A Life to Celebrate

It was 105 years ago today that CoolGuy's father was born. He was the third child, and third son, born to his parents. Undoubtedly he was born in a home---whether it was his own or in his grandmother's home--I don't know, but that's where women had their babies in that era.  He was 16 years old when his youngest sibling, a sister, was born. In that era, the 1920's, in the Rocky Mountain valley where he spent his entire life, he'd have been finished with school and working full time. As a young man he helped with the family farm which included a large herd of sheep. He was a skilled sheep shearer and herder. Married at age 20, he and his lovely young bride spent their first six months of married life living in a sheep camp.

 Here's a cute photo of the honeymooners.

 

 Within five years, they had three fine young sons. 

When the youngest of these was eighteen, 

they added son #4--CoolGuy.

Their first house was a tent on some property they owned in town. He dug a basement, finished it, roofed it, and the family moved in. It was a complete apartment that served them well while the house was built above it. The sheep ranch had gone bust because of the Great Depression, so he worked where he could find a paycheck. He labored in a traveling shearing crew during the wool season. He drove a coal truck, a log truck, and a grain truck. In the fall, he guided out-of-state elk hunters in the surrounding mountains, helping them to find their dream trophy animal. It was a time when people did what they could to keep food on the table and clothes on their back. He was also an Army veteran, working at a base in the east as a mechanic. Another interesting job he did for a couple of years was working as an usher in the Wyoming legislature when one of his sons served as a state representative.

There was a large support system of family members. Between the two sides of the family, there were eighteen aunts and uncles. Nearly every Sunday dinner was eaten at a grandparent's home with a group of relatives. It's just what you did back then. 

The years passed, the three sons grew up. One got married, and produced a grandchild. The next year, that little granddaughter got a brand-new uncle!! I really wish I'd had a chance to talk to CoolGuy's mother and hear what she thought when they found out he was "on the way" at that point in their lives. CoolGuy remembers fondly his pleasant life as an "only" child, since his nearest older brother graduated from high school shortly after CoolGuy was born. 

It confused our children for several years that their "cousins" were all adults on their dad's side of the family. the cousins' children were our kids' contemporaries.

(Isn't he a cute little boy??)

 CoolGuy's father worked in the summers for his adult son's trail ride business at this point. Since his mom was employed full-time as a telephone operator, CoolGuy spent a lot of time at work with his dad. They fed cattle from a horse drawn sleigh in the winter. CoolGuy cleaned corrals while his dad worked to shoe the horses and mules in the Spring. One summer, his father drove a road grader up and down a fifty mile canyon, keeping the dirt road passable for the big trucks that hauled logs out to the lumber mill in town. CoolGuy got to "drive" behind the grader in the Dodge truck that held the fuel and tools to keep the big machine running.  (It involved mostly steering, as it chugged along in the lowest gear.) They spent their nights in a log cabin at a ranch in the middle of the forest. Dream job for any10 year old boy!

 This photo is from CoolGuy's first trail ride. The ride/camping trip lasted about two weeks. They were in the wilderness area in the southwest corner of Yellowstone Park. His dad wrangled horses and mules, and helped cook in big Dutch ovens over a campfire. I realize now what a huge amount of work this business entailed. But for an eight year old boy, it was pretty much heaven.

After 34 years of marriage, the two childhood sweethearts were separated by the death of CoolGuy's mother. He was only eleven years old. His father was bereft, of course, but the large family support system helped the two of them to continue on. A little over three years later, his father remarried and she is the Grandma pictured below.

CoolGuy's father and his new stepmother had twenty years together before his dad passed away at age 78. She was a great traveling companion, mother to his teenaged son, and, in the last few years, his loving and kind care taker. They came down to balmy SoCal visit us several times to escape the harsh winters. They'd sleep in a nearby motel, but spend most of their time with us. These visits lasted several weeks, and it was great to have relatives be a part of every day life. It was a little glimpse of how CoolGuy's dad had raised his sons.

He taught his sons that hard work is a noble profession. He taught them that family loyalty is important. He taught by example that people should be kind and helpful--it's always the right thing to do. He led a long life, and was eulogized by a large family who remembered him with love and gratitude.

He, too, was born with motor-oil in his veins, and passed that on to his son. Luckily.