| Life History -- Page 2 |
| Dad was introduced to the church by some friends and was baptized when he was 19 years old. He served in the Texas Mission between 1963 and 1965. He attended San Diego City College and San Diego State. His careers have included that of schoolteacher and principal, and salesman, taking him from California to Maryland to Arizona. Dad was a wonderful teacher and salesman in many respects. He always had something to teach. He was the one that so many people looked to for the answers. It was during his college years that he met my Mom. He met Gail Borup in the Sunday School class he was teaching. On their first date, they went to see The Sound of Music. They were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on August 23, 1967. They were married for 33 years here on the earth and are sealed together for all time and eternity. Through his words and his deeds, there was never any doubt in my mind that he loved my mother. From their union came 7 children -- 6 girls and 1 "beamish" boy. Jennifer, Amy, Rachel, Heather, Jessica, David and Alicia, whom as teenagers he loved to embarrass in public whenever possible, whether it be by dancing through the grocery stores or skipping through the food court at the mall; to whom he read "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", complete with funny voices, on every Christmas Eve for as long as we can remember. Three of his daughters served missions and he wrote to them faithfully. In a letter to one of them he wrote the following: "You and your siblings have taught me over the years a basic truth of the gospel, best expressed in the story of a mother with a large family who was asked by a friend how she could possibly divide her love among so many children. Her response was, 'You don't understand the math. It is not division, it is multiplication'." Dad's family has "multiplied" to include sons-in-law and 10 adorable grandchildren -- I knew he would want me to add that part about being adorable. He was the best Grandad that a kid could ask for and I would like to thank my Father in Heaven for allowing some of them to know him in this lifetime. For many years we were worried that he would not live to see any of his grandchildren. Dad had cardiomyopathy, a serious heart condition that he was diagnosed with when I was a teenager. At one point he was told he would need a heart transplant to prolong his life, but when it came time for the angiogram it was discovered that his heart was much better and a transplant was no longer necessary. The Lord blessed him with a long life. Since the time of his birth doctors have been handing down death sentences. Every day of his life was a gift and a blessing from God. I would like to close by sharing with you something that I think all the members of my family have been thinking about since my Dad passed away. Several years ago my Dad had a dream that my youngest sister, Alicia, was being married in the temple. Dad said that he and Mom and all the siblings and our spouses were gathered together in the sealing room. At the time he shared this dream with us, he was very sick and I know he hoped to comfort us. Later, in regard to this dream, my sister, Jessica, wrote the following: "I started thinking about how the temple was one place on earth where the living could mingle with those on the other side and I knew that no matter what happened to my father, he would get to see the fulfillment of that dream. I knew we were okay. It suddenly hit me what it meant to me that my family is eternal." We will miss him so very much. I pray that we can all take comfort in the plan our Heavenly Father has for us and the hope and the knowledge that one day we will be reunited. Thank you, dear Father, for the privilege of knowing him. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. |