Dear Friends and Relatives:
While addressing Christmas Cards it seemed that just signing my name was not enough–there was must I wanted to say to each of you. So, I decided to enclose a little sheet giving you some brief information about some of my exciting activities during the past year.
These include a trip to Chicago the end of March to attend the National Deans and Counselors for Women Convention, and from there to Detroit for the American Personnel and Guidance Association convention. Both conventions were marred by the death of Martin Luther King, and the ensuing riots and demonstrations, but the contents of the meeting were excellent.
From Detroit, I flew to Los Angeles and spent Easter time with my families there.
In February I accompanied the SOUNDS OF FREEDOM to the Bay area for their Northern California tour. This was a hectic week but a satisfying one. The group sang for Governor Reagan in his office as well as the rotunda of the state capitol. We had many wonderful experiences in singing for high schools and junior colleges where ‘hippie’ type students seemed to be prevalent. But, the group won them over without exception, and the comments were especially favorable.
In between times, I attended many Regional Conferences which are always a choice experience. We find so many outstanding leaders wherever we go. It is no wonder the Church is growing and progressing so rapidly.
About the middle of May, I directed the annual Faculty Assembly here on campus. This year we decided to do a ‘This is Your Life’ on President Wilkinson. We did the story of his life in a hilarious manner—going back to the night he was born; then ended up on a serious note with students and faculty paying him tribute.
June was a busy month. The first week I traveled to Texas with the SOUNDS, visiting the HemisFair among other stops. It was a very exhausting tour with long spaces of Texas landscape rolling under the wheels of the bus between performances. When I returned to campus, it was time for Education Week here in Provo and then June Conference and the month was over.
About the middle of July, I went to see Marilyn’s Roadshow for which she had written original music along with directing it. This turned out to be a terrific Roadshow and I was glad I got to see it. I spent a week there with the families and then Donna and I flew back to Utah. At 6 a.m. the next morning we left for a trip East in my trusty little VW station wagon, accompanied also by my sister Wanda and her husband, Lamont, who live in Salt Lake. This was a wonderful two weeks. We visited Nauvoo and loved it; Carthage Jail, Chicago, Detroit, went across Canada to Niagara Falls, (my first visit there); then to the Pageant (which was marvelous) then to Boston where we visited all the historic spots—especially like Lexington and Concord, the homes of the New England poets, etc. We ended a wonderful day there by having a marvelous seafood dinner at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn; then on to Cape Cod, Newport, across Narragansett Bay and down to New York City, Washington and Williamsburg. Along with all the fine things we saw and did, we had delightful weather.
August brought another quick trip to Los Angeles over the Labor Day weekend, but here ‘tragedy’ struck. My little VW, which had carried the four of us over 6700 miles to the East and back, suddenly gave up on the desert between Las Vegas and Baker, California. A piston made havoc of the entire motor. But even that was overcome.
This fall has been the usual hectic life with students—including a recent tour with the SOUNDS to New Mexico and Arizona. But life is a ‘full, rich, growing experience’ (as we advisers to students often console ourselves).
It has been a good year, with a new grandson added the week before Easter, when Vincent arrived for Joan and Cliff. They still live in Redlands and Cliff is going great guns not only in his own department at the college, but in theaters in the surrounding area as well. Joan is President of the Primary in her ward and busy with that and her growing boys.
Linda and Rich are trying to cope with their precocious 17 month old Ian. The other two boys are taking music lessons and doing well, and Rick is rapidly becoming famous as one of America’s rising young conductors. His Amici della Musica orchestra has gone professional and is getting rave reviews.
Marilyn and Chris are busy as usual. Marilyn just directed and produced the Pasadena Stake production of Make Mine Happy, and from what I hear it was tremendous. Chris is Stake Superintendent of the MIA and involved in many things good works and interesting projects. Marilyn is also doing a great deal of vocal coaching and keeping busy with her four ‘kidlets’ who are growing like the proverbial weeks.
Steve and Cheryl keep busy with more and more catering and their flower business. Their family consists of the sweet Jana Lynn and Matthew. Both Steve and Cheryl do some singing and entertaining, and we keep encouraging them to take voice lessons and do even more with their talents. Both were in the production of Make Mine Happy—Cheryl had one of the leads and Steve on the technical staff.
That’s the news from here. I hope your year has been as rewarding as mine. I am blessed beyond measure. Merry Christmas and much love, Klea