GRP Reunion 2014

This weekend all of Glen and Donna's children and some of their grandchildren and great grandchildren gathered in Cardston for the 2014 GRP Reunion.  The reunion was held at the reunion center on Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28.  Their oldest daughter, Glenna was in charge and planned fun activities and good food.

The highlight for the children was a carnival with several games and a fish pond.  I believe the highlight for Donna was having so much of her family around.  She loved visiting and spending time with her children. She enjoyed watching her grandchildren and great grandchildren interact and spend time with each other.

One of the big project of the reunion was to clean out some of Donna's storage unit and disperse the treasures and keepsakes among her descendants.  A family meeting was held in several stages with Donna and her children to discuss issues important to the family and things that need to be taken care of now that Glen is not here anymore.

Many of the grandchildren did not attend due to the fact that most of them had just made the trip to Cardston in April for Glen's funeral.  Those who could not make it were missed.

Here are a few pictures I took at the reunion.  As I gather pictures from others I will add them as well.

The Funeral of Glen Rex Purnell

The funeral and burial of my Grandfather, Glen Rex Purnell took place at the Temple Street Chapel in Cardston on April 21, 2014  It was a very beautiful service.  It was a bitter/sweet experience as we celebrated his life and said goodbye.  I know we will all miss him.  There were viewings held the night before  and just before the service. The family is very grateful to all the family and friends that came to show their love and support to us.
The luncheon for the family prepared by the Cardston 5th ward Relief Society was wonderful. It was nice to be able to be together as a family during this time.
All 8 of his children were able to be there.  He has four grandchildren on missions that could not come and 5 other grandchildren that were not able to attend.  That's not bad for 46 grandkids 

Here is a copy of the obituary, the funeral program and some pictures from the graveside.

Glen's passing

One week ago, Thursday Apr 10, I was at work.  I spent some time in the dinning room trying to encourage Grandpa to eat.  This has been a serious on going struggle since he was admitted to the hospital the end of February.  He did not want any of his food, he only wanted ice cream.  The dinning room said they didn't have any ice cream and he was very disappointed.  Grandma was getting frustrated because Grandpa wouldn't eat his food and only want ice cream.  Eventually Grandma took Grandpa back to their rooms. 
A few minutes later Grandma pushed her button and I answered the call expecting to help Grandpa get settled in his bed.  When I started down their hall I saw Grandma standing in the hallway.  I went up to and put my hand on her shoulder to reassure her.  This had been a very difficult month and a half for her and she has been very worried about Grandpa.  I even said to her that I knew she was worried about Grandpa and that it was very frustrating.  She looked at me and said "I'm just scared because he is not responding"
I quickly went into the room and found Grandpa with his head bent forward and his eyes closed.  I called to him and he didn't respond.  I squated in front of him, shook his shoulder and called him again.  He opened his eyes for a second then closed them and did not respond any further.  I called the LPN and told her to come to his room because he was not responding.
The LPN came right away and took his vital signs, which all seemed normal except his oxygen level which was very low.  I got a hold of my Mom who came right away.  The LPN called the ambulance. 
Grandpa was still nonresponsive except trying to turn on his side where he was the most comfortable.  Just as my shift was ending the ambulance took Grandpa and Mom left with Grandma.  As soon as my shift ended I followed to the hospital.  Mom, Aunt Kathy and Uncle Kevin were already there with Grandma.  Grandpa's brothers, Jay and Reed arrived shortly.
Grandpa remained unresponsive for the rest of the evening while he was in the ER.  They did blood tests and X-rays and decided to keep him overnight for observation.  The blood tests and X-rays came back normal so the next morning they sent him to Lethbridge for a CT scan where it was found he had a stroke.
Grandpa opened his eyes and communicated by squeezing people's hands.  Sometimes he could nod his head yes or no and he did give some people one arm huges but he slept most of the time. 

On Saturday, his daughters, Glenna, Margie and Sue arrived from Idaho and Utah. On Monday his son, David arrived from Holland.  On Tuesday Uncle John arrived from Pittsburgh, and Uncle Jim arrived from China.
The family stayed close to his side for the next two days.  He had many vistors and loved ones come to see him.  It was a blessing to have sooo much family around.  Having all 8 children get here on such short notice from so far away was truly a blessing.

After a week long struggle, Grandpa passed away piecefully in his sleep at 7:37 this morning.  His wife Donna was holding his hand and his son John was by his side.  I was there in the room and began the  calls to notify family that Grandpa had stopped breathing.

Moved into Lee Crest

When Grandpa went into the hospital the end of February it didn't take long to realize that he was not going to be able to move back to the Chinook Lodge where they had been living for the last 9 years.  Last week Grandpa and Grandma moved into Lee Crest, an assisted living residence on the south of Cardston.  Their daughter's Margie and Sue came up from Utah to help with the move. 
There wasn't a couple's room available so they got two rooms.  They use one as their bedroom and one as their living room.
They were sad to leave the Chinook where they had lived for so long and had sooo many good friends.  They were also able to walk to the temple and regularly attended three times a week.
They seem to be settling well into their new home.  They are both getting the care they need.  Grandma thinks she is getting spoiled because she gets so much help.  We are all grateful to the staff there for being so helpful, friendly and patient.  They are making this transition a lot easier for them.

Dolan School

This is another story my Grandma emailed me a few years back.  Then I found this video on her computer.  The video is having difficulties loading so it may or may not appear on this blog.  Either way, now you can her my Grandma tell her story in her own words.

            My formal education started when I was 5 years old.  I remember sitting on my mothers lap.  I even remember where she was sitting - at the kitchen table.  She told me that I needed to start school this fall since Marr and Woodrow were still going to school and I could get started in school going with them.  She was concerned that they would not be going the next year when I would be 6 years old.   She was right.  They did not return the next year.  I rode a horse to school through Grade 6.  The school was 2 miles north of our ranch and I would ride to school on stormy days when I could not see where I was going, but my horse knew where we were going and knew the way, and I knew that he knew the way!  I remember of going to school when the storm was bad enough that my mother would put a scarf over my face up to my eyes and another scarf on my head down to my eyes.  Schools are closed now, when weather gets that bad.  I don’t remember of missing much school because of bad weather.  Only when the temperature got to a dangerous low I would be able to stay home from school.  We did not have cuffs inside of our coat sleeves like they do now.  Many times when we would get to school we would have frozen spots on the under side of our arms where the wind would blow the cold air up the sleeve of our coat.  The teacher would say – “Go get some snow and rub it on the spot so that it thaws slowly and it will not be so painful”.  We carried our lunches in a Rogers Golden Syrup bucket with a bale (the metal handle on the bucket)

            I was the only student in my grade, so I liked to tell people I was the smartest kid in my grade, but likewise I was the worst.   Morgan Berry was a grade ahead of me and I did a lot of his work along with him.  When I finished Grade 6 and they were going to close the Dolan School because we did not have the required 6 students to keep it operating, my teacher told my mother that I could go into Grade 8 when we moved into Cardston, since I had already done all of the Grade 7 work with Morgan, but my mother

would not let me  do it, since I was already a year younger than many of the Grade 7 students.  

Update on Glen

My Grandpa is still in the hospital and I have been spending as much time with him as I can.  He is improving but still has a long way to go.  Sometimes it's really hard to see how hard he is having to struggle.
It is such a blessing that my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Kevin came up for an extended visit just days before Grandpa went into the hospital.  I don't know what we would have done without them here.  The Lord knows what we need and puts things in place to fit those needs.  Uncle Kevin told my Dad last night that the timing of this trip was not their timing.
Two of my Mom's sisters, Margie and Sue came up this weekend to help move Grandpa and Grandma to an assisted living residence so that they can both get the care that they need now.  It has been a neat experience to see my Mom and three of her sisters together.  What a blessing family is at a time like this.
While Grandpa has been in the hospital I have been working on a history of my Grandparents.  It's neat how many stories and memories people are willing to share as they come and visit Grandpa.  It's also neat to see all the family and friends that come by to encourage and support my Grandparents through this challenge.  It is nice to know that none of us have to be alone through this struggle.
If everything goes as planned Grandpa will be able to get out of the hospital on Tuesday.  He is really looking forward to getting out.  He has been in the hospital for about a month and is getting really tired of it.  I don't blame him.  The hospital is not a fun place to be.

These are my Grandparents!!

 These are a couple of pictures of Glen and Donna I found.  I like this pictures because they really tell a lot about my grandparents.  My Grandpa was always a very professional man.  He was always very good at what he did.  Those he worked with respected him and he was very well liked.
My Grandma has always been all about her family.  Having fun with her children and grandchildren was something that meant a lot to her.  In this picture she is wearing a wig and sunglasses and a mismatched outfit.  Her Granddaughters, Jennifer Griffiths and Jandy and Cinda Purnell are enjoying this fun time with Grandma.
Both of these pictures were probably taken in the early 1980's.  This is typical of how I remember my Grandparents as I grew up.  I love the look on my face.  Can you tell I love my Grandma?  Hint:  I'm the one looking up at Grandma and smiling.
Aunt Kathy says that the picture with Grandma was taken in the Bountiful house when she was about 16.  She says that they dressed Grandma up like that and the little kids loved it.

How Glen and Donna Got Their Names

This is taken from an email sent to me by Donna

Grandpa Jack had a sister Eva Heiner who had a son named Glen Heiner and Grandma Frances had a cousin named Rex French, son of Oz French.   Both the Glen and the Rex were mature adults when Glen Rex was born and so we assume that he was named after them.  We do not know of any other usage of those names in the family.

Mary Donna was the 11th child born to John & Jennie Forsyth and so the name was not selected until Jennie and the baby got home from the hospital in order for the family to vote on a name.  Jennie's mother's name is Mary Olive Heap and Grandma Heap wanted the baby named after her.  Jennie's sister Ethel Harker had already named a daughter Olive and Jennie did not want to duplicate that, so they finally settled on 2 names on which to vote to add to Mary.  One was Beth and the other was Donna.  They took a vote and Beth won.  Now the name needed to be given to the hospital for the Provincial Records.  Since a daughter Belle was going to school in Cardston, and would be going in to town from the ranch for school, she was given the assignment to submit the name to the hospital. But when she submitted the name she gave Mary Donna rather than Mary Beth.  Hence the name Mary Donna Forsyth was the one used.  No one knows why Belle gave that name unless she thought since Olive was not selected because a cousin already had that name, she may have thought that it should not be Beth since they already had a cousin named Beth - a daughter of Aunt Elva Harker, another sister of Jennie's.

Cute pictures of a young Donna Forsyth

These are two cute pictures of my Grandma Purnell when she was a little girl.  I don't know much about them.  I know She loves to spend time outside so I'm assuming these are very typical of her.  I know Grandma loved animals, especially horses so seeing her just sitting on the porch petting a dog helps me get a feel for what her childhood was like.  I asked Grandma what the dog's name was and she told me it was Bob.

I love to see these pictures of when she was younger.  I feel like I know her a little bit better.  I can relate to these pictures because I can see my own growing up in the settings and activities.  I grew up on a ranch just like she did.

Hawaii

In 1999 Glen and Donna decided to take all their children and their spouses to Hawaii.  I've tried to collect some memories and stories.  These are some of the comments I got.

• John Purnell What an excellent trip! All 8 siblings went. Spouses too, minus David's and Kathy's. The only grandchild that went was Holly Purnell, since she was under 2. Polynesian Cultural Center (including the luau and night show) Temple, Dinner cruise (some got seasick after dinner and fed their dinner to the fish), dinner in a revolving restaurant atop a tall building, snorkeling, USS Arizona WWII memorial, Aloha stadium open air market, sunburns, etc. Great fun! Once in a lifetime memories! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for sharing this very special celebration with all of us!

  February 24 at 4:05pm · Unlike · 2
• 

  Jennifer Griffiths Thanks Uncle John Purnell I love the info. Mom said there were sun burns from snorkeling. She said she was sore the whole last day and the trip home.

  February 24 at 6:46pm · Like
• 

  Jennifer Griffiths She also talked about going to the temple and the only session available was a Spanish session. Most of you had to the head phones with the English Translation. Some you like yourself only had to use them occasionally because you speak Portuguese and that is similar to Spanish.
•  Sue Purnell Lords 2 more memories in addition to John's - We went in a mini submarine to see the turtles, and we ate at a luau where Mom & Dad were recognized for their 50th anniversary and they danced the waltz together on the stage.
• February 24 at 10:43pm · Like · 2
• 

  Sue Purnell Lords Someone brought an electric frypan to use in the hotel to save money on food

  February 24 at 10:44pm · Like · 1
• 

  Sue Purnell Lords The Sunday we were there, we went to a Ward of my friend Tina Price who was from there and I had known in Winnemucca. She and I made dinner for everyone at her house and took it to the hotel for Sunday dinner - so we wouldn't have to buy food on the Sabbath.

  February 24 at 10:46pm · Like · 1
• 

  Sue Purnell Lords When the photographers were trying to take our picture, they kept telling us to 'hang loose'

Donna and siblings

Donna is the youngest of 11 kids.  Her brother just older than her, Thomas Lorenzo, died shortly after he was born. Her brother, Lavar, fell into a potato pit just after he learned to walk.  He hit his head on a rock.  Eventually he lost the ability to walk.  Rhea started having seizures shortly after birth.  There were complications at her birth and her development was effected.
This is a picture of my Grandma with Lavar and Rhea.  Grandma is the little girl in the chair, Lavar is the boy in the chair beside her and Rhea is standing behind them.
It was very common in this time period for families with children with disabilities to send those children to institutions.  Grandma's parents did not.  Her mother, Jennie cared for Rhea and Lavar at home until she was not physically able to any more.  I wonder how being raised in a home where the two siblings just older than her had disabilities influenced her.  Watching her mother care for them every day had to have some impact.
Grandma's family had a rocking horse that Lamar loved to ride.  A family friend says that when she was a little girl she loved to go over to the Forsyth place because she could ride on the rocking horse.

Second Year in Moscow, Idaho

The second year we moved to a 10 acre parcel with a big house on East F Street just at the edge of town. We had the 10 acres of alfalfa, so we bought a calf and staked it out, and bought some Banty Chickens, and some Rabbits. We cut alfalfa every day to feed the rabbits We bought a bred doe(we thought) and it turned out to be a buck. The other rabbit ate some tar off the cage and died. David lost his glasses in that field and we looked long and hard for them.
That's where we lived when I was babysitting the younger kids and Margie was crawling around playing in the bottom kitchen cupboards with the pans and lids which was o.k., but she found the Roger's Golden Syrup (a special treat from Canada) and got the lid off. Oh what a mess. I bathed  and changed Margie and mopped the floor, but it was still sticky when Mom & Dad got home and I had to mop it again.
We were short on money when we lived in that house and so we moved the couch into our big farm type kitchen and heated that part of the house, putting blankets over the doorways to keep the heat in, but left the front room unheated. However, that is where the piano was and we had to practice 2 half hour sessions a day, so we were anxious for the timer to go off.
Until this time, I did not know that Dad was able to do much carpentry. He and Mom worked hard to make some Christmas presents for the kids. They made a roller toy for Margie out of an empty peach can, beans and two wooden circles glued into the ends of the can with a twisted coat hanger for the handle They also made a bean bag game out of a wooden board with round holes in it and a back attached, where the bean bags would hit and slide down. Mom made the bean bags and painted the numbers on the front with the Artex type Paint. The other toy they made was a ring toss game. Dad cut out a neat shaped board and then screwed cup holders (hooks) into the board and they used Mom's rubber canning rings to throw at the numbered hooks All 3 of the toys were painted a gun metal gray from the Army and Navy Store.
That is where we were living when Uncle Donald came to visit us just before he had his horse accident. We only lived about 15 miles from Pullman where Don & Rosie and family were living while Don Jr. was going to vet school, so we spent time with them while they were close. Uncle DR, Uncle Charles, and Uncle Woodrow lived in Spokane, which was only 88 miles away and so we got to visit with them quite often as well.
That's where we lived when Dad & Mom were asked to sing a duet at Church. Up until that time, I never thought Dad could sing except in Church or at home on Sunday nights, but he and Mom sang a song entitled "In The Garden". It was beautiful and many people cried because it was so touching. 

Bar K 2

When Glen and Donna first got married they live at the Bar K 2.  This is a church ranch outside of Cardston, Alberta. Glen's Dad had worked at the Bar K 2.  At the time that Glen and Donna got married the Bar K 2 was actually owned by McIntire's.  They sold it to the church a couple years later.

 

A few years ago this picture was taken of Glen and Donna in front of a house on the ranch that looks like the house they lived in.  The actual house they lived in was demolished in the 1970's .

Glen's Dad, John "Jack" Purnell bought this wagon that now holds the sign for the Bar K 2 Ranch.  My cousin, Clayton Cox took this picture a couple of years ago.

An interesting side note is that Glen's oldest Grandson, Jarom Purnell now works at the ranch and lives out there with his family.

Hand me down overalls

This is a picture of my Grandma, Mary Donna Forsyth.  Most of the people that would have known anything about where, when or why this picture was taken or the story behind it are not around any more or can't give me any of the details.  

Knowing this, you wouldn't think I would be able to learn anything from this picture.  I posted it on facebook to see if anyone could give me anymore information.  A family friend pointed out the hand me down overalls.  

All of a sudden I could get a lot out of this picture.  My Grandma was the youngest of 11 children.  She had a lot of brothers so it would be very possible that the overalls came from one of her brothers.  

She raised 8 children of her own and I know that she made good use of what she had.  Many of her grandchildren have quilts made by her that have squares made from clothes that her kids used to wear.  She still does not like to throw away anything that she can still get use out of.

She passed the same values of thrift and resourcefulness to her children.  Many of her grandchildren have also been taught these same values.  

I have 20 nieces and nephews. I have noticed that clothes get a lot of use as they get passed from one child and family to another.

I'm not sure if it amounts to much in the large scheme of things but not being wasteful and being resourceful are values that have become a legacy in our family.  

Who would have thought that such a story could come from a picture of little girl in overalls holding a fish.  Pictures really do tell a story even if the people who were there can't tell it. 
I did ask Grandma about this picture and she said that the fact that there are holes in the knees of the overalls could mean that they were worn by her brother, Lavar.  He couldn't walk and went everywhere on his hands and knees.
Grandma says that the fish she is holding are fish her brother's caught.  They didn't have a place on their ranch where they had fish in the water, so they had to go to a near by river to go fishing.  They didn't go very often so this was an unusual event so they wanted to take a picture.

Who is the baby?

I have a bunch of pictures that I got off of Grandma's computer. I love this picture.  I think it is very important that the individuals in the pictures are identified.  The best way I know how to do that is get them out there where people can see them.  If anyone knows who the baby is or anything else about where or when this picture was taken please leave a comment or get a hold of me.
So Mom says the baby might be Uncle Jim.  If anyone knows for sure please let me know.  Could this have been a baby blessing?
I case you are wondering the baby has been identified as Margie Kay.  Please read the comments to find out more.
Aunt Kathy says that Here mom made that dress.  Grandma is a really good seamstress and has passed this hobby and skill down to many of her daughters.
Aunt Kathy told me that when they were living in Moscow Grandpa and Grandma were parents to the Idaho Farm Boys Fraturnity.  They were good wholesome boys and they really enjoyed that position.

Wedding

 I know the landscape and grounds at the Alberta temple have been changed since. 1949.  This picture was taken my Aunt Sue in 2009.













This is My Grandpa and Grandma, Glen Rex Purnell and Mary Donna Forsyth.  As you can see this a picture taken at their wedding reception.  They met in Jr High or High school in Cardston and were married in the Alberta temple in Cardston, Alberta Canada on June 16 1949.





The picture below was also taken at their reception.  I recognize Grandpa's brother Delbert but I don't know who any of the other people are.                                       

Just getting started

I am working on a history for my Grandparents.  I wanted a place where I could upload pictures and stories and people who know Glen and Donna can post comments and get a hold of me.
When I started gathering information for this history I lived in Utah and my Grandparents lived in Alberta, I would email my Grandma questions and she would email me back answers.  It worked really well until her memory got too bad.
I've collected information from their children and others that know them.  I've collected information such as pictures and short histories that they have collected on their computer and I've asked some of their grandchildren to send me stories or memories they have of Grandpa and Grandma Purnell.  I've worked quite a bit with their oldest daughter Glenna to get her to record memories and collect information she has.   I will try to include this information in this blog.