Thoughts of Dad by Cline Mills

 

January 17, 2021

 

As the stories start coming in, I thought I’d share one each week to share the vision of what we can create together.  I always ask where Uncle Glen is when this picture was taken - the story is he was off riding a horse.  I totally understand!

 

This is one my dad/Uncle Cline shared:

 

Thoughts of Dad

 

We moved in with Grandpa Edgar Sudweeks in Kingston, UT in April 1950.   

 

That summer,  Dad took Glen & Mavin with Uncle Lavar (Mother’s brother) in Lavar’s car  touring to find a farm we could buy.  While in Idaho, dad started feeling ill.  He was in the hospital for about a week for tests before they brought him back to Kingston.  

 

I turned 8 years old  that July 11th.  


The tests came back about the end of August revealing Dad had cancer.  In those days, we had little money and transportation to the city was hard to come by.  Mom did not drive and in fact, never had a driver’s license during her life.  Family helped transport Dad  back to LDS hospital in Salt Lake with Grandma, LaJune & Lorna Gail along.   Mavin, Glen, Len and I stayed with Grandpa.

 

Grandpa did not have a phone.  In mid-October, the next door neighbor, Willie,  was contacted and got word to Grandpa  that Dad wasn’t doing well and probably wouldn’t live through the night.     It was arranged to have Emerson & Harvey (Ruben’s brothers)  take all 4 of us kids to Salt Lake.   I will always remember walking in to the hospital room and how I felt when I saw my dad.     He said, “How’s my, Shine-ola” (he’s pet name for me).  I have always felt that it was a miracle  that we were able to see Dad that last time to say goodbye.  

 

Dad died about a week later.

 

Another tender mercy was when leaving after Dad died to drive home to Kingston a song came on the radio:  Kitty Wells’ “How far is Heaven.”  I felt like that song gave me the comforting message I needed at the time.  I still like listening to that song today because I figure Dad is there in Heaven.

 

 

Written by Valerie Hunt from Interview with Cline

 

Keep the stories coming.  I am loving reading/hearing them and look forward to being able to pass them on to you all!

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Valerie

 


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