THE FUNERAL SERVICES OF DAVE PERRY OF MONA WAS HELD TODAY

If you didn't attend the funeral of Dave Perry earlier today, we have it here. Dave and his wife-Tauna moved to Mona, Utah about 5 or 6 years ago. They purchased the home southeast of the main LDS Chapel in Mona. I used to call it the Molyneaux home as that was where one of our great Juab High Basketball players lived in the late 1950's. When the last resident passed, I hear tell the Perry couple wanted to return to a peaceful town to polish of their 56 years of a blissful togetherness. I never knew the couple, nor their family. But in reading the Anderson Funeral Home Obits. I felt this surge within, that I knew Dave from somewhere, perhaps ions ago. In its reading, I considered him a brother or friend or something unknown hankering me a "had to" pay my respects. I got the impression that he went to Hillcrest High, which would put him in the rural area of Fort Union of Salt Lake County. Like many of us in the Tolley and Jones Family of Nephi, he was said to have "quick wit and cherished the deer hunt  tradition" and that sounds like the Nephi Jones Family, with four brothers and a sister going deer hunting, without a license and no guns! Like Hank Jr. sang, "It's a family tradition". Before our mother passed where Dave is now, she enjoyed it more than anything, as she would pre-fix all the dinners for a year in advance. Back to Dave. During the funeral, I watched body movements of the speakers and the audience, as that often tells more than words. I didn't recognize any of the old Mona names of  Yates; Platt's' Roundy;  Oliver's, Lynns, Newells, Newtons and Kay's, but saw a lot of headstones at the cemetery with those good names. But life changes and so does the people that come to graze amidst those who have past. Dave was a devout member of the LDS Church, and I didn't have to ask his bishop, even though he too had a last name that identified where he roamed in from. Dave served a mission as a young man, then went on two others with his eternal compaanion-Tauna. They had 6 kids, and like the Nephi Jones family, their daughter-Emily turned out the best, or so they think. For sure they were all taught the importance of work, and as Dave loved gardens, the kids were small when Daddy started to teach them how to work before play, and they hated to pull weeds from the garden, but in latter years Daddy had a perfect garden, and all the kids learned the importance of working hard. Once, one of the sons didn't do as requested by his mother, and said "wait til your Dad comes home". When Dave came home, he took the son to his bedroom and took of his belt and smacked........the pillow. Tauna came running in to save their son, but no harm, no foul, and Daddy taught the son......"Don't ever do that again". When the Nephi Jones boys were bad, our Mom told Dad, and the only thing he did was remove his belt, and point to the coal shed. We too learned respect, and so did each one of those Perry kids. Dave found the good in all and easy to like. If you think about it he exemplified that spirit which Jesus had when he walked and talked on earth. For those folks of Mona who got to know this family on their arrival in Juab County, cherish the friendship and keep that family happy attempting to make home made peach pie just like Dave did. In order for this writer to pass High School English, Mrs. Lomax told me if I could memorize the Gettysburg address and say it word perfect in front of the Speech Class I would pass English. 60 Years later, me and three work collogues were in Washington D.C. for meetings, but spent a day at Gettysburg. Without fanfare, I walked up to where Abe Lincoln gave  that speech, and recited it without practice. Tourists gathered in the bleachers, thinking I was a paid actor. Nope, just like Dave did every July 4th, we both love and respect this great country of America. The spirit of Dave Perry will live deep in the souls of many of us. He was and remains one heck of a great man to God, his family and to this writer who could feel his impact who never met him, but love him as a brother.

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BREAKING NEWS-VUDU DOLL TO APPEAR AT CACHE COUNTY FAIR

IN OVER 1,000 CHAPTERS IN OUR BLOGSPOT WRITINGS, WE MAKE FUN OF THE CONSTANT BARRAGE OF THE SO CALLED BREAKING NEWS, WHEN IN FACT IT IS USUALLY A WEEK OR MONTH LATER, AND IT IS WHY I GAVE UP ON THE BS OF MOST OF THE SUCKER TYPE BREAKING NEWS. BUT WHAT I JUST READ AT THE PRCA COMPUTER PROGRAM MAY HAVE SOME VALIDITY TO IT.

ON AUGUST 8, 2026, THE COMPUTER SHOWS MOST OF THE BRONC RIDING WRIGHT BOYS OF THE MILFORD AREA WILL BE HEADING FOR THE CACHE COUNTY FAIR TO RIDE RIGHT THE WAY CODY WRIGHT LED THE WAY. STETSON WRIGHT HAS BEEN OUT WITH AN INJURY, AND THE COMPUTER SHOWS FORMER CHAMPION OF BRONC RIDING WAS JESSE WRIGHT,. WE THOUGHT HE HAD BEEN PUT OUT TO PASTURE, BUT IT SHOWS HE IS SET TO HOP A HORSE NAMED "SNYDER SPECIAL", SO REGARDLESS OF YOUR FAITH OR RELIGION, LETS ALL PUT A CHRISTIAN HEX ON ONE HORSE, AS A CHRISITAN FROM ST. GEORGE IS SET TO RIDE VUDU DOLL.  UNCLE STETSON IS SUPPOSED TO DO BOTH BRONC AND THE BULL IN AN EFFORT TO GET THE TRIPLE CROWN IN VEGAS. HOPE STETSON IS THINKING WITH HIS BRAIN, RATHER THAN HIS INTERNAL SPIRIT TO RIDE BABY RIDE!

IF IN FACT ALL THE WHOLE KIT AND KUDOOLE WRIGHT FAMILY MAY BE GOING TO WATCH THEIR COWBOY KIN RIDE IN LOGAN, WE HOPE THAT THE GOOD FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF BEAVER COUNTY TAKE CARE OF THE CATTLE THAT HAD TO BE MOVED  BECAUSE OF FLOODS AND FIRE IN THE BEAVER AREA. IF THIS BREAKING NEWS IS BREAKING, PUT YOUR BRAKES ON, AND MAKE THE TRIP TO LOGAN TO WATCH THE WRIGHTS DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY. AND THE WAY MY THINKING GOES, IT IS OKAY FOR UTAH FOLKS TO CHEER FOR A KID FROM NEW PLYMOUTH, IDAHO, AS HIS HOME IS ON THE LINE BETWEEN UTAH AND IDAHO, SO HE CAN STAND WITH HIS COWBOY BOOTS ON IN IDAHO AD UTAH AT THE SAME TIME. 

LONG LIVE AMERICA AND LONG LIVE COWBOYS WHO KEEP UTAH RIGHT & RURAL

  

THE RIGHT BOYS OF UTAH ARE SHOWING THEY ARE LEADERS OF WRIGHT SPORTS

Yup, them thar words are the Wright ones for this time of the year. For those of us that started out with baseball, we couldn't afford real baseball's or the bats, so the Nephi Jones boys used a 2 X 4 as a bat, and rocks to hit out in the field behind the Nephi Jones residence. It was difficult to get our brothers and buddies to play in the field with a pair of old socks to catch the rocks! Getting hit with or catching a rock hurt, so we started looking for a safer sport. That was when we walked up the street and started to hang out with Joe and Ross Garrett, helping them herd and milk the mild cows at Spin Mac's milkhouse. In turn, they permitted us to "try" to ride their steers. Us Jones boys and Blake Garrett knew we were going to be just like Dean Oliver, the famous Rodeo Champion during our youth. Then later on, I was helping my father stucco a home in Mona, Utah, that he would call the "Olivers", and I was so excited to help, as I figured it was the home of Dean Oliver! I found out later it wasn't, but still got hooked on rodeo as being the true American sport and after seeing the "Un-American BS with the other sports people, I soon lost all interest in that kind of stupidity. Another very American sport was going to Alaska to watch and help our brother-Gary B. Jones race in the 1,000 miles across Alaska in the Iditarod race! It was difficult to watch that grueling competition, but when he gave me a chance to gather his dogs, they were just like the Painted horse that Bob Garrett let me ride rounding up cattle a couple years ago. When the Garrett Boys took the horses out without old Paint, she didn't like that and it took a cap full of apples to settle her down. A true cattle horse and a racing dog or built to go after it and they paw the ground demanding to work for their hay. Sometimes I think they have better work ethics that what we teach our kids of today! Today, we wanted to send out a "Atta Boy" to all the cowboys from Utah who are looking good at the competitive sport of Rodeo which seems to be more popular than ever. The cowboys are moving to the small rural areas of Utah and America to get back to Ruralville. Like the three Fullmer brothers of once rural West Jordan, Utah, the Fullmer brothers were the top boxers of Utah, and those Mormon brothers made Utah shine. And I had the privilege of being a friend to Gene and even my son Justin interviewed him for his 4th grade essay on meeting a famous person. Gene made his farm work with Mink, then horses, but became the world champion in the Middle Weight Champion of the world. As I was driving him to Ogden to address a conference of Law Enforcement Officers, he first asked me to pull around the homes of  his brothers so I could meet his mother. They were fond of each other, and what a thrill to see what a gentle giant that Champ was. Like John Wayne, he was tough when needed  to be and gentle when it was right. Now back to rodeo. As I checked the computer stats this morning, I found that the top three World Rodeo contenders in Saddle Bronc are Rusty Wright, Stetson Wright and Ryder Wright. Stetson is out with an injury, but should be ready for the finals in Las Vegas, which the Nephi Jones Family attends and cheers for. Down the line in Saddle Bronc is another couple of the Wright boys including Statler and Spencer Wright, as well as a cowboy from downtown Axtell, Utah who is married to a Juab County gal.  And we just read where former Bronc Champ-Jesse Wright is set to come out of retirement and join his Nephew-Stetson to right a Bronc at Cache County Fair. If you believe in cowboy prayer, beg for animal and rider safety.

 SO CHEER ALL THE UTAH BOYS ON. THEY ARE ALL OUR LOCAL HERO'S, AS THEIR WIVES AND SISTERS DO THE FARM WORK. GOD FIRST, THEN FAMILY AND RODEO! EVERTTHING ELSE WILL FOLLOW.

                                    DEAN OLIVER-RODEO CHAMPION OF MY YOUTH

NEATH THE MAJESTIC HEART OF MT. NEBO STANDS OUR JUAB HIGH SCHOOL

When members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints(Mormons) arrived in the Nephi area of Juab County in Central Utah, they referred to the high three rocky mountain peaks to the north east and called it Mt. Nebo. In the days of Moses, a high mountain in Jordan was reported that Moses referred to that Middle East mountain peak as Mt. Nebo and considered it holy, so the same three peaks in view of Mona, Nephi and Levan was named the same. The high school was first built on "Track Street" in Nephi, and made strong and sturdy during the late 1800's, but local people didn't think a compulsory education of 7th grade was enough, as not all the students were farmers, so demanded the school official's to build it big enough for a high school, and it was and initially called Nephi High, with those students being placed on the second floor. Until 1932, it was referred to as Nephi High, then students and parents outside of Nephi, persuaded the Board of Trustees' to change it to Juab High, and asked the Class of 1928 to write the school song which was completed, and the words were written by Jim McCune, who was a gifted student, and later in life became an excellent Attorney and District Judge. We are not sure however, if he wrote "heart of Nebo" or "Guard of Nebo" as in doing research with a member of the Class of 28 and with a living daughter of Jim, it is still undecided, so if you sing the school song, sing it as you may. Although the builder of the newer high school promised my father it would last 100 years, school officials and local politicians' wanted to tear it down, and the taxpayers kept getting hit for more money, but the IQ level appears by some, as going down. That building still stands at the corner of Track Street and Main in Nephi. Here are a few pages from the Juab High School handbook of 1958.  I spent the entire morning trying to put these in order, so sorry, I have SAI(Stupid Artificial IQ).

                                                                                                        

THE 116TH HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY PARTY OF LAVON HARRIS WHO BECAME A JONES WAS HELD.

• On July 28,2026, the five kids of our mother celebrating her earthly birthday was the other day, and we had fun. We now believe, she was instrumental to keep each of us marching to the heart beat of herself, who went back to her professional work as a secretary and helped to keep her bosses to their work, but made sure each of us kids did house chores around and in the house. Every week, she would modify who did what and place in on the water tank that was heated by the kitchen stove. 
• Every morning, she was up early to cook breakfast for our Dad and us kids, as their wasn't enough money earned to purchase school food. But we found a clever way to get in free, and that was being one of the servers behind the chow line. After school, she would take turns with each child to make sure we were doing our lessons and we often sat by the kitchen stove while she was cooking great food. Pig grease was always the secret to making anything taste cook. LaVon was set upon being a secretary for insurance companies; working for A. E. Smith, who was the local County Agent; the Utah Poultry, then the Secretary for four different Juab School Superintendents. And to this day, teachers of yesteryear pay tribute to her with whatever they needed. But she also used Juab High Principal Clark Newell to chase me down racing my "low speed" Tote Gote. She started with Supt. Clyde Child; Ralph Menlove, then trained Clark Newell, as well as each of the newly elected School Board Members. Although her sons didn't appreciate her advice,  their would be a day in the future, that "even boys will have to know how to type in the future". She knew! I continued to type reports in college, then used the skill to type investigative reports in my career. My favorite home chore was ironing, and became proficient at it, and when I became the father of two young boys. I used my weekends to wash and iron their levi's for school, both inside and outside. The older we get the more we seem to appreciate and acknowledge what our parents had to do to get each of us kids to do only three essential things in life. First was to graduate from High School; second was to vote and third was to pray, and for me I found that "be careful what you pray for, as you just may get it" and it is one of those things that we shouldn't have prayed for. Thanks Mom from each of your five kids. I have often felt our Mother nearby, and it was a very comforting glow within, Often times when our parents pass to the next level of our test, we miss them dearly, but in our family, our folks had four boys in a row, which can be a headache to any mother, but then along comes a baby girl and our sister Jaynette, is a daughter of her mother, as she takes care of not only her own kids and their kids, but every where else from Idaho to Nevada, she keeps so busy, it makes me weary to watch her, and forces me to take a nap! Anyway, thanks Mom, as you and Dad hit it right with the kindness and refinement all parents should have. First Photo is of the sister of LaVon Harris, who died at a young age. Watch is thought to have been that of John Harris, who arrived in Nephi with Mormon Pioneer's. They came from the British Colony of Wales. Second photo is of marriage of LaVon and Alma and then of our family back when our sister sprang, and has kept sprinting to this day. And yes Mom, we have kept the promise to stick together, and our average age is now about 80, but we had a fun time with "Abby" who was our Waitress at the place all students would gather, below the steps of the Heber J. Grant Building on the Y. Campus.

                                                                                  

 

                                           Hal, Alma, Gary, Weston, Jaynette, LaVon and Kent

                                   All descendants of Mormon Pioneers coming to Nephi in 1850's

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GARY B. JONES, WHO STILL CALLS NEPHI HIS HOMETOWN.

Although he has lived in various places in the Alaskan Frontier, he still calls Nephi, Utah, his hometown. He and his siblings have always thought the small rural town of Nephi was the best place to have grown up in and we have saved a building spot for him, and a burial plot for him. As kids we were not supposed to talk of the word "dead" or Cancer, but only call it the C word, and that was pretty radical in the Nephi Jones Kin who arrived here by horse; handcarts and wagons. Our ancestors were pretty dam tough......oh sorry, I was supposed to spell it out so D A M tough. Of the five kids of Alma C. and LaVon Harris Jones, Gary, at an early age was self taught to be tough and could survive just fine sleeping with all of his animal friends in the barn, or racing with his Mutts in the Iditarod of  the 1,000 miles across the frozen tundra. And after running with and feeding each of the dogs with placed food along the trail, he would then take a relaxation trek climbing one of the tall mountains in Alaska. And he was mentally fit more than the rest of us, aceing high school; then both BYU and USU. He had a strong voice, and could be heard throughout any concert hall, and still has that varoom to it. Although Gary has always been one of God's children that would always greet any kid or adult and greet them if they were best friends. But in reality, the forest and the animals and plant life of the mystic of Alaska put him at ease. Although we all want to see him come to Nephi again, the city has outgrown itself too much, and he would not find solace here, but we long for a visit. I have traveled to Alaska to visit Gary B. and although I am not a friend of dogs, I found it relaxing to take care of his kennel while he raced. But living up their yonder is fit only for the bravest of all, as the 20 and 30 below zero never seemed fun for me. And the first time I visited, the flight was long with a plane change somewhere along the way. When I arrived, I told him I was starved and I would buy him a steak dinner. He said he would treat me to a great meal, but kept passing all the diners. He then pulled off the road under some trees. I tried to convince him that eating me wouldn't be his cup of tea, although when he was an Army Ranger during the Viet Nam Era, he was trained to live off the land, and grasshoppers and Beetles didn't taste that good to me. He then scared the Bejeebies out of me when he pulled a shotgun out of the trunk, and yup, he took down some Ptarmigans out of the tree tops, and they were better tasting than Ringneck Pheasant's, or the Pine Hens of Juab County. When I last spoke to Gary B., I told him that their are no "Bish Belliston" in Nephi anymore, and that all drivers have gone Whackos driving like the "Herd Instinct" of Dead Horse Point near Moab and told him a couple years ago I was nearly a victim of "locus en quo" speeders  by Doc Steele's  trying to kill me. Your sister told me it just may help to take down the sign off the back of my old Mazda truck which reads " ITS A HEMI"! I am not sure you can read it, but will try to put a letter of many years ago that Mom sent to you just before her transition. Happy Birthday on July 23 and here is one of your greatest books of all, if folks want to write you a letter and buy one, then you won't have to find that ass again and hitchhike back home. You did that once on a Tote Gote, so try an airplane this time!

        

                                                                                         
  

                                                                                  

HOW DOES ONE GET A PIG TO SING?

 

WHY, TO CRASH FROM THE DAZZLING HEIGHTS OF SUCCESS TO THE DARK RECESSES OF REJECTION IS INEXORABLY WOVEN INTO THE TAPESTRY OF LIFE'S STRUGGLE. WHAT DID YOU USED TO BE?        Photo credit of New Yorker.

                         

AT FUNERALS OR OTHER NOTABLE PLACES, AMERICANS PLACE THEIR RIGHT HAND OVER THEIR HEARTS. BUT IF YOU ARE A GREAT AND GLORIOUS LEADER, STANDING IN A  FORBIDDEN AREA, ONE MAY DROP THEIR HAND AS THEY JUST MAY FEEL THE NEED TO PUKE!

AT THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO, THE ALLIED FORCES WERE ACCEPTING THE SURRENDER OF THE NAZI  KILLERS  OF GERMANY AND WALKED AWAY FROM GENERAL JODL. SOUNDS AS NOBLE AS GENERAL PATTON. AND TO THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING AT THIS HISTORY PRESENTATION WANTING TO KNOW IF PIGS CAN SING, THE ANSWER IS I REALLY DON'T KNOW, AND NEITHER WILL I SHAKE THEIR FEET OR HUG THEM, LIKE MANY PEOPLE SEEMED TO HAVE DONE IN THE VOTING BOOTHS OF YESTER YEAR.