I found this picture of my mom when she was late teens or early twenties.

My wife thinks grandma told her she was about 16 when this was taken.

I am lazy so I am trying to record my memories and then posting them. This one is on memories of Bountiful.

http://youtu.be/2QDcgn4foaQ

Elizabeth Norman some thoughts:

I have been thinking a lot about my mother these last few days.  I used some of the words from a talk by Elder Packer from the last conference in one of my spiritual thoughts this last week.  Quoting from his talk “I have come to know that faith is a real power, not just an expression of belief. There are few things more powerful than the faithful prayers of a righteous mother.”  The thought of mom knelling and praying in her room came into my mind.  I’m sure she was praying for me.  She didn’t have a lot she could do to control me, but she could pray.  I also remember that she would bear her testimony every fast day.  I think Alice and maybe Van can remember this.  I know Alice and I were embarrassed that she would get up every month.  She again could not do a lot but she could bear her testimony.  I know now that was the beginning of my testimony.  I know more than once or twice I had to wipe tears from my eyes as she bore her testimony.  She had a profound influence in my life, maybe more than her other children.  When Van was on his mission and Alice was at BYU, it was just mom and me.  Often she would get home from work tired and would take me down to Skaggs at the 5 points mall.  They had a little snack counter and we would eat hot dogs.  She probably didn’t like them but I did.  She worked hard and was getting along in years.  She was probably around 57 or 58.  I know Alice always thought she made her do a lot of the house work and she probably did because she was so tired.  She never complained and was always faithful in her callings as a visiting teacher.  Later after we were married and she came to live with us first on Quince then on 13^th East and finally on Douglas.  My wife loved Grandma Norman a lot because if ever my wife and I were having a disagreement she would always take Chris’ side.  On one day we were driving and my wife wanted me to stop the car and let her go into an insurance company that had their offices in her father’s old family home on 3900 South.  I was embarrassed that she would just walk in and say can I look at this building it use to be where my father grew up and I did not want to stop.  Grandma Norman said to me, “John what is your problem it is no foam off you beer.”  Needless to say I stopped and my wife went inside and they let her look around at the old Cornwall family home.  That is just one example of her siding with Chris.  She was generous to a fault.  Often she would volunteer our house for an activity or she would agree that Chris or I would do something for someone else.  In my mind I can still here her saying to me, “John you don’t feel that way.”  She visited Delle Edmonds as her visiting teacher and asked if there was anything she could do for her.  Delle said well you could do my laundry.  So Grandma Norman brought her laundry home and did it.  She was very unselfish and thought that everyone should be the same.  I admire her for the many things she taught me by how she lived.  She loved her kids and grandkids, family was important to her.  So on this mother’s day I pay tribute to my mom Elizabeth Bader Norman and thank my Heavenly Father for blessing me with such a great mom.  And I thank her for praying for me and for bearing her testimony every month.  Much love mom,  your son John.

Dad Norman

I have been thinking a lot about Dad lately.  Chris' brother has written a chapter about their dad's world war II experiences.  I would really like to know more about Dad's experiences.  Did he ever talk to the older kids about his experiences.  I was too young to even know what world war II was let alone ask him about it.  It would be nice to get something down on paper to pass along to our kids and grandkids.  How did he get in the army and a time line of his service?  Any ideas?

A Visit to the Old Neighborhood

Yesterday Tove and I were in South Salt Lake County with a little time on our hands so we decided to go check out the old neighborhood. We drove around what used to be the Murray 3rd Ward area. I could recognize many of the houses and could remember who lived in some of them. I wondered if anyone still lived there who I would remember or who could remember me. As we were driving past Anderson's we saw an elderly gentleman on the front porch who turned and entered the house. We wondered if it could be Milt Anderson or maybe one of his kids. So I parked and went up and knocked on the door. The man came to the door and I was pretty sure it was Milt but I asked, "Does Milt Anderson still live here?" He said, pushing open the screen door, "He sure does. Come on in here." I don't think he recognized me but I immediately told him who I was and he was delighted. His wife, Margaret, was sitting there in the living room and they gushed over me and had me bring Tove. He told us that he had recently turned 96. I will be very fortunate if I can live to 96 and even more so if I am as sharp then as Milt is at 96. We had a great conversation about old times. He said the only other person in the ward who would have been there back in 1958 when I left was Mary Soffe who still lived in the apartment above the Soffe Mortuary there on State Street. We talked about the fact that Tove's brother Audun married Jerrie Davis the daughter of a good friend and former partner of Milt's, Leon Davis. A few minutes into our conversation Milt and Margaret's daughter Ranae and her husband came so we reminisced with her for a few minutes. And then as we were leaving their son Jeff drove in the driveway and we were able to say hello to him. I was a lot of fun to see the old neighborhood and especially to talk with the Andersons.

Trip to California Summer 1959

In the summer of 1959 when I was home on leave from the Naval Academy we took a family trip to southern California. I wouldn't go unless Tove came too so, as you can see, she did. Here are some of the slides Dad took.

Photos From Murray