October, Month of Birthday Wishes and Halloween Treats

Two days ago, October 11, 2012 was the 114th celebration of Grandma Foy's birthday. Family was everything to Grandma so it seems appropriate that we mark this day with a tribute to her children: Jean Audrey, Lola Gwyn, Julia Mae, Inez Tuttle, Leslie Tuttle, and Sarah Ann. The eldest two, Jean and Lola, were born in Idaho; the middle two, Julia and Inez, in Logan, Utah; the only son, Leslie, in Bountiful, Utah; and the youngest, Sally, in Moab, Utah.

A widow for over 61 years, her dying wish was that her family would strive to keep warm relationships. In her last few days the continued peaceful associations of her immediate family was on her mind when she stated, "Oh, I do hope my children will stay close to each other." The bonds of closeness can mean both steady physical contact and tranquil feelings of harmony between family members. While a summer reunion is a traditional time for gathering, the approaching holiday season is also a time to send a loving note or make a phone call to aunties, uncles and cousins. Why wait until November or December. Send a Halloween greeting, instead!

I asked my mother, Inez, how she and her siblings celebrated Halloween. These are her recollections:

"We didn't have many close neighbors. Squint and Netta Hart were almost a block away so just getting that far in the dark was spooky enough. We would dress up in handmade costumes and go down to Uncle Joe and Aunt Susie's house, next door to Haven (Mama's nephew) and Aurelia Days, across the street to the Breys. They were German and Mr. Brey was our home teacher. He would come and sit for what seemed like hours just watching us do homework or practice the piano. Then up the street passed the field where the gypsies - real gypsies - once camped out and along to the Harts. We would knock on the door and sing 'Hallelujah, I'm a Bum,' ending by yelling 'Trick or Treat!' Sometimes we would sneak up to a house, lay a hand carved empty wooden thread spool which had been wrapped in string against the glass. When we quickly pulled the string it produced a loud rasping noise to scare the folks inside. It was great fun and resulted in our receiving various homemade treats."

Happy Halloween, spooky treks, mischievous tricks and delicious homemade treats are wishes to you all!

Florence Howard Tuttle, Our Grandmother

Florence Howard Tuttle is a lady we grandchildren loved in life and cherish in death. She was an early resident of Bountiful where she was born on the east bench of the Wasatch Mountains overlooking the valley. She lived to a grand old age, dying just short of her hundredth birthday. Although she made amazingly productive use of all those years, as a decades-long widow, she was ready the last thirty to return to her Heavenly Father and husband. 

On both of Florence's family branches, Tuttle and Howard, grew hardy Mormon pioneers. Before traveling over the American plains, the Howards lived in the green countryside of Worcestershire and Staffordshire, England. The Tuttles were of Connecticut stock, having sunk their roots early into New England. 

Throughout her life, Florence diligently explored her  pioneer and pilgrim ancestry. She lovingly sought out and recorded the lives of generations of her ancestors. She shared the stories collected and written during her research with each of us in Books of Remembrance.  Help us honor their memory and, in the process, that of our dear grandmother by visiting this site often.