The Frosh

As I started typing up a blog entry about Peter Johnson, I wanted to look at my Dixie College yearbook. I had forgotten the names of many of the people I studied with and served with and loved, and wanted to see what memories I could refresh. I needed more than a refresher of names! If interested, read on. But, be warned: because of my proximity to some pretty neat people, I may look cooler than I really am. Everything that makes me look dorky is accurate.

Here is a big thing I had completely forgotten about. 

And I have no idea why they nominated me.

Marty Heaton and I didn't really know each other our freshman year, but we saw each other in the Institute of Religion after our missions and instantly became the best of friends. Marty was the freshman class president.

Here I am competing (if you call it that) for Mr. Dixie:

My "talent" was to put on a pretty dress and sing "I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say No". Andrew Barnum, my human anatomy and biology classes professor, was one of the judges and really got a kick out that. He made sure everyone in my class new how I had debased myself.

Here I am with the Sigma Gamma Chi (ΣΓΧ) fraternity brothers:

I love these men, and the service we rendered are some of my fondest memories.

This is more for me than anyone, but here are some memories I think are interesting.

Football players I will note are Paul Scoville, Rich Kaufusi and Bud Orr. 

Paul was a member of Sigma Gamma Chi and we became roommates after serving missions. 

Rich Kaufusi was an awesome football player and it is fun to see so many Kaufusi family members playing for BYU like he did after playing at Dixie.

Bud Orr was my friend in New Plymouth, Idaho. He is the fellow I broke my hand on. In New Plymouth, he went by the name Buddy Dudley, but his given name was Vernon Peter Calkins, Jr. I was surprised to bump into him one day in the cafeteria, and it took me a minute to recognize him as he was a pretty skinny guy in New Plymouth, and now weighed around 300 pounds. We both looked at each other awhile and I finally asked "Buddy?" He then exclaimed "Benge!" Bud became a terrific defensive lineman for BYU, but suffered from injuries and chronic pain. Bud died in 2006.

Brad Christensen was a lineman returned from a mission to Taichung, Taiwan. I asked him as many questions about Taiwan as I could after I got my call.

I don't see Mike Tueller in the football picture, and I don't know why. He was also on the team.

Brad and Mike were big linemen who sang bass with me in the Institute singing group Inspiration. I loved performing with these terrific people. We mostly sang, but also gave talks and narrated for firesides and sacrament meetings and other programs. Most of these fine folks came to Fairview to sing for my missionary farewell.

Mike and I sang together again after we returned from our missionary service. Mike and I still keep in touch, and his daughter served with Isaac in the Milan, Italy Mission.

When I got home, Brad called up to ask about a returned missionary I served with, Barbie Burrows, that was an attendant in the royalty of the Days of '47 parade. They married and live in Hurricane, Utah.

Lyndon DeYoung played center and was the Elders Quorum president for our ward. I served as his secretary. Lyndon graduated as the co-valedictorian. 

I believe Kevin Barns was a counselor in the presidency and I remember him being very kind and attentive to people's needs.

Todd Crow worked for a time at the Church with me. He didn't remember me (I didn't expect him to, as basketball players get a lot of attention.)

I remember John Beuchert and Josh Burgon were funny.

And, of course, #40 wasn't a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when the photo was taken, but is now a General Authority Seventy.

Here is a the page for the Concert Choir:

For some reason, I am hiding behind my good friend, Mike Tueller. Many of the members of Inspiration are in this picture: Dave Green, Randall Maxfield, Leah Mortensen (who married Dave Green), Melanie Oliphant (who married Randall Maxfield),  Stuart Dixon, Kim Emery and Kelli McCoy are ones I recognize right away. Many of my good friends were choir members, too.

Fun memories. I wish I could remember much, much more! 

If you made it this far, you are probably bored out of your skull. But, hey, now you know a little bit about me as a freshman.

Oh boy:

Hair parted down the middle. T-shirt. Glasses that go dark in bright light. Thank you, Randall Maxfield, for pulling me aside one day and suggesting I change my hair style before serving a mission. Good advice.