Letters from home....they may not cure all ailments, but always good medicine.

My first accidental incident occurred in 1963, when another pheasant hunter shot at the rooster, missing it, but hitting me in the head, wherein I lost the sight of one eye. Letters from home gave me the courage to recognize I still had one good eye to see the beauties of the world. The next incident was in 1970, when a vehicle turned in front of my motorcycle, where upon I flew without wings, breaking my back; hip, knee and assorted other body parts. Although miracle Doctor Robert Metcalf saved the leg, I would have to learn to walk again. It seemed liked a good time to have a "pity party" until I got a letter from my brother who was at his temporary home on the battle front of Viet Nam. His letter hit me hard then and now, recognizing I didn't really have it all that bad. In many situations, their are plenty others that have it far worse, and always appreciated letters from home. Like a good book, poem, or scripture, one can always read a letter from home to give courage to buoy us on. By the way, if you talk to Hal Jones before I do, I have kept his photos as instructed, so after 47 years, they are being sent to him at morrow's first light.

Is beauty only in the eye of the beholder, or is it a combination of things. Perhaps this year only Miss Nephi will know for sure!

The Miss Nephi scholarship pageant for 2017 is set for April 18, 2017. We used to call it the Beauty Contest, but it may have changed somewhere in time. Although beauty is said to "be in the eye of the beholder", we made up our own definition, perhaps to give all a chance to define beauty. We see beauty as a combination of qualities that pleases senses not only to the eyes, but the ears; the mind; the spirit and heart. In 1951, the Nephi City Centennial Queen was Barbara Jones, who is the daughter of Vic and Alberta Blackett Jones of Nephi, Utah. Barbara married good looking Larry Hansen from Sanpete County. Her beauty may have helped her with a career as an airline stewardess, which helped get her acquainted with Bob Hope. She also had internal beauty, getting her college education and being a teacher. At age 88, she now has both beauty and fight, as she stays strong in Los Altos, California, following health issues. Photos provided by Times News and Ute Stampede programs.

Today, we pay respect to Lieselotte Pruess Schmidt, the "Piano Coach" for son Jon Schmidt

France had the Joan of Arc; America had Eleanor Roosevelt; Germany had "Lottie" Pruess, but little did they know they had a Jewel in their midst. She was born in Hamburg, two years before Germany's Great Depression of 1928. When a young enthusiastic speaker and motivator came along, Germans had guarded hope about Adolf Hitler, but in defense of the Fatherland, the Third Reich had many young men signing up for enlistment. It wasn't long before the Pruess family and other members of their small LDS neighborhood came to know the real Hitler. Those who spoke out were arrested and imprisoned and to show they meant business, the Nazi's beheaded neighbor Helmuth Huebner. In July, 1943, during "Operation Gomorrah" Allied Bombers dropped their payload on Hamburg, killing 40,000 people. One bomb dropped on the Pruess home and before it burned down, they had a few moments to grab important papers......and their prized piece of furniture-the family piano which gave them solace and comfort. During the War, Lottie had her eyes on another local Mormon named Werner Schmidt, who was trained to operate the famous fighting machine called the "Tiger Tank". After his release from a POW camp, they were married and came to America and became true Americans, but never forgetting their noble heritage. Lottie could never quite shake off the emotional terror of war, and did what many Germans did well....learn that music was an important element of healing. She insisted their five kids learn music and saw special talent in son Jon Schmidt. In a Salt Lake high school, Jon liked playing football, but the loving discipline of his mother won out, especially when she called the football coach on a weekly basis to remind him that Jon needed to come home for piano practice. He became a world renown piano player, and founding member of the "PianoGuys". In attending the funeral in Salt Lake, I learned that beautiful music........is beautiful, regardless of the language. In tribute to Lottie, one of the speakers said a few words, then started to sing the often heard hymn of "God Be With You Til We Meet Again", and the congregation joined in with a melancholy blend of German and English. When Jon Schmidt played his mothers favorite song, one could feel the presence of his mother smiling on high, and perhaps standing with the likes of Beethoven and Mozart. Well done Lady Lieselotte Pruess Schmidt.

If you have never met Emma Ockey Carter, here is your chance.

Emma Carter still has some Jones blood in her! When asked if she was planning on doing any square dancing in June for her 93rd birthday, she would if we find somebody to carry her oxygen tank around! Her Dad was Bill Ockey, who was the son of Wm. Cole Ockey of Nephi. Her mother was Pearl Jones, daughter of Wm. & Elizabeth Tolley Jones. After graduating from Juab High in 1943, she completed two years at the AC (now Utah State) along with a daughter of Vic Jones. They loved campus life, mainly because there was a squadron of USA Fly boys stationed next to campus. She liked men in uniforms, being keen on her dad, who fought on the front lines in the trenches of World War One, pulling one injured partner out of more harm. When she returned to Nephi, Jack Carter looked great in a uninform who just returned from the Philippines of the Second World War, so they teamed up and along came Kathleen, Debbie, Mike and Jan. They lost son Donald when he was four. Her favorite Uncle was Grant Jones, and when asked who some of Nephi's prettiest gals were years ago, we all concluded it was and still remains-Emma, but she did point out the photos of her cousins-Marian, Marie and Beth as close seconds. She was proud to work as a telephone operator with Mrs. Smith and fast thinking to get help for a woman who wasn't answering calls and saved her life. First photo is of Jack; second is of brother Paul with his Team; second is the beautiful Emma; third is Emma as an operator; fourth is three of Emma's kids; parents Bill & Pearl Ockey by home on 100 East and Track and last is of Team with Joe Garrett; unknown; Earl McPherson, Grant Jones and Mont Blackett. Her best friend was sister Dora Shaw.

This is a document from 1925, showing the history of the Utah Tolley Family.

In 1925, at the Tolley Reunion in Nephi, Utah, there were 412 descendants of Wm. and Sarah Warren Tolley, but now there are tens of thousands scattered throughout the Western United States and Canada. As we just ran across this historical document, we thought it would be fun to share. We also figured out why there were so many babies born to the Tolley Family in Juab County in the 1860's. After careful research, we believe it is directly related to the crisp water flowing from Mt. Nebo in Big Birch Springs. The families worked the Nortonville farms and after a day toiling in the hot sun, they quenched their thirst with the still great tasting and clean waters there. It is the only plausible explanation. They didn't teach such things in school, and in those days, there were no storks about! The Jones family built two holding ponds in upper Nortonville, which remain visible from I-15.

Today we paid tribute to Dave Carter, former Sheriff of Juab County.

Although much was said about the life and times of Dave Carter at his funeral today, I couldn't help put my two bits worth in. We grew up in the same general area, except I was a few blocks down the ole holler from him. Most locals know Dave and his kids, but I wanted to let folks know he came from good pioneer stock. His father was hard working, built like a brick- Harry Carter with the personality that every body liked. The Carter boys got their height not from Harry, but their mother-Georgia Parkin, and they also got their class from her. She taught Sunday School to most of us troubled youngins and we took her seriously. On one occasion she took me to meet her mother who lived alone on Track Street where the elementary kids now play. Even as an out of control 12 year old, I found Dave's grandmother a pioneer woman of enormous refinement. The blend of Harry and Georgia was brought forth in Dave. Although it was not spoken of today, Dave's big brothers........were big, and when they worked as Constables in Salt Lake, nobody gave them trouble. I pay tribute to the great legacy of the Nephi Carter family. In Utah, police communicate by using "The Ten Code". If you haven't ever heard the "last call" of a fallen officer, today's dispatch trying to reach Dave Carter was a tear jerker for all, even the kids passing by the cemetery. When Dispatch can't reach the officer, the officer is declared "10-42", which is "Ending Tour of Duty". At the time of his passing, he remained a police officer with the Utah Department of Agriculture. He did leave a great legacy for all to follow and now riding high with Harry and Georgia.