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Interview with: Stan ,v!echam Jay Haymond Two of Two June 15. 2000

Interviewer: Interview number: Date of interview: Place of interview: His home in Tropic

Life in Tropic Subject of interview: Transcriber: Date: Tape No.: Side No.:

Jay:

Lisa Beck November 25. 2000 0017 A

Let's go back a little bit in time and remember the time when you had just

lost your wife. Coy. and the loneliness. the support that you felt. from the

family. You had a job: you were the janitor over at the school. So you had,

more or less. securiry economically and that sort of thing. Take it from there

and talk a little bit about how things were.

Stan: Okay Jay. I would really like to take this opportuniry and tell you how I felt

after I lost Coy; I felt like half of me was gone. Nights were really, really

hard. I remember I walked a lot and I cried a lot. I remember one night. I

irrigated all night because I missed her so much. She was a beautiful and

great companion. Let me tell a little bit about Coy. We got married when

she was sixteen and I was twenry. I was maybe robbing the cradle a little

bit. People commented that it was never going to work out. but. it worked

out really, really good. We had a good life together. She helped me a lot

and to have her gone ... One of the things I hated was when she had the

operation; she had one of her breasts removed. I didn't want anything to hurt

on her. I didn't want a finger, or anything, gone on her. This is when I

thought, in the resurrection. she will be made whole again and so she will be

the way that she wants to be. Anyway, it was a rough time. My dad, he

came and he carried me through. Of course we had a lot of good friends

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that were here all the time. \ly mother-in-law spent a lot of time here

ironing. washing. and what not. so did my Aunt Vi. Finally I told them I had

to pick it up and go with it. It was funny because I didn't know how to do

the wash. There was a guy here repairing the washer. I was throwing stuff

in. and he said. "You can't do that. let me show you how to wash." He•d

done a tew batches himself. Anyway. so he taught me how to wash. I did

all the clothes for the boys. Clint was having a really tough time and at that

) time I thought Harvey was taking it better than anyone. Of course. Deborah

wasn't home. She· d got married and she had left. McClain was just a tiny

little boy and I remember one day he had come from school and was sitting

on the fireplace. He had his mother's stitching in his hand and he was

crying. This really tore me up and shook me up a lot because I spent a lot of

time with McClain and I was worried about Clint. He would go out to the

cemetery and he would sit on his mom's grave. One day I saw him go up

this hill that is behind us. we call it. "the key hill." I followed him up there

and said. "What's the matter son?" He said. "!fl could see mom just one

more time." I said. "Sit down. and I'll promise you can feel her." We sat

there and he said. "Dad. I can feel her." I said. "You can always feel her. I'll ) ..

promise you that. You can always feel her and the influence that she had on

you and your life. Clint." He said, "I'm okay dad." So he picked up and did

pretty well. But. Harvey, I never ever saw him cry. He would get on his

horse and leave: sometimes he would even leave school. I just let him go

because I knew he was having a struggle. But. I didn't realize how deep that

struggle was. As time went on he started to ... well Clint was drinking. I

said. "Clint you've got to stop that." I thought about Alma and I thought

about Mosiah in the Book of Aiormon and how their prayers were answered. )

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Clint was leaving: he \\"aS going to Arizona. He was going to work on a

dude ranch. [ was worried what he might find there. [ went down to the

basement and said a prayer. [knelt down and said. "Heavenly Father can I

have the blessings that they had?" I went upstairs and that's when he said.

"Dad where is my Book of Mormon?" He went to Arizona and later he

wrote letters to his brothers telling them about how they teased him about

being a Mormon. One guy ribbed him a lot about riding horses and what

not. They would say. "Let that Mormon boy ride that mean horse today." I

said. "Well. I'll tell you what. I can ride that horse forward and backwards.

and you can't ride it frontwards. Do you want to put up a bet?" The old

foreman came up and he said. "That a way boy, you tell him." He took Clint

under his wing. He has done well. Clint. He changed for the better.

Anyway, my father-in-law got me a date, if you can imagine that. He

wanted me to date and you know the funny part of it was, I thought maybe in

a month. or two months, or six months maybe I would want to go with

somebody, I didn't. In fact when they got me that date it was probably six

months. I went and got this nurse. I knew her. she was a convert to the

church, and a real nice lady. I liked to visit with her and talk with her

because she was really well versed in the gospel and I think she had a lot to

say. She was strong. I was not attracted to her in that way, you know. I

didn't want to marry her, but they kept pushing me and telling me I should

marry her. She kept telling me that she asked Coy, and Coy wanted me to.

In fact she wrote it in a letter. I thought well, I don't know, I don't feel that

way myself. Then this lady down the street, Sarah Littlefield, she says,

"Stan would you take my (friend) ... " I had a lot of dates. In fact I had been

lined up with four different women. Everybody was taking care of me;

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anyway. I told that lady. "Okay. I'll go with her." When I met her she

reminded me so much of a girl over in Escalante that I really liked when I

was younger. I was attracted to this girl and she was to me too. We got

going pretty steady. She was from Salt Lake. I said. "Maybe we ought to

get married." she said. "No. I've had been divorced and I've married on the

rebound and I don't want to. You need time too." I said. "Okay." She said.

"Let's both go out with other people until we are sure." I said. "Okay but. I

) like you quite a bit." It was funny because I went into the house to get a

glass of water and she and McClain were in the car. I fell out of love with

her right then. getting a glass of water. 1 came out of the house and I was not

in love with her anymore. It was strange. My dad said. "Stan. don't get

serious with that girl until you go over to Cedar." Marilyn. his niece. told

me about Nellie Rae. He said. "Go meet her first before you make any

decisions." My dad always had good advice. he really did, you know. I

think he knew people better than anybody I've ever known, unless it was you

and Harold [they both chuckle]. I think you're all in about the same

category. You can read people real fast. I called Marilyn and she said.

"Stan, she is really a neat girl." I said, "Do you think she would go with

me?" She said, "I think she would." I said, "Well, give me her phone

number." I would ring it and then I would get scared and wouldn't let it go

the full thing, and I wouldn't do it. Then, one day I said, "I'm going to let it

ring." I let it ring and her daughter answered. I said. "Is your mama there,

honey?" She said, "No, my mamma is working over at the bank. Can I

leave a message?" I said. "Well, just tell her that Stan the man called." [he

laughs as he talks] She always kidded me after that, about ;;Stan the man." I

said. "No, don't tell her. just give me her number at the bank." So I called

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the bank and I said. "'Jow. you don't know who you are talking to. but I am

Stan Mecham." She said. "!do know who you are. Marilyn and Joann have

told me about you." That was another girl that was married. she knew me

too. I said. "Would you go out to dinner with me?" She said. "Yes. how

should I dress'?" I remember this so plainly, I said. "Well. I'm going to wear

boots and Levis." She said. "Well that's casual."[he laughs] So I knew

where she lived but I thought I'd seen her when I had come from Vegas.

They were coming out of church: I wanted to see her before I went with her.

I saw this girl with two kids. and I thought that was her. I thought she's not

near as pretty as they told me she was. Then my horse got sick before I went

to pick her up and I said, "I'm going to look at her again." My best friend

was with me. I said, "I want to go in and see her. I'm just going to go in and

get some money, change it around a little bit so I can see her." I knew where

she worked and I knew her name was Nellie Rae. I saw her name, she isn't

very pretty. but maybe she is really nice. I went out and he said, "Well, is

she pretty?" l said. "Well. she's not too pretty, but maybe she is nice." [he

laughs] He said. "Has she got any kids?" I said. "I think she has three or

four." He said. "Crank this car up and get out of here." He didn't say that,

he said a few slang words with it. He said, "You don't want to get mixed up

with that. If you are going to get married. marry one that has no kids." We

came home. and I went back over. I knocked on the door and got a pleasant

surprise when the door opened. I met Nellie that night. She weighed 120

lbs. She was a pretty woman. She was real pretty, she had Francine, and

Jan. who was her boy, and then she had little Barbara. They were dressed so

neat and clean. You can tell if a person is good by their countenance. That

is another thing they brought out in that meeting that I was telling you about.

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l won't get on that. .-\nyway l was impressed. \Ve had dinner and went up to

the canyon. Cedar Canyon (Coal Creek Canyon). She said. "What do you

teach over there'?" I said. "Well. I don't teach nothing." I thought. if! want

it or not. this will tell a story. I said. "!clean toilets for a living." It didn't

seem to shake her up any. We went up and had steaks. really had a good

dinner. l was impressed with her. a whole lot. In fact. I thought. "'She is the

one." I felt that really strong. When we got down to the house. she said,

"Do you want to listen to some country and western music?" I said, "Yes."

She said. "What do you like?" I told her. she put on a little bit. Then I said,

"!better go. so you can work." because she worked in the bank. She walked

over to the door and I said, "I really appreciate you going with me." I

reached down and kissed her a couple oftimes. She was in shock; she

wasn't looking for it. l just kissed her on the cheek, you know. on both

sides. Then I left. The next morning, I stayed with Deborah. she was going

to college, her husband was in Cedar. I called her (Nellie) and told her that I

was impressed with her. I said. "How about a date in a week? How about I

come and get you. and we ride and go hunt lions?" She said. "That sounds

like fun." So I did. I went and got her and we rode. I went and stopped

there. and was fixing her saddle: I looked up and said, "Why don't we just

have your dad marry us next week?" She said. "Why don't you just go to

hell?" [they both laugh]. That is what she said to me. Anyway I went down

and took her in the house; we had a big cedar there. She was so pretty that I

just couldn't resist. I kissed her right on the lips. I thought, "Boy, I like her

a lot." Then as I was taking her home I pulled her close to me. She said,

"You're coming on too strong!" She said, "I have got to tell you, Lhave a

boyfriend here in Cedar, and I think a lot of him." I said, "Well. honey don't

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let that bother you. There is a girl down in St. George that you ought to

meet." That was true too. Anyway. l was writing to a girl too. in New York.

Lane Lefevre was on his mission. and he says this is the girl for you. l

hadn't ever wrote her or corresponded much in my life. But. l enjoyed

writing to her. her name was Bellie Kay, and he had converted her to the

church. She really sounded neat in her letters and I talked to her on the

phone once. Why Nellie said. "I don't want to get real serious with you."

Then Burt Emmott. see he knew l was having quite a time, and he said.

"Stan wants to come and stay for a week and hunt lion." l took time off

from work over there. My dad. he did all my work for me and I was free to

go. It was fun. Burt. he was real good company, so I called Nellie and said,

"How about a date?" She said. "l can't go with you. my sister is coming in."

Like I said. l know people too. like my dad does. I knew she was lying. I

just knew she was. so I told Burt. "'She's giving me the cold shoulder now."

He said, "Why are you worrying about that. There is about a million women

out there, and you could have about anyone you want. Maybe she doesn't

realize what's she missing." I said, "You are just saying that 'cause you're

my friend." He said. "No, it's the truth." So I didn't call her. and it went on

and on. Pretty soon the phone rang, it was her. She said. "Why haven't you

called me?" I said. "Because you fibbed to me the other night, your sister

wasn't coming, it's your boyfriend or something else." She said, "Well, I'll

tell you what it was. I wrecked my car. I had my boyfriend's truck and I was

driving it I didn't think it would be good if you came while I was driving his

truck." I said. "Well then I'll come over, I'll come and see you." So I went

over and she was washing that truck. I visited with her a little bit and I said,

"Do you want to wash my truck too? You're washing his." She said,"! don't

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think so." Then she leli. Jay. I waited there longer than I should have

waited. I waited two hours. In fact I took the little kids and bought them

dinner and I said. •·Just tell your mom that I had to go." I came home

because I didn't feel good about the way she treated me. So I came home

and went into the house. and the boys are sitting there and they asked how

things were going and I threw the door open and I threw a chair and I said.

"That's how things are going." I crashed the chair on the cement. and I said,

"I've had all I want with women. boys! [Jay laughs] They are out of my

mind." They laughed a little bit. It tickled them because they didn't want

me going with anybody. In fact. Clint told me that I had forgot his mother

all ready. He didn't realize he was going out every night and I was staying

home. But anyway, I left and then her mother called me and asked if Nellie

Rae was over there. I said. "!haven't seen her. Mrs. Walcott." She said.

"Well Stan. she screwed up. She ought to drop that guy, and she should

have done it a long time ago. We think a lot of you, and the kids think a lot

of you and we're worried. Will you call us if she comes to your place

because she is not home?" I no more got off the phone than the doorbell

rang. There was Nellie. I said, "What are you doing here?" She said.

"Well, I feel bad because of what I have done." I said. "Nellie, don't feel

bad. let's just call it. You go to your boyfriend and do what ever you have to

do, and you don't owe me nothing. We have had two or three dates and ... "

She said. "Well, I don't know what I want." I said, "Well, that's okay, don't

worry about it." She was about out of gas, I said, "Your mama is really

worried. you call her. You drive slow going home." She said, "Okay, I

will." Then I called her mom and told her she was on her way home. She

went back home. Then we started calling each other a lot. every night, in

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fact. \Ve got pretty serious. I went with her eight months and I said. "Don't

you think maybe we can get married now?" She said. "Yes. 1 do." I said.

"Well I have high council meeting." I had thirty-two hundred dollars saved

for a ring, 1 had it saved. I had it. I said. "Well why don't you come over." I

think she knew that 1 was going to get her ring size. well. she told me she

did. I came home and she wasn't here. I went clear to Boulder. and she

wasn't here. The phone rang and I said. "Where are you Nellie? Have you

had trouble?" She said. "No. !just decided not to come." I said, "Why,

because you knew I wanted your ring size?" She said. "Well. !just don't

know if! want to." I said. "Well." She said. ''I'll meet you to talk. and we'll

talk about it." I said. "No. I'll come over." So I went over to talk to her I

could tell that she was insecure and what not. So I said. "Well let's just cool

it." So I came home and I took that money and spent every bit of it on the

farm the next day, every bit of it. Because I decided that I wasn't going to go

through with it. We were riding; we spent a lot time together. We were

riding along and I said. "My girlfriend is going to come and see me." She

said. "Who?" I said. "My girlfriend from New York. Have you got

something going for this weekend?" Boy, if! had hit her with a

sledgehammer I couldn't have dropped her any lower. "Boy, I didn't think

you cared for me. You look like you are in shock," I said. "Nellie, you

know you don't want to get serious. She is coming. It's no lie," I said. She

did come from New York and she had a little boy with her. I liked her, but I

felt toward her, just after two or three nights out with her, about like I did

with the nurse. She and I weren't going to hit it off; I knew that. I had told

her that I was going real steady with a girl and not to get too shook up if

things don't work out with us. Now, we don't know each other only through

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letters. Boy. 1'11 tell you she came on strong. :\el lie asked. "I !ow arc things

going?" I said. "They are going okay. How are things going with you over

there?" She said. "What's our status?" ! said. "Do you have a ring on your

finger'?" She said. "~o." I said. "Then we aren't engaged then are we? So I

guess your going out. and I'm going out." She said. "Well. I want to tell you

that I really love you." She had never said that word 'love· to me. she hadn't

said that word. She treated that word with a lot of respect. I thought if she

has told me she loved me then she means it. I took Bellie Kay back to the

airport in Salt Lake. But then she got to calling me heavy and wanting me to

strike her up. She said. "Stan you don't have to support me and this little

boy. He has a bad heart. but. I have the means to take care of all that. I will

carry my load. You·re not going to have to pack me." Lane told me that she

would carry her load and then some. I didn't have the guts to flat out tell her

it's not going to work. I said, "Well, I'm still going with this girl." I kept

putting her off. I did that for a month and she finally got tired and quit. I

feel bad that I didn't have the guts to come right out and say that it was going

in the other direction. I bought the ring for her. for her pretty little hands.

The ring, when I got it. I told him her size, he said, "There isn't a girl that has

a finger that little." I said. "Yes, there is." I had the ring made and so she

was supposed to meet me again, here. I was out on another speaking

assignment. and she wasn't here. It was the same thing over again. I said,

"Nellie. what are you doing to me?" She said. "! don't know. I'm just not

sure, if anything." She figured I had that ring, but I hadn't told her I had the

ring. But I did have the ring. It was the best that I could get her; it was half

of what the other one was. She said, "I'll meet you at Todd's," this"Todd

thing again. I said. "No you won't. I'm on my way over." I went right over

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and I took her in the bedroom and shoved that ring on her linger. I said.

"Now this is it. Now your status is that we are engaged." I kissed her and

she was happy. Jan and Barbara were jumping up and down and calling me

daddy. Little Barbie was only seven and Jan was nine. the same age as

McClain at that time. Francine came in and she did not like it. She didn't

want me to marry her mother. I could see it real strong right there. Anyway,

we set a date to be married on the 23rd day of October. in the temple. She

didn't have her temple divorce. but I knew that she was working on it. It was

there in her drawer. I saw her papers. She was working on getting a temple

divorce: her husband was ex-communicated from the church for immorality.

It wasn't a one-time thing, Jay. he was a returned missionary, he got carried

away with pornography and all this stuff. Nellie said. He was stepping out,

he was going to Germany, and then they moved to St. George and he was

doing it again and she caught him. She went back home. We set the date to

be married and I knew Francine wasn't happy. I tried to talk to her. but I

couldn't get close to her. Little Barbie. I fell in love with her before I did her

mom. I'm really close to her to this day, in fact. she wanted to be adopted.

She didn't want to go by Fulmer; she wanted to go by Mecham. Nellie told

her that her grandfather is a good person and that name is a good name.

Even though your dad has done what he has done. the rest of the family are

good people. I was soon to learn that they were good people. When I went

to pick her up to get married she had the dry heaves from Cedar to St.

George. I said. "Here you go again. you're copping out again. If you don't

want to Nellie. if your getting sick and all." She said. "Well, I'm just afraid

of rejection and I'm afraid of this and that." I said. "Honey, I'm not going to

reject you. I don't think." She said. "If you feel like you don't love me, will

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you tell me so 1 can just leave. so you don't put me through what I have

already been through'?" l said. 'Tm not going to do that to you." She said.

"Besides they have given me a lot of presents." I said. "Give them back.

they will take them back." [he and Jay laugh]. The minute we went there (to

the temple) and were married. everything was fine. it was good. We were

getting the kids and stuff. and Francine said. "Grandpa. I don't want to live

with them. can I live with you?" He said. "No you can not live with me. you

have to live with your mother and your dad. That is where you belong

young lady. and that is where you are going. You are not living with me.

You belong with your mother and that is your dad." So I brought them

home and she was really unhappy here. and the girls were giving her a really

rough time. She was real cute. a real pretty girl. I thought she was sixteen,

she was twelve. She was fully developed. She was a beautiful girl, she tried

out for cheerleading, and she was doing better than them. When she got it,

then she really got hell. I came home and she said. "Stan, will you take me

back to Cedar for a social we are having down there at my school?" I said.

"Yes I will." Nellie said. "No you won't. you are tired. Francine. he is not

taking you." I said. "Nellie. let me handle this please. Yes I am tired, but

you bet I will take you." So I took her over and I stayed at her grandfather

and grandmother's place. She came in about 11 :00 PM. and she was ready

to go home, I will never forget we were up at Cedar Mountain. she said,

"Stan, I really love you and respect you for what you have done tonight. I

promise I will never do that to you again." I said, "Francine, that is fine, if

you have had fun then that's fine." She never did again. We became very,

very close. She was a kind and sweet little girl. intelligent. smart. She went

on to a ... well I'm getting ahead. Why don't I drop back to how hard it was to

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support all those kids. Now think here. Jay. she is bringing three. and l have

three. here we have six kids. They always had two or three friends. and

Nellie. she was a wonderfol cook. I told her that is why she has done so

well here and put on so much weight. But the table was always way out.

We always had two butters. and two salts and everything. She did a good

job. but 1 was having a tough time making ends meet because she wasn't

working. We were hardly cutting it. 1 had a big old working cow and she

gave four gallons of milk. but 1 didn't think she would drink it, a city girl and

all. She said. "What we need now Stan. is a milk cow." I said. "Would you

drink that milk? She said. "Well of course I would. I have to milk him.

Why haven't you been bringing it in? So she went and got a strainer from

her mom and dad. That old cow gave enough milk for us all and both

families too. Veda helped us. we went and got some pork. I raised a big

white sow. and she had a bunch of little ones. I had a bunch of grain. So I

raised about nine of them. I had a beef and we planted a big garden; we had

about every vegetable you could think of. We were set that way; we all

worked in the garden. We had all we wanted to eat.

I want to talk a little bit about bringing two families together. It's no Sunday

picnic. I remember one time. Nellie was awfully good to my boys,

whenever they (came in) wet she had hot chocolate for them and dry clothes

for them. They were real slow to accept her here. In fact, if she put her

silverware on. Harvey would take it and put it back and get his mother's out.

When we had our little boy, Boyd, it was a highlight. I want to tell you

about that experience because it was another spiritual experience in our life.

I was looking forward to having this baby, whether it was a boy or a.girl.

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End of Side One. Tape One

Begin Side Two. Tape One

Stan: We didn't know if it was going to be a boy or a girl. I must have had a

premonition. because I wrote a poem about a boy. Before Boyd was ever

born. and since. I have written poems about my family. They are kind of

neat. if I do say so myself. When I was up getting the water. when Nellie's

folks were here. a guy rode up and told me Nellie was in labor. I came right

down and took her over to the doctor and all night we waited and the baby

wasn't born. About I 0:00 pm I was getting nervous and then Nellie's mother

got after the doctors and nurses. She said, "You take that baby caesarian

right now and I mean it." The doctor said. "Mrs. Watcott, that's dangerous."

She said, "It isn't dangerous. my oldest girl just had one. and she is older

than Nellie. What's dangerous is letting her go too long, she has been going

a long time." By about then the nurse came in and said that the baby was

stressed. something was wrong. Everybody was running in all directions,

they were running here and there. I walked into the room and knelt down

and I asked our Heavenly Father to bless her and to bless me. I went out and

asked the nurse if there was any oil there? I had her dad anoint her. You

have given blessings, haven't you. when you have felt the spirit. of

assurance. that it was going through, you was connecting? It connected. I

could tell it. The patients in the hospital, the nurse told me, that she said,

"What is that strange spirit or feeling that there is in the hospital. What's

going on?" She said. "Well we're having a baby caesarian and everybody is

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running around here. One lady had said there was a different spirit around.

I said it was the power of the priesthood in action. She was a neat girl too.

this Mrs. Holman. They operated and he (the baby) was all wrapped up in

the cord. He wouldn't have made it. In fact. they had to work with him a bit

there. He was born. the doctor knew that I had cowboyed a lot. he said.

"This one is going to be a cowboy too. He brought his rope with him." That

cord is way, way longer than it should be. Another thing was, Nellie told me

three or four days before. she said she was afraid that baby was going to get

wrapped up in that cord. I said. "Why do you say that?" She said. "Well, it

happened to my girlfriend." I said. "That doesn't mean your going to have

that happen." She said. "!haven't been feeling him move like he's been

moving." It.is funny when we were in bed and sometimes I would get close

to her. she liked to get him to kick at me. We went through all that anyway.

But. what I wanted to say is that the boys didn't accept him as their brother.

No. the baby, he wasn't their brother. The teacher over there. Mrs. Adair. do

you know her Jay? She said to Harvey, "How do you like your new baby

brother?" Harvey said. "No. I have a brother this size and this size. I haven't

got one this size [he motions to make the sizes]. She told everybody, she

said. and he was coming around the wall there. I grabbed for him and jingled

him a little bit and I said. "You got a brother this size too, my boy." What

was neat was that Harvey really got attached to Boyd. When he went to

school up to Orem. he would want me to get the baby on the phone. and he

couldn't even talk yet. He and Boyd really formed a close relationship. I

remember once we were to give an opening program in Sunday school. a

presentation. Nellie worked out a nice thing and Francine did the piano and

Clint. he talked. You've heard the kind. when there is music in the

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background while you talk? \Veil. we were ready to go that morning. and

my boys said they weren't going to go through with it. I said. "Yes you are.

you are going." So we went down and they really did well. they all did well.

the kids did. As we left that day I decided that things had to change. She

took her children and I took mine. I said. "Boys. you are trying to make her

leave. aren't you? Well. let me tell you something, if anybody is going to

leave. it is going to be you guys. It is not going to be her. You better start

being better to her. I'll tell you that right now." Her kids always treated me

a lot of respect. Things started turning, Harvey and Nellie got real close. He

was really closer to her than he was to me. If he needed five bucks. or he

needed a shirt ironed. or something, or one bought. it was always Nellie.

where's Nellie. They got to be really, really close. Francine and Harv, at

first. he hated her music. in fact he even stomped on some of her records and

broke them. He told Barbara if she didn't stop practicing that piano that he

was going to crinkle her fingers [they both laugh]. It was getting pretty hot

and heavy on those items. Then Clint and Francine got really close. I said.

"Clint why don't you just marry Francine?" He said. "! can't dad she is my

sister." I said. "She is not your blood sister." He didn't take that advice

either. He felt that she was his sister. Then Jan and McClain were real

different. Jan was computers and all this stuff, and McClain was all

cowboy, all ropes and stuff. They stayed in the same room and I never saw

them get into a fight or an argument like brothers will sometimes. They

didn't. they got along real well. Today they respect each other and they went

their different ways. Jan is in Las Vegas. He is wealthy. He's made a lot of

money; he is an accountant. He bounces from job to job. Now he goes all

over the United States. He has made a lot of money. He is still good in the

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church and he just built a new home. He is a real good boy. On Fathers Day

he always calls and tells me how much he loves me. He comes here and

doesn't shake hands. he gives me a hug and says. "Thanks dad you taught me

how to work." There is a lot of respect and love there.

Jay: He is doing well.

Stan: Yes. I love him with all my heart. Then there is Barbie. I want to tell you

about her. I love her: she is a spitting image of Coy. Her disposition is kind

and polite. She is a sweet. sweet person. She had two little girls and then

she got pregnant and she miscarried. I went down there and I was with her.

I said. "Are you okay. honey?" And she said. "I think I am daddy. but I am

losing a lot of blood." I said, "Let's take you up around home and then let's

take you to the doctor.'' I thought with miscarriages you didn't get too

excited. I knew there was blood. but she had the little babv, it wasn't too far

along but she pointed out that this is what it is. She said she lost it. She had

it in a little box there. she said. "Now, don't let them do nothing. I want that

buried." I said. "I won't honey. We will go to the doctor." I said to Nellie.

"Call her doctor in Cedar City. I'm worrying about her." She did and that

doctor and that doctor said. " Well. don't come to Cedar with her. Take her

to Panguitch if she is losing blood." So we got her in the car. her husband,

he guides a lot. big mule deer and stuff and he's always gone. So (as) we

went her little girl said. "Is my momma going to die, grandpa? There is

blood all over. Is she going to die?" I said. "No she isn't going to die, she is

okay." I took them over to their grandmothers. We left and I was driving

quite fast. I thought. I turned off(Hwy) 12 onto 89. she said," Dad, hurry I

can really feel it coming heavy." Boy, I put her down. We got to the

hospital; we got to emergency. The nurses came and they started taking vital

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signs and a doctor came. ~md a doctor that was in training. he came. They

said not to worry that the vital signs and everything were okay. So I thought

everything was okay. then one of the nurses said. "Oh. something has gone

wrong, something has gone wrong." You know the beeper. you know when

you go to lose blood. it is supposed to speed up? She said. "Daddy. I'm

going." I said. "No. your not going. you are staying Barbara." She said. "I'm

going." I said for the doctors to do something, they were doing something;

they were ordering fluids and stuff. I told this one nurse. that I knew really

well. she married my cousin. "! don't like these doctors. get Doctor Henry."

She told me to settle down these were good doctors. I said. "No they are

not." I'm sorry that I said that because they were good doctors. They didn't

know why this happened. but when she got there. there was a calm feeling

that took place. They got the fluids into her and they brought her back. We

about lost her. Mark got there: he'd had car trouble. We were worrying

about him but he finally got there. He is really a super neat guy. I am as

close to him as any of my own sons. In fact I think I will leave him part of

one of my farms. I like this boy a whole lot: he is kind and a good person.

He is gone too much; he hunts a lot. I know how he feels because I hunt a

lot too. Anyway that takes us up to that point. Then she gets pregnant

again. I said, "Barbara don't have no more babies." She gets pregnant again,

and here it comes again. She is going through the same stuff. So they put

her in bed. She was sick and throwing up, she was sick for nine months.

She was in bed that long. She is like you, only opposite. what do they call

those ... ?

Jay: Hypoglycemic.

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Stan: Okay. she is that way. but when she gets pregnant. she flips over. You

understand that" 1 don't. She was having problems. l would try and go over

there every day and take her stuff. treats and stuff. what she could eat. I

would kiss her and tell her l loved her and I was here for what ever you

need. l wanted her to come up and stay at the house where we could be with

her. No. she wanted to stay at her house. Mark was gone a lot. Nellie and

her mother-in-law took care of her. you know. the cooking and that stuff.

Then we had the girls a lot. Then it came time for the baby to be delivered.

We were all over there waiting for this baby to come into the world. She

was getting close to having it. I didn't want to be in the room right when she

was having it. l said to Boyd. "Let's go down here and the baby will be born

in thirty minutes. Well. in 30 minutes we walked back up and heard this

baby cry. It had just been barely born. We went to see and it was a cute

baby. They are really going overboard. The doctors thought that maybe

with the pregnancy that there"d be problems. Doctor Marshall. the one I

liked. said she was a healthy baby. Right now I go see her every day and I

hug and kiss her. I"m so hooked on her I can't tell you. Everyday I go get

her. And before the night's over, I'll go again. She's healthy, but she got

really fat she's is way bigger than any of the other kids. She is weighing

about l 8lbs. now and she is 5 months. she is really a pretty baby. I should

tell you a little bit about Francine and her husband. He went into geology.

He wanted a job here on "Clinton's monument." They just put him off and

said his resume wasn't good enough, that he should sweeten it up. I said,

"Well, Stoney, you can't lie, so I will tell you what to put on it. You say it in

one sentence; you say that you can drive a little pick-up from Cannonville to

Kanab because that is all they do. [Jay laughs] Well it's the truth Jay. That

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is the truth. but anyway. finally they said well we will give you a job for six

months without any benefits. So that leaves them down in Texas. He had

been interviewed by Texaco. So this goes on. they call and said they would

give him. I think. start him at $30.000. And they said. '"We will move you

and get you set up in a place and you will have a secretary in your office. and

you will be in oil."' That is what he is trained for. So he said he was going

and what did we think? I said that I thought it was good. They both had

been on missions. him and her. They have Jake and Gus. They're cute little

boys. Jake is awful smart. I talked to him on the phone the other night and

said. "Can I come and see you. Jake:· He said. "! don't think you will make

'er grandpa. and I can't come back. all you do is put gas into your car. I

asked him how far it \Vas and he said somewhere around 50.000 miles [they

laugh]. He had a fistfight the first day in the park. He is hyper, just real

hyper. His mother asked ifhe started it, he said, "No, that kid hit me first,

momma." They are in Middleton, Texas. Jan went on a mission, this is neat

too because when he was in the mission field he went to this bishop's place,

he had been invited to dinner. He stepped in and he was looking at

Escalante Mountain they didn't know where each other was from. He said,

"That's right by my house, are you from Tropic?" He said, "Yes, where are

you from." "Well, I'm from Panguitch. he said, I married a girl from

Henrieville." He was the bishop there; they really took good care of Jan.

The bishop keeps calling us and telling us he is the best missionary that had

ever been in that area. Jan did really well on his mission. This whole family

came back and I looked down and I can see the resemblance in these boys, in

that Smith line there. I went down there and said. "Your Jan's bishop aren't

you?" He said, "How did you know?" I said it was written all over his kids'

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faces. That was a neat experience. When Jan went in the mission tield. one

night I was having trouble with the cuber (hay cuber). these cubers are real

expensive to work on. My brother-in-law. he is hyper. instead of going into

first gear he went to second and he stalled it. It wouldn"t start. and if these

cubes set in there and cool off you about have to have a ton of dynamite to

blast them out. or open up those big cylinders. It wouldn't start. We tried

and tried.

I asked Francie if she wanted to ride down with me and hold the light. I

would jump it again. I was worried so she said she would go. So we went

down. I said a prayer before we went down there. I didn't tell her I did. I

stepped on it and vroom she started up. I threw some dry hay to her and

cleaned her out. I said that was the prayer I offered, she said no, it was the

prayer that she had offered [they both laugh]. Francie said. "Hey daddy,

what do you think about me going on a mission?" I said. "Well if you want

to go on a mission then we will do everything we can." We had saved

enough money to help Jan. so I felt secure in that. So I told her to go for it.

Where we had two in the mission field. then they would send her where it

wasn't too expensive. Know where she went? She went to England and it

was almost a thousand dollars a month. Do you know how much money I

was bringing home? The money that I brought home just barely covered

both missionaries. I lost it. Talk about faith, you know sometimes we have

to stop and have faith. I was scared. I said, "Nellie what are we going to do?

Do you know how much money I make, and how much you make? It takes

every bit that I have got for them two missionaries. You know we are about

to run out." She said. "Well I'm not worried." I said. "Well honey, can't you

add? Put your pencil down and add it. See where we are at. I am worried."

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So when they had their program on Sunday. they started filing in and

handing me envelops. I can't remember the amount of money but it was

close to four thousand dollars.

Jay: Oh wow!

Stan: Isn't that something. ls that a testimony of believing? You know the thing

that really amazed me was the money was always there. My farm. the hay

quit getting rained on. It was like someone told me. ·'Stan. move your water

here today. plant here. do this."' It was like someone was guiding me all the

time. l had a big barn that I was filling full of hay, I ran stacks all the way

out. Three rows of stacks. we were doing just great. they filled their

missions and we had everything we needed. That was a testimony to me, on

not doubting. Worrying about the early people. Brigham Young, or (Heber

C.) Kimball. l can't remember who it was that left sick and he stood up to

wave good-bye and he wanted them to stand up and give three cheers you

know like they are leaving their wife for a second, the faith that people had.

Anyway, Nellie and l have been married a long time now; she is the perfect

companion. and a helpmeet. When I go to the farm. if! am late. my

breakfast comes. if it is noon my lunch comes. !fl go hunting she fixes my

lunch. She doesn't get up and say, "Well you can't do that today." She just

sends me off. It has been a good relationship with her and Coy both. I love

them the same, I think that when we get over there, she will be grateful for

Nellie and what she has done with her family and I'm sure it will be vise­

versa with what we have done with our little boy. I'm sure that Coy has

known him there. I want to tell you, Jay, about bringing that (stillborn) baby

home. Some people wondered what I was going to do with him. What do

you think I am going to do with him? I am going to bring him home. Well

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they say that sometimes people just dispose of them. babies when they are

stillborn. there in the hospital. I said. "Well. this is one that they aren't going

to dispose of" I told them that I was coming to get him. Nellie told me to

take that white shawl to wrap him in that. So they brought him out and the

nurse asked if I wanted to see him. I told her I didn't have to see him. I said

to just let me have him here and I was going to wrap him up in the shawl. I

asked Mr. Park if he would build a casket for him. he was really good with

J lumber. He makes beautiful stuff. He only had that morning to do it. I

didn't know it but he had the Relief Society come up and they built the

neatest coffin it was like this [he demonstrates with his hands] and like this.

The relief society put beautiful satin all over in that. Then he built another

box for it go in. When I left there and had turned to come home, I could feel

that baby's spirit. I know I could feel it. I know we were together for that

period of time; there is no doubt in my mind. I came home and had his

brothers get him and bring him over and then I gave a short talk, Nellie's dad

gave a talk, he was a wonderful man. I don't know if you knew Brother

Watcott. did you? Oh man. if ever there was a spiritual man. he was in the

temple presidency at the time. He married us two times; I say the first one

didn't stick so we had to go two times. That's true, it was for time the first

time and the other one was for time and all eternity. We were married on

the 25th day of March that time. The 23rd of March. see I'm forgetting stuff;

don't hold me to these dates [he laughs] anyway, close. So that kind of takes

us to where we are, then I would like to go further and tell you what has

happened to my Deborah. who is a very beautiful person. I remember once

when I was working in Delta. me and Jay were there, and Jay walked by the

car and Coy and Deborah were in the car, Jay probably doesn't remember

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this. I said. "Say hello Jay." She said. ··Hello Jay." You turned around and

said. "Did that baby talk?" She was real little: she learned to talk at a real

young age. I told you she had talked and she had said hello to you. But

anyway. she was always a lot of joy. but she had these terrible headaches

when she got to be about nine. They were terrible headaches. She couldn't

eat: she would throw up a lot. I was hunting a lot then. Coy told me that she

has really been sick. and we had to do something, right then! It was night. I

wanted to take her to the doctor. I picked her up and she was real light. I

hadn't realize how dehydrated she was. she was real light. I cried from here

to Panguitch. I knew she was in serious condition. They brought in Dr.

Dougan and he started to examine her. She had one eyelid that dropped like

this [he demonstrates]. She couldn't make it function, he thought she had a

brain tumor. I went to get her clothes; he said we had to go to Salt Lake. He

said. "No, don't get your clothes. just take her." We left and took her to LDS

Hospital; they ran all kinds of tests on her. They finally found out that she

was having real severe migraines so they tried to give her medicine but it

didn't seem like anything would help. She would come out of it and then

she would go into it again. She was having them continually. Debbie

always bore her testimony every Fast Sunday. She and her mom were real

close and when she moved and I see her out of the corner of my eyes I can

see Coy in her. She is a beautiful girl; she married Jim Miller. down in Las

Vegas. She doesn't get to come home very often much as she should have

done. She stuck it out down there. Now she is coming more, she has Robin,

her first girl, she named her Robin Coy, and then she had Mike, he was born

eighteen days after my Boyd. When we had the stillborn baby about

nineteen days. it was funny, they had another boy and his name was Shane. I

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just got back from graduation there in Henderson: they had it in the Thomas

Mack in Las Vegas. There were five hundred in his class that were

graduating. isn't that something. five hundred. They seated them according

to their grade point average. he was an honor student- he was 40 out of 500

in his grade point average. So I thought that was really an accomplishment.

He wants to be an eye doctor. Mike. he graduated two years before. we went

to that also. Every time we went in that Buick. something went wrong with

it, every time. I'm not going to go to Ashley's graduation: I am going to send

her a bunch of money. She would like that better anyway. I'll go but

anyway we have had troubles. Right now he is working for a dentist

learning how to make teeth. He'll have to take a short schooling period. but

he will be right in that business. He wants to have his own business. and I'm

sure he will.

Clint. I turned the trail rides over to him, he was really a top-notch rodeo

rider. Bulls were what he specialized in. his mom went with him when he

was in the seventh grade. to St. George, to the Sun Bowl. They put him in.

well he didn't even reach the hundred pound mark. and they placed him on a

big white bull. When she came home she said. "Honey you won't believe

what they put him on." I said. "Well did he ride it?" She said, "Yea, he rode

it but you should have seen how big it was." The coach over here at the

school said you wouldn't believe how that boy rode that bull. I didn't think

of the dangers in it. he rode a lot of bulls. When they started this rodeo up

here at Ruby's Inn. they had a lot of them. They had a bull, his name was

Indian Summer. He had never been ridden in three years, even by

professionals. They'd come and try him; he weighed well over two

thousand. When they put him in the chute the bulls ropes only fit him just a

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little bit. he was so big around. They would be about a foot long. It looked

like Clint's rope when he cinched him up. He rode him and almost made the

eight seconds. The bull would swing his head. but he got him off. It went

on through the summer I think probably a month or so. he drawed him again

and he said. "Tum him out Tom. I'm not riding him." He said. "You're

chicken. you daresent ride him." I will never forget it. Clint was walking

away, he said. "Put him in there Tom. I can ride him." He said. "You can't."

He said. "!can." They put him in but the rodeo had ended then. People they

all came back when they found out they were going to buck that bull out.

Clint rode him the eight seconds. then he hit him with his head and knocked

him off, it hurt him. He came out okay with it. Then he started riding

saddle Broncs and I didn't want him to because I was afraid he would be

drug or something. Soon to see. that was way better then the bulls, and he

got real good at it. He qualified for State, then he qualified for National. He

rode in North Dakota. he rode one horse and one horse bucked him down,

but he did good there. He didn't win it but he did well. He got out of high

school. I told him not to do that, to just settle down and go to school. So I

took him to Dixie and got him in school. It wasn't two weeks he called me

and said he quit school. I thought he wanted to go to art school. He was

really a good artist I mean wildlife, he is good. He has drawn a lot of oils

too; he is good at that. I said, "Well what are you doing?" He said, "I'm

down at the race track riding horses." I told him not to do that; he said he

was hooked up with John Wayne's double. He has offered for me to go to

California. I said, "Clint don't do that. You get back in school." I went

down and he wouldn't do it. Then he was riding horses, the guy who owned

the horses that he was riding was Arland Fox, who I have come to love and

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respect. a great man from up in your count[)'. Anyway. he treated Clint

really well. but the trainer kept telling Arland that Clint needed money and

that he was stealing the money. He wasn't even giving it to Clint. Then he

found out what he was doing, and they canned him. He told me what he had

been doing: he was paying ten thousand dollars at that time for racehorses he

was running all over the county. He was a millionaire. Clint said that he

wanted to take him hunting lion. so we took him to hunt lion. Clint and

Arland got tree lined with it. He stayed with the horses. and I asked him if

he didn't want to get married and settle down. He said. "Dad. I don't want to

get a wife and a bunch of kids and wonder what I could have been. I'm

going down the road." He went down the road. He took off [Jay laughs]

him and his buddy and they rode horses. I don't know how many states they

went in. They went everywhere. They rode the worst horses there were.

They ended up in St. George. He's sitting there in those chutes with all the

big names. and I thought. well. he is there: he is where he wants to be. He

drew a good horse and he rode him real well but I thought he should have

got some money. It's only the big names that get some money. I said. "Clint

you were as good as anyone there. you just don't have the name." Then he

went to Las Vegas and he went up into Cheyenne, and there. he won! He

won quite a lot of money. That was when he had his professional card.

Then he went down to Vegas or Henderson. I don't know where. He was in

that rodeo somewhere. but he got hung-up on a bull and it knocked him out,

unconscious, he was tied on the rigging and he jerked his shoulder all to

pieces. He took quite a long time getting over that.

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End of Side Two. Tape One

Begin Side One. Tape Two

Stan: There was a little gal that Harvey thought a lot of and Camille did too. She

rodeoed with Camille. she was a barrel racer. Her mother was Spanish. and

her dad was Mark Nelson. They had the most beautiful girl. the three of

them. Nicole was the oldest one. When I was in the rodeo. she always

wanted to ride my horse. She was small. I thought she would get hurt so I

would kind of work with her and help her. She got to be really good at

barrels. really professional. I saw her in the clinic. she said, "Stan can I

breed my mare to your horse?" I said. "Yes you can." She said, "Well she is

stumbling with me. and I want to get a colt out of her. What will you charge

me?" I said. "Pretty girl as you. I will do it for nothing." She smiled at me. I

will never forget that because it was the last time she smiled. that I was

around her. She got on. not that mare but she got on another, she was out to

practice the barrels. The horse came up to the field with mud on the saddle

and the saddle was twisted. They went down and her face was in the mud.

The paramedics got her on life-flight stuff but she was brain dead by then.

That really bothered Harv. Another sad thing, the day of funeral, Camille

came down and she brought Sammy. I think that was a turning point in

Harvey too, because he tried to talk to her but she treated him real bad. She

told him not to touch that boy or talk to him. Harvey is standing over here

and I came down and she is over here [he demonstrates the location]. I start

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walking over towards Sam and Harv nodds toward me. ln fact. l didn"t

notice him until he nodded his head. And there was Sammy. l didn't ask her

ifl could take him. !just walked over and said. "Come on Sammy boy." I

took him and I said. "I'll take him Camille. if it is okay l would like to take

him to the services." So I did. She said. "I don't think you ought to take him

in there." I said. "Okay. l won't then." I handed him to her. pretty soon he

said he wanted to see his dad. So l took him in my arms and took him over

there. He said. "Boy, dad is really sleeping isn't he?" I said, "Yea, he is, he

is really sleeping." He said. "He will wake up here in a moment. won't he?"

l said. "Someday he will wake up. you bet he will Sammy." Sammy sat with

me all through the service. The service was excellent. Like l have told you

before, Jay, there has never been a funeral as big in this valley as that one

was. They had the chapel filled, they had rooms filled, and then there were

people all lined through the halls. It was really a tribute to Harv to see all

those people. There were a lot of nice things said. A lot of people would

come up to me and hand me papers. One of my friends. whose son had

committed suicide. just a few months before Harvey, he was there. He

handed me this paper and it had some really neat things on it. They were

some of the things that you were telling me, earlier here, in our conversation

before we started to record. Maclain did go into the mortuary to see his

brother. It seemed like after he had seen him again it helped him. I also

should say that when he was in the trailer there, Nellie told us the sheriff and

them she wanted to see him and she really broke down bad in there and she

said, "I just had to see him one more time." I told her. "Honey that is fine."

Anyway back to the services. Maclain said he wanted to take Harvey to the

cemetery with his team. He really has a nice wagon and mule team, they are

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pretty. a real fancy set up. The mortician said that it would be tine. I-le had

some really neat pallbearers. they were all western looking. I said. "Clint.

why don't you just take his sorrel mare and lead her. and Boyd why don't you

ride with him and he would have his brothers all there with him." He had

made me a real beautiful pair of chaps. He was a good leatherer. He made

saddles from scratch or he would take one that was all dried up, he would

take it and rawhide it and everything from scratch and build it back. He

built me some beautiful bridles and he said. "Dad. you need chaps." So he

built me these new chaps. About two weeks before this happened. he

brought them to me. and he said."! want to cut them off. dad they are too

long. and they have gone to these chink chaps." You know where they are

short? I said. "! don't want them short. Harv. I want them where they will

protect my legs." He said, "They are oiled. and all of your bridles are oiled

your stuff is fixed. you are ready to go now. I'll go with you some." I was

really looking forward to that. I put those chaps over the casket. I didn't

know this. Jay, but he had written a lot of poetry. I knew that he had written

a lot of songs. He could pick a guitar real well. He had written a song about

all of the hounds that I had. He would make me cry when he would sing that

song to me. Then he would say, "Toughen up, toughen up, dad." I lost my

temper once on a truck. We had a thing that would pick up (hay) bails, he

and I were picking up bails and one of the other boys was driving and I

broke a bunch of bails. I thought they were all that way. I thought the bailer

had shredded the string where it was thin. Finally, when about ten of them

had broke. I lost my temper and I kicked all the bails off that were on the

truck. I started to cuss and he pulled my sleeve and said. "Dad. toughen up,

do you feel better now? Now let's go ahead and get this job done." He was

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comical that way. When we went to the cemetery it was a real spiritual

thing with my boys all carrying the casket. l went down and got a hold of it

with them. We carried him up there and put him next to his mamma. and

his little brother. and grandmother [his voice cracks and he sniffles].

Anyway that was a real spiritual experience. Later on l was having a hard

time. There is a lion out here that is a runner. I know her. she is hard to put

into a tree. She really goes. I thought. ·'[ am going to take his dogs

(Harvey's) and hunt them.'' He had two dogs, Cane and Tand. Harvey

never did get a lot of dogs like his brothers and I. But he had two and he

always seemed to catch a lion. He was always alone. l took his dogs and I

hooked this running bitch. I knew l was on her and they just skipped the

snow, I thought I can't catch her. I thought it felt like he rode up and said,

"Toughen up dad. go." I told Nellie. "I hope you never see what I did." I

went lickity (split). l knew where that lion was going. I went places. Jay,

you wouldn't believe. I went on a dead run. I have a horse I call Joe. Joseph.

after the old Master Indian. that lead them into Canada (Chief Joseph). that

is where they got him. This horse is real tough. l cut that lion off and I see

where I had met her. I pushed her off into a canyon. !just stopped because

there was a skiff of snow. I could hear the dogs coming. I always figured

old Fluff could out run Make. Moke is my top dog. They were heading and

heading and here comes his two dogs, it was neat. They were running neck

and neck and two more of my dogs came and they pushed her off the canyon

and they treed her. I went down to the tree and I sat there for forty-five

minutes. Some day I'll send you some pictures, beautiful pictures I took

from there. I wanted her to go out. because I wanted those dogs to run

again. finally she went and then they caught her again but the hill was so

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steep to get up that l got scared. l thought that rd better not take the chance.

This horse is so well trained that Nellie won't let me go hunting unless l take

him. She says. "Joe will bring you back." I had him shod with borium like

the Amish people use and it will hang on oil (pavement) and rocks. As he

went up. I will never forget. it was smoking and I would get wind of that. I

said. "Whoa. Joe." He would stop and I could hear them treeing, I got up

and they had her treed again. That was kind of a neat experience and I

would like to go a little further. I can open up to you. you are one of the

closest friends and one of the best friends I have ever had. Jay. I hope you

know that. and I hope you will always remember it. You are a good man:

you have done a lot of good things. You have motivated me. Do you

remember when you told me if! couldn't? If they didn't put me on the "pull"

(Tournapull) when we went from St. George to Delta? Not to just give up,

to keep digging in?

Jay: Yes.

Stan: You kept me there even though I cost you some money for the first while [he

sniffles]. Anyway. I am going to open up and tell you some spiritual

experiences that I have had. I really went into some deep depression. At

nights I would see Harvey dead in the chair and I see the gun wound and

things. It was every night. every night, it wouldn't let up on me and I would

think, did he do it? Or, rather. those guys who got there so fast, did they

know what happened there that night? Where they there? Was it foul play?

All this stuff, how could the gun be where the gun was? Then I would think,

"Why do I pray, why did we pray for him all the time? God never heard our

prayers!" Then I thought. Stan. I could feel the influence of the Devil. I

commanded him in the name of Jesus Christ, and the power of the

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priesthood that I hold. to depart and leave me alone. I said in these words. "I

chose to follow my brother Jesus in our pre-mortal life and 1 will follow him

here. 1 don't know what the circumstances are. but 1 know you are trying to

break me." Nellie. she kept telling me to go to a doctor. She said. "You are

stubborn like Harvey." 1 wouldn't go, finally 1 consented to go to a doctor. I

told him what was happening and he gave me sleeping pills. The first night

it worked. the next night it didn't work. I didn't want to hold Nellie. I didn't

want to love Nellie. I didn't want to be around anybody. I don't know. I'm

trying to say something. and I hope you are understanding what I am saying.

Jay: I am.

Stan: I know you are. But anyway, my whole life had changed. The only time

that I would feel any peace was when I was at the ranch. I like Michael

Martin Murphy; I went to a concert of his with Nellie, yet I didn't want to go

with her because I was tired. After I listened to him. I had his tape, but I

really hadn't even played it to tell you the truth. I was really relaxed. Then

he came up to Ruby's a year ago and we went. Then he came again and we

went this year. 1 had been listening to his tapes out at the ranch because it

was old music and for some reason it would kind of quiet me, and make me

feel good. Nellie said. "Michael Martin Murphy is going to be up at Ruby's,

boy I would like to go." So we got ready and went as a family, we went up

there and he really put on a good show. I wanted him to sing some of those

songs but 1 just didn't dare yell at him to sing this song or that song.

Everybody was yelling. He is a neat man. He has a lot of integrity, a lot of

principle. He respects our Mormon faith and our heritage and our land. He

is a real cowboy, not just a singing cowboy; he is a real cowboy. He says,

"Now, if ever you want to meet me. I'll be out here. You don't have to buy

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my stuff or anything." I asked Nellie if she had any money. she didn't. I

said. "Well I would like to meet him." So we got in line and we got barely

close to him. He was signing all these autographs. I said. "Nellie. let's not

go through the line. He is too popular and too busy. he won't want to talk to

us." She said. "Stan you have been waiting a long time to meet this man.

now you are going to meet him. Stay in line." She gave me a little push.

We finally got up to him and !just looked at him and said. "You don't know

me, but I know you. You will never know how much your music has meant

to me these last five months." He said. "Hey. come here." He called a guy

over and said. "Give this man a card. You call me and you come up to my

camp tomorrow." Nellie said. "Why don't you come and hunt lion with

him?" I would never even think of something like that. But anyway, I didn't

ever make it up there. I'll tell you why in just a minute. Why Maclain came

through and he said. "Your another Mecham. You are a lion hunter too.

Aren't ya?" So l know he does pay attention to his people. They are not just

a number and a dollar mark to him. He has feelings. Anyway. he made that

invitation. and he was here three days and I wanted to go with him. Our

doctor's son, Clint. also with the same name as my son. he had a lot of

problems and he had attempted suicide. Tom had come to our place and

told us, when Harvey died, that he was having problems and this boy was in

prison. I tried to go see him. but I couldn't see him because they wouldn't let

me. They said I had to come a certain day. Then the phone rang and I could

hear Nellie talking and I heard her say, "Your an answer to my prayers." I

thought what prayers now. I said, "Who was that?" She said, "Doctor

Marshal. he wants to bring a mare over." I don't know what she told him but

he knew what I needed. When he came we sat back there and talked. He

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asked me what I was taking. and I told him and he said. "That's no good for

you. Stan. I want you to take this medicine here." I said. "Is it addicting?"

He said. "No. It will help you." It really did help me. Anyway. that is the

reason that I couldn't go with Michael because I had that boy coming. Nellie

fixed him a nice dinner. I told you the story once before. I hope it is not on

tape because I don't remember things anymore. Jay. Why, it wasn't dinner it

was breakfast. it was sourdough. You ought to come and eat with us.

Nellie. she is the best cook that ever was. bar none. She had a nice

breakfast. and Dr. Marshal ate with us too. It was really a good meal. He

didn't go with us. I think he wanted his boy to be with me one-on-one. We

went and I started to visit with him. talking to him. I knew he would open

up to me. There is something about getting out in nature and away from

people and a one on one. You really get to know people. Before the day

was over he told me all of his feelings and all of his concerns, and hurt. and

weaknesses. He told me every drug he had ever taken and alcohol how it

affected him and he ended up in prison. I asked him if he wanted to shoot

my gun. and he said. "I can't Stan. I am on parole." I said. "I'm sorry that I

. even said that." He said he wanted to go straight. I told him what my coach

told me a long time ago that you can't run away from it. You have to face up

to those problems. I went on and told him about Harold Whiting and the

influence he had on my life when I was going down the drain, so to speak.

That is on your tapes. I won't go into that. Harold always told me not to

compare myself with someone else. But to make yourself always do it a

little bit better. That was good advice: that was a good experience that I had

with him. But I want to now go further into a friend of mine.

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As I hold this up. this arrowhead. Jay. it means a lot to me. I have a Navajo

friend. He is tall. He is a handsome Navajo. The Indians. they come and

buy hay from me. They pay with greenbacks. cash. all the time but he wrote

a check out. which was different. I said. "You·re highly educated." He said.

"Not really. l have been in the Navy and I have traveled all over the world.

My wife is a school teacher. Have you got any horses?" I said. "! have two

stallions. Bobby Joe and Denny." They came and he wanted to breed a

mare. He was real close friends with. I think. it was Rodney Scott. Dancing

with Fools. he's the Indian that rides out on there and says. "I'll be your

friend forever." at the end of the movie. I have had his horses here: they are

real close friends. He takes care of that movie star horses for him all the

time. He called and talked to a guy, Bob, he has a business here. He used to

be down at Page. that is how he knew Leonard from down there at the dam.

He told them that I had lost Harvey and he says, "Stan, I have given it some

time. and your phone has been busy. I want to meet with you tomorrow at

10:00 o'clock.'" I knew ifhe said he would be there at 10:00 o'clock he

would. At 10:00 o'clock I looked down and there he was. He said. "Come

over here and sit down on the couch. I want to talk to you." We sat down on

the couch and he looked at me and said. "! know what is bothering you,

Stan. You don't know if your son is okay." I said. "That's right Leonard.

that is bothering me." He said. "Well, you are going to be given a sign. The

sign will be given when you are out in nature. It might come through storm,

wind, wildlife, or something like that. I can't tell you what the sign will be,

but when it comes you will definitely know what everything in this sign

means." Then he said his young son is going to say something to you way

beyond his young years in age. I thought well. the morning of the services

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Bryce was lit up like a light was on it (morning light). Harvey rode that all

the time as I told you earlier in our conversation. It was pretty red: it was a

beautiful morning. Anyway. the conversation ended there. I told Nellie

what he had told me and Maclain thinks that I am taking on the Indian

tradition because I hunt with sagebrush and I smell it. I eat it. I drink it. I

breath it. I doctor my horses with it. Nellie won't let me doctor her: she

won't drink it. When I fix her a cup she turns it down. and I drink mine and

hers too. That is the reason that I am so healthy [Jay chuckles]. Maclain

always ribbed me. but you will see that he got pretty curious when this came

to be a reality. l was having a bad day. I was listening to the services again.

I shut them off. I have a close friend. Fred Syrett. up a Ruby's Inn: he has

helped me a lot. He was truly a good friend of Harvey• s: he was Harvey's

employer. Harvey was just as good of a scraper operator as you was, Jay,

and that is saying a lot. He could haul a lot of dirt. he was good on every

piece of equipment that he ever got on. In the service his friend said, "Give

him a key and he could do anything." He could. he could run anything. So I

went up and talked to Fred. he had helped me out with a D-7, it blew on me. ·

Me and Nellie were into it about $47.000 we hadn't done nothing. We got

ripped off on an overhaul. We lost about $12,000 there. final drive was

another, well. I'm not going to go into that because that was another time

that I was not sleeping good. Why, I came home from visiting Fred, I was

feeling a little better. he always makes me feel better. he is just a kind, good,

man. Of all the brothers up there he is the cream of the crop. I had a strong

impression to load my dogs and my horse and to go hunting. I thought it is

hot, you don't hunt in the middle of the day; you hunt in the morning. But I

went and did it because I felt a strong urge to do it. I had to stop at the farm

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and get Queeny. she is a little walker bitch and l like her an awful lot. So

instead of hunting lion. I usually hunt lion. l just went through from one

place across the road. into another field I owned. l just crossed the highway.

I unloaded: l thought maybe this is good anyway. because it is late. l got on

the hill the dogs opened. it was kind of a plateau. The dogs are opened and I

think they are after a lion but they (were) after a deer. My dogs don't run

deer. they don't run coyote. they don't run elk. they don't run antelope. they

don't run fast game. or foxes. They are well trained. I yelled. and they all

came back but Queeny. l thought what is wrong with her. I followed her

pretty fast and she went to a little narrow neck where I had her cut off. She

had to come right back past me. so I got off. I scolded her. I thought she

would come up to me and say I'm sorry for running that deer. But she didn't,

she went right around me and I couldn't catch her. I thought. is she crazy?

She came right back down off of the hill as I looked down I see a deer

running and she is right behind it. I can see where I can cut off and I was on

a really fast horse. and I had my spurs on. I was angry, I thought I am going

after her and I am going to tune her. I am going to give her a little whipping.

I caught up to her when I caught up to her and the deer I was going really

fast and all of the sudden they go off that way into a railed area and I am

riding real fast and I looked down. and this is the truth. It looked like this

arrowhead was this big [he shows the size with his hands] it was magnified

in my eyes and in my mind, I stopped. I didn't think much, but I got off, and

when my hand hit it, a strange feeling came over me. I knew it was a sign as

I picked it up I looked at the top and saw when it was made, it was off a little

bit on the top there was a little imperfection. I knew Harvey had a·problem,

to me it was the depression. it was telling me that he had that depression. As

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l ran my hand down. l find where it has been cracked of[ that is when he

started on his alcohol and stuff. I knew that. Then I looked and I see a fine

line running through the middle of it that was his divorce. Then there was a

breaking point. The very tip of this arrowhead is broken off. So I picked it

up and I looked at it. I could see it in my mind as perfect. Whoever created

it could bring it into complete perfection. whoever created it. Whoever

created Harvey, he can come back into perfection. I think he would have

told me that very well. and explained it to me in a way that I have never had

it explained. Like l said. I wish I had known that for priesthood meeting last

Sunday. You said that very well. Jay. Anyway I didn't go look for the dog I

was really emotional. as I came into the bank why I held it up. Nellie said.

"You have had the sign haven't you?" I said,"! have." She was pretty

curious too and she said, "Do you realize what today is?" I said. "No."

Really, in my mind I didn't know what day it was, or what the date was,

whether it was Tuesday, or Wednesday. She said, "It has been exactly one

month to the day since Harvey left us." Then we came home that night so

the story doesn't end here. I told my dad about it and asked him what he

thought, he said. "Well, I don't even think your friend is in touch." That is

all dad said; he"s in touch. We came home and we no more got home and

the phone rang. Nellie answered and it was Sammy, his mother had called

us, she (Nellie) said, "Sammy, I want to talk to you." Later she had told me

that Sammy said. "! can't talk to you grandma because I have to tell my

grandpa something." He said. "Grandpa I want you to know that my dad

will wake up when we see Jesus again." To me that is the resurrection.

Now why didn't he visit with Nellie? Normally he would visit with Nellie,

so this is a testimony to me that my friend was in touch. He had the Spirit of

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the Holy Ghost with him. Then it really doesn't stop there. Two nights later

he called me and said. "You have had the sign. haven't you?" I said. "Yes. I

have." He knew it. but l don't know how he knew it. l think those feelings

where through the prompting of the Holy Ghost. l said. "l have had it. when

you come up I'll show you." First I wasn't going to tell this story to anybody,

I have told this story to a lot of people. It is true. it's all true. Then I had

another thing happen concerning Harvey. Shortly after Dr. Marshal started

me on that medication. I had a dream that Harvey was in trouble. He was on

a horse and I was trying really hard to find him. I couldn't find him and I

was wanting to protect him. I was wanting him back. Anyway. I came here

and I was putting my horse up and I was standing out in that street. it was so

plain. He had a horse that he loved. Tropic Kid. I looked and I could see

him on Tropic Kid. He was between two men. and I yelled. "Harvey, please

come back. come back." He turned and said, "Dad. I can't come back."

Then he just turned. the two guys, on the other horses, would not look at me.

I said. "Harvey, you got to come back. Think about Sammy." He turned and

he put his hand on the horse· s hip as I have seen him do one hundred times.

You know some guys look good on horses. some don't he did. He had a

black hat on and he turned and he was straight in the saddle he had his chaps

on. I can see him plain as day. He said, "Tell Sammy, I can't come back,

even if you have to tell him three times. I cannot come back." Then he just

turned and rode off. I woke up and I looked at the clock and it was I :00

o'clock. I woke up again at 2:00 o'clock; I'd had the same dream. And at

3:00 o'clock I'd had the same dream. I thought probably it was the

medication, so I told Nellie that I was going to talk to Tom, my doctor, and I

did. He said. "Stan. it wasn't the medication. That is just a sign for you."

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Since that has happened it has been easier for me. \Ve talked earlier. I went

to my class reunion. I was hesitant to go. I didn't want to go. and I didn't

want to face my classmates and things. I told Nellie that I wanted to go.

She said. "Let's go then." I had to work on my pump. so I missed the

morning session. When I got there I could tell they were apprehensive

talking to me. they didn't want to hurt my feelings or anything. I knew they

were fully supporting me, but they didn't know how to act. They had one

guy get up and he talked a little bit. and then they asked for somebody else

to get up. Nobody would get up. Then the guy that was taking charge said.

"Stan. why don't you come and tell us a story or something." So I walked up

and said. "Well. I believe I will tell you a story." I said. "First of all. you are

all apprehensive to talk to me. Maybe it's because my son committed

suicide. But let me tell you a little bit about my son. My son was a good

man. He taught primary. When they had a substitute teacher you could hear

them all over the chapel. yelling, 'We don't want you we want Harvey.' This

was the truth." One time I said. "Bishop. Harvey is still drinking a little bit.

I wonder if the parents will be upset. He is teaching Sunday school and

breaking the word of wisdom." He said. "Stan. if they had a sign hung

around their neck. all of them down in there, you would be surprised what

we got down there in that chapel. It is fine." When he went to get dried out,

I've never told you this. Jay, he had his ex-Bishop and his Bishop both give

him a blessing before he left. Another thing that I want to just quickly tell

about him, there was a girl dying here of cancer. He was close to that family

he asked if I would go down and give her a blessing. He said, "Through

your priesthood. you can help her." I said. "I can't go do that unless·they ask

me to. Harv." He said. "Well. I'm going to go down and give them my

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paycheck to help them." I told him to do whate\'er he wanted to do. l don't

know what happened there.

End Side One. Tape Two

Begin Side Two. Tape Two

Stan: To go on with the story. Clint had to go in for surgery, they pinned his ·

shoulder. He has lost some of the use of his arm. He doesn't rope good like

he used to. He doesn't throw a rope as good as he could. But then. it doesn't

stop here: up at Ruby's Inn he was riding a rough bull and he went under it.

It hit him in the stomach and it got his spleen. They took him to the doctor

in Panguitch. Tom Marshall. I talk about him and Doctor Henry, he is

another good doctor there- Hanley was the other doctor. They called and

said. "Your son is hemorrhaging and we have got to operate or he is going to

bleed to death." So they operated and they took his spleen out. I remember

one thing that Tom told me after that operation. he said. "I have never seen

anybody with such heavy muscle in their stomach. especially for a small

guy." They cut through and took his spleen out. They should have put him

on some shots. because that is the immune system. He went for two or three

years pretty good. Right out of high school they diagnosed him with

rheumatoid arthritis. and rheumatic fever. which he does have rheumatoid

arthritis. He got really sick and we had to put him in the hospital. I had to

take Nellie up there for a check up and when I went in to see him they told

me they just life-flighted him to Provo, to the hospital up there, Utah Valley.

Isn't it?

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Jay: Yes.

Stan: That really scared us. When we got up there. they had already operated on

him. [ asked the doctor if he was going to be okay and he said. "Let me tell

you what his lungs \Vere like. Have you ever peeled an orange? The stuff

around his lungs was like taking peelings off of an orange." So Clint he did

get better. I let him have the business. because we had built up a good

business at Ruby's Inn. I don't know how much money he makes now. but it

is way good. He has bought a lot of property and invested a lot of money. I

am glad he has because eventually I think Ruby's will take the trail rides

away. They have started up themselves and they have had a little bit of

problems. So far he is still there. His wrists swell bad and this and that.

Okay I have covered that pretty much now.

I want to skip a little bit. I want to go to Maclain, and then come back to

Harvey. I want to end with Harvey. Maclain was the best little buddy a guy

could ever have. He would go with me. I remember I wrote a few things in

a journal for a while. One day I remember he was real young; he was only

eight years old. pushing weights with his feet. I went over there and he was

lifting way over a hundred pounds. I thought, this kid can't lift that much

weight, but he was. I always prayed that he would be strong, you know. As

we read The Book of Mormon it says a lot that men are strong, I prayed that

he would be that way. Certainly those prayers have been answered; he is a

very strong and stout person. I watched him last night throw a great big old

calf. He is really strong. Maclain, I wouldn't let him ride the rough stock

and his brothers would sneak him on, on a bucking horse or something. I

went and bought him an expensive mare to rope on. and he got really good

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with her. She had quire long ears. l was over 10 Loa once. l was silting back

there and the guys said. "It looks like that kid is riding a mule out there." I

thought to myselt: you wait a minute and see what that mule is. He looked

really sharp that night: he had a nice rodeo jacket on that night. The mare.

she was a single-footer. and she was stepping out real nice. and he pulled her

into the box. I saw her ears pin up: she was watching that calf and the

minute that Matthew was on it. it was done. I said. "That mule did pretty

good. and that's not too bad of a cowboy on it. That's my boy you are

talking about there." [he laughs] Anyway. that was a fun night. He went on

to be a really good roper. In fact. he was roping up here for money. They

would give him a hundred dollars a night to rope. He did that for two years

and then he said. "I'm soured on it dad. I want to quit." I didn't want him to

quit. but he has. he has quit. Now he is a mule man, he is raising and selling

mules. He goes and buys mules. and rides them and then he sells them, that

is what he is doing. I don't know if it was Maclain not having his mom for

two years but he isn't as kind as I wish he was with his boy. He is always

saying, "Toughen up Hunter." He named his boy, Hunter. he is always

saying, "Quit your bawling, quit boobing." When we are doing calves he

will say. "Get in here, Hunter you are going to ride this calf tonight." I'd say,

"Hunter, don't get on it." He made him get in and get on the calf. I told him

off on it. Hunter says, "Grandpa. that is my calf," he claims some of this

stuff. Maclain says, "Then you put your mark on it." He says, "! don't want

to stick a knife in that calf here, daddy." He said. "Well, you are going to."

He made him come over and made him mark that calf. After he did it he

was quite proud that he had put his mark on his calf, even if it was a little

crooked. Then they have McCoy; she is named after Maclain's mother. She

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is a little sweethean: she was spoiled real bad when she was born. She was

a pretty little thing. a lot of dark hair. Everybody was loving her. she figured

she could have everything in the store. she could do this and she could do

that. l had her cooking dinner with me. 1 put a little apron on her. She was

so happy. We would peel potatoes. We had bacon and potatoes and this and

that. l put the bigger share on my plate and she got mad at me. she wanted

to trade plates [Jay laughs]. I said. "No. you can't do that McCoy. You have

to keep your plate." She got mad and wouldn't eat with me. I thought, well,

we are going to have to change her attitude. So 1 didn't give in to her. She

really mellowed out. 1 wish you could see some of the things she is writing.

You would understand more than 1 do. She is way above her age level. In

reading, why they tell us she is on a high school level. I was having a really

tough time with my feelings and what not. Last Sunday she handed me a

poem. and it was about Harvey. She told me how I should be, that I need to

be brave and that 1 would see him again. She had it in poetry. It was a

beautiful poem. She has written a lot of stuff like that. My mom was a real

educated person and I think that Coy has a real talent. What I wanted to say

was that she mellowed. Hunter was like her, he was mean. One reason he

was mean is because he couldn't talk plain. We would ask him over and

over what he was saying. He got disgusted. Nellie thought he needed to go

to a specialist or something. She thought Boyd ought to go to a specialist,

my mother did too. because his legs were bow-legged. I told them all he

needed was milk. They go buy him all this rigamirol and buckled him up in

there. He carried it off and he never did wear it, his legs straightened up.

They were like this [he demonstrates]. He started walking real young, he

was nine months and he was going everywhere. He liked to go out and look

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at the dog. ,,.e had a little dog on the porch. I can still see him there. I used

to like to take him to bed with me at night talk to him and love him and I

wondered if he would like me when he grew up. He does. He has been real

kind to me Jay. this Boyd has been real kind to me and you know it helped

me over rough spots. Nellie has helped me too. I looked to the west. Jay.

the deer are starting to come into the field: I can see it. Maclain is a real

good boy but he works for the park. He can't get a permanent job. He has

been there and they bring guys in. The guy that is behind him is drinking on

the job and everything. If they are with the right guy. they get the job.

Harvey put in for (employment) up to the park too. he had all the credentials.

and what did they do. they hired a guy a year older than me who didn't need

the money. Harv didn't get the job. That was when he quit wrangling for

my brother-in-law. Pete. I am jumping to Harvey now.

Let's start from the beginning. He was a cute. little curly headed. boy when

he was born. Clint looked like the Bushnells. but Harvey was more

Mecham. As he grew he had old Bush's. well you know how he moved and

talked?

Jay: Yes.

Stan: You know his mannerisms; both Clint and he have those mannerisms.

Harvey looked like a Mecham. The reason I named him Harvey was

because I loved Harvey Bauer. Harvey was good to me and I really looked

up to him for the things that did. On that other tape, I told you about the trip

over to Baker, Nevada, when all hell broke loose. The saloon, and the

bullets were flying, so we will skip that. The reason that I named Harvey,

Harvey was because of Harvey Bauer, and his first name was Quinn. I liked

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the way old Quintin Erickson operated the patrol. l'\'e never seen anybody

run a patrol like him.

Jay: He could.

Stan: He was good wasn't he? Anyway. l named him Quinton Harvey after those

two friends. ! liked Harvey better than l did Quint. ! look back at those guys

and they had a lot of good qualities. but they had a few weaknesses too.

Jay: Sure.

Stan: Like all of us. As Harvey was growing up, he had a pinto mare: she was

beautiful. We called her Paint. She was well bred. She was bred from a

small Shetland. Then l got some good quarter horse blood in there. l

remember one day, he was just little and I had taken over a bunch of cattle

for John LeF evre out on Deer Range. That was about twenty miles south

between Tropic and Kanab. These cows are wild, and they split. l said.

"Harv. you take that cow and calf. and I will stay with these others." We

were in real thick trees. After awhile I was thinking, "Why did you send

him? He will be lost. You better get on his tracks and find him." And so I

am trotting. 1 came over this rim. I could see the ranch down there and he

was just whipping that cow. He is right on her: he pushed it right in and into

the corral. I watched him from that rim. He could ride like the wind. I will

never forget one beautiful sight. We were up on the mountain. you know

when the sun starts to set. it was red. I had bought him a racing running

quarter mare. she was pretty, she was a red sorrel mare. I watched him move

and he was roping as the sun hit it, it looked like fire. I thought, they are

two. but they move as one. I wrote a poem about that, he was just real

smooth that way. As time goes on. when his mother passed away, he didn't

cry. I came home that night and I told him everything that had happened and

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he didn't show any emotion. He was a sophomore in high school. The only

thing that I see that was different. was he got in bed with me. Maclain. he

was just a tiny kid. and of course. he got in bed with me. Then I got up and

cried all night and walked the floor. Anyway. why. as timi: went on. I didn't

realize that he was having some depression. They told me he was leaving

school and the teacher said they would have to do something with him. Her

husband told her to let it go. He understood it better than I did. He wouldn't

cry, but I guess he would go up there and cry. I noticed he had become very

attached to a horse. or to something. He was almost possessive of his

horses: nobody touched them or nobody moved his saddle. He moved his

saddle and his bridle into his bedroom and he slept with it. When Nellie

moved here, she could verify it, all of his equipment was in the bedroom. I

didn't see the signs. I wish I would have done. I think he needed some

medical help at that time. Clint told me, I said, "Clint. you are drinking.

You have got to quit that." I knew he was. He said, "What about Harvey?"

I said. "Harvey doesn't drink." He said, "He passed out in St. George at that

rodeo the other night." He had my brand new truck. In the Marine Corps

we say, "Twenty years for a brand new truck." I paid cash for it. it was a

Ranger, it had everything. It was pretty, pinstripes and everything. It was

pretty, almost too pretty to go hunting lion in. Anyway, Clint cracked it up.

Coy, she wanted me to .. .l'm rambling, but I need to ramble. She wanted me

to take the boys ... she made me promise that if anything happened to her, that

I would take the boys to youth conference. Well something happened to her,

so I ended up having to take them. Clint didn't want to go, he had his

girlfriend and he was driving and he kept looking down. I said, "Clint, quit

looking down with that stereo and stuff, you are going to crack her up." He

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said. "Why don't you stay off my case''" 1 guess l ~mbarrasscd him in front

of his girlfriend. I don't know. but that night I was in bed and he said. "Well.

I've done her dad." 1 said. "What have you done?" He said."! wrecked your

truck." I said. "Well. I'll tell ya Clint. I've went through too much. I'm not

even going to get up and look at it. Where is it?" He said. "It's out here."

"I'm not even going to look at it." The next morning I go out and look and I

couldn't see nothing wrecked on it. Boy when I looked under it I could see

where it was wrecked. He went over rocks as big as this table. he had. The

wheeling went out under it. so I took it and got all that fixed. Then I was

letting Harvey take it all the time. Me and Nellie are in bed: a knock comes

on the door. "Come on in son. how are you doing? How's your work

going?" "Well. pretty good dad. but I wrecked your truck." I said. "What did

you do?" He said. "I rolled her." I said, "Were any of you hurt?" "No, but it

threw Marlin out the back window." Marlin weighed two hundred-fifty

pounds. I don't know how he got out the back window. They rolled it in

lava rock. Nobody was hurt. He said. "Well. dad I feel bad about it. but I

promise you I'll get you a new one." I was pretty shook up because here we

are, that truck is wrecked and that insurance adjustor came and I let him

adjust it for forty-five hundred. Jay. Why did I do that? So I did. we will

settle for that. That put me back in my old Chevy pick-up again. I had to go

back to it. The sad part was, Nellie said. "I have some bad news for you." I

said. "What is it?" "You have got to come up with four thousand dollars

income tax." I said. "!couldn't. I paid an extra thousand dollars, there is no

way I could owe that much money." We went to her accountant, which I

think was a mistake. He did our taxes together. That was another time that I

didn't have faith. I said. "I'm sick of her. the government wants that four

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thousand bucks. the church wants I 0% of ever,1hing l"\·e got. To heck with

it all." The government got that. left me five hundred dollars out of that. I

think it was $12.000 that I got that truck for: you don't do that now do you?

I took a really bad beating. but I didn't quit the church. I kept paying my

tithing and we gained back. Let's go a little farther with Harvey. As he got

older I could tell he was drinking quite a bit. Then he said he wanted to go

to college, so he went to college. Something really happened. his closest

friend went with me the other day to get a swather we were talking about

Harvey a little bit. He said. "I want you to know something. when he went

to school. he didn't drink. All the time we were there. me and Chev. that's

my nephew. Sherry's boy we drank a lot. All the time maybe he drank a six­

pack but he wouldn't drink with us. So that made me feel good. Then he

came home and then he started hitting her more and more. Then he met this

girl he was madly in love with, we threw them a big wedding. We had live

music and everything. I didn't spare any money. I thought she was a God­

send to our family. Everything will straighten up: he will carry it now. He

kept drinking. she was the type of person that would say, "Harvey, why don't

you get on that horse and if your such a good rider and ride it." Well,

Harvey is older now. and she is young. He married too young for one thing.

He would say, "I'm not going to get on that horse. Camille." She would say,

"Your scared of it." He said. "I'm not scared of any horse, Camille, but I'm

not getting on that horse." She said, "Oh, you're a stupid so and so," she just

talked really mean to him. Some of the guys up there said it was awful the

way she would talk to him. He told me, "Dad, she is a mean woman." I

said. "Well. you're in it Harv, just try and go with it. She has a lot· of good

qualities. She like to do 4-H. she was always 4-Hing, she kept my little

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51 i.(randson out in the sun. and the t1ies were all over him. I would get mad. I - -would go get him and tell her she can't keep him out in that hot sun like that

or in the truck. He is just a little tiny baby. She would say. "Well. dad I've

got to get this done." I said. "When you are doing that. let us take him and

put him in the house." Their relationship got worse and worse and she was

wanting to go to school and finish her schooling. He was supporting her.

she did finish her school and we helped her too. She got through with

) school and then one day she told me. she said. "lfhe won't straighten up, I'm

leaving him!" Well I said. "Camille that is up to you. I know it hasn't been

pleasant for you." He came down and said. "She is leaving me. As far as

I'm concerned. it is a good thing. I don't want to live with her the rest of my

life." I said, "Well, I don't know Harv." She said she would come back if

he'd straighten up. I said. "Well. why don't you straighten up then? All you

have to do is quit drinking." He didn't, he got worse and she left. He got a

DUI, and he paid that one off. He thought that would go away until they

were about to put him in jail again because he quit paying on it. Nellie said.

"Now, it's not going to go away, let's sit down Harvey." She made a budget

) for him and he did real well. He paid that one off. He still kept drinking,

and he got picked up again. It was jail or the dry-out center. He went to the

dry-out center. While he was in the center, they came in and told him they

were going to put him on some drugs to pull you off from the alcohol. He

said, "! don't take drugs. I drink beer but I don't take drugs." So he came

down without taking anything and I remember one thing that really bothered

me. She was supposed to come in and they were to sit down and write down

what they didn't like about each other. He said. "Dad. she had three pages

on me. I haven't got a chance with her." So after he got out we went down

and saw Sammy at her folks place. They were super neat people. She \\Tote

all that stuff down. we got him out of there. and went down to see Sammy.

We got in the car and he wanted to come home with us. she didn't let him

come that trip. She said that he could come and see us. She asked if she

could talk to me. She said. "What do you think I ought to do?" I said. "I

think you should come and raise the baby, you and him. You brought him

into this life you should raise him together." It didn't work out that way.

There was another girl in Harvey's life. She was a nice girl. She got

pregnant: I didn't know all of this. Harvey had told her. this was before he

married Camille. he said. "Well I'll just marry you and we will just say it is

my baby." She said, "No." Anyway she left and went to Oregon. She got

married and that fell through, she got married again and that fell through,

she had two kids. She started coming to see Harvey again. I was hoping

maybe that would work out, she was really a nice girl. She was kind, and a

nice women that would have been good for him, had dinner ready for him

when he came home and all this good stuff. But. that didn't work out. I

could tell he was depressed. I told his brother that I thought he was

depressed. They said that he wasn't. I told my dad that he was depressed

because he was the best judge of character of anybody. He said that he

wasn't. I told my daughter-in-law, Marilee, that he was. It wasn't two days

later that they all knew he was, because we were out on this roof working.

My mother drove up and she was honking and we thought something had

happened to dad. I was getting down off the ladder and she said, "Harvey is

dead." I just went numb. I can't remember getting there; it's just a block out.

He lived in a little humble home, but everything he planted grew,

everything. I'll never forget when I walked in there. Maclain was with me.

)

Harv was in the chair. He had his head tilted to the side and he had his

hands to the side. He had a picture album to the side. He had a gun that I

had given him. a pistol: it was lying between his legs there. My dad. said.

"This is one deal that I can't go through with. I can't take it." I told Lowell to

take him. and he did. Then people started coming. the Bishop came and he

was all out of breath. Then Harvey's friends started coming. Clancy came.

Then Bruce came. I don't know how come they came: they weren't working

that day. That has always bothered me. Then we had to wait there until the

Sheriff came. you know. I knew that I had to be strong. Then Nellie and

Francine came. She had her little boy with her. His name is Jake and he is

pretty young. He said. "Harvey killed himself." Francine said. "I'm sorry

that he said that." I said. "Don't let it bother you." Anyway, that was one of

the saddest things in my life that I have been called on to go through. I

would like to go further with this. because maybe I could shed some more

light and maybe help someone who is having similar problems that we were

having. It was hard to see him lying there. You think of all the times in the

crib. when I thought he was choking and couldn't breathe. I remember one

night I ran across the street with him in my arms to my dad's. I thought he

was not breathing, so I ran him back in the house and I turned the hot water

on, he started breathing then. I held him on my lap. I remember another

time he was in his crib and I ran to the trash dump and I got stuck. I was

worried and I ran all the way from the trash dump home to make sure that

baby was okay. It is hard to bring them up to the teenage years when you lay

in bed and they don't come home when you think they should come home

and you are worried. Then you look down and the life is gone, you touch

him and he is cold. It was a bad and a hard experience. Nellie came and my

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brother. Lowell. \\'as with me. as l stated he took Jad home. \!argaret came

and said ... We should have done more." There was nothing more that any of

us could have done. l was afraid of the time that she left him that he was

suicidal. 1 thought 1 was going to find him out on one of these benches. you

know gashed or something. 1 figured that was going to happen. 1 don't know

why 1 did. but I was worried. I thought. "Well here it is. it's here:· So they

took him, they had to take him up to be examined. and make sure that it

wasn't foul play or anything. They brought him back; Maclain was really

having a hard time. l saw him and Maclain get into a fight they were grown

men. because Harvey had been drinking and him and Clint had got into a

fight when they were younger. Harvey gave Clint a licking up at the trail

rides [he laughs] it was over a horse. they got into a fight. Clint came home

and he was all skinned up, I thought he had been hurt with a horse. He said,

"You're going to have to fire Harvey." I said, "I'm not firing Harvey." He

said. "I'm quitting then." He didn't tell me that they had been in a fight. He

quit me and he went to work for Pete, I kept Harvey working for me. Then I

found out that they had a fight. I went up there I heard Harvey was upset

because Maclain had taken his horse. I went up and he said, "I'm going to

straighten my kid brother out. I'm going to give him a whipping." I said,

"You're not. You stay right here, don't go up there." I wasn't watching; I

was talking to Camille. Then he came up missing. I hear all this screaming,

I look up and they are having a fight out there. Maclain's wife is yelling and

screaming, and cussing Harvey, and yelling for Maclain to get him. I went

up there, and they are in a bad fight. Maclain has a big old knot on his

forehead, and Harvey had hit him. I told you Harvey is really strong, old

Maclain had him down and he said, "Harv, I can take ya, I can choke you.

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Now you quit or I'll put more pressure on ya." I said. "Now you guys. you

are going to have to quit because I can whip the pair of ya and that don't

prove nothing. Now what is your mom thinking right now? Both of you get

up." They did and I walked down with Harv and he said. "I'm sorry that I

had to give him a whipping." I said. "You didn't give him a whipping.

Harvey. You were on the bottom. You didn't give anybody a whipping.

You have been drinking. You're drunk. You can't do things when you're

that way." I took him down there and he sat a minute and he said. "I've got

to go apologize to him. I was wrong dad." So he gets Maclain in the car and

they make up just that quick and no hard feelings. When Maclain was in

there and saw his brother dead. it really got him. It got him bad. We went

up to the mortuary to pick out a casket and things. I wanted him to go with

me. He wouldn't. He wouldn't look at a casket; he wouldn't look at his

brother. He just sat out in the foyer. For three days he wouldn't talk to

anybody. nobody, not even his wife. She said. "I don't know what we are

going to do with him. dad. He's not talking. He is withdrawn." I went out

and tried to talk to him. I couldn't talk to him. I said. "Well. before you

leave. you better go see him." We were all up in there, we all walked. there

was a real pretty wood casket there. We all walked right to it. I said, "We

won't have to go any further than this one. I don't care what it costs. This is

the one that I want." So that is the one that we got. When they dressed

Harv. he was really tall. They said they didn't realize he was so tall. He

filled that casket. Nellie went and bought him all new clothes. his hair was

thinning a little bit. as I looked at him and sat him in the casket, why, his

brother took his head up, he always liked to wear a red bandanna around

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56 there. I k put that around him. 1 looked at him he was so handsome there.

Then I would like to talk a little bit about the funeral services.

End Side Two. Tape Two

Begin Side One. Tape Three

Stan: Okay. 1 would like to go on with our class reunion. I kind of broke the ice

with them a little bit there. I told them about Harvey. and then I talked to

each one of them because I have a lot of love and respect for all of my

classmates. I hope I never did anything to hurt any of them. I didn't think I

had. I told them that I loved them and that I often thought about them and

wondered what they were doing. Then I told them that I have had a lot of

people come up to me they say to me, "The Lord will never give you more

than you can handle." I thought about when I lost Coy, about my Heavenly

Father gave me signs that everything was okay there. You have that

recorded Jay.

Jay: Yes.

Stan: Then I went on to say, "You know, I walked with the Lord as we were

walking, there were two footprints in the sand. Then when I was having all

my problems I have a tendency to say, "Lord where were you when I needed

you?" He says, "Well the footprints you see in the sand were my footprints,

I was carrying you." That is why you are here, Jay. You are carrying me.

you see. The Lord moves in mysterious ways, you know. All these things,

you didn't know that Harvey was gone, or anything. You were sent here for

a purpose. more to help me than this recording that we are doing here right

now. Nellie says that I forget and I ramble a lot. and I do. Let's go back to

Leonard. my Indian friend. \Vhen l talked to him that night he said. "Stan.

you don't know this. but when l walked through your door I did not know

what l was going to say to you. I had prayed to our Creator before I came

up. When I sat dmvn on the couch. I still didn't know what I was going to

say. Then he said. "He spoke to you through me." To me that was the Spirit

of the Holy Ghost. l don't know why Heavenly Father has been so good to

me. As a small boy I walked with my mother, and I was real young at this

time. They were having a viewing of a lady who had died here in town. I

was with my mom as l walked in by her side. I saw three people dressed in

Egyptian type dress. Each one of them held a staff around that casket.

There were six of them. three on each side. Have you seen a fan with the

ruffles? There was a thing on top of the staff that came up over there. I

thought everybody could see that. I didn't realize Heavenly Father let me see

through the veil. Now when we went in for the family prayer. for Harvey,

my dad said a few words there. Then I said a few words; I could feel our

family, though I couldn't see them. I said. "If we were permitted right now,

you would see our family that were not here, standing right there. The veil

is very thin. I know that if we have faith there isn't anything we can't do.

We talk about the power of the Priesthood, Jay. I've seen the power of the

Priesthood. I have felt the power of the Priesthood. In order to use the

power of the Priesthood we have to be worthy to use that Priesthood. I have

been called a religious so and so. but that is okay. I do love my Savior,

Jesus Christ. Jay, I'm going to end it this way, I know that he taught me

before I came to this earth. I know that I have a purpose. and I know that

there is a plan. I know where I get into a situation where I am supposed to

teach. He will bless me with inspiration. I have talked with teachers. I have

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58 taught primary for a long time. lt amazed me what these boys and girls

knew. Before l was released. they put me in as a teacher·s quorum advisor.

The boys were coming in that l had taught in primary it amazed me

sometimes how things would come to my mind. I know that is what my

Savior wanted me to teach these boys. l don't know what he wants me to do

now. But l would like to share a little bit of my patriarchal blessing with

you. I don't do this with people very much. but. you are a very close friend,

) and I want to. In my patriarchal blessings it says that I was taught in my pre-

mortal life by our brother. Jesus Christ. what I was to teach. and it wasn't by

accident. that I am in the area that I am in. l will be prompted to do and to

teach. When these opportunities come. I am to do that. !fl am faithful, I

will have the opportunity of standing and witnessing Jesus Christ coming for

the second time. Our patriarch didn't know but I've always wanted to do

that. I know that I will if! live that. maybe I will be a resurrected being.

But I will have that opportunity to do that. In closing Jay, just let me say

that as a friend. you are an excellent friend. You are a motivation to me to

be a better person. I remember the Priesthood lessons that you taught and

) the camps. I also remember you encouraging me to do better·and to better

''

myself as an individual. l hope that I have. Your dad and Harold Whiting

were very special people to me. You, as I have said in the other tapes, it was

a tough time until I met Whiting and Haymond. I wasn't worth a twenty-

seven hundred dollar loan. But when I met Harold, I was worth this house

here you are looking at. Because he made sure I got it. He said. "I'll back

him any day, anywhere."

Jay: He would.

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Stan: He would have done. I don't know. It was a good experience that I had. I'll

sign off now Jay.

Jay: I appreciate that very much.

End of Interview

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