By Vera Young and Daughters: Joyce, Jean, & Betty

In writing a tribute to Grandpa and Grandma Young, all I can say about them is good.  They were a couple who possessed great character and strength.  Though they had experienced humble circumstances, hardships and disappointments throughout their lives, these experiences were never dwelt upon.  They were cheerful with a happy attitude, a love for life and a sincere love for their family and friends.

They were living on the Ranch in Thatcher when I met them, before Brig and I were married.  They made me feel at home and were interesting and fun to be with.  They were good people and I quickly learned to love them.  I think Brig's father wondered just how a "city gal" would fit into country living, but as time went on, I had a feeling that I passed the test and was accepted into the family.

Grandpa was a hard worker.  Coming in from a day's work, he would wipe his brow and tell of his day's experiences with the workhorses: of plowing, haying, and harvesting.  Honesty was one of his virtues and he performed his tasks in a spirit of loving services to his family and neighbors.  When someone would come to the house or field, he always took time to visit with them or would give them any assistance they needed.  Everyone respected him for it and he and Grandma had many friends.

The girls were too young when Grandpa died to remember much about him, but they remember their Grandma well and pay tribute to her.  Grandma was industrious: washing, cooking, cleaning and caring for her family.  She had chickens, geese, a garden, and a large raspberry patch.  In the autumn, canning hundreds of bottles of fruit, vegetables, and meat was not unusual.  She would say as the bottles sealed, "That sound is music to the ears!"  How true!  She prepared many tasty meals on the spur of the moment for friends and family who dropped in to see them.  A bottle of chicken or deer meat, some vegetables and a bottle of fruit was opened and made a good meal for everyone.  I especially remember how good she made the deer meat taste.  All were welcome at their table.

Grandma was endowed with many talents.  She created many beautiful crocheted doilies and made lace for pillowcases, even taking time to teach the girls to crochet--a difficult task as she was left-handed and they were not.  I think she gave up on Betty, for she was not too interested and was looking out the window most of the time trying to see if her dad had brought the horses into the corral for them to ride.  I remember Grandma best when she was sorting, cutting, and sewing scraps of fabric, then turning them into beautiful quilt tops.  She loved to do this as a hobby and was generous in sharing her beautiful works of art with others.

Grandma was fun loving and could hold her own with the younger generation.  When they teased her, she would always come up with a sharp and clever answer that would surprise them all.  She was a good sport, ready and willing to go places and have a good time.  She stayed with us sometimes in the wintertime, caring for Betty a few years while I taught school.  In the springtime, she was anxious to take off for her home in Preston to plant her garden and to do her spring work.  As Grandma grew older, we marveled at how she unknowingly demonstrated to all the art of growing old.  She was young in her thinking and kept happy by being engaged in productive activities and in helpful service to others.  As one writer said, "Growing old is a decorative age, like the autumn leaves, when life takes on its glory."  This was how we knew Grandma Young.

Grandpa and Grandma taught old and young alike the principles of righteous living, both by precept and by example.  Someday, hopefully, we will have the privilege of being with them again.

Joyce says in recalling Grandma, "She was a woman beyond her time.  Taller in stature than most women of her day, she was a giant in setting an example of a productive and useful life.  You just know she dearly loved her children and they were always kind and respectful to their mother.  She was proud of all her children and grandchildren and expected us to 'toe-the-mark'.

Jean says, "When I think of Grandma Young, I think of positive experiences.  I think of a fun-loving Grandma and the good times we had together.  Her encouragement to me was a positive force in my life.  Many times she influenced me to try new challenges and praised me for my efforts.  When I did embroidery work, as a young girl, she would say, 'Jean, your stitches are just perfect.'  She seemed to enjoy watching me dance and persuaded me to keep on with my lessons and to practice and to excel.  Her cheerful attitude always had a catching and positive influence on those around her.

"When Elvis Presley was popular, we girls were swooning with the rest of the kids.  Dad couldn't stand his singing and told us so, but Grandma was a pal and said she liked him!  And she would listen to him with us.  What a good sport!

"I learned to iron and crochet with my left hand because I liked to and that is the way Grandma did it.  I loved my 'box of buttons,' a gift I received from her when I was married.  It was a tradition--Mother received a button box when she and Dad were married.  Grandma told us she had received one from her mother when she started her married life.  As I used the buttons from my box, each individual button reminded me of my special Grandma.

"Lee and I spent some time with her each day while going to school at Utah State University.  At that time Grandma lived about a block from us.  Our heart-to-heart conversations will never be forgotten.  In a small way, we learned the sadness Grandma and Grandpa felt as they lost their first babies soon after they were born.  We learned how fearful they were when Dad was born and their other babies came.  They were concerned that they too might not live.

"Grandma acknowledged the importance of a good education and she, like Dad and Mother, encouraged us to strive for a college education, if we wanted one.  We enjoyed Grandma in our home on the Ranch and all the years after.  Her influence was great in our lives and we loved her for the great and good person that she was."

Betty recalled that while Grandma was living in Logan and she was going to Utah State, she asked Grandma if she would like to go to the Ranch with her for the weekend.  "Yes," she said, "I would like to go see my boys."  She loved the outdoors and along the way she would mention the scenery and how beautiful everything was.  She spoke of the fields, the birds flying south and the beautiful mountains.  Her eyes were becoming dim and her eyesight poor, but she could see the outlines and the pretty orange autumn leaves on the mountainside.  She loved life and, indeed, was a master in the art of living.  She was an example of patience with beautiful thoughts and deeds stored within her.