Seven graduates ... no graduations! Erin Jade Schnabel

Pictures on the left (top and bottom) are of Erin's high school!

Perhaps no one in the Sappington family has ever had the high school experience Erin Jade Schnabel, youngest of Kris Sappington Schnabel's three children, has had.  She calls the last few year's "a crazy ride, uphill both ways, never boring and never dull."  

Nevertheless, she was scheduled to end her secondary schooling at Cardinal Newman High School, a Catholic school in Santa Rosa, CA, in commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 30, 2020.  However, since the world was in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic, it didn't happen for EJ or millions of other seniors around the country, robbed of this final high school experience by a microscopic virus.

Still, her years as a Cardinal at CNHS and the degree she has earned were filled with favorite - and a few not-so-happy - memories beginning in her sophomore year. In mid-October 2017, her school along with just about all of central California burned to the ground. Over a few days and weeks more than 56,556 acres burned.  Approximately 12,000 structures were damaged or completely destroyed, including 5130 homes, and 4000 commercial buildings.  Also part of these grim statistics were the loss of 3200 cars, 111 boats and the death of 23 residents.  Total expense for what is being called “the costliest fire in California history" (to date), is $2.79 billion.  

Erin attended her first homecoming dance on the Saturday night before the fire began, but on Monday morning woke to find her high school, as well as her elementary school, in a pile of ashes. 

As a junior she attended a new school where she didn't know many of her classmates and where she - for the 1st time in her school life - was expected to wear a uniform.  Also as a junior, she set records for home runs and runs-batted-in (RBI) on the softball field, a skill she hopes will translate into a way to pay for her college education.  As a senior she was able to attend a class retreat where - like camping out - she was able to enjoy her new classmates who had now become her friends and team mates.

Erin's future plans have a laser-focus on earning a bachelor's degree from Ohio State University where she hopes to study business economics then go to graduate school for a law degree with a goal to become a corporate lawyer and eventually have a family.

This darling and talented California blond has a bright future ahead of her.  We are more than proud of her for achieving this milestone.

As your grandmother, I pray you will always believe in yourself as much as I believe in you.  I can't promise to be here for the rest of your life, but I can promise to love you for my time on earth and through all eternity!

Seven graduates ... no graduations! Kole Sappington

Kole Sappington, 18-year-old middle son of David and Jan'L Jones Sappington's three handsome young men, had fully expected to don his black, gold and white school colors to participate in graduation ceremonies on Saturday, May 23, 2020.  However, the Class of 2020 did not get to walk the stage at Prairie View High School - or at any other school around the world - due to government-mandated lockdowns associated with the fear of spreading the novel coronavirus which has now killed nearly 50,000 people in the U. S. and more than 203,000 in the world.

Still, Kole has many fun and happy memories of his time as a Colorado Thunderhawk.  As a freshman he enjoyed being in his school's marching band where he played bass guitar alongside his big brother, Kaler who played trumpet.  In his sophomore year, he earned a spot on the swim team where he participated in numerous events in the pool.  As a junior, he remembers the fun of attending what he and his friends refer to as "Mormon prom," a spring formal event put on by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in his part of Colorado.  His favorite memory of his senior year was the selection of his marching band - where he played vibraphone - to go to state competition, for the first time in the school's history - but of course, the coronavirus reared its ugly head and "we didn't get to go!"

Currently on the "hobo plan" taking a semester off, Kole's future plans - if this unprecedented health crisis can be brought under control - include attending either BYU-Idaho or Dixie State University to study towards an engineering degree ... and perhaps serving a mission for his church.

Kole is another handsome and amazing young Sappington family member of whom we are very proud.  Congratulations for your success, Kole, and we look forward to being a witness to your next chapters.

As your grandmother, I pray you will always believe in yourself as much as I believe in you.  I can't promise to be here for the rest of your life, but I can promise to love you for the rest of mine!

Seven graduates ... no graduations! Kaler Sappington

Kaler Sappington, 21-year-old oldest son of David and Jan'L Jones Sappington's three boys, didn't plan to walk on May 13 anyway, but feels bad for those who had hoped to accept their diploma from Front Range Community College in Denver in person.  His Associate of Science degree will be in the mail soon, but he's already planning - and has been accepted - to attend BYU-Idaho, if the coronavirus - its name derived from the Spanish corona meaning "crown" or "wreath" will allow - where he hopes to study computer programming.  He is also considering a service mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the future.

Kaler's favorite things during his first two college years have been spending time in the school's game room hanging out with friends; participating in the activities of the Tabletop Gaming Club; being elected Vice-president of FRCC's Tech Club; and finishing his last semester's classwork online due to COVID-19 which he calls, "not nearly as much fun as being in the same room together with my friends."

Kaler and his younger brother Kole, will be among almost 20,000 campus-enrolled students, with another nearly 5,000 campus-based students taking online courses or serving internships away from campus compared to a student population of about 2,500 when his grandparents were newlyweds and students there.  

We are so proud of Kaler for all his hard work and determination to succeed and can't wait to see where his life's journey takes him!

As your grandmother, I pray you will always believe in yourself as much as I believe in you.  I can't promise to be here for the rest of your life, but I can promise to love you for the rest of mine on earth and through eternity!


PS: Kaler was surprised to hear Grandpa Ed and Grandma Linda Henion Sappington both attended Ricks College - forerunner of BYU-I - founded in Rexburg, ID in 1888.  Ed, who graduated from Ricks in 1964 went to school full time and worked at Keith's, the Men's Store and Linda went to school and worked two jobs.  In the morning (at 6 a.m) she walked three blocks from their downtown apartment, to open the switchboard (google it) at then-Ricks College and closed it at 8 p.m. everyday.  During the day she went to class and worked at Porter Printing, the first company to offer temple-designed wedding invitations.  The company - now called ArtCo - is still alive and well in Rexburg.

Stacy makes the (IHC) news!

You're sure to enjoy this lovely story from the Intermountain Health Care News about our own Stacy Sappington Welch:

From: Katie Erbe at Katie.Erbe@imail.org;
Sent: Friday, May 15, 2020 11:19 AM
To: DX Team Leads at DXTeamLeads@imail.org
Subject: May 15th - huddle 'Recognition Highlights' - We Invite you to Share with Your Teams!

In follow up to huddle this morning, below are the ‘Recognition Highlights’ to share with your teams! Inspiring and heartwarming recognitions captured today! A BIG thank you to everyone who shared! 😊

 *   “See Mom. . . They Really Are Heroes” – Amber Gubler, PCT; Mark Dewey, RN; Jordan Bozarth, RN, Peggy Wardle, Tele Tech;  and Stacy Welch, Tele Tech - On Wednesday evening, a patient was admitted to our hospital on W2.  The next morning, Amber Gubler the patients PCT, learned the patient's son was having his 12th birthday.  The patient related to Amber how difficult it was to be in the hospital instead of home with her son and her family on his 12th birthday.  Amber offered an idea, recommending “you do have a nice view outside the window.  Maybe we can put up a sign in the window and have your family drive by, or ... we could take you outside for a walk and if it just so happens your family is outside ... you could say happy birthday to your son in person.” Amber discussed her idea with the nurses Mark Dewey and Jordan Bozarth who contacted the physician and requested an order for some sunshine therapy.  With the plan in place a phone call was made to the patient's family with instructions on where and when to meet outside on the walkway.  When her son saw his mom, he ran to her for a big hug and started to cry.  He was elated to see his mom on his 12th birthday!

That's not the end of the story ... Amber still felt she needed more and made arrangements with two of our Tele Techs, Peggy Wardle and Stacy Welch to create a sign to be put in the window while the patient was outside with her family.  As the sunshine therapy visit was coming to a close, Amber told the patient's son, “It’s too bad your mom can’t be home with you so we all want to wish you a happy birthday and hope you have a great day.”  Amber directed him to look up from the sidewalk towards the outside window of his mom's room where he saw the sign Stacy and Peggy had created and taped to the window ... 20 sheets of paper with the letters HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRESTON! He turned towards his mom and said, “See mom, they really are heroes!”

What an inspiring story of creative compassion from these fantastic caregivers.  This simple act of human kindness will have a lasting effect on the patient, her son and their family members.  Thank you Amber, Mark, Jordan, Peggy and Stacy for making such a memorable experience!

Seven graduates ... no graduations! Stephanie Shipley Lovell and Simeon Richard Lovell

On April 23, 2020 Stephanie Shipley Lovell thought she would have been taking part in her long-awaited graduation day, except social distancing due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic made this event an impossibility.  Still, this amazing young woman - although she won't get to "walk the walk" as a member of BYU's Class of 2020 - has earned both a bachelor and master degree from the Marriott School of Accountancy while working nearly full-time in the accounting department at DOMO, the international cloud software company based in American Fork, Utah.  

Her favorite memories of college life, including a year at Dixie State University and another at Utah Valley University before she donned BYU Cougar's blue and white, are of everyday random moments walking around campus (especially on sunny spring days); working and laughing together with fellow students on group projects; and listening to nuggets of memorable advice from wise and caring professors.

The immediate future for our beautiful Stephanie includes studying and testing for her CPA certification, continuing her work with DOMO and on or about September 26, delivering a healthy baby girl.

On May 1, Simeon Richard Lovell was scheduled to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Informational Technology from Utah Valley University. But there will be no formal graduation ceremony.  Instead, May 1, 2020 will likely be remembered as the day the United States began a slow but steady return to some semblance of normalcy after months of sheltering-in-place against the coronavirus. This novel virus, 1000x's smaller than a grain of sand brought the world to a screeching halt including plans for large gatherings of any kind, such as weddings, funerals, church and graduations. 

Simeon's takeaways from his years at Dixie State and Utah Valley Universities include "finishing school only to realize I have more to do;" enjoying great learning experiences with good professors (especially those at DSU who, he says, pushed him reach his goals); having the "backing of my family who continually reminded me, 'you've got this, Sim'."  

He also remembers several life-changing special events ... most importantly, marrying Stephanie Shipley in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple and becoming a naturalized U. S. citizen with Selwin, his identical twin brother!

What's in Sim's future?  He'll be continuing his education to earn a Master in Business from BYU and completing his IT certification.  He also looks forward with eager anticipation to becoming a father ... and perhaps starting a business with Selwin!

Congratulations to Stephanie and Simeon for their hard work, accomplishments and the next phase in their lives.  We're proud of you both!

Seven graduates ... no graduations! Kendi Hansen Dunkley

On May 1, 2020 Kendi Hansen Dunkley, Stacy's 23-year-old middle daughter, was to graduate from Dixie State University with an Associate of Science degree, except for the invasion of a highly-contagious virus with no known cure. 

Glad to be done with school, she would still enjoy donning her Trailblazer red for a graduation ceremony now tentatively planned for December 11 ... unless, of course, COVID-19 comes roaring back in the fall!!!

The high points in Kendi's time at Dixie State University include her 2019 summer wedding to Taylor Dunkley; being hired as a technician at Richens Eye Center in downtown St. George; working in the Emergency Room at Dixie Regional Medical Center for a year and a half; and traveling to Costa Rica for the destination wedding of her close friend JaiCee Porter-Lundeen.

Our beautiful Kendi (like Wendy but with a K and an i, she tells people) does not plan to go on to school because she has a good job and a happy marriage, but admits she's open to the idea down the road, in the same way she is open to the idea of babies in her future (but there's no time frame for motherhood either).  For now, she hopes her future is all about working at Richens Eye Center.

We are proud of our delightful young graduate - who has never taken a bad picture in her life - and who is a great blessing to us  and our family.  We look forward to cheering her on as we watch her life continue to unfold.

As your grandmother, I pray you will always believe in yourself as much as I believe in you.  I can't promise to be here for the rest of your life, but I can promise to love you for the rest of mine!