To help me avoid having to get up out of bed to answer the phone, we had an extension put in my room by the bed. I read and did genealogy and many other things to pass the long, long days that came with each sunrise. I enjoyed my handiwork at this time, too. I did a lot of crocheting and hand sewing.

It did seem good when I was able to get back to Church after months of staying at home. I was able to work in the Relief Society and enjoyed my associations with the sisters very much. I loved to sing and enjoyed singing with the Branch Singing Mothers’ group. There weren’t many of us but we certainly enjoyed singing and were called upon many times to present programs. I also served as the Improvement Era director in the branch and enjoyed going to MIA with the children. All of them except Grant were old enough to attend mutual and so we usually just took him with us anyway. They had an adult class called the Special Interest class.

We were still living quite close to where Melva lived and I was able to see her more often. Then after Douglas graduated from high school in January of 1952 he joined the Air Force and was stationed at Travis Air Force Base which was in the San Francisco Bay area and we made a trip or two to see him also.

We hadn’t been in Eureka very long when we were able to pick up an old piano for about $27.00 and Marjorie started to pick at it. Years before, she had had a girlfriend who took piano lessons and she learned the notes and keyboard from her. She began to pick out pieces and before too long she was able to play for our family enjoyment. Soon she was also playing in Jr. Sunday School, Primary and in MIA. We certainly appreciated having a piano in the home and music available when we wanted it.

We enjoyed living in Eureka very much. There was much in the mission field that was very good for us and the children. The branch was a closely knot unit because in the whole city if Eureka, there were only about 300 of the Latter-Day Saints. The children had many wonderful close friends. The young people of the branch did many things together. They held Fireside Chats twice a month on Sunday evenings after Church. We also had many Church outings together and had wonderful times.

Dave spent part of the time we were there as supervisor of the Fortuna Branch Chapel. This was considered as sort of a Stake Mission Assignment. He enjoyed it very much. While working there one day during the summer of 1952 a family from Utah who had been in an automobile accident came to the chapel. Upon finding out what their situation was, Dave invited them to spend the time it would take to fix their car with us. They were with us about one week. It was Brother and Sister Alfred Jordan and a son, Ray and daughter Amy. We continued to be very good friends and when we visited in Utah in June 1953 we spent several days in their home in Murray, Utah.

In May of 1953, missionaries were sent to the Eureka, Arcata and Fortuna areas. The supervising Elder or District President over the missionaries was an Elder Dwain Judkins from Ephraim, Utah. We had four missionaries in Eureka, two in Arcata and two in Fortuna. They were all under the direction of Elder Judkins.

Shortly after the missionaries came, Clayton who had just graduated from high school, talked to Dave and I about his future. He was concerned because he felt he couldn’t really plan a future until he had his commitment over with Uncle Sam. So he went down and asked for voluntary induction. He went into the Army and was stationed among other places at Fort Bragg, California and Fort Benning, Georgia.

We had made a standing appointment to have the missionaries to dinner each Wednesday evening and every Sunday they didn’t have other appointments. We enjoyed having them in our home because they were a wonderful inspiring influence on our children, especially the boys. At least we thought it was mostly the boys. But after the missionaries were taken out of our area in December of 1953, Dwain Judkins the Supervising Elder went home to Utah and had only been there three weeks when he called our daughter, Marjorie and asked her to be his. She of course, accepted without hesitation.

In the fall of 1953, Ralph went back to Provo, Utah to attend BYU and at a Fireside Chat he learned that he could go on a mission. He wrote home to tell us about it and we contacted President Walter Bingham and President Bradford. They were thrilled over the idea and arrangements were made and Ralph came home and prepared to leave for the mission field. He left in late December 1953. He spent Christmas in the home of Elder Dwain Judkins in Ephraim, Utah. Marjorie had not yet received Dwain’s proposal of marriage at this time, however. Ralph left shortly after Christmas for the East Central States mission field with headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky.

Dave had fallen and hurt his shoulder before Christmas and was out of work and it looked like he would be out of work for some time. Dwain and Marjorie had planned a summer wedding in the Manti Temple. Dave and I felt that they should know each other better, after all, he had been a missionary and a very good one, and she hadn’t seen him in any other environment. We thought that Marjorie and I would go back to Utah for April General Conference and while there spend a few days or a week in Ephraim with Dwain and his folks. Marjorie had a week out of school for Easter vacation and it came at just the right time for the planned trip.

When Dave was still out of work and the time came closer for us to leave, Marjorie received a phone call from Dwain and he asked if they couldn’t be married in April if both Dave and I could be there. Dave hesitated a minute or two and then he said okay. We were invited to ride back with some friends from Fortuna, Frank Adams and his wife. Marjorie and Dwain were married 7 April 1954 in the Manti Temple.

Now we had both of our daughters, two sons in the Armed Services and one on a mission. This left us with only two boys at home. The house seemed quite empty and we had some time getting used to it. Hugh sort of filled in the empty spot Marjorie had left. She had been a big help to me and we were quite close and good companions. Hugh took her place in the house doing much of the work that she had done for me. And Grant, he was always a source of happiness to us. We did enjoy our little family togetherness, and Dave and I were proud of our children away from home.

In the fall of 1954 Grace and Don came home from Germany. Grace was expecting her third baby in November so she stayed with us while Don went on to his duty station. It seemed good to have Grace and the girls in our home for a little while again. We missed her when she was gone and she was gone so much of the time. Well 7 November 1954 came and Grace gave birth to a lovely baby boy. When Dave called Don on the phone, Grace had asked him not to tell Don he had a son because Grace wanted to tell him. But Dave slipped when he said “He is doing just fine,” in answer to Don’s question on how the baby was doing. Don was very happy to finally have a son and they named him Ronald Stephen Smith.

To be continued…

Aleene Sumsion – Daughter-in-Law: Son Ralph’s (34) wife
Archie Harold Alcorn 97) – Brother
Bert Lund Murphy – Brother-in-Law: Sister-in-Law Verda’s (88) husband
Cheryl Jeanette Smith (12) – Granddaughter: Daughter Grace’s (10) daughter
Clark Alcorn (91) – Father
Clayton Alcorn Rowley (35) – Son
Coral Lorraine Bolton (28) – Son-in-Law’s Mother: Donald’s (9) mother
David Alcorn Rowley (32) – Son
David Lenn Judkins – Grandson: Daughter Marjorie’s (36) son
David William Rowley (30) – Husband
Deon Eugene Judkins – Grandson: Daughter Marjorie’s (36) son
Dollie Cook – Wife of Maternal Uncle: James Jr’s (228) wife
Donald Eugene Smith (9) – Son-in-Law: Daughter Grace’s (10) husband
Donald Eugene Smith Jr (11) – Grandson: Daughter Grace’s (10) son
Donna Diane Smith (13) – Granddaughter: Daughter Grace’s (10) daughter
Douglas Alcorn Rowley (33) – Son
Dwain Eugene Judkins –  Son-in-Law: Daughter Marjorie’s (36) husband
Dwana Kay Judkins – Granddaughter: Daughter Marjorie’s (36) daughter
Emerson Adis Rowley (89) – Brother-in-Law: Husband David’s (30) brother
Erma Thornton – Sister-in-Law: Brother-in-Law Emerson’s (89) wife
Fannie Marie Weaver (Aunt Fannie) (229) – Maternal Aunt: Mother Harriet’s (92) sister
Grace Davis (86) – Mother-in-Law
Grace Harriet Rowley (10) – Daughter
Grant Alcorn Rowley (39) – Son
Hannah Davis (210) – Husband’s Maternal Aunt: Mother-in-Law Grace’s (86) sister
Harriet Ann Weaver (92) – Mother
Hugh Alcorn Rowley (37) – Son
Hugh Francis Rowley (87) – Brother-in-Law: Husband David’s (30) brother
Hugh Thompson Rowley (85) – Father-in-Law
James Albert Weaver Jr (228) – Maternal Uncle: Mother Harriet’s (92) brother
James Sheldon Nelson Sr – Wife of Maternal Aunt: Fannie’s (229) husband
Jesse Verl Alcorn (99) – Brother
Joe Ben Smith (27) – Son-in-Law’s: Donald’s (9) father
John Joseph Everhard – Son-in-Law’s: Donald’s (9) stepfather
Joseph Lorenzo Alcorn (96) – Brother
Karen Andrea Goe – Niece: Maternal Aunt Melva’s (98) daughter
Kurtis Wayne Rowley – Grandson: Son Ralph’s (34) son
Leonard Clark Alcorn (93) – Brother
Lillian Alcorn (31) – Self
Lillian Lorraine Smith (3) – Granddaughter: Daughter Grace’s (10) daughter
Margaret Jeanette Alcorn (224) – Paternal Aunt: Father Clark ‘s (91) sister
Marjorie Ann Rowley (36) – Daughter
Marjorie Elizabeth Snyder – Son-in-Law’s Stepmother: Donald’s (9) stepmother
Marvin Ballard Alcorn (95) – Brother
Mary Catherine Hammons (218) – Paternal Grandmother: Father Clark’s (91) mother
Mary Francis Alcorn – Cousin: Brother Archie’s (97) daughter
Mary Gregory Askins – Sister-in-Law: Brother Archie’s (97) wife
Melva Alcorn (98) – Sister
Myron Nelson – Cousin: Maternal Aunt Fannie’s (229) son
Pamela Rowley – Granddaughter: Son Douglas’ (33) daughter
Ralph Alcorn Rowley (34) – Son
Robert L. Goe – Brother-in-Law: Sister Melva’s (98) 1^st husband
Ronald Steven Smith (14) – Grandson: Daughter Grace’s (10) son
Rosina Weaver (Aunt Rose) (469) – Mother Harriet’s (92) maternal aunt
Royal James Rowley (205) – Husband’s Paternal Uncle: Father-in-Law Hugh’s (85) brother
Scott Calvin Rowley – Grandson: Son Douglas’ (33) son
Sharon Lee Rowley (38) – Daughter
Verda May Rowley (88) – Sister-in-Law: Husband David’s (30) sister
Vonna Ensign – Daughter-in-Law: Son Douglas’ (33) wife
Walter Illith Rowley (90) – Brother-in-Law: Husband David’s (30) brother
William Douglas Rowley – Grandson: Son Douglas’ (33) son
William Vernon Alcorn (94) – Brother
William Weaver (457) – Maternal Great-Grandfather: Mother Harriet’s (92) father