Today we tell a true story of love binding forever. I have traveled many countries, liken unto each of my siblings, and although my travels have been to the Pacific Rim of China; Viet Nam and Cambodia (until shots were fired", but never been to the Empire of the Myriad Islands, the Land-of-the-Dragon Fly, Japan. I hear tell that Japan has a wealth of sunshine, of flower-blooms, of bird songs, and a land of beauty in their people, trees, sea breezes, butterflies, exotic birds, moonlight and starlight and hundreds of years of dynasties filled with verses to fall in love of the written and seen beauties. But we will start at the beginning of the togetherness of Carl Calderwood and Sekiyo Saito Calderwood who once upon a time lived and loved in Nephi, Utah nearly fifty years ago, and we recently found the notes of their life written by my mother-LaVon Harris Jones, who made it a point to welcome new people in town. They lived in a half-home, which was common when we feared a bomb hitting us from Russia. That was at 175 West 5th North, and as I recall their was another one like that up the street where Steve Jenkins lived-a friend of my brother and where I passed the Daily Herald as a kid. When my mother met with the Calderwood family they had a daughter-Julie who was educated and loved fishing, gardening and raising Chrysanthemum's-the flower of Japan. Carl Calderwood was born in 1926, in Provo, Utah, while Sekiyo was born in 1932 in Miyageken, Japan. Carl attended Provo High, then joined the U.S. Coast Guard; World War Two, then trained in Alamea, California aboard the USS Pascao. During the Korean War, he was in the U.S. Navy, putting aircraft carriers in commission while in Tacoma, Washington. He was then transferred to the Merchant Marine on U.S.N.S General Patrick in Oakland, California on his way to Wake Island, then Japan, Okinawa, the Philippines, then back to the USA. Indications are, he was under fire in all too many frightening experiences, as most Veterans have been for the past several wars. However, Carl's heart found a different comfort when he found with Sekiyo in Yokosuka, and although it was love at first sight, the Japanese custom of getting hitched is different than Americans getting hitched quick. Before they could make plans, Carl was transferred back to a war we called Viet Nam, on the U.S. N. S. Gordon. Carl and Sekiyo met up after many letters, and they knew it was a forever match and not a weekend frolic.(writers term, not my mother). The parents of Sekiyo were dead, so she had to get permission for their marriage from her older brothers. The oldest brother said yes; the second brother said "No, he is our enemy". Now it is the third brother's turn and asked her if she is sure she is making the right decision and she exclaimed "Hi, Hi", which means Yes, Yes! Since Carl had fifteen minutes before his ship was leaving, they ran to the American Consul in Tokyo and were married on July 3rd, and then again at the LDS Ward offices in Japan. Carl got back to Provo until his wife obtained Japan's strict rules of departing and they soon became a couple and daughter Julee was born on April 14, 1969, at St. Marks Hospital and little Julee felt she was in heaven, as she had Chad Winn as her 5th grade teacher and double proud Chad was also their LDS Bishop and great neighbors. In talking to Chad, he said the basement only house was built by Bill Russell when he lived to the east of that dwelling. Wherever they are now, my guess is their happiness blossoms like pink petals in Japan.
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