2010-12-30 Elsa is baptized

Brian and Natalie cancelled the baptism planned for December 29 due to snow, but despite the major storm we proceeded on Thursday morning. Bishop Cannon conducted the program, Grandma Heath spoke on baptism, Natalie spoke on the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and both of Elsa's grandfathers shared their testimonies. Elsa's cousins sang 'When I am Baptized'. It was a wonderful and spiritual ceremony. Afterwards we enjoyed a trifle, bagels, hot chocolate and good company.

2010-12-30 Bowling

In our annual bowling extravaganza, Michelle finished her second game with three straight strikes (a turkey!) to get the highest score and win the overall prize by 2 pins. Many thanks to Melissa for the excellent score keeping. Apologies to Michael for our fun at his expense. Next year we'll do darts or Xbox.

2010-12-24 Thomas turns 16 years old

Thomas celebrated his birthday during our Christmas Eve activities. He went shopping with us to pick out a ski helmet. He will be ordained a priest in the Aaronic priesthood on Sunday, December 26 by his father. He will get his driver's license on December 27, he hopes.

2010-12-23 Joshua's birthday party

Joshua turned 12 years old and will receive the Aaronic priesthood and be ordained a deacon on Sunday, December 26 by his father. Melissa planned a wonderful party for Joshua and his friends at the stake center where she has access thanks to her service at the stake primary president. The boys played basketball for a couple of hours.

2010-12-24 Thomas family Christmas Eve breakfast

As per tradition we held the Zella Sorensen Thomas Christmas Eve Breakfast at Melissa and Michael's ward. The Fords did all the set up and clean up which is much appreciated. Again, Don Stauffer claimed this was his last Christmas before he dies.

Attending were

Laurel and Kim with Meredith, Nick and Ron, Emmalee, Ashlee and Gracie, Emily and Kimball, Annie and Lucy and Eloise.

Janet with Lisa and Jesse and with a surprise visit from Lisa's father, Keith Rollins.

Bill and Kandace with Halley, Katie, Chris, Sam, Max, and Janey.

Don and LaRue with Randy, Becky, Bill, Rock, Zinnie, Hazel, Ruby, Clara, Gene, Trevor, Steven, Erin, Madeline, Alex.

Donna Heath

Louise with Diane, Karen, Scott, Spencer, Camille and her husband, Steve.

Melissa and Michael with Thomas, Joshua, Benjamin and Jack

Mindy and Coray with Jonathan, Abby, Will and Sarah

Melanie and Jeff with Andrew, Elizabeth, Anna and Eden

and us - Tom and Paula

2010-12-20 Roylance family Christmas dinner

Grandma arranged a Roylance family dinner. We don't see Dave Knudsen and Dave Killpack very often, and we enjoyed their company.

2010-12-19 Handel's Messiah

It was fun for me to sing bass in the chorus at the 16th annual Cottonwood Heights performance of Handel's Messiah. The music is wonderful and inspiring, and it still echoes in my brain.

2010-12-16 Our 39th anniversary

We celebrated our 39th anniversary at Deer Valley in the St Regis Hotel. We started with a ride up the funicular to the hotel from the parking lot.

The hotel was extraordinary with wonderful views, food, and service. We walked around the hotel, ate dinner at the hotel restaurant, and walked around the ski area.

We stayed in a luxury suite with fireplaces, and a big comfortable bed. It's hard to believe that we have been married this long, but we do have 30 descendants.

2010-12-17 Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert

We (Grandma, Melissa, Mindy and I) enjoyed the annual Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert at the conference center. It wasn't without drama. We were in a long line at the entrance door, but it was getting late for the start. Paula and Mindy found their way into the building, but couldn't get a seat. Melissa and I never made it into the building. We were at the front of the line when the doors were unceremoniously slammed shut. Fortunately we did get into the conference center theater to watch the performance on the big screen. The concert was wonderful.

David Archuletta stole the show with is great tenor voice and infectious smile.

2010-12-13 50th anniversary of the passing of Marie Thomas

Today marks 50 years since my mother passed away. It was a clear sunny day like today when I came home from school on the bus, and my father's car was in the garage. I felt that my mother must have died or my father wouldn't be at home.

2010-12-11 Pecan logs

We made a ton of pecan logs with LaRue Stauffer and Louise Franke, Laurel Young, Janet Rollins, and others. Our share was 31 logs. Now what do we do with them?

2010-12-12 Egberts visit for a couple of days

We enjoyed a short visit from the Egberts who came to Salt Lake for Sam Egbert's wedding on December 11. While the Egberts spent much of their time with wedding and family activities it was fun to have them stay with us and share breakfast. Now they are on their way back to Colorado Springs for Christmas and then back to Salt Lake on December 26. Lots of miles in December when the weather across Wyoming can be frightful.

2010-12-08 Bonneville Glen nativity

I went with the Ford family to the annual Bonneville Glen nativity. This was a wonderful, idyllic presentation of the Bethlehem and the birth of Christ. This is Jointly sponsored by the First Baptist Church, Wasatch Presbyterian Church, St. Ambrose and Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Churches, and the Bonneville Stake. The presentation is touching.

2010-12-08 Deseret Soap factory

I went to the Deseret Soap factory @ 3600 S 7200 W with Steve Pulsipher and Bryce Jones to spend 4 hours of volunteer work. I moved boxes, filled liquid detergent bottles, and generally helped out.

2010-12-08 Road Home

We picked up donated items from our ward and delivered these to the Road Home, a homeless shelter in Midvale. About 250 people make this warehouse their temporary home. We had many coats, much clothing, diapers, sheets and comforters, detergent, etc. Our ward is very generous. We filled our truck and three big SUVs with stuff. Steve Hunt, our elders quorum president, made all the arrangements.

2010-12-09 White Christmas

We went to dinner with our family home evening friends and then to see White Christmas at Pioneer Memorial Theater. Some of my children have never seen the movie, White Christmas, starring Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby. I'd recommend it.

“A holiday card come to life!”
—NY Daily News

The classic Christmas movie has been turned into a lavish holiday spectacle for the whole family to enjoy—an all-singing, all-dancing evening of theatre that includes some of Irving Berlin’s greatest songs, including Blue Skies, Sisters, I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm and, of course, White Christmas.

2010-12-03 New Canaan Christmas party

We have many fond memories of Christmas in New Canaan, as depicted in this print by Brian Kammerer that we keep in our entry way and highlight at Christmas time.

 Grandma organized a Christmas dinner party for her New Canaan book group plus some others. This was the third year we have held the dinner at Willow Creek Country club. We had about 35 folks with New Canaan connections including Alan Heilner, Dennis Heiner and Henry Heilesen, all part of the 'H' in the New Canaan ward directory and the cause of some confusion.

Lindsay Starr and Kathy Morgan (now Barlow) also came to the party. Both are now single and interested in dating.
Following dinner at the country club we returned to our home for more conversation and dessert.

2010-11-18 Sunset from Research Park

I took this photo from the outside deck at Echelon - where GlycoMira is located. Fortunately I had my camera which I brought along for Joshua's performance of Midsummer Night's Dream.

2010-11-10 Beehives bring some cookies

These girls and their leaders brought some pumpkin cookies and a card to thank me for my service in the bishopric. I was released last Sunday after 2 1/2 years to give others a chance to serve. It was a wonderful experience to serve with Bishop Cannon.

2010-11-09 Jonathan's team wins the championship

Jonathan played defensive back, receiver, running back, and kick off return guy. Lone Peak won 14-7 in a cold game at Pleasant Grove high school. Jonathan played great - he intercepted a pass, he caught a critical pass in the last two minutes of the game that lead to a touchdown a couple of plays later. He caught a pass for a two point conversion after that touchdown. It was cold but fun to watch.

2010-10-30 Donna has surgery

Donna had knee replacement surgery on Monday and moved to Health South rehabilitation on Thursday. She seems to be doing well, but hospitals and surgeries are not particularly kind to older folks. I'm sure she'd appreciate a card or phone call. The direct line to her room is 801-565-6719. Her address at the care center is

HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital
8074 South 1300 East
Sandy, UT 84094
Attn: Donna Heath

2010-10-27 First snow

About 6 inches of snow fell last night weighing down our leaf-laden trees. We haven't had any branches break so far, but in past years an early snow fall has damaged our trees. Yesterday I was golfing with Ray Goodson when the snow hit. Ray lost a ball in the snow - camouflaged by accumulating snow on the ground.

2010-10-21 Grant W. Heath's birthday

Grant Woodruff Heath was born October 21, 1919 in Sugar City, Idaho to Emma Caroline Cahoon and Fred J. Heath. Grant was the 8th child of their 10 children, and the youngest of their 7 sons. This photo was taken in about 1945. Grant served in the Pacific as a naval officer in World War II and married Marie Thomas on June 4, 1945 in San Francisco. Grant died in St. George on July 11, 1993. He would have been 91 years old on his birthday.

2010-10-21 Deer

This is one of the many deer who have enjoyed our trees and vegetable garden this year. We'll need to put up fencing if we want to have tomatoes next year.

2010-10-18 Jack turns 8

Jack celebrated his 8th birthday with a party one day before he turned 8. The party was at the Park City Mountainside Marriott with lots of fun in the pool followed by cake and gifts. We had a great time!

2010-10-15 Pumpkin carving

These are the pumpkins we carved at our slumber party on Friday night. Everyone carved with some help from Grandma. We also went to the practice area at Willow Creek CC and played with a food storage bucket full of golf balls. On the way home the bucket tipped over in the back of the truck. This meant I traveled the next day or so with quite a racket in the back.
We had a slumber party with pumpkin carving
When it got dark we lit the pumpkins and told ghost stories and watched the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

2010-10-05 Lynn Buttle passes away

Lynn Buttle was Grandma Donna's first husband, father of Donnalyn and Rob.

Lynn Rushton Buttle 1916 ~ 2010 Lynn Rushton Buttle passed away peacefully at his home October 5, 2010. He was 93 years of age. He was the youngest of seven children born to Robert Ephraim Buttle and Pamela Maude Rushton on December 18, 1916 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was raised in the Liberty Park area and told many stories of his time spent there playing ball, skating on the pond, or just getting into any mischief he could find. To his mother's great joy, he graduated from East High School and served an honorable mission to the Samoan Islands for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was later stationed there during World War II as a gunnery sergeant in the United States Marine Corp because of his knowledge of that language. This proved to be a great blessing that kept him from harm's way during the entire war. He married Donna Jean Leavitt on March 22, 1946. Lynn was employed as a salesman and area manager for Lennox Industries for 22 years. Upon his retirement from Lennox, he became a heating and air conditioning inspector for Salt Lake County, where he worked to the age of 75. Lynn was an avid golfer and lifetime member of the Alpine Country Club. He helped and taught many family and friends how to shoot their first pheasant in the great Idaho outdoors. He will also be remembered as the first at the Canyon Country Club in Twin Falls, ID to perfect a 360 degree turn in mid-air while going off a jump on water skis. Lynn is survived by his daughter and her husband, Mike and Donalyn Shortino, and by his son, Robert Buttle. He is also survived by grandchildren, Tara Christensen, Tonya Smith, Joey Shortino, Stephanie Martin, Jake Shortino, and Matt Buttle, all whom blessed him with 11 great- grandchildren as well. He is also survived by his sweetheart and loving companion over the last few years, Lois Berkstresser. The family would like to thank Lynn's devoted niece, Bobbylee Grayson, who tucked him into bed every night with a phone call from CA. He waited anxiously every day for that call. We would also like to thank his tireless caregivers at The Coventry Assisted Living and Envision Hospice Care. Their devotion and compassion will never be forgotten. Graveside services will be held for close family and friends at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park (3401 Highland Drive Salt Lake City, UT) on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. with a visitation one hour prior to services.

Published in Salt Lake Tribune on October 8, 2010

2010-10-02 St George Marathon

We enjoyed a couple of days with the Egberts and Conleys in St. George. We cheered Melanie and Michelle as they raced in the St. George marathon with distinction.


Michelle finished at 3 hr 32 minutes which qualified her for the Boston Marathon and placed her 50th among women her age and 156th among all women.

Melanie placed 162nd among men her age. We don't know why she was classified with the men. Her time of 3 hrs 46 minutes was terrific. Interestingly, Mindy's neighbor, Kim, finished one place behind Melanie in her age group. Melanie would have finished 162nd among women her age, and 367th among all women.

After the race while their moms were at dinner with Grandma, we flew Grandpa's kite. It got stuck on the roof and Grandpa lifted Elizabeth onto the roof for the rescue. With wind blowing, lightning striking, rain falling Elizabeth rescued the kite. All the other grandchildren wanted a turn as well.

2010-09 Willow Creek County Club Board of Directors

As a candidate for the country club board of directors I had to complete a biographical sketch. My version was edited by Garry Remington (current president) and Mark Cohen (past president). Therefore I am assured of a landslide victory.

However - I lost.

Thank you for the nomination as a candidate for the board of directors of Willow Creek Country Club. My wife Paula and I grew up in Salt Lake, and after we graduated from the University of Utah, we moved to the east coast where we spent the next 20 years living in New York, Connecticut and Montreal. We returned to the Salt Lake area in 1996 where we moved into our current home on Willow Creek Drive close to the Number 1 green.
Paula and I have enjoyed our Willow Creek membership, and with our children and grandchildren, we have benefited from our wonderful golf course, swimming pool, bowling alleys, and restaurant.
As a current member of the grounds committee I have considerable appreciation for the dedication of our club staff and our grounds crew members, and for the high standard of excellence they display in their work to keep our golf course in great condition. I believe we all have a responsibility as members to ensure that we keep our course and facilities in admirable condition. As a member of the board of directors I believe I can assist in this responsibility through continuing encouragement and education of our members.
I know we are all concerned about the need to evaluate our options to maintain or replace our club house. As with many members, the tour of the facilities opened my eyes to the need for upgrading the building. I feel I can contribute to the process of listening to all viewpoints and in working to build a financially sound long range plan.
I welcome the opportunity to serve on the board. Thank you

2010-09-23 Island Park

We spent the weekend in Island Park with the Broadbents, Lybberts and Seals. On Wednesday we golfed in Idaho Falls on our way to Island Park. On Thursday we rode around the area on ATVs, and on Friday we visited Yellowstone Park to see Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Saturday we returned early to participate in the bi-annual quilt show and to celebrate Melissa's and Coray's birthdays.
The golf course was full of trees. Tom Broadbent hit a tree directly and the ball ended up 40 yards behind him.

2010-09-04 Ashley's baptism

Ashely had the support of her Conley cousins and her grandparents at her baptism in Colorado Springs. Paula spoke on baptism at the service and, as always, shared her testimony and faith in Christ. After the baptism we had a buffet lunch organized by Michelle and supported by her friends and family.

2010-09-18 Golfing in Midway

From left to right - Sandy Daniels, Suzanne Housley, Suzanne Seal, Valerie Lindley, Paula, Daryl Broadbent
From left to right - Tom, Scott Lindley, Tom Daniels, Greg Seal, and Tom Broadbent

We enjoyed golf, dinner, breakfast, bike riding and general conversation with our friends that get together each month for family home evening. Scott Lindley taught a lesson about trials to our faith. He told his experiences joining the church as a student at Stanford U when President Henry B Eyring was the bishop of the ward.

2010-07-31 Michael finished the 'Spudman' triathlon

We're proud of Michael's finish at the Spudman Triathlon. He was 87th in his division!

Michael FORD

2010 Burley Lions Spudman Triathlon 07/31/10

Final Time: 02:56:07.1

Overall Placing: 1042
Gender Placing: 715
Division Placing: 87

2010-07-31 Shakespeare Festival

We drove to Cedar City to see five plays (in order of my preference) - Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, Great Expectations, 39 Steps, and lastly, Pride and Prejudice. We had the company of Laurel and Kim Young, Greg and Suzanne Seal (from our ward), Carter and Kathy Jones, and Don and Leslie Oldham. We have done this in July for the past 4 years, and we plan to continue the tradition, but with perhaps one or two fewer plays. The photo is Paula with Juliet. Next year Romeo and Juliet is on the schedule.

2010-07-17 Jason and Lisa Rollins

After Melissa was born, Paula was a frequent babysitter for Jason and Lisa, Janet Owen's children.

2010-07-15 Will turns 7

We went to Will's birthday party at Gym Cats in Lehi. He had a great time with his friends playing on the gymnastics equipment and swinging on the ropes.