Uncle Burt’s family graciously turned the next reunion over to Ralph Whitney’s family for the 2013 reunion. We are excited about going back to Pine Valley, as close to the traditional Labor Day date as we can. Watch for further news on this.
In preparation, Beth Breinholt has asked us to submit memories of the old Pine Valley Days for publication at the 2013 reunion.
Aunt Mabel Whitney Macfarlane was known for her delicious cooking. She even ran restaurants in Las Vegas. Then when her 5 girls (her help) all got married in 1937, she sold the Overland Cafe to Ralph and Doris Whitney.
Since Mabel’s family was in charge of the reunion, they decided to honor her by making the food plentiful and good. It certainly was a wonderful meal. Dana displayed family photos on each table and a short history and photo handout was provided to each person who wanted one.
We also had a short program led by Tim Cory. The words to a song Pete Peterson used to sing at the reunion, “Sleepin’ at the Foot of the Bed” were handed out and Tim led us in that song and then played his guitar for several other songs.
Last Sunday night several of my sisters and I attended the memorial service for David Wayne Whitney, Howard and Ellice’s grandson. His father, also David Whitney, spoke briefly, sharing some personal memories and spiritual experiences. David’s bishop also spoke, giving us a short doctrinal discourse about death. Harp music served as prelude and postlude and a piano solo was the musical number. The chapel was packed with people back into the cultural hall, most of them young people. The spirit was so sweet that after the closing prayer, no one moved until the bishop rose and dismissed us. Still, though we stood, most of us just stood in place. We were reluctant to leave this place. Many surged to the front to pay respects to family members. Some of us had done that before the service. David’s life was short, but it was significant and carried great impact. Several stories about his accident have been published in local papers including this one.
I had a great time at our Ralph Whitney reunion at the Veyo resort in southern Utah. It was marvelous to visit with my cousins. There is a bond with them that reaches across many years for me. Our times of singing around the campfire and then visiting in the shade by the river were highlights for me. I was sorry that Lucile and her daughter could not attend as they had planned because their plane reservations were out of sync with the available reservations at Veyo. Next time!
What a treat to have Uncle Keith and Aunt Vi and our Aunts Laverne, Lorraine, and Ellice there! We did some reminiscing, some good eating and a little bit or organizational stuff together. There were 65 people in attendance! Thanks so much Kim. You did a fantastic job this year!
Our next reunion is scheduled for 2012 and Adam Whitney is in charge. He said he would be glad for any help from other members of the family. As family representatives, Beth (Whitney) Breinholt, Mark Hansen and Cindy (Nelson) Christensen all said they would help. Elyse (Whitney) Joseph was also enlisted as she walked by.
Hopefully we will get some reunion photos posted to the site to spark our memories and to encourage anyone else who would like to join us to come in 2012. I was inspired by the reunion deadline to finally scan some of the treasures that have been entrusted to me. I gave a set of 5 DVDs to each branch of the family. Contact me if you want some of your own. Grant Whitney, Joel’s son, also is in the process of scanning some of photographs that were in Uncle Howard’s possession. He is willing to share those as well.
Other miscellaneous tidbits: Aunt Laverne would like the recipe to the “cocoanut cookies” that were served. Aloe vera works pretty well on sunburn. The road home is longer than the road to the reunion. And I have addresses in my “autograph book” for some of the cousins if you want to contact them.
Thanks and much love to everyone,
Joy
Reunion Date: Saturday, November 14, 2009
Time: 11:00 am
Place 550 East 700 South St. George, Utah
We will be honoring Mary Maudeen Whitney (Burgess)
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| From Movies |
We are sad to announce the passing of Howard Whitney, born 4 October 1922 in Las Vegas, Clark, Nevada, died 14 August 2009 St. George, Washington, Utah. Howard is married to Ellice Henrie also of St. George. Their children are Ralph Grant Whitney who died in 2002, Lucile, Kent Howard, Kim Henrie, Elyce, Joel William, and David Wayne Whitney. We extend our condolences to the family and they are in our prayers.
Obituary
Howard Grant Whitney
(October 4, 1922 – August 14, 2009)
St. George, UT – Howard Grant Whitney, age 86 and a beloved husband, father and grandfather peacefully graduated from mortality with honors on Friday, August 14, 2009 in his home in St. George Utah surrounded by family, love, and the singing of his favorite hymns by family members.
He was born on October 4, 1922 in Good Springs, Nevada to Ralph Emmanual and Doris Nay Whitney. He is the second child of seven and is survived by his sisters, Lorraine Nelson, Laverne McClendon and Elsie Banks and his younger brother Keith. He was preceded in death by his brothers Calvin and Bert.
He married Ellice Henrie on March 10, 1945 in the St. George Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Howard was a Lt. Commander in the United States Navy and served as a Navy Fighter Pilot during World War II. After the war he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Utah State University and a Master’s Degree from the University of Utah. He was a teacher by profession and taught High School math for over 30 years in Delta Utah, Upland, California and Lone Pine, California.
Howard was ordained a Patriarch in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1970 by Elder Spencer W. Kimball of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and served for decades before being granted emeritus status when his health failed.
He is survived by his wife Ellice Henrie Whitney, his daughters Lucile Giedt of Albrightsville, Pennsylvania and Elyce Joseph of Riverbank, California, his sons Kent Howard of Lone Pine, California, Kim Henrie of St. George, Utah, Joel William of Lone Pine, California and David Wayne of Medford, Oregon. He was preceded in death by his eldest son Ralph Grant. He has 34 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.
Report of Whitney-Nay Family History Over the Past 3 Years (what we know and can remember)
Given at REW Reunion on April 11, 2009
1. Nadine Rolfson and her daughter located Ormus Bates Nay’s grave in Arizona and marked it with a headstone (assisted by other family members including Bert Whitney).
2. Established a family archives with the intention of preserving and safeguarding and sharing family records.
3. Organization of committee to include the next generation.
4. Jeni Goodman and Megan Whitney are producing a family stories ABC book
5. Whitney – Nay Family History website established and maintained by Jacob Breinholt–Currently on the website (It’s just a beginning):
6. We are in the process of scanning family photographs and documents to include on the website and to distribute by CD.
7. Collaboration with the Luke Whitney family organization (Julia Rawlins & Judy Ball).
8. Collaborated with Susan Whipple (at the last GB Whitney reunion) to produce a digitized copy of the George Burton Whitney family record book—have arranged to distribute this to interested family members and to post this on the GB Whitney website (see sidebar link).
9. In collaboration with Mary Syphus to hopefully help her produce a book on her findings about the Syphus family.
10. Under Clark’s direction, held a family reunion in Panaca, Nevada, visiting historic family sites there and reviewing family history that occurred in this area.
11. Jill attended the graveside services of Ora Nay Benson, Doris Nay’s cousin, and became acquainted with these cousins, children of Larry Lee, trading family history information.
12. Beth is pursuing an educational program at BYU with the goal of becoming a professional genealogist. She has researched the family of George Sanders Whitney and Mary Eveline Barnard and is updating the sources in the Whitney pedigree.
13. Temple work
14. Beth has affiliated with and done some work for the Whitney Research Group, an informal group of individuals interested in the scholarly research of Whitney families around the world and throughout history. See sidebar link.
15. Beth and Kim Whitney organized and held an RE Whitney family reunion with the purpose in mind of furthering loving family ties and creating an RE Whitney family organization.
Hi Family, if you would like to take a look at the reunion pictures, you can see them at this website: http://picasaweb.google.com/beth.breinholt/WhitneyPockets2009?feat=directlink
Just copy the link, paste it in your browser and enjoy!
I wrote this April 12, 2009:
Yesterday and Friday we had the R E. Whitney reunion, which is the first one we’ve had in a long time. When I originally set the date and place, I had a few concerns about it, and so did others. It was over part of the Easter weekend, and it was out at Whitney pockets in Nevada. I finally addressed the concern with the Lord and asked him point blank, “Lord, is this the right time to have this reunion?” I received a resounding “Yes.” Then I asked again, “Lord, is Whitney pockets the right place?” Again, a resound yes, the “tingly” kind, came to me in the same manner. From that point on we never looked back.
Friday morning Kim & Vicki went out to the pockets and looked around for a place to stake a claim for the rest of the group. The actual pockets campground was jammed full, and so was our alternate choice just past there. They turned around and came back to an outcropping of rock just north of the pockets and one side was packed but the other side was totally empty. They pulled in there, and realized it was perfect for our group. A couple of R.V.’s pulled in behind them and Kim went and talked to the drivers and told them there was going to be a group of about 30 or so coming for a family reunion. The were very nice and said, “Okay,” and just turned around and left. I felt like angels were just guarding the campground and saving it for us.
It was so great to see our group start to gather and one car after another started pulling in with people and gear. The sky was cloudy but it wasn’t cold, just cool. We cooked dinner and set up camp. After dinner we chatted around the campfire and sang songs and shared stories. As the evening progressed, we could see stars! That night in the nighttime there was a rainstorm that started up and then “Boom! Crack!” A huge thunderstorm began that lasted for about 45 minutes. It was powerful and magnificent. It reminded me that it was Good Friday, and how it must have been when Christ was crucified. The next morning Joy shared with us that she felt it was a huge reminder of God’s power and that he was in charge.
Early the next morning we got up and started cooking breakfast, noticing a rainbow in the east starting out from behind the mountain. It was so pretty. It kept sprinkling rain all morning long, and we kind of waited for it to stop, but it didn’t. We had a group prayer, and Clark was our voice. Something he mentioned was the recognition of how valuable rain is to the desert, and asking for the Lord’s will to be done, which we all agreed on. The rain continued, but it wasn’t hard, just a steady sprinkle, so we went ahead with our activities. We had the older kids hide the eggs and Susie (Clark’s wife) jollied everyone up with her cute pink bunny costume. When we got the signal, the younger kids hunted. The eggs were hidden in the large jutting red rock area by our camp, which provided many nooks and crannies to tuck eggs. Naturally memories of days gone by filled our minds as we watched the little hikers/hunters scramble over the red rocks, exclaiming over the prizes they found. Joy and Jill set up a “museum” in Kim’s RV, and there were many “patrons” who went in and were able to examine and handle (with white gloves) some of the artifacts of our ancestors. We had our potluck lunch–Mark Hansen showed up with perfect timing and set up a rain shelter, which kept the tables nice and dry with their lovely spread of food. Because of the steady wetness, most of the chairs were unusable, so we stood around and ate and visited standing up. Clark pulled his long RV trailer up alongside the firepit and tables, and some went inside there to eat. After the lunch we had a family meeting in the trailer to organize our extended family and plan a reunion for next year. As the meeting came to an end, the rain subsided long enough to pack up camp and head out. Some may conclude that it was too bad it kept raining all morning, but my observation is that we really wanted to meet together pretty bad if we were willing to stand around and get wet just so we could visit and catch up a little with each other.
The detailed information about who attended the reunion and the plans for next year will be posted soon.
Thanks everyone for coming and making it a dream come true!
Alex checking the eggs
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