Farewell to Winter Quarters

Fred and I are home. We had a fabulous mission, but the time had come to get Fred home.

What will I miss most about this amazing place? I looked around and realized that I will miss many things.

I will miss the people.

I love walking into the Trail Center and saying “Hi” to John sitting at his desk, and Barbara in her office.

Sharing something we had found about the history, or the people, or some new article. Visiting just about everything that was currently of interest from the Trail Center to pioneer history, from our hero Thomas Kane to our families, from local events to the gospel. Working on the scrapbook with Barbara, or writing Trail Center Moments of the Sisters or doing a story for Mormon Times or Meridian. What an amazing gift we have shared to be together for these months. We have said so many times how much our mother must be smiling on the other side.

I will miss being in a place where I can see everyone who walks in the door, where I can meet and greet them, find out where they are from, if we are related or know the same people, encourage them to see Pioneer Courage Park, or Kanesville or just give their children stickers. I answered lots of phone calls, keep track of the tours, and made reservations, wrote lots of stories, but the people were what made it fun.

I loved watching Elder Fred entertain the troops--do the Sisters love Fred!!

I will miss these cute sisters who run to open the doors to greet us as we walk in, who give incredible spirit filled tours all day.

Or this group—our Sisters before our last transfer-- such lovely young women who pray for each tour, who call everyone on tour by name, and who bring the spirit to every tour. They give walking gospel lessons every day and in the process change lives. We saw it over and over. What wonderful Trail Center Moments we shared.

This group included all our senior couples as well as our sisters at a Saturday Morning training at the Pioneer Cemetery. I will miss them all--just amazing people who enriched our lives.

I will miss the wonderful visitors who came from all over the world to see the Center and who are often surprised at the spirit they felt and the things they learned about the pioneers as well as themselves.

Our Family Visitors

The Tingeys who came calling just before they left for London. They enjoyed the Durham Museum with us as well as the Church sites.

Or our son, Joe and five of his brood at the Pioneer Cemetery with the Avard Fairbanks statue, Tragedy at Winter Quarters. Many feel there was no tragedy but a victory as these faithful saints buried their dead, knowing they would see them again, and then moved on.

Or John Junior and Melody and boys who stopped out front to see the Handcart Statue with John and Barbara. John brought us our computers and helped keep them running.

Or my brother Mark and wife Linda, who came from Seattle to see us and Linda's Nebraska family and are enjoying Pioneer Courage Park.

Or John and Barbara's daughter, Mary Jane, and her girls who stopped at the Kanesville Tabernacle to see where their great grandfather Heber C. Kimball was made Brigham's counselor.

Or our sister Mary Frances and hubby, Chris Rich, who came to see us. We enjoyed the Joslyn Art Museum with its fine collection, especially the western art.

Or the AZ Hales who traveled from Gilbert Arizona, via Colorado Springs to see Abigail and Chris Rich (just returned from Iraq). This was the 50th temple they have been to. They have pictures of all on their "temple wall" at home. Sharryl sent lovely pictures and cards to keep us cheered up.

Our daughter Sally Johnson and Josh and their family at our favorite downtown Omaha spot, Pioneer Courage Park on their way to Salt Lake. We have an amazing 24 hour adventure!

Or our nephew Michael and Natalie and their three who loved being part of Florence Days.

Or the Mosses, our Sharryl's sister and family who dressed up as pioneers--a favorite activity of our visitors.

Or Craig's darling nephew Dan Gibbons and wife Tiffany and daughter, Shea. New baby Tilly arrived in September and came to see us before we left--she is a true Gibbons--she has six toes!

We had many famous and not so famous people who stopped by whom we were not related to, but enjoyed finding out about their lives--wonderful people from our ward in New York (Paul DeNys, Rudy and Kathy Stone's daughter Heather, Nadine Hogan's grandson Greg Terwilliger, and Bill Cluff's grandson Bill Standish), from our Salt Lake ward--Sarah Funk, and people from other exciting places.

We were especially blessed to have Apostle D. Todd Christofferson come to see us, first with his brothers, and then with other General Authorities, Bishop Richard Edgley, and Elder Carl Cook. He visited the Pioneer Cemetery three times, and told us that the angels surrounded that hill. We could certainly testify to the presence of their spirits because of the amazing spiritual experiences that were part of every day.

This fall we were blessed to have YW General President Elaine Dalton, Primary General President Rosemary Wixom, and Relief Society Counselor Barbara Thompson and Elder Don Deshler and his wife come for a visit. What a treat for us all.

Well known writers and Education Week presenters, V-Anne and Vic Ludlow who also happen to be our Sharryl's parents on their way to the Hill Cumorah Pageant the Mosses are directing.

Saturday Training--our favorite meeting of the week at the Center at 7:45am!

Gathering of Seniors and Sisters

Our clever Sisters singing original songs to us.

Being taught by our beloved mission president and his wife, Elder and Sister Kunz--Easterners no less, from Philadelphia--amazing teachers and good friends.

The Tour of the Trail Center

Packing a wagon was just made for cute little kids like Steele. Our Trail Center was a very interactive place for kids. At the same time a wonderful opportunity for everyone to learn the history of the Pioneers and to feel of their spirit of cooperation, sacrifice, and obedience. What faith they had.

The wonderful map of Winter Quarters that is also in the Temple. The far left string of houses belonged to Heber C. Kimball.

Checking out the bunks that would have been on an immigrant ship coming to the US. A whole family got one bunk!

The Log Cabin is authentic looking but would have been a tight squeeze for a large family.

The handcart was a favorite for the kids to pull. It was made to the authentic pattern of Brigham Young and this one had actually been pulled from Nauvoo to Winter Quarters.

The Memorial Room is the centerpiece of the tour. We met their each morning before the Center opened. The view is the cemetery and the temple.

The Kanesville Tabernacle Tour (our other Church Site assignment)

Look what we found! Pioneer tools, entertainment, and household items are on display at the tabernacle where Brigham Young was sustained the second President of the Church.

A Heber, a Chase, and two Kimballs!

Senior Dinners

A wonderful time to get to know the other couples--the other four called as Senior Visitor Center couples, plus the two local couples, the office couples, a proselyting couple, the facilities management couples, the temple presidency, and the mission president and his wife and son. Sister Davis and Sister Westover are clowning for the camera.

Our August chefs, Elder Mangum, Temple President Schooff, and Director John.

Special Events at the Center

Emma's lilacs planted in our garden, brought by the Joseph Smith Family reunion members that included Joseph and Emma's first grandchild to join the Church, Gracia Jones. These lilacs had come from Kirtland to Nauvoo to Salt Lake and back to Winter Quarters.

Young Men and Young Women helped with the summer flower planting of 100 flats such as this young woman helping our Temple Matron, Sister Schooff.

The youth baseball teams came for the big summer tournament. This one, The Aces, from Draper, Utah, came to see us, and got copies of the Book of Mormon to give to the team from Mississippi they were playing next. The Mississippi had them pray together after the previous game and they thought they should do something special for them.

Tour groups like this--darling young people. One such group left 26 referrals!!!

Florence Days Parade and the Sisters and Elders pulling handcarts up the main street of Florence--a huge event. Locals came to get our "buffalo chip" cookies, button games, and a Trail Center Tour.

Cannon got a special bird's eye view of the whole show.

Come Home to Kanesville, with dear friend, Sister Latey and her husband. It was the wonderful musical about life in Kanesville 1846-1851. She is our Research Librarian extraordinaire at the Center and she was moving force behind the musical as well as the Hymnfest that included members of our church, The Community of Christ (RLDS), Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and Restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Two of our Sisters, Sister Bonelli and Sister Myers performed Sister Myers original song at the Hymnfest.

Walking Tour of Kanesville with our wonderful local historian and patriarch Gail Holmes.

The twenty foot long family pedigree charts with eleven generations done by Elder Naylor for each of us including the Sisters as well as our mission president, and our three stake presidents. I spent many hours gathering our information so he could do ours. What a treasure!

The little girl who arrived in her Sunday Best with her mom on the day of the Royal Wedding. Her mom said she was taking her to the temple so see where "real royal weddings happened."

The Missouri flooding--it lasted all summer--June to September leaving our Mormon Bridge closed to tourists as I-680 was obliterated on the Iowa side.

Favorite picture of the flood. This said it all!

The big hailstorm with hail the size of golf balls--solid ice. We lost our windshield and they certainly decorate our car! Can't say I will really miss the hail! We only two of the three big summer disasters--floods, hail, and tornadoes--we missed the tornadoes, thank goodness! We did have a huge tornado horn next to Trail Center and tunnels under it, and Jill reminded me that people take the tornado horn very seriously. We have no doubt the Last Days are upon us!!!

Safe arrival of our miracle girl, Lucy Mangum and her lovely family, children of our senior couple neighbors, the Mangums. Lucy's parents were friends, of Mary and Kate Wilson, Lara and Adam Alder--so many fun connections. Lucy was bitten by a shark off the coast of the NC Outer Banks and we were thrilled to see she is recovering so beautifully and finally able to walk as a result of all of the many prayers in her behalf.

Our quilters made a huge contribution to the Florence Summer Quilt Auction. Sister Walker and Sister Mangum made seven quilts--one brought in the largest amount -- $450. I was surprised when Connie Rose who sponsored the event, brought one of the seven to me because I had bid on it before the Auction, and the person who won it did not pay. The Roses were very good to us and great friends of John's.

Our Elders and Sisters in their "Helping Hands" shirts spent many hours this summer filling sand bags that were used all over Council Bluffs to keep the flood waters back. This is a member of the Iowa legislature coming to thank them.

Exhibits at the Center

The amazing Healing Power of Christ exhibit--13 statues of the Life of Christ done by Angela Johnson. They provided us with a rich collection of comments and stories by people who were deeply touched by their beauty and spirit. We were so sad to have them leave for the Idaho Falls Temple Visitor Center. They added so much to our experience at Winter Quarters.

The Quilt Show--over 100 quilts done by wonderful quilters such as a Heber C. Kimball cousin, Jeanne Shimokawa, and good friend, Claudia Beach, the new Omaha Stake Relief Society President, who invited me to lunch with her quilt group, was my Public Affairs contact, and who took good care of me while Fred was in surgery. (Holly's quilt is the red and green one in back.)

Special places to visit in the Omaha area we loved

The Omaha Zoo was a favorite of all the grandchildren, ours and everyone else. We had a lion roar at us and a boa constrictor slither out of the fish pond (he did have his trainer there) and peacocks chase us get our lunch crumbs. It was an incredible place.

Family History sites such as this one that is the grave of Barbara's great great grandfather, Daniel Brown, who chose to remain in Iowa rather than go to Utah. After his death, his family did go west. We visited several family and historic sites with John and Barbara who were great traveling companions.

Historical old towns like Thurman Iowa, settled by five Mormon Battalion families. The Hensons, (Denny is a HCK cousin also) walked the entire trek and came to speak at the Thurman Fair.

Pioneer Courage Park--the girls always love our favorite statue. This is a block long wagon train of four covered wagons and teams--oxen, or mules or horses. So amazing it should be down the Main Street of Salt Lake!

Or they love the dog!

Kerry Walking Bridge over the Missouri was one of the sights we enjoyed with the Westovers along with the SAC museum, and the Zoo. Elder Westover was always willing to push the wheelchair. He was a chiropractor who had a line out the back room door every time he came to work with his table in hand. He helped many an Elder, or Sister and many a Senior.

Being given the VIP treatment via good friend Dorene Sherman who had served as Director of Protocol for 40 years, took us to the Airshow at her base, Offut Air Base--the US Strategic Command Center.

Being part of the exciting new I'm a Mormon a media blitz in Omaha.

Or favorite places to eat like Paneras.

Or Quaker Steak and Lube with Bowers, my brother Mark's daughter and family from Boise, who stopped by the Trail Center.

Special Places in Florence

The Cutler Park marker down the road from the Trail Center on Mormon Bridge Road that we passed each time we went to church. This was the first settlement in Nebraska.

Our chapel on Fort Street--the Fontenelle Ward--filled with young couples from Creighton--dental, medical, and law, along with new converts from the area.

"The Pioneer Trail" is what Fred calls this road from our apartment to the Trail Center. Fred thinks Florence is just trying to preserve the old Mormon Trail.

These beautiful roses bloomed almost the whole time we were in Winter Quarters. They were on the street corner down from the Physical Therapist that I passed each time I went walking while Fred was getting PT. We laughingly said Fred's therapist, who was a huge Nebraska Huskers fan, was trying to get Fred ready to be a line backer! (Did you know that everyone in town wears red on game day!)

Our main drag with my beauty shop, WOW, where Sandy made me look presentable each week, and Harold's Koffee Shop, where we stepped into a page out of Mitford (Jan Karon's books about a small NC town) where everyone who was anyone stopped for breakfast or coffee or their luscious French Dip on Wednesday or their homemade donuts and pies. We took the Elders there for lunch on Wednesday but they picked the burgers!

The original Winter Quarters marker in the park across from Harold's.

The road sign to get to the Trail Center in front of our HyVee where we got hamburgers cooked on the grill out front all summer, or our clothes cleaned, or our prescriptions filled, or our groceries.

My favorite sign under the road sign, on the sidewalk by the park. It is etched into the sidewalk. A treasure!

The lovely home across from our apartment that made me smile each time I passed it, walking or driving.

Another favorite house I passed each time I went walking. I finally realized the reason I liked it so much was it looks like one of our Christmas village houses.

The beautiful Catholic Church that ironically corners on Mormon Road and plays lovely carillon bells while I am walking.

The little old house was the Toll Booth for the Old Mormon Bridge across the Missouri just down the street from our apartment.

The entrance to our apartment at 3111 Tucker. Wished we had this welcoming committee every day!

Our lovely apartment that made it a pleasure to come home

Filled with mementos of our life in Winter Quarters, my missionary tag, my red "Mary" flower, my beaded watch made at Fontenelle Relief Society, my ever present glasses and our family pictures.

My favorite view--looking from the Memorial Room window at the Winter Quarters Temple's beautiful blue stain glass windows sparkling in the morning sun--a perfect way to begin our day at the Trail Center.

Thanks to John and Barbara for providing us with the wonderful opportunity to serve at our favorite site of all, The Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters. And most of all thanks to Fred who hung in there through surgery, a fall or two, and more PT than anyone should have to have, to make it possible for us to serve. The Lord provided us with amazing blessings--this one we will never forget!