In case you hear "Taps" being played on Memorial Day, this is the history of it.

Regardless of our age, we listen in awe when we hear the haunting bugle melody we now know as "Taps". This is it's history, going back to the 1860's, and one has to remember all of the 620,000 men that died in the line of duty during the Civil War..............were all Americans!

The American Legion remains stalwart in reminding us that freedom has never been free.

As a kid, we enjoyed going to the cemetery on what was then called Decoration Day. The fun started watching World War One Veterans fire their guns in salute to the veterans who had served their country and buried there. Once the shots were fired, it was a race to see how many of the spent cartridges we could claim, then trade for marbles. It took some years to learn that any sacrifice makes things more sacred. I started to appreciate family members who made sure us kids had food to eat and a loving home to live; teachers who were our second parents; the Scout Master and 4-H leader who volunteered their services for our betterment. The American Legion helped me acknowledge the supreme sacrifice of those who gave their all for our daily freedom. Although Chester Foote has been gone for 51 years I still recall him being my military hero shooting over the graves. He was also a personal hero. When I went to his home to collect $1.60 a month for passing the paper to him, I knew he didn't have a lot of money, but eager to make sure he collected enough nickels and dimes to pay his fair share. Tonight, I honor Chester Foote, for answering his call to serve in the military; for his lifelong service in the American Legion, and for making sure he paid for his paper. An honorable man he was.

Today, we pay tribute to Victor Harris, an undecorated hero of World War One.

Victor Harris was born(1893) and raised in Nephi, Utah, one of four boys born to Evan and Eliza Hitesman Harris. Like many others from Juab County, he answered the call of service to fight for the people of France, who made sure the soldiers had special red, white and blue hankies to bring home to their women folk. Vic Harris didn't speak much of his service, but one of his fighting buddies wanted to make sure the people of Nephi knew the hero he was, and wrote a letter which was published in the Times News nearly a hundred years ago. The one photo is of the uniformed Victor who passed away in 1950. Several years ago, I had the chance to visit with Vic's widow-Ethel Ockey Harris, who lived alone in a small home in California. I was impressed with the loving grit of this woman. She knew she was soon to become blind, but not dismayed, just prepared herself for it; leaning brail and counting the steps in her home. On this memorial day weekend, I am proud to call these two people from Nephi, Utah my family. The one photo shows a smiling and proud Victor; a determined Ethel, and daughters Ennid and Beth Harris.

All aboard....the buses are about to depart the Sugarhouse prison for the Point of the Mountain!

Some believe scallywags hornswoggled the Utah taxpayer in closing the Utah Draper prison and moving elsewhere, for the sake of progress! Well, if you check a little history, that sounds like the same tactics used when they shut down the old prison(third photo of 1920) in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake. Regardless, we thought it may be fun to give a bit of history to it all. When the buses were loaded on March 12, 1951, it was quite the sight, as people from Nephi and all over Utah lined up along Highway 91 to watch the inmate parade. Various police agencies were standing along the way to shoot if needed, but the truth was in those days inmates were not very violent and happy as a lark to get new digs. Hopefully, before the Big House slams the iron doors for the last time, they will give due respect to all humanity that lived and died in the area. That should include the Ancient Ones who dwelled there before the Red Rock dam breeched in Idaho, and Lake Bonneville(19,000 square mile fresh water lake) broke and spilled its water to the Pacific Ocean via the Snake River. If you pull in McDonalds just off I-15 at Bangerter, you can gaze up to the southeast part of the Point(by the old widowmaker), and see the beach heads from 15,000 years ago. Pretend you can see a Fremont or Anasazi body surfing. Although artifacts of the Ancient Ones are scattered all through the prison and Jordan River area, it doesn't appear there is a slow down to consider the cultures and history of the area. When the prison was built there, it was a haven for the ring neck pheasant and a winter feeding ground for the mule deer, but most are now gone because of progress, not the hunter!

Here is another herd of Nephi Jones Boys!

Our blog history has shown photos and descriptions of various members of the Jones family since their pioneer arrival in Utah. One herd we haven't spoke of is Don Wm. Jones; son of Bert, who was the son of Wm. who was the son of Edward(the first) Jones. Don was born and raised in Nephi, Utah and after high school he worked for Pexton Wholesale, who offered him the expansion position in Kanab. Don and his wife, the beautiful Sue Arnoldsen of Moroni departed their living quarters at the Fub Hebbler complex and raised their five sons in Kanab. They are Corey, Karl, Carey, Kim and Chris. With healthy boys, Sue learned how to cook and got so good at it, federal firefighters had her start cooking for their mass scattered throughout the western United States. Don Jones died younger than he should of, being hit with a painful cancer. We also pay respect to Elta Orton Jones Park, the mother of Don, Ted and Marie. The first photo is of Don, on New Years Day of 1943, when he was two years old and the other photo is of young Marie Jones Bostwich, who is now buried by her father and son at Vine Bluff. The Jones family home in Kanab was never seen in a John Wayne movie, but so picturesque, it could have been. Their backyard had a massive butte behind it, where eagles only dared fly that high and perch.

Welcome to Juab High School, home of the Pro Vita drill team.

In 1928 when it was known as Nephi High, the pep club was called the Glee Club, but for the past several decades it is known as Juab High School and the drill team is called Pro Vita, which means "For Life" in case you missed it in Latin Class. Their job is help "spirited every student into his peppiest mood the day of games". In 1964, the Pro Vita performed in the J.F.K. Memorial March in Idaho, and some club members almost did a "fainting split" for an appearance on television's Hi Shoppe in Salt Lake, when they panicked over Bobby Vinton. We have the photo's of the Pro Vita from the Juab High Class of 1964 and 1971, courtesy of the Nebonian. The Pro Vita couldn't survive without sponsors, so we included them, and fun to see that some are still around after decades of support, including Painter Motors, Greenwood(White Brothers); Garrett Honda; Thermoid(NRP Jones); Vard's (Reeds); Nephi Auto and The Times News. I had to thank Livingston Photo who helped me figure out how to put these photos on the blog. The CVMC has asked us NOT to see how many of the 1964 Pro Vita team can still do the splits!