Three Sappington's drive to Branson, MO

Linda thought it was Charlene’s idea …. Charlene attributed the decision to Ed … while Ed thought he had no say in the matter because he had been bushwhacked by these two women who had the crazy notion to drive from Phoenix, AZ to Branson, MO … and back again! 

 

We had been home just 36 hours from a 1470-mile roundtrip between St. George and Anaconda, MT for Thoryn’s baptism when on Saturday, October 25 we loaded up the car again and drove 850 miles to our sister-in-law Charlene’s new home in Sun City, AZ outside of Phoenix.  Two days later we hopped into her 2-week-old Hundai (kingsize SUV version) and headed east on I-40 (aka Route 66) to Branson … another 1437 miles … stopping along the way in Enid, OK where Charlene and her brother caught up on the 20 years since they had seen each other face-to-face!

Two nights in motels and lots and lots of conversation and reminiscing among the three of us, brought us to our 2-bedroom timeshare on the evening of Halloween 2022.

The best of the shows and activities we enjoyed on Branson stages (not in any particular order) were SIX (six of ten brothers in a very talented family) where our seats were literally in the absolute center of the first row for this amazing show; a remarkable tribute to Kenny Rogers (“I’m not trying to imitate Kenny … I just love to sing his songs,” said the performer Shonn V.); and our third favorite show was Yakov Smirnoff, a hilarious comedian and immigrant from Russia who recently earned a doctorate degree in his field of laughter.  All three shows were so entertaining and fun.

We were excited to be able to take Charlene to “Top of the Rock” and this time we were also able to add “Dogwood Canyon” to our outdoor adventures in the Ozarks.  If you’ve been to this part of Missiouri but not to either of these two FABULOUS reserves, you’ve missed the best part of Branson.  These two nature preserves were created by billionaire Johnny Morris, CEO of Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s.  Don’t go to Branson without going to Top of the Rock and Dogwood Canyon!!!  

By the time we got home on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 we had driven more than 6100 miles in 24 days through 10 states, including Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas … and in the words of Yakov Smirnoff … “what a country!”

Rest in peace, dear Sister Junko

Our delightful friend Junko Shimizu, with whom we shared our Brentwood Ward experiences in the late 60's, passed away at the age of 88 at her home in Salt Lake City, UT on Sunday, July 17, 2022.

This petite little woman excelled academically as a teen and young adult living in Japan and was a natural born leader where in Sugiyama Girls High School she was appointed as student body president.

She valued education highly and was willing to commute to school from the countryside into the big city of Nagura by bicycle, bus and street trolley followed by a long walk each day rain or shine, in the bitter cold or stiflingly humid Japanese heat. She loved music and acting and had a beautiful soprano voice. She enjoyed participating in various choirs and acting troops throughout her adolescent and young adult life.

She met the missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while still in Japan and soon after her baptism she moved to the U.S. to further her education. During her time in Los Angeles she was known as Grace Idehara and attended Los Angeles City College before transferring to UCLA where she earned a bachelor's degree in Geography in 1964. Although she came to the U.S. as an adult she had near native English pronunciation.

Junko married the very tall, handsome Masaru Tom Shimizu in the Los Angeles, California Temple in 1964 and brought 4 sons - Tim, Scot, Mark and Joshua - into the world!  Tim and Kelly were very close in age when we moved into the Brentwood Ward, but Scot and (I think) Mark came along later, both with a long, thick shock of black hair from the minute of their arrival on earth.  

Junko and I would frequently arrange time together - often with other young mothers and kiddos - for a walk and time spent with the kids in a neighborhood park.  It was a wonderful time of getting better acquainted and sharing Mom stories.

A few months ago, Tom and Junko were traveling through St. George on their way to SoCal and stopped for a gathering of a few Brentwood friends for lunch at the Pizza Factory.  She was my usual happy, friendly sister, so I was totally shocked to hear of her passing.  

Junko (we knew her as Grace) led a life of service devoted to God, family, her community and many people who were her friends.

She served 2-years as a proselytizing missionary in Yokohama and Sapporo, Japan (1957-1959); 3 years as Supervisor in the Japan Central Mission Relief Society, Young Women and Children's Organizations during her husband's tenure as mission president (1971-1974); 2 years as Companion to the President of the Japan Missionary Training Center (1996-1998) with a 3-month interlude as Companion to the Interim Mission President in the Sapporo Japan Mission (1996).  

In 1998, she served 6 months as Companion to the Interim Mission President in the Nagoya Japan Mission in (1998); and, 18 months as Companion to the Public Affairs Director in Japan (2001-2003).

She also served the women of her church as a member of the Relief Society General Board from 1974 to 1984. In addition, she served in many ward and stake callings.

She was active in civics and politics on various boards and committees such as the Women's State Legislative Council, Japanese American Citizens League, YWCA, Women's Republican Club, Salt Lake Council of Women, etc. and was a tireless advocate for her husband's campaigns for Salt Lake County and U.S. Congressional offices.

She was a patriotic American citizen and was especially proud of being co-chair of the Days of '47 Parade float "Britain Honors The Constitution" that won first place in the historical float division in 1987.

Her public affairs mission was an exciting and fulfilling time as it coincided with the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. She helped answer questions from national media outlets about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as questions about Utah in general.

Her general board assignments took her to various places throughout the U.S. and East Asia to train and teach local leaders. One life she touched on her travels was a man who approached her after she spoke at a meeting.  He told her how he had struggled to let go of the hate he felt towards the Japanese people for decades since World War II but after he heard her speak, the hate finally left him and he was able to feel at peace.

Junko loved the people she served and with whom she served. She looked forward to reunions and visits when people came in from out of town. Family trips were packed with visits to former mission companions, church members, friends and family including distant relatives as she enjoyed family history work. As part of her genealogical work, she would go beyond just finding data but would search out stories and living descendants in order to deepen and broaden family ties.

Junko is survived by her husband Masaru Tom Shimizu, sons Timothy (Valentina), Scot (Cara), Mark and Joshua, granddaughters Naomi, Elisabeth, Christiana and Sofia, and brothers Hidetoshi (Kieko), Tetsuo (Noriko) and Masatake (Michiko). 

You will be missed forever, dear Sister Junko!

Having a blast in Tennessee!

At what we believed to be the end of the coronavirus pandemic, I encouraged Ed to find somewhere to go since both of us had a serious case of “cabin fever.” When he told me there were very few options - probably because the entire rest of the world also had "cabin fever" - and all he could find was Pigeon Forge, TN, I said, “well, since I’ve never been to Tennessee, let’s go!”

On Saturday, October 16, we traveled to McCarren Airport in Las Vegas for a non-stop flight to Nashville with our friends Jim and Mary Andrus.  It was a lovely flight – smooth as glass – with Mary and I sharing the very back row of the plane with Brett Arthur Rigby, lead singer in the BAR Band, from Las Vegas.  A very nice young man who was happy to share his contact information in case we needed a country band for an event in St. George.

 

We arrived late in the afternoon in Nashville, so the first order of business was to find a motel … NOT!!!  It seems October in the ENTIRE state of Tennessee is Octoberfest … and there was not a single available room to be found ANYWHERE!  We called at least 30 motels within a 100 miles between Nashville and Pigeon Forge to no avail.  We finally stopped at a “Bates Motel” kind of gas station where they gave us permission to sleep in their parking lot.  It was NOT a restful night – and “sleep” would be a stretch - but Sunday morning dawned clear and blue … and even in our less-than-appropriate-church-attire, we made the decision to attend the Pigeon Forge Ward where we were warmly received and pleasantly surprised to find ourselves as part of the audience for their Primary program.

 

The following day – our first in Pigeon Forge – we traveled about 12 miles to nearby Gatlinburg.  It was very commercial – and extremely congested - but, we had a fun day exploring this busy little community.

 

On Day #3 of our getaway, we spent a glorious day in Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  Spectacular, green and relaxing … and said to be the most visited national park in the U.S. … and perhaps the only one without an entry fee.

 

Day #4 found us at the 46^th annual Pigeon Forge Rotary Craft Fair, which raises $125,000 every year for their club’s service projects.  I got some great ideas which might become MY Rotary club’s signature project.  Then we went to Margaritaville (“It’s 5 o’clock somewhere”) / aka The Island where we explored and rode the ferris wheel which provided a spectacular view of the city.  From there, we drove back to Knoxville – 22 miles – to see the replica of Christopher Columbus’s sailing ship, the Pinta.  Back in Pigeon Forge, we attended the Dolly Parton Stampede.

 

Day #5 dawned cold with rain in the forecast. We debated about going to Dollywood, but decided to chance it, and after a serious downpour which had everyone scrambling for cover, we had a delightful day.  Dollywood is not as high tech as Disneyland – or anywhere near as expensive – but it was charming, fun and delightfully decorated for Halloween.  Part of Dollywood are lots of booths which, we were told, “Dolly provides free to charge to allow people from her hometown to earn a living in her theme park.”  Throughout the day we enjoyed great country music by a 5-member band called “Jct. 441” and another – larger  and probably better known group called “Shenandoah” - but the absolute high point of the day was a loaf of hot-out-of-the-oven cinnamon bread. It was AMAZINGLY, MEMORABLY delicious!!!  I'm not sure what I expected of Dollywood, but it was a sweet experience, and given the chance, I'd go back! 

 

On our way home from Tennessee, we took a few side trips in Nashville to see the Grand Ole Opry and the Nashville LDS Temple - both hallowed ground by my estimation.  It gave me an absolute chill to be at the Opry - the same place where Patsy, Loretta, Reba, Deanna Carter, Kerry Underwood, Brad Pasley, Garth Brooks ... I could go on and on ... got the time in the limelight.  Wow!  Just wow!!!

 

The temple was one of the small ones, but beautiful and on a Saturday busy with brides and grooms surrounded by happy families.  Ed served a mission in his youth which included Tullahoma, TN so he was delighted to meet a beautiful, black convert who told us her family is very unhappy about her decision to join the Church but she is so happy and is "working on them."  Ed was also tickled to find two missionaries - one from Orem and the other from Bunkerville, NV both serving in Tullahoma. 

 

First impressions of Tennessee are of God, country, ‘shine, trees, pancake houses, all things orange – especially on “game” day, -ville as in Nashville, Knoxville, Smithville, Gordonville, Sevierville … and of course, anything and everything Dolly!  We had a delightful time and got better acquainted with the Andrus's!  

 

It was a lovely and relaxing week with good friends, good food (we found a small local restaurant with amazing BBQ ribs and went there twice) and found the wonderful 46^th annual craft show, a Rotary fundraiser which raises about $125,000 each year to fund college scholarships for low-income students and lots of other community needs in Pigeon Forge.

 

And, of course, Ed took probably 500 pictures I am quite certain he would be willing to show you if you ask him.

 

Next, we're on to Halchita … Tucson … Anaconda and maybe a few other places in 2022!

Kirstin is the newest Sappington!

 

 

On Monday, January 3, Jessica’s oldest daughter kicked off New Year 2022 by becoming Kirstin Sappington before a judge in a simple Zoom ceremony.   

 

Being Michael’s daughter has been something she has wanted almost since her mom married our son. We are so pleased to officially welcome our beautiful new 17-year-old granddaughter to the Sappington family.