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
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  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
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  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
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  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
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  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
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  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.