Dahl, Jared, Liza, Josh

Loye Willis Family Picture

Loye Willis Family Picture

Loye Willis Family Picture at 40th Anniversary

Loye Willis Family Picture in the Woods

Loye Willis Family Picture

Dahl and Loye on Couch

Today is the birthdate of my oldest grandchild (Cassandra Lea) and she is in Thatcher going to school.  But today she is 19 years old with her whole life ahead of her.  How dear she is.

When I came home from work I decided I had better take care of the cucumbers I had so I started making dill pickles and there must of been about 30 qts although I couldn't make 2 of the seal.

Dahl called about 2:00 o'clock and said Loye was on his way home with the trailer so about 6 o'clock he got here.  He brought the trailer home so we can go up on the Mtn. camping.

I fixed some spaghetti for supper since that is Josh's favorite food and he requested it.

I decided not to just sit in the trailer all day today so after taking a nice shower, I went down town shopping and bought Jason 3 shirts, Loye 2 shirts and 3 pairs of pants that he desperately needed.  I bought me a pair of panty hose, and on the way back I got a Taco Bell Grande at the Taco Bell.  Oh I also (and most important) had the car all washed and shined up with Armor All.  It cost $18, and I thought it was well worth the money because it looks like a new car again.

When Loye came home (about 4 o'clock) he said he still had some work to do and so we about decided to stay over night in the valley.  But then I remembered I have to be at the cannery in the morning.  So when Loye went back to finish up his work, I loaded the car and met Loye over at Dahl's.  We went by Bob's Big Boy and bought us a hamburger and some onion rings to eat on the way home.  Loye was so tired I drove and we got home about midnight.

Staying here at the trailer all day becomes sort of boring  Although Loye does come in as often as possible.  I finished reading President Kimball's book about his life.  He was such an ambitious, and energetic man, even until he was past 80 he never seemed to realize he was getting old, he just wanted to serve the Lord as well as he could and he never wasted time but actively worked as hard as he could.

I knit a while, watch T.V., read, play solitaire then start over.  It is nice and cool here in the trailer.  In the evening we called Judy on the phone in Dahl's pick-up to see if she would like to go with us to eat.  We pick her up and went out to "Red Lobster" where we really enjoyed fish  I had a "Neptune Plate" with all different kinds of fish, oysters, shrimp etc.  Sure was good.  We enjoyed being with Judy, Don was in L.A. after a load of something to bring over here.

At least tomorrow I am going to the temple to watch Bon get married.

Yesterday we came down to the valley where Loye has been working practically all this year.  We bought a camp trailer so he will have a place to stay.  It is quite a nice trailer and is completely self-contained.  I have spent the day reading and writing in my journal, something I have been wanting to do for quite a while.

The weather here is so hot and humid that the best place to stay is right here under the refrigeration.

In the evening we went over to Dahl and Shelley's to celebrate Lindsey's 5th birthday we were there, also Lindsey's Bradshaw grandparents and her Aunt Janet and Uncle David with their daugher P.J.  Shelley served ice cream and cake.  She had the house all decorated with crepe paper and balloons.  Dahl and Shelley are going to move from their house as they have sold it and want to build them a bigger house.

While we were at Dahl's we had a phone call from Roger, Jared, Jason and Liza.  Roger said he had work at home next week if Loye wanted to work up there.  Jared and Jason wanted to know where jason's physical was as he needed it in order to play football.  They are both in my purse (down here.)  Liza said her and Mark would not be down Tuesday to go to the temple with Yvonne and Bart who are being married on Wednesday.

After the party Loye and I came home and went to bed.

It has been so long since I wrote in this journal with any regularity and now I would like to keep it up better.

Since I have slacked off there have been many important things pass by that I haven't written about.

One of the things I must make mention of is that Shanna and Jim are getting a divorce.  It was a shock at first but I really don't think shanna has ever been as happy as she had a right to be, and now I just hope and pray she can find happiness with someone else and also have a family.  She is a good girl and I really want her to be happy.

Roger is being ostracized by Dean Sellers and Pres Eddie Hancock and Pres. Pete Shumway want Roger to sue Sellers for defamation of character.  I hope Roger can do what is best for all concerned.  Roger is a good man and a good father and he has a good wife.

Loyelin and Rick are considering buying a new house and they need one so bad.  They are stuck off up there in Shumway with no car most of the time.  Besides they need a new home for their family.

Dahl and Shelley, I think are doing pretty good.  They have sold the little house that Dahl built, and they are going to rent an apartment until they can build a new house.  They also have my youngest granddaughter who was born June 6, 1986 and she is the cutest baby.  Her name is Amber.

Jared although he has been interested enough a couple of times to get married as yet hasn't taken the plunge.  I'm sure he would be lots happier if he would get married.  he does have a horse and that fact has made some changes in his life.  He takes good care of his horse and he has changed from Rock and Roll music to Country and Western and he now wears cowboy boots.  It does help him to have an interest in his life.  Jared teaches primary ad he is very dependable.

Josh I pray that he will soon get strength to shun evil in all it's forms and go forward and upward.

I love all my children.

Jason is at an exciting age this year.  He is just starting High School as a freshie and he is looking forward to the new excitement of the year.  He was just ordained a teacher.  I just pray that he goes and grows in God's kingdom as well as in school.

I know I have not recorded my happiness about Mark and Liza and their sealing in the temple, we are so pleased and happy about this.  It was such a special day.  They both looked so handsome and nice looking, and when they brought the 4 little kids up to the sealing room it was almost more happiness than my heart could contain  Tiffany patted her hair and said "I pretty", and she sure was.  As Liza was carrying her out of the temple she started singing "Old McDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O."  Some of the old folks smiled as she went by.

Mom isn't feeling too good.  She is mostly lonesome and we all need to visit with her more  I love my Mother and I want my family to know that she is a good, and religious lady.  She loves her family no matter what they do and she has always tried to support them in almost everything they do, at least when she could.

Many of the families have had weddings.  Rion Ramsey married and divorced Bonnie Ellsworth they had a baby girl Riann.

Becky married and divorced Lloyd Gorman she had a baby girl Jamie Ranae, she later married Gene Shurling.

Eric is in Charlotte, N.C on a mission and Rob is a freshman.

Scott Ramsey married Kendra Crosby and they seem to be real happy they have a baby girl Kendyal.

Amy Lewis married Glenn Whetton they now have 3 children, a girl Tony and 2 boys Darren and Jerome.

Matt Lewis married Suzie Cluff and they have a baby girl Mallory.

Stewart lewis is in Korea on a mission, and Tana Lewis is in Hawaii working as a nanny.

Ivy Lewis married Craig Jones.  Benda, David, Vera, Megan, Dennis are all still home.

Kim Rogers married Keith Brimhall they have 4 children - Chad Burdahl, Abbey, Ashley (who was born premature and weighed only 2 1/2# but has done real well and is cute as a button) and Blake Rogers.

Kristi Rogers married Mike Russell and they have 3 children - Chauncy Moroni, Valerie and Jay Hunt.

Monte Rogers married Dana Crandall they expect a new baby this week.

Yvonne Rogers will marry Bart Judd Aug. 20, 1986.  Yvette and Ann are still home.

Ross Lillywhite married Lurlyn Cassidy they have 4 children but I do not know their names because we have neglected to visit with them enough.

Paul Lillywhite married Bonnie Polson (I think) they have 7 children.

James Lillywhite married Kaylyn ? they have 1 little girl.

Julieann Lillywhite married Roy Madison they have 5 children.

Sheryl Lillywhite is married but I have forgotten his name.


Loye's family runs this way.

Geneva Hall married Brent Horne they have 4 children Deron who will go to Roanoke, VA Oct. 1 on a mission.  Darrel, Dustin and Kristen.

Keith Hall married Janet Brinkerhoff they have 6 children, Brian, Scott, Shawn, Deon, Kelly and Kimberly.

Kent Hall married Carol Lofgreen they have 6 children Rachell, Ryan, Terry, Dawn, J.C. Summer and they are expecting again.

George Hall married Denise Gillespie they have 6 children, Brad, Nicole, Kevin, Jolyn, Charlie, Caressa.

Charlayne Hall married Doug Brewer they have 3 children Brett, Charlee and Becky.

Verlyn Hall married Steve Stratton they have 3 girls Rayell, Amy and Kari.

Randy Hall married Vicki Peterson.

Craig Hall not married.

Irva Reeves married Fred Whipple they have either 4 or 5 children Loren, Dalyn, Julie and Reed.

Linda Reeves married and divorced a man by the last name of Romero but I don't know is 1st name they had 1 child Raymond.

Ronda Valee Willis married Ronald Smith they have (I think) 5 girls and 1 boy but I don't know their names.

Keeven Willis married Judy ? and I don't know how many children they have.

Stacey Willis married Gary Farr and they have 5 children.

Kristi Willis married Doug Hatch and they have 2 children.

Mark Willis is still at home.

Greg willis married Holly Powers they have 2 children Chareese and Amy.

Brent Willis married Naomi Bushman they have 2 children Bretyn and ?.

Kay Willis married Mitzi Hammond they have 1 baby named Joseph.

Willis who is one of Jason's best friends is still at home and only a freshman.

Maybe this will sort of keep things in perspective of who are our main families.

40th Anniversary and Grandma Eva Willis Passed Away

Well here we go again, Loye left to work in the valley once again.

Many things have happened since I last wrote in this journal.

We finished working in the Mts. after spending the most enjoyable summer in a while, hauling wood, and being with our boys.  

We have had good new and bad news.  The good news is that Rikki is doing much better and Loyelin had another boy in August.  He is a real cute baby they named him Daniel Martin Luis Aceves.  They get going with names and can't quit, but the baby is cute anyway.

December 3, 1985 was our 40th Wedding Anniversary and our whole family was here.  The kids had a party for us and it was really nice.  I love my children.

The bad news is that Grandma Willis passed away the last of November.  All of her children were there (and most of her grandchildren) at her passing.  She was a good lady and as a mother-in-law I loved her very much, she was always good to me and I will be glad to meet her again in the hereafter.

Its been 2 months since I last wrote in my journal and lots of things have happened.  Ladell Hunt died after he and his wife were in a bad car wreck in Mesa.  Fawn was hospitalized for many days.

We decided not to move to the valley.  Loye has been busy working here.

School has started with all the fun and activities that go along with that.

Cassie and Tami are Loboettes they are the cutest ones there I think, but then I never watch anyone else.

Jason is trying to play football at the Jr. High but the coaches aren't really giving him much of an opportunity.

Kay and Mitzi finally got married after going together for years.  Their reception was the big event of the year and I think everyone turned out for it.  It was held in the yard of Howard and Mini Ramsey, grandparents of Mitzi, it was really a nice affair.

Heather was baptized on her birthday Oct. 1 her Dad baptized and confirmed her, Loye and I gave talks.  She is a sweet little girl.

September 30 we all went down to Payson to meet Dahl, Josh, Jacob and Lindsey to celebrate Josh's birthday  We had fun.

We have been busily hauling wood, but we have lots more we need to haul  I really enjoy getting out.  One day Loye, Jason and I were out and we seen a bear.  Jason was walking along hunting squirrels with his BB gun when we hollered at him that there was a bear he come a flying to the pick-up his eyes big as saucers.  But the bear was pretty undisturbed and just sauntered off into the forest  We also seen a deer, it is just beautiful in the forest.

Rick's 26th Oct. 4th
Amanda 3rd Sept. 19th
Cassie's 17th Aug 27
Kris' 13th Aug 30
Tami's 16th Sept 6
Heather's 8 Oct. 1
Josh 19th Oct. 1
Jacob's 5 Oct. 7
Mom's 76th Oct. 6

Here the summer is practically over and tomorrow school starts again, makes you wonder where in the world the time has gone.

I will start working at the school as a cook again, but we are thinking of moving to the valley where we will manage some apartments.  They will give us an apartment to live in and pay our utilities including our phone bill, so it sounds like a pretty good deal they will also give us $500 a month.  Loye will be able to work else-where to earn money so I think it would be good that way and Loye does seem to geel better down there.  But, I can hardley bear to break home ties here in Taylor.  Jared wants to buy our home so we will just be foot-loose and fancy-free with no place to call home.

Mom, Sheree, Cathy and I took Judy to the El Ranch in Snowflake to eat for her 45th birthday.

On the 23rd, Mom, Liza, and I took Loyeline to Pinetop El Rancho to eat for her 32nd birthday.  It is so pretty up in the mountains.  On the way home it had rained right along in front of us or I should say just poured cause there was water running down all the gullies and in one place it was just pouring from over the top of a cut just like a water fall.  I have never seen the water running like that and in a way it was beautiful but it was also pretty destructive.

Last night we went to Scott's reception and it was pretty nice.  Decorations were just right and the refreshments and program was all really nice.

Jason's 12th birthday was on the August 10.

Dahl's birthday August 13.

Lindsey's 3rd August 18.

We are still in the valley finishing these apartments.  I am going to finish my cleaning this week and then I'm going home to satay.  I guess we really pulled a boo-boo by hiring some Mexican ladies to help us clean.  Larry Richardson (the general Manager for N.K. Lewis) hasn't paid us yet so we haven't paid the ladies so they went to the labor commission and they are after Larry and Norman Lewis.  I sure wish some times you could turn back time and re-do some of the mistakes we make.

Even though I feel depressed tonight we did have a good time over the weekend.  Don and Judy's family sponsored the Roger's Family Reunion at Los Burros (up above Vernon) this year.  It was really nice, the area up there was just beautiful, and Don, Judy and family really had things set up nice.  They had everything so organized, Rion and Bonnie were there to do their part and Scott and Kendra (who plan to get married Aug. 23) were really a big help.  Eric and Robbie also really helped.  Becky and Gene who are living in Louisiana were unable to be there as they plan to come to Scott's wedding in August.

This year they made a plaque for the winners of the horseshoe pitching tournament.  Rion made it and it's a traveling trophy whoever wins it gets to keep it until the next year when they have to give it up to whoever wins it next year.  Well this year Loye and I won it.  Rion took it to have our names engraved on ti.  They also played volleyball and since this is the year of the "Summer Olympics" in Los Angeles we had the "Dummer Olympics at Los Burros".  Everyone participated and all had a good time.  Even Mom seemed to enjoy herself.

Some of my family was there, of course Jim and Shanna couldn't make it.  Mark was working graveyard so him and Liza didn't go, we took Candon and Rikki with us.  The rest of us had a good time.

Jared told us Sunday that he is going to marry Denise McCray Caldwell.  She has been married before and has a little boy called J.J.  We think Jared has made a good choice because her family seems to be good people and Jared seems to be so happy with her.  She went up to the reunion with Jared and she seems to have a good time  They haven't set a date yet.

Jared wants to buy our house and we told him we would sell to him.  We would build a new house up on the corner, up on the hill.  Loye has always wanted to build there.

We are back in the valley, hopefully this week we will get through, but who knows?

Rikki came down with us, so each day we take her over to St Joseph's for her radiation treatment.

Tomorrow is the 4th of July so I guess we will go to a movie or maybe some fireworks if we can find them.

Today was another cold Easter.  It has been so nice all month, (it even got up to 107 degrees in the valley) but today there was a north wind and so it was cold.  However in Colorado they had up to 3 ft. of snow, so I guess we are really lucky after all.

Since I last wrote in here.  Ed Muder has passed away.  His brother Merne is very bad off and has been for quite a while.  When they took Ed to the valley he said he would die before Merne and he did.  It seems like we got along pretty good for awhile and then people start dying until 3 to 6 have gone then it will let up for a while again.

This month I canned turkey at the cannery and had 73 cans when we got through I bought 1/2 batch.  It was fun going down there with Pearl, Lauana and Lorraine Solomon, Judy Tidwell, Teri Crook, Marie Duncan, Percy, Maxine, Bill, Sherry and Merline Hancock and Vera Palmer also Carl and Harriet Martin.  Work is really a breeze when you have lots of good help.

Shanna and Jim have moved into a new house (to them) that they are buying in Modesto California.

Loye, Roger, Jared, Josh and Dahl have all been working in the valley this last month.  Roger however is working in Alpine with Chan this past week and I guess he will be working there for a while.

Loyelin's baby Richard Edward Loye Aceves was blessed in church on the 1st day of April.  Loye blessed him, he is a real cute baby but he has congestion so much that I think he may have allergies.

On Wednesday April 18 I rode with Sheree to the valley to be with my family down there until Easter.  She (Sheree) was going to the valley to take Amy for an operation.  We met Amy and Glen Whetton (Amy's fiance) in Globe and they rode on down to Scottsdale Memorial Hospital where she was to have plastic surgery on her face.

They took me by Dahl and Shelley's where I spent the next 3 days.  Jason went with me and wanted to spend some tie with Willie but Willie had Valley Fever and didn't feel like doing much.  Jason went to work with Loye one day.  We went to the pageant "Jesus The Christ".  It was presented on the grounds on the North side of the temple.  It is a very impressive pageant.  Although the weather was cool the program was really good.  And scads of people were there.

Sat. morning we went through a session at the temple.  The High Council from our stake were having an excursion.  I always enjoy going to the temple.  Lots of our High Councilmen and wives were there.

While we were in the valley Loye Jared, Josh and I all went to Red Lobster to eat.  Then the night of the pageant Loye, Jason and I went with Dahl's family to Matta's to eat.  Always a good place to eat.  Too bad some of these neat things couldn't be strung out a little bit but oh well!

This morning we got up and Loye and I hid Easter eggs for Liza's kids.  Rikki wasn't feeling so she staggered around a little bit.  I sure do worry about that precious little girl.

Loyelin and her kids came by in their Easter Finery on their way from church.

Mark sang a solo in church and really did a good job.  He sang "In the Garden."  Russ Crossman and Scott Burt talked and they both did a good job.

Came home and fixed dinner then Loye had to go to High Council.  I have to finish getting Loye ready to go back to the valley.  So until next time.

Today is Sunday I was the only one who went to meetings today.  As we went to the valley on the rooter bus yesterday to the state basketball game to watch Snowflake play Sahuaretao in the State Championship game where Snowflake won by 4 points in a real thriller.  We seen Dahl and Shelley and Jared and lots of people we know.  We got back at 1:30 a.m. and although we enjoyed our ride on the bus, we have been worn-out all day.

There must have been some bad news for November but since it wasn't written down I can't remember what it was.  So I think a journal should be written in everyday or at least no later then every week.  At least I will try.  This has really been an exciting month and a busy one.  I made caramels for Katie, Maybelle, Mom and myself.  Maybelle made fudge and Katie made penoche.  After school let out I hurriedly with Loyelin and Liza's help tied 2 quilts one for Jared and one for Josh for Christmas.  On Sat. the 24th of December, Richard Edward Loye Aceves was born and he was born c-section at 10:15 am.  He weighed 7# 2oz. and is so cute as can be.  Also Janet Hall had a girl Kimberly Genay who weighed 10# 1 oz.  and was born on the same day.

Christmas Eve we had a Willis get together and supper it was really nice but the nicest of all was the arrival of Jim and Shanna who we hadn't seen for just about 2 years.  Here they came walking in and no one was even expecting them.  It was such a nice surprise.

Christmas morning we had breakfast here at our house.  I hope we never get to many to have this little get together.  All of Sheree, Judy, and Shum's families were there and all of mine except Dahl, Shelley and their family.  Of course Anna Lou's family have hardly ever been here.  She is doing so good in England.  I do hope she had a good Christmas.  I almost forgot, Monte wasn't here.  He is in Boston on his mission.  Judy's family was happy because Scott had just got home (from Birmingham, Alabama where he had been serving a mission).  But they were sad too because Gene, Becky and "Jamie" are moving to Louisiana where Gene has employment.  They are leaving this week.

Karlie had her boyfriend Ron Vias here with her.  Ben went down to Tucson just recently and baptized Ron a member of the church.

Christmas afternoon we ate turkey, dressing ect. at Liza and Mark-oops!  We ate here, Liza made the turkey and dressing.

Loye, Jared and Josh went back to Mesa to work on Monday.

We all went to Show Low, Jim, Shanna, Mark, Liza and I and looked for tile that him wanted to buy for our kitchen (I would really like that.)  but the stores were closed.  We ate at McDonalds and then they rented 3 shows and we went up to Mark and Liza's and watched them.  "Star Wars", Twilight Zone and Night Hawk.  The next day I took down decorations and we went back to Show Low.  We didn't get any tile but seen lots of pretty stuff.  We ate at Asian Gardens then came home and watched 3 more movies eating all the while.  We watched "Blue Thunder", "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and Gandhi all were good but I'm tired of movies.

Wed.  Shanna and Jim left I hope it isn't another 2 years before I see them again.

Uncle Ez Shumway died Dec. 26, so on Dec 29 his funeral was held in Gilbert, I and Jason went down with Ben, Sheree and Mom.  Uncle Ez had lived a good life and they said lots of nice things about him.  We seen and visited with lots of relatives.  Mom and them came home after the funeral, but since Loye was working down there, we stayed at Dahl and Shelley's with Loye.  We all went out and ate at the Bonanza.  Dahl, Shelley, Josh, Jared, Jason and Loye and I.  Josh didn't want to go as he had lost his jacket with his bill fold with $235 in it when they had returned to the valley after Christmas.  Loye and Randy had suggested they call the D.P.S. and see if it had been reported so he did and took his phone number in case it was.  After we had ate at the Bonanza and gone back to Dahl's we got this call from Josh saying someone had found his bill-fold he was so elated!  He had to go to Fountain Hills to pick it up.

We came home Fri. evening Sat. I went up and cleaned Loyelin's house and bathed the cute little baby.  Sun. the time changed on our church and we go to 12 noon for our church time.  The boys went back to Mesa.  Loye left Mon. morning.  Jason and I spend the day at Loyelin's.  Ate birthday cake with Mark.  Tuesday in school again seems good to be back.  Maybelle had sad news about her sister she is only expected to live 2 more weeks or less.

We got up at 4 am this morning to go to the temple.  We wanted to go through with Kate and Charlie's family who were taking Craig through so he can go on a mission to Washington D.C. on Sept 22.  There was such a big crowd at the temple that we had to wait for the next session so we didn't even get to go through with the Halls.  Chan and Lynda didn't make it either or Kent and Carol.  After the session we went to the sealing of Everett and Jennifer Brewer.  Chand and Lynda had been waiting for us so we went over to "Matta's" and ate Spanish food.  Kate's family was all there.  Also most of the other people that had attended the temple today were at Matta's.  We left to come home as soon as we finished eating without seeing Dahl or Josh.  We got home about 4:30 pm and hurried to go up on Show Low Creek to a Ward Cook-out it was a nice evening and everything tasted good.