of each with her camera skills. She has passed down great family traditions that bind us together. She provides for us a great example of service through her missionary work and her perseverance through the many trials that have beset her. My memories of her are full of hugs, encouragements, and "I love you’s.”  There are so many ways that I want to be just like her as I grow older. Grandma is a princess, a queen, and we are all lucky to have her.—Jamie Mortensen

She’s always got a smile on her face.  She’s ready for any kind of spiritual lesson at any time.

--Dale Mortensen

Ellingson Tributes to Grandma Richardson

Dear Mother Lavona,

I have always admired how you have believed in and encouraged your children.  In addition, you exposed them to remarkable experiences and opportunities.  In every way you provided love and support for them in each of their pursuits.  Last but not least, you have loved and encouraged me! Thanks! 

Love,  Mark

I am so grateful to you, my mother, for helping me to develop my talents.  Thank you for urging me to learn piano, flute, violin, organ and voice.  How rich my life has been because I have music.  And you truly “put the music in me!”  Thanks for helping me to be a good student, for helping me type papers, and just all the details.  What I loved was the outings, just you and me, usually to go buy material for a sewing project.  You were so generous, and I was so blessed by a wise mother who encouraged me and financed me so I could learn to sew.  Priceless gifts from a wonderful mother!

I was truly grateful that I had a Mom who was there for me, a mom who was home, and who I could call with my victories as well as my hard times, from the phone in the Seminary room.  Thanks so much for giving me that glorious Austria experience, by realizing that I needed to go that year, and letting me pay it back later.

You helped me develop a love for good books.  Both by providing them, and by your example of reading them!   I love the way you are always reaching out to others.  All growing up, you were always taking in so many .  

Mom, I love how much you love life!  Anything that’s happening, you want to be there and experience it.

And capture it too!  What a great way to live!

But most of all, dear Mother, I am so indebted for you for your righteousness.  Your testimony.  Your prayers.  You stand firm in what’s right.  No question, we will live the gospel!  Such a great heritage you have given me, and all the generations to come! 

So much love,

Marlene

Dear Grandma,

As a think of what I could say as a personal tribute to you, my wonderful Grandma, I honestly do not know where to begin.  I feel like my life is abundantly blessed every day by the wonderful legacy you have helped pass on to me.  Where would I be if it weren’t for your enduring testimony and love of the Lord as you raised your family?  Thanks for teaching my mother, Marlene, so that then she could then teach me.  I’m grateful for you for so many reasons, but here are some that stand out at this point in my life:

Consistency in the Gospel – Thank you for your undeviating testimony, expressed directly in your Richardson Review letters and by example in the way you live day to day.  Your consistent, unwavering resolve to do what is right strengthens mine.  The example of your valiant fulfillment of your callings, acceptance of mission calls, and personal daily devotionals has not gone unnoticed.  Thanks.

Appreciation of our Heritage – I feel such a connection with our ancestors because of the stories you have passed on.  Thank you for telling us about your parents and grandparents (and beyond) whose examples make me want to be a better person.  I recently named my new little daughter Annalie Love, in hopes she will look to you, her Great-Grandma Lavona, and to her ancestor Agnes Love Flake for righteous examples of faithful womanhood.

Journal-Keeping – I remember the special journal I got from your bookstore, embossed with my full name on the cover.  You are such a great example of diligent journaling and record-keeping, as we have been counseled to do.  I’m sure you have received much inspiration from “writing it down”, and my goal is to follow your good example.

Building of Others’ Self-Worth – Thanks for your love and support through my years of growing up.  Thanks for taking pictures of me!  My mom told me your secret:  Sometimes the main goal for taking a photo of someone isn’t necessarily for later, it’s what it accomplishes right then.  “Wow, I’m important enough for her to want to take a picture of me?” the person thinks as he or she smile for one of your pictures, and feels worthwhile.  Am I right?  You have made so so so many people feel important.  And not just through photos—I’ve noticed how you keep in touch with people whose lives have intertwined with yours through the years, and I’ve been impressed by that.  Thank you for showing your love and interest in my own little children and building their self-confidence now.

Setting of a High Standard of Excellence – I remember being so excited to receive a book as a gift from you.  I appreciate your love of good literature.  Thanks for passing this on to your descendants, along with your love of good music.  Thanks for encouraging me in my studies and learning.  I remember feeling so loved when you came to my BYU graduation.  I was so proud to be a teacher like you, yet I felt like such a novice when you came to my classroom to help and showed the love of a wonderful, knowledgeable, experienced teacher.  You were a great teacher for all of us grandchildren at each “Grandma School” session, too.  Your and Grandpa’s “Back-to-School” fireside lessons are some I will not forget.  Thank you for making us each feel that you are on our team, and are celebrating our successes while encouraging us to reach higher toward good goals and spiritual excellence.

I feel so blessed as your oldest granddaughter.  I want you to know, Grandma, that I love you very much.

Love, 

Melanie Ann (Ellingson) Hopkins                                                                                                                        June 2013

What I admire about Grandmother Richardson is that she spends all of her time and resources to be with her family and to serve them!  Thank you for being such a Christ-like example to all of us!

Love, Spencer Stradling

Ever since I can remember, Grandma Richardson has been one of my favorite people.  I remember canning tomatoes, having swim parties, sleep overs, collecting rubberbands from paper routes, Grandma School, crafts parties, Halloween parties with Grandma's special story, watching conference, etc, all with my Grandma.  Every time I had the opportunity to be with her, I remember thinking (even at a very young age), that whatever it was, whatever we were doing, it always mattered to Grandma and it was special to her.  Things mattered, time mattered, and I mattered.  I always had a place that I belonged in her life.  Every moment is always lived to its fullest.  I admire her so much and have been buoyed up by her strength and testimony many times in my life.

Love, Bonnie Stradling

One of the things I admire most about Grandmother is her example of enjoying life by living it to the fullest. She insists upon making the time and effort to surround herself with the people she loves.

Jordan

Grandmother Richardson,

 You are one of the happiest people I know. I am so grateful to be a part of your family.  I truly admire your ability to talk to anyone and to share the gospel with them.  You are such a wonderful example of a hard working missionary, as Jordan and I would someday like to serve a mission.  You can carry on a conversation with anyone and you make ever one in the room feel like they are your favorite person.  Thanks for all you do and for the wonderful example you have set for many. 

Love you!  Kaitlin

Dear Grandma,

I feel so very fortunate to have grown up near your home, since it has blessed me with many, many memories with you.  From Grandma School, to sleepovers, and swim parties, I have many fond memories of you and Granddad.  I look up to you in many ways, but most especially I am amazed at your great capacity.  Somehow you make it to almost every single baby blessing, baptism, high school graduation, mission farewell or homecoming, wedding, and college graduation; all in addition to your busy schedule of service and missionary work.  Each week as I read your Richardson Review,  I am always so amazed at how much you fit in in one week’s time.  I also love the way you make each one of us grandkids feel so loved.  You never miss calling on a birthday.  I will never forget how excited you were to hold our little Maylee for the first time at Colby Beck’s open house.  It meant so much to me to see how much you loved your little great-granddaughter.  I always cherish our phone conversations and the great encouragement you give me.  I sure could never have asked for a better Grandma!  I love you Grandma!

Love,

Dallin

Dear Grandma,

        How you do all you do I will never know. Thanks for never ceasing to lead our family in righteousness. One of my favorite things about you is your testimony and how you love to share it with others. You are a great missionary wherever you go. Thank you for your example of serving. You also love family and go to great lengths to keep us all connected. Your Richardson Review is fun to read every week. Thanks for all your love and support!

Love, Laura

I like how Grandmother Richardson is someone who is completely devoted to the gospel. I love how enthusiastic she is about her calling and responsibilities with the conference center.  I think it's really neat how she is constantly moving and learning in improving. She is and always has been very intelligent and very insightful. She is great about constantly growing. She is someone who is always actively striving to developed herself and explore new things. I love how she is so considerate of everyone in her very large family. She is always so good about making sure everyone is included and being there for everyone’s big events. She is incredibly good at keeping the family connected despite the many miles and circumstances that separate us. I think back on all the big events in my life I always remember Grandmother Richardson being there to support me.  Sure love you Grandmother!! -Carl

Grandmother Richardson,

You are one of the most energetic people.  You love living and doing.  Also your family is your priority and your good at loving and serving all of us.  I appreciate that you come to as many of the events in our lives as you can, including our plays, graduations, sports games and holiday celebrations.  Thank you for your testimony and example.  You are a good example of how to live righteously and serve others.   One of my favorite memories is when we would go to Grandma and Grandpa's house for Halloween, Back-to-school and all the other parties.  We always had such a fun time and created some fun memories.  Thanks again for being who you are and for all you do for me and your family.

Love, Gary

Grandmother is full of light. She is always happy and anxious to share in our happy moments. I love how her family comes first and sacrifices to be a part of our lives. She focuses on showing love and spending time in what matters most. Thank you Grandmother for your motivation and love in all your letters. I love reading them and want to be a missionary like you were in Mexico! You are my hero. 

Love, Hermana Rebekah Ellingson

I remember taking care of Grandpa as Grandma went to church. She always impressed me with the love she had for me and for him. It was a perfect example of their theme of a previous family reunion, "The answer is always more love". That theme struck my heart so deeply that I feel it is now a theme for my life! I really appreciate her dedication to truth and her courage to spread it to her posterity.

Love, Elder Jaron Ellingson

My dear Grandmother Richardson has a profound sense of loyalty to her family, which is manifest by her dedication to come to all of our events.  I think it is so cool that she planned out her life and worked for an airplane company so that she would be able to visit and support her family, spread all over the world. I also love that Grandmother is always up for some fun. She is forever willing to host sleepovers and when gathering people for a card game, you can always be sure Grandma will want to play. Grandmother takes every moment for what it is worth. She finds the joy in every moment, which must be why she takes so many pictures--she just wants to relive all of the happy times. Also, Grandma has a burning testimony. She has a relationship with the Savior, Jesus Christ, and because of that relationships, she wants to make sure her posterity always stay rooted in the Gospel. I remember her carefully planned "Family Night" type lessons at each of our sleepovers. Lavona Richardson is a great lady. I love her so much. I hope that I can be as cool as she is when I'm a Grandma. 

Love, Emily

I’ve loved having grandma live so close to us. Because of our close proximity, I can always expect to see her sitting in the front row with her camera close at hand whenever I’d have a concert, play, and sporting events. I also can always look forward to grandmas back to school, Halloween, and Christmas parties where she give us great school year advice, present her infamous Halloween story, or had out gifts to each one of us. Another thing that I loved was when grandma came with our family one summer as we toured the church history sites and visited family. It was so fun to have her there to add her amazing insights and to be able to talk with her and learn more about her. I’ll never forget these amazing memories that I have of Grandma Richardson!

I love you,

-Quinn

My Grandmother Richardson is a standard of love and care for all people. In my personal life, she has given me the attention required for my most efficient growth. Her want to serve shone true not just through her influence to the community, but within the plethora of children and grandchildren she helped raise. The attended concerts, the biannual cousin sleep-overs, and the regular dose of get-togethers fly high upon her substantial to-do list. When not serving the Lord with dentistry in Indonesia to touring in Salt Lake, her commitment of genuine care and concern for her posterity always shines through. Taking continuous, well-placed, and sometimes redundant pictures is just her way of freezing the happiness of others--and ultimately--her own. If--after all her efforts to help, support, and love her grandchildren as she does her Master; if we haven't fully felt her unconditional love--at least we have all learned how to smile big for her camera.

Thank you for showing us the example of how to live with love. 

Love,Kyle

I am so glad that grandma took so many pictures. I always know that she will be at my concerts, sports, and all the special things I am doing. Plus I am always able to think ahead to the parties that has for Halloween, Christmas, and back to school. I’m so glad that I have her legacy to look up to and remember. I Love you so much Grandma Richardson! Thank you for being my Grandma!

Love,

Tyler

Thanks for letting me go to the Reunion.  I really liked it! I guess it was kinda fun meeting all of my  Mom’s cousins. 

I really like such a great person you are.  I hope I’m like you when I grow up.

I love you,

Ryan

Beck Tributes to Grandma Richardson

From Colby and Kelsi: Grandma Richardson is one impressive lady. I sit in awe thinking about the energy she has after all these years, especially considering raising so many kids and being so dedicated to their lives and their children's lives. She exemplifies a loving mother who cares so much about her family to the core.  

I am honored to be part of such a rich heritage, and I am very thankful for Grandma Richardson's commitment to the gospel and her desire to bring her whole family to Christ. It is inspiring to see her travel back and forth from Arizona to Utah to fulfill her duty to Heavenly Father. We love you Grandma! 

From Jamie and Garrick:   

Grandma is an incredible woman, she impresses all that she comes in contact with. Between her early bird hours, travelling the world to visit family and friends, and actively fulfilling church callings that require her time and energy. She can always be found with lots of energy and concern for those she loves. I've loved the example Grandma has set of putting the gospel and her family as the only important thing. Thanks Grandma for all that you do for me and my family. I love you and I'm so happy that you're so actively involved in our lives.  

From Kasey and Emily: Of all my grandparents, I got the most genes from Grandma Richardson. It's funny to me how you really can see Grandma in every one her kids and grand kids. Grandma's got some good genes! 

Grandma is a very good example to me of putting family and the Church first and letting everything else figure itself out. I can't believe how good of a job she's done in raising her kids and influencing her kids and grand kids to put those two priorities, family and the Church, first in their lives, as well. Even though this is an attempt at paying tribute to Grandma, the real tribute is the devotion of her posterity to the Savior and each other. Love ya, Grandma! 

From Dallas: Grandma is one of the most impressive people that I know. She's extremely energetic for the things that are important to her. The best time I had with Grandma was when Travis and I got to go visit her in Mesa for Thanksgiving. She had a very carefree attitude about her that was fun to be around.  

What impresses me the most about Grandma is that all her energy is motivated by spending more time with her family and serving in the Church. You have to step back and see how wonderful this family is, and once you do, you realize that came from two loving parents. Grandma and Grandpa have created something remarkable and should feel honored by the lives their posterity is leading. 

From Carrie and Bret: Grandma's love and devotion to her family is an inspiring example to me.  I am amazed that with the number of grandchildren that she has, she has never missed a birthday or major event of mine.  She is a strong woman who has created an amazing heritage for me to follow. I truly hope that I will have the same energy as I strive to raise a strong family like she has done.  

From Skyler and Rebekah: Grandma is a very special person and is a lot of things to a lot of people. Grandma is a very positive, energetic person and that is contagious. She’s fun to be around, enjoys playing games, and loves learning. The thing that impresses me the most about Grandma is how important family is to her. Every single child, grandchild, and great-grandchild has to feel loved because Grandma makes such a special effort to establish a relationship with everyone. She goes above and beyond to travel and be there for major events. We are very lucky that she is able to do that. Grandma has always been a great role model and her strong testimony is something that brings us strength. 

One funny story about Grandma is when we were flying to San Francisco and had a layover in Phoenix. We were walking to our gate and randomly saw Grandma taking pictures of the airplanes parked in the lot. It was a pretty funny sight! But we spent an hour or so just talking with Grandma and she took lots of pictures of our kids as they were playing. Grandma loves her camera and I think the pictures she takes represent all that she loves about life; family, nature, important buildings, and yes, even airplanes. She is a funny lady and we love her! 

From Miriam:  My mom is such a wonderful lady.  She was the perfect mother for me.  She was and is always my cheerleader and always pushing me to be better.  She made each one of us feel so special even though we were in a very large family.  She made time to support us and pray with us and attend our special events.  She made sure we were all the best we could be.  She continues to show us how our priorities should be:  gospel, Heavenly Father, then family.  I so admire her for her passion to learn the gospel and live it and then to share it.  I love how family is so important and she has dedicated her life to attending her children, grandchildren, and now great grandchildren’s special events.  Because of her hard work and dedication and passion for gospel and her family, she has a very successful family.  Each child and grandchild and great-grandchild loves the gospel and is working hard to live it.  Thank you for this legacy of teaching us the most important things in life.  Because of you and Dad, you will have a large posterity strong in the gospel and a forever family.   

From Tony: Not sure how you go about describing mom 

Energetic, like the energizer bunny, keeps moving a mile a minute even when the years keep passing by 

Doer - has so many things going on, hard to keep track of where she is or what event she is at but does so much in a given day that dazzles the mind.  She still keeps us as the rest of us keep aging. 

One more - One more picture, can't think of a person who loves taking more pictures of her family, Heavenly Father's creation, or an important event simply to create a long lasting memory. 

Steadfast - There is no doubt in any of her posterity her position about the Gospel, she lives and teaches it day by day. 

Server - Once again through example, she continues to serve in any way she can - the church, her family, and anyone else is in need of help. 

These are only a few things that describe mom - her character, her belief, and who she is.  We have all benefited from her example.  May the light keep ticking brightly within her and we thank her for standing strong in the faith and example to all of what truly matters most. 

 Love Tony 

From Kayla: I've always looked up to you Grandma, and how dedicated you are to your family and I love how you are always here for the special events in our lives. Thank you for always supporting me my whole life and showing me how important family and the gospel is in your life. You are a tremendous example to me and I'm grateful for all the times you've sacrificed to come out and visit me. You are a wonderful person and I'm proud to call you my Grandma.