HAPPY HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY LAVON HARRIS JONES

During the ten years you were separated by Dad, you had missed his presence, as each of us kids did as well. You lucked out okay, though, as you are now with your earthly parents; your classmates from the mighty Class of Nephi High, and as I stare at that photo of your sister-Maggie Vera Harris of long ago, you got it made. And just so you know, we have kept our promise that the Nephi Jones kids will always stand together. Four of us are heading up North for lunch, and then we will call Gary B. and give free entertainment for the other folks that tune in to our channel. And each of your kids of Weston, Hal, Kent, Gary and Jaynette have been on earth with an average age of 75 years old, so we will be joining you soon enough, and none of us have been able to do the Nortonville Two Step just right, but we will keep practicing. And thanks for being the best of the best Moms in the best rural town anywhere.

TWO PHOTOS OF VIC AND ALBERTA JONES AND PHOTO Of THE KIDS OF THE KIDS

I have no idea who I received these photos from or the year, but want to donate them, then that person can make more from the negative's. Who ever wants them, please type your name and address in the messenger portion on Facebook, and if my hunch is right, Sherm sits on high, as does a few other Nephi Saints including the daughter of Vaughan Paxman; Daughter of June Williams; Stetson Jones; Dee Nielson and his younger brother; Madeline Pyper, who lived on the corner of 5th North and Main; which was next to the Sparks Motel; which was next to The Serv; which was next to the Beeline Gas Station, run by the Boswell family, who lived next house down and across the street was where King Sherm did the chores for his Dad who was shot by a "Friendly Fire". And that is why police are the good guys who try to break up a fight between a husband and wife, but when the cops try to arrest either or both, the cop is killed dead and that is when we see the Criminal Justice System as being unfair, but it is fair to the Jury and/or Judge! Vic was a MP during WW One, but that can be more dangerous than fighting in the Trenches of France. And if you think we were slow to get in that War To End All Wars, go chat with Woody Wilson, who wasn't a Teddy Roosevelt riding up with Mat Howard of Starr Route. Amen and please pass the peas.

T

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY YOUNG BROTHER-GARY B. JONES

When Gary B. Jones grew up in Jonesville in the North Ward, he was known as Gary B. and not only was a scholastic student at Juab High, but starred in many of the School Plays and what we used to call "Road Shows", where each LDS ward throughout East Juab County, would put on a live show on stage, and it was a part of what the LDS Church would sponsor. Gary B. was tall and thin, much like his Uncle Vic Jones. When our father-Alma "Cash" Jones passed away in 1984, Gary B. took on the physical aspect of our Dad, almost instantly! Gary B. was not only an actor on the stage, but had a deep resounding voice that could be heard loud and clear even to the hard of hearing. He excelled in the Mt. Nebo FFA, not only in Speech Contests, but on the winning State Parliamentary Procedure Contest. He was active in the LDS Church, and worked his way to the top, receiving his Eagle Scout Degree. He then became a good friend of Lynn Esplin, who was the Juab County Agent. If that wasn't enough, he became one of the head leaders of Camp Maple Dell, and worked there each Summer, while not attending BYU and Utah State. Then on to an LDS Mission to the downunder country where seeing a Kangaroo was part of the glamour of what he enjoyed doing. He remains active in that religion. Although Nephi remains his hometown, and while his siblings would like to see him closer, each of us have tried to explain Nephi is not Nephi anymore, with many move ins, that it is no longer the friendly rural town it was when five of us kids were constantly busy doing chores, and not paid for those duties, as it was just something we did and grateful to have food on the table. Gary B. answered the call from  Uncle Sam, and during the Viet Nam Era, his older brother, who was in the Air Force, wondered why Gary jumped out of a perfectly good plane. Gary B. was an Army Ranger, and a good one at that. He was self taught how to hide under dirt and bushes to shoot the biggest buck around, so doing that as a Ranger was nothing. Once home, he went to work for Western Airlines and followed when it was bought out by Delta Airlines. He jumped on a plane for the airport under the Northern Lights of Alaska. On his off days, he would work as a fish and game hunting guide. I went up there to be with him on a bear hunt. When he picked up the trail of a bodily excretion remains. I was glad to get back to his place on the Iditarod Trail. He then retired from the airlines and the National Guard, and started with his bottle of pennies and got into the sled dog racing. I didn't know how to spell or say the race, until he explained it like Mrs. Lomax would do. "I DIT A ROD". I then returned another year to take care of his Kennel while he raced. It is only a thousand miles! With a prior Subdural Hematoma, certain noises affect my brain, such as barking dogs, but like parents getting accustomed to their crying babies, I wasn't bothered by his barking dogs, as they were his pride and joy. And in Alaska, he is a well known "Musher" and has written several books, all on motivational subjects.He has just came out with the Third Printing of "Winning The Iditarod" which should be available at the Nephi Library. G.B. Jones never married, but when he turned 70, he felt bad about a young boy that his mother or father didn't want, so G.B. Jones became the adopted father. In talking with him on the phone, one could feel the pressure of raising a kid that is now a "Holy Hell" Teenager. Our Dad survived and so will our tall brother.

CAN A BOY IN THE 6TH GRADE FALL IN LOVE WITH CHONITA?

 I don't recall falling in love in the sixth grade with anything other than playing marbles in the dirt where the District Courthouse is now. And nowadays, I think my wind sails have fallen off the wooden masts when they were young. And, if we dig deep in the uncounted documents of ions ago, we found a 1959 brochure that tells of a yarn about about a Chonita and the Gypsy Romance between two gals and two guys. I recall, almost licitiusly of Mary Lou Hintze, who played one of the Chonita's, and the other one played the part of the other Chonita, she being Ann Hall. Regardless of what the synopsis of the 6th grade Operetta would tell us, we all knew that Ann had her heart waiting for Dean Bailey, and sure enough they them those two got hitched. All in all, their were 80 of us kids that put on that show, and Mona, Levan and Mills didn't come in to the Central School. And all of us kids would take the duty to hold out the flags to stop the cars, and each student would take turns to help those that needed help and yes we did have to walk uphill to school and uphill to get home. And I hear tell that their were some of those Jones boys grabbing on the horse drawn plow that cleared the snow off before they invented paved sidewalks!! Years later, when I was 13 or 14, I felt bad for Jon Jackson who plowed the snow on the north, as he would walk down to the Snak Shak for a real supper, then I would drive him to his log house kitty korner from Ray Jackson.

HERE IS "THIS AND THAT AROUND JUAB" OF LONG AGO

Most kids of today are smarter than the class of Juab High-1965. Even if it was a President of the US of A, today's kids would know the guy was a weirdo if he bent over to smell your hair, so they just may be smarter than we were of decades ago. But if you needed to know what we did in 1965, here is good stuff contained in THE WASP. And not sure, but darn bettin that short lived Football Coach Davis never did get along with many folks, and pretty dam certain Dale Bailey didn't drink anything stronger than a 7-Up on New Years Eve. And where the heck is the school of Sunnison we played?

Mt. Nebo FFA wins another Trophy

It seems like only yesterday, but young people would think it was before the Pale Faces invaded a quiet and the peace loving Ancient Ones, or what is commonly called the Indians. Mormons or the LDS folks didn't understand why the Indians didn't want to sell some of the land. Through an interpreter, they said something to the affect "How can we sell something that belongs only to God". They made a good point, but it seems that us pale faces still haven't got the real message of the wise ones! Jay Dalley was the Juab FFA advisor and before him it was Jim Anderson. They both instilled the importance of why agriculture is so important, and I have always thought that was just as important as History, but it seems that all the new people invading our lands haven't quite got the full understanding of either. Both of those brilliant teachers have found new Heavenly farms, and perhaps, just perhaps, those two and Harry Beagley will be our instructors. As he was a gracious saint of Saints.

IT LOOKS LIKE ELECTION TIME IN NEPHI-SO WATCH OUT FOR POLITICAL SCAMMERS

I once worked for and with state politicians for 42 years, then returned to my once rural home town of Nephi, and won a position as a Nephi City Council Member. I won that four year term with the motive
to give back to the most perfect rural town in the world. Some of my Juab classmates of 65 went on to have kids which may have given them an advantage to defer going to a Rim Country of which we couldn't even spell, but found out it was Viet Nam, which was being invaded by a Communist Regime. Being color blind kept me from enlisting and I was the only one out of the four sons who wanted to go, dam it, but that is the way the wind blows, sometimes. I then got my college degree in  Law Enforcement and was to give back to help others, including being a Scoutmaster; a volunteer for me and my two young boys to help the Fish and Game eradicate the trash fish in Strawberry Reservoir; work with American Red Cross of Salt Lake as the Logistic contact; Volunteer for the Sandy Museum; volunteer with my boys in their baseball; basketball and Soccer and football games; volunteer at Antelope Island each Saturday and some Sundays for more than ten years; volunteer at a Heber City Nursing Home in writing each of the residents when their family came in and published their life and times on the door with the title of "Get to know your Neighbor", with the emphasis that all of the people in places like that eventough they may now be old, they too had an abundant life earlier in life. NO, I am not running for any more political positions, and I can't tell of the politician's I have come across in my work, but I can say that of all the elected and especially the Selected Politician's I had to deal with, I have "tried" to bare with some of the bad ones, who were servants only to themselves. My first Attempted Bribe was from a sitting Attorney General of the State of Utah. At the time of ions ago, he called and wanted me to chat with him in his office. I went, as I thought he could add something to my criminal investigation I was doing on an individual. Well, he was to do that, but not quite as I had suspected. He sat behind his desk and introduced me to his private secretary. It wasn't long before  I understood the chat and his motive. He wanted me to change the criminal investigation I was doing on the son of his secretary to a lesser crime. He was informed that I would have to take it to my superiors, but then he understood I was just starting my career, and said he could make me one of his Chief Investigators and the chat was ended. When I returned to my regular job, my co-workers giggled and declared "Welcome to your first official Bribe". Needless to say I went with the written report and the official recommendation, and others my way came, but not as bold as that one, but pretty dang close. The point I am trying to declare to all American voters in rural areas and throughout Utah. Be careful at Election time, as it can be good, but as the President Trump and his cabinet is trying to sort out the outlaws within DC and although I never watched the TV News in 45 years, nor have I read the Tabloids and most of the major newspapers, their is cause to disbelieve what they write. Same is true with Judges. You can vote to retain them or kick them out. And remember, even Judges have a variety of Association Members who may send out notices whom they support, it is your duty as an American to figure things out for yourself, as I have tried to do in my travels around the earth. And Never Ever vote just because they are white; black; brown; male or female. CHOOSE YOU MUST, BUT PLEASE CHOOSE AFTER YOU ARDENTLY STUDIED EVERY PERSON. Sometimes even our Utah, Juab  Leaders and Nephi appointed speakers and writers may be speaking falsehoods or distortions. And Nephi does not have sufficient water, and never did as the  Army Corp of Engineers' noted long ago tudy Study hard you must!  If you are a Democrat; a Republican or any other party that serves themselves only, rather than the people they are sworn to serve, they are as bad as a Scammer can be.. As Tracy Booth would say "Follow the Money". Or in the Paul Harvey words, "That is the rest of the story".

                                                    ALL FOR ONE  AND ONE FOR ALL

NEXT FUN OUTING IS THE MONA CELEBRATION

The Ute Stampede is over for another year, and yes we did have the Wright Riders with us. They are my present Sports Heroes and I thank the Right Wright Wives and Sisters who do much of the Cattle work while their men are working the "Jumping Jacks Jaguernat Jungles" of rodeos. Although the Cow Men and Women are off to chase the big money, their is still a lot of jazzy fun to do in Juab County. As I left Livingston Printing- who are the computer gurus of Nephi, I saw an ad on the window, and had them Scan a copy so I could advertise it to all you folks. Nephi is not the small rural town it used to be, as it is growing too DAM much, at least for me, who has turned into slow driving Bish Belliston(ole geezer's called him Hazard), but one of the best guys in East Juab County. Anywho, we will give you the Mona Ad, but just know you don't qualify to attend if you still call it Clover Creek; Willow Creek or even Starr, which is where Young Oils is now located, being named after the Starr Family. And if you want to do a little history trek, ask one of the Newtons; Kays or Garfield's where the trains used to stop for water for their steam engines. Yup, it is a fact, and no bull today. Stetson Wright is an All Around Cowboy Champion, but even Mona has one of the best ropers around, so if you see Nephew-Stetson Jones, say Howdy to him but if he ropes you in, he will let you go........later! And NO, all of Juab County doesn't have enough water unless you over tax the property owners and squeeze them to sell out your local farmers. That is a fact regardless of what the elected and Selected officials will say, That ain't no BULL

 

JULY 12, 2025 IS LAST DAY FOR THE UTE STAMPEDE IN NEPHI, UTAH. COME ON DOWN.

Being born and raised in the rural town of Nephi, Utah had a ton of goodness. Politicians' and money hungry monkeys is said to have destroyed much of the small town values and no cost fun, but us old folks still love it when we can dress up in that cowboy hat that sets on the piano. Two of our good ole Jones Boys volunteered to put the Ute Stampede together in 1935. And the Boy Scouts built the canopy for rodeo attenders. Mayor and Dentist P.L. Jones was like President Trump is....a mover and shaker and Doc Jones organized that yearly celebration. He was also the man that put the Nephi Airport on the map which Cotton Rosser used to fly in for the rodeo, but years later Nephi leaders gave credit to another, but that often happens in the political world. If you attend tonight's rodeo, try to feel the cowboy spirit of Chuck Parkinson or Cotton Rosser, who helped bring the rough stock here as the big shot of the Flying U Rodeo, but it is now Reno Rosser, but I had to give Reno a big Atta Boy for taking time to drive up and say Hi to Bob Garrett, as it was Bob and his Dad-Joe Garrett, and Bob Day who kept the rodeo the best outside rodeo anywhere. Cotton would often fly to each rodeo he put together, and let his truck drivers bring the horses and bulls in Semi Trucks. Every time I go to this fabulous rodeo, I have to pay high respect to the volunteer committee members who put in their free work for all of us attenders. Former Ute Stampe Chair is Bob Garrett, who at the age of 84, was still getting on his horse and rounding up cattle. But his body was telling him to slow down, so he is taking a rest after back surgery. He is on the road to recovery, with daughter Tara making "Dam"sure he starts moving. The first photo is of a prior Committee. Which one is Joe Garrett; Ray Jackson; the Judge?? Other photos show Bob Garrett on the chutes; Ute Chief and last is Cotton Rosser, who will remain with us forever, as the "Ghost Rider in the Sky". My sister Jaynette cleaned his Motel once and got a Big Tip!

UTE STAMPEDE IS HAPPENING IN NEPHI-COME ONE, COME ALL

Last night the Bulls Only(Xtreme Bulls) occured at the rodeo grounds in Nephi. Some of us locals were cheering for Stetson Wright, the present All Round Cowboy of the PRCA. He is from the Beaver area, but didn't quite make it to the eight second whistle. Tonight is the first night of the regular Ute Stampede, and we have attached a brochure to show all the things occuring. So come on down Track Street and enjoy the weekend. Nephi now has a new motel to stay at and a newly built and fantasy Trailer Court to the South end, and as usual, the best all round America food can be found at Lisa's Restaurant. We have also attached the twin brother's of Ronald and Harold Jones, who are among the several Jones and Tolley family who arrived in 1852. All the others are move in's or "fakes", but since I am one of the real Nephi Jones family, I don't mind bragging. Those twins helped to build the first canopy for the 1935 Stampede, so read and heed that which was written. They were Grand Marshalls for the Western Parade in 1987, and yes they rode horses, which is what a rural resident should be doing. Happy Stampede, and no, there is not many Native Americas or Utes that attend, but when I was a kid, there was a lot of them that came.

MOTHERS LETTER FROM HEAVEN

LaVon Harris yearned to be the best secretary that Nephi ever had. We believe she was and destined to teach her kids the importance of learning to type, even boys! She insisted that their would be a time in our lives when boys would have to learn how to type. That was for girls, I protested, but lived by Mom and as a teenage boy, I made the type team and made it to Region. The best thing was finding myself surrounded by pretty gals of Juab High. LaVon was focused on typing and continued to write letters to servicemen and LDS Missionaries. Alma Jones of Nortonville liked pretty gals, and to most he was the movie type stud that looked like Randolph Scott. But he like farming and watched the new Nephi High School built on Main Street and started a career in cement and masonry work. When Alma went off to war during the era of World War Two, the two exchanged letters, and they both must have been hit hard with the love for each other and got hitched as soon as he returned. Before they both got older, Storks started flying by the Jones home about once a year. Alma had heart problems in his last years, and never recovered from a hip surgery, that was at a time when they didn't have the knowledge or material to fix it right. One leg was shorter that the other, and he walked with a cane, but in pain. I am now at the age where I use his cane after multiple surgeries with similar pain of my Dad. Alma  passed through the Veil between Earth and Heaven in June, 1984. Shortly after is when LaVon wanted to make sure that their kids would always be the family that stayed together. She typed her thoughts to each of the Jones Kids of Weston, Hal, Kent, Gary and Jaynette. Although I have saved family papers and things for years, much like others in my family, I had forgot about the letter I had received back in 1984. Sitting at my desk last night, I became frustrated with all the things piled up which I need to organize for future generation to exam and ponder about. That is when  I knocked a letter off and picked it up and read it. Tears filled my eyes, and only then is when I knew that God does move in mysterious ways. I openly responded saying "Mom, all your kids have stuck together and we get together for a lunch and call Gary in Alaska". I knew she and Dad was aware he have all stuck together, but our average age is now around 75, so we all recognize we will soon join our family that has gone before us. Happy Birthday Mom.