John, Norman Dee (Dec. 14, 1927 – Sep. 28, 1991) by himself

Sketch of my life -Norman Dee John

I was born 14 December 1927 in a small two room house three miles south
and one mile west of Tremonton, Utah. The son of George Gord[o]n John
and Etha Jane Green.

The first 8 years of my life we lived on a farm, kerosene lamps were
used for our lights, wood and coal burning stoves for heat, plumbing
was an outside "Out House", bathing was done in a round tub in front of
the kitchen stove with water heated on top of the stove and everyone
used the same water.

Transportation was the Model "T" Ford or horse and wagon. Electric
blankets were not used (no electricity) but bricks or flat irons heated
in the oven or on top of the stove wrapped in newspaper or clothes were
great as bed warmer in the cold unheated bedrooms.

Depression was the state of the economy of the nation and money was
scares, but being in a farming area, food was no problem. Hot cooked
mush smothered in cream potatoes and gravy with bread and milk were the
staples, home made ice cream was a treat even if you had to turn the
crank on the old freezer, and licking the dasher was choice.

We learned to swim in the irrigation ditch or canal. There was a great
swimming hole up by the fair grounds in Tremonton and our sun burns
were something else.

The roads were not paved and dust was inches thick. You could jump in
the canal, get out and roll in the dust and be coated with dust all
over. We played stick horse with limbs cut from trees. Climbed trees
and checked out all the birds nests. The radio was the in-thing and the
funny papers on Sunday were great.

I remember the first tent show I seen. I rode behind my uncle LaVerd on
the saddle horse to Tremonton. I'll never-forget, because my arms ached
real bad, I'd just had a shot to start grade school.

I remember staying with the uncles and aunts over night being the first
grand child on both side of the family has its points. I remember they
sure got me out of bed a lot during the night to go outside. I think I
had a problem.

Drove my first car down the Iowa String it was a model T Ford. I
steered as dad pulled it with a tractor down a very muddy deep putted
road, really difficult having to steer the car, could not get out of
the ruts in the road, I had to stand on the seat to see over the hood.

I attended first and second grades at the old McKinley elementary school in Tremonton.

In 1935 we moved to Brigham City, Utah, where I attended the old
Central School grades three and four, then the Lincoln School for
grades five and six, then to old Box Elder High for the six years
graduating in 1946.

After moving to Brigham we had our first electric lights and inside
plumbing and they were great, life of course was going to school,
rolling skating up and down the side walks and ice skating in the
winter time.

 
Saturday was movies at the Roxy theater usually double features with a
serial film for ten cents and usually a nickel for candy.

Playing ball in the streets and rubber gun fights with the neighbor
kids was a must. Sledding in the winter time on our sleds to see how
far we could go on some of the steep streets was fun. Waiting for the
first cherries to ripen in the summer, lot of mumble peg was played
waiting for the cherries to ripen.

Peach Days with a dollar to spend, but it had to last two days at the
carnival. Playing hide and seek, run sheep run and kick the can was
some of the games we played. Catching frogs at the old sugar factory
and fishing in the ponds. Hiking up the mountain to water-falls or flat
bottom was fun.

Our mode of transportation was a wonderful bike we received for
Christmas that took you everywhere, but we had to fix all our flat
tires from puncher weeds. Christmas was the time of the year you just
couldn't wait for, toys, books, candy and nuts. Each year Santa brought
a large bag of peanuts and a trail of nut shell were left where ever we
went because our pockets were always full. As one grew older less play
and more work bringing in the coal and kindling for the fire. Then came
oil stoves and electric ranges, what a relief.

Summer work was picking fruit, mainly cherries, thinning beets,
tromping hay, hoeing beets, milking cows on uncles farms while you
stayed at Grandmothers. As you get older still thinning beets trying to
get an acre a day, pitching hay on to the wagon or driving four head
for horses on the beet digger, topping beets or driving the wagon to
the beet dump. Sure hated to drive that team of horses up the ramp at
the beet dump especially when the train was changing cars, of course it
was better than throwing the beets into the wagon in the field. Pushing
wires on the old hay bailer or driving truck on the grain harvest or
irrigating sugar beets. During world war 2 labor was in great demand
and that was how I made enough money to buy my first car, a 1936 Chev
the year was 1944. It had a rumble seat and a radio with antenna under
the running board with a suicide knob on the steering wheel. I borrowed
the money from my Grand mother John and paid her back that summer.
Price $200.

On April 16, 1946 joined the Navy for two years serving in Oregon and
Washington was discharged on February 11, 1948. Returning home and
worked with my Dad. On 14th of May 1948 married Betty Jean House in the
Logan Temple, Cache County, Utah. Betty was the girl who sat in front
of me in Mr. Bott's math class at the Lincoln School in the year 1938.
I sure did not know then that ten years later she would be kneeling
across the alter from me at the Logan Temple.

After marriage we rented an apartment at 472 North 4th East in Brigham
and I continued to work with Dad in the building business.

On January 15, 1950, our first child was born a son named Kevin Dee
John 9 pounds and 3 ounces. Betty and I were proud and pleased parents
at last.

In 1950 we brought a lot at 637 North 2nd West for $200.00 and begin to
build a small house. We had no more completed the house, that I decided
I wanted to farmer. We settled on a 80 acre farm south and west of
Tremonton the year 1951.

 
On December 23, 1953 a 6 pound daughter named Karen joined our family, she was tinny, but what a great Christmas gift.

On June 25, 1954 a 8 pound 9 ounce daughter named Karla greeted our
lives and I thought I was going to have to deliver this one.

In the fall of 1957 I decided farming didn't need me any more, so I
sold out  (well not quite I kept a saddle horse named Pat and a
hunting dog named Spot) and Betty didn't like either one of them. They
probably reminded her of the farm.

We bought a lot at 645 North 2nd West in Brigham and built our present
home. I again joined my Dad in the building business in which I am
still engaged in. Dad retired a few years ago and my son Kevin took his
place, it has been of great pleasure to work with my father for so many
years and now to work with my son, great partner.

The years move swiftly, children grow up. The first thing you know
you're writing letters to a son on a mission and both daughters are
involved in the dating game. What a glorious time for Betty and I as we
watch our children make those decisions which shall be of so great
importance in their lives.

I am grateful for the influence of the gospel in my life and the help
it has been helping me to be a better husband and father. I know that
God lives and Jesus is the Christ that Joseph Smith was and is a
Prophet of God and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
is the true church here upon the earth and that we have living Prophet
to guide and direct us. I am thankful for children who are obedient and
follow those directions and for their companions and their children who
have joined their homes. I honor and respect them for the manor in
which they conduct their lives and my life has been enriched by a
loving wife whose rol[e] as wife, mother and grandmother and best
friend has been outstanding.