Cousins

Back when I was young, it seemed like the idyllic days of my life might go on forever. Everything would stay the same. We didn't live very close to our extended family, so we didn't see them too often. Every other year we took a vacation to Utah where many relatives lived. Sometimes in between, some of them came to visit us in Indiana.

I have lots of cousins...many of whom I didn't know very well. On Mom's side there were 10 cousins and on Dad's side there were about 39 depending on how you count them. Some of the ones on Dad's side were actually just a few years younger than my parents. In any case, I knew some better than others.

For several reasons, there were two cousins I was closer to than the others for various reasons. My cousin Rebecca lived in Ogden. Through our childhood I guess because she was a little younger, she didn't seem as close, but when I went to school at BYU, Rebecca and I became roommates for a few months and had a great time hanging out together and really getting to know each other. Later, when we both were married, I had a chance to spend a couple of days with her at her home in Idaho where my little son enjoyed "helping" Rebecca's husband with the cows and riding in the tractor. It was a sad day for us, indeed, when Rebecca died at the young age of 29, leaving behind her husband and 2 little girls.

The other cousin I spent time with was Scott. He was maybe a year younger than I and lived just through the block from my grandparents. Whenever we went to Brigham City to visit Grandpa and Grandma, he was my playmate. When I was 12, I spent the summer there with my grandparents. Scott graciously invited me to play baseball with his friends, set off firecrackers, and generally showed me around town. We spent many hours together playing in the creek near Mantua, building little dams with rocks and swimming in the deep part where Grandpa had blocked off part of the creek with a little dam made of several boards. It was maybe 2 1/2-3 feet deep...and boy was that water cold! A few days ago, at the age of 60, he unexpectedly passed away.


Scott and Nancy


Even though we didn't see each other often, they are both missed.



Rebecca: on left in front of her dad
Scott: middle front in fancy shorts outfit
Nancy: front row in a dress