70 Years Young on April 15

On April 15, 1963, I was eating lunch, or something I referred to as lunch, on the lawn in front of the McKay building. I wasn’t alone. My friend, Moral Hansen, was keeping me company. “Today is my birthday!” he announced. “Twenty-four years old.” Thoughts raced through my head, "Yikes, this guy is OLD. Really old."

Today, forty-six years later, I awoke to see my sleeping husband next to me and I thought – Yikes, where have the years gone. I don’t think of him as old anymore. Now I just think how blessed I am to have had him beside me all these years.

Who knew that our planned birthday celebration day would begin with a snow storm. The weatherman predicted snow, but who knew it would be 13 inches deep! It didn’t deter us. We (7 grandkids, 2 daughters, and Gramma & Grampa) piled into two vans, cranked up the DVD player, and hit the road. Who knew when we arrived in Salt Lake City for our planned “Merrell’s old neighborhood treasure hunt,” that the whole county would be virtually snow free.

A weather filled day is the perfect day to celebrate Merrell’s birthday. Who knew when I first ate lunch with him that he would turn out to be such a weather watcher, that his name was Merrell, not Moral, and that he would turn out to be the perfect husband for me! Who knew!

1st stop: The home where Merrell was born -- 562 Wilmington Avenue. It was purchased new in 1927, and other than originally being located on the outskirts of Salt Lake City (it hasn't moved, the city moved) , the home hasn't changed at all. Merrell lived in this home until he left for his mission. Look at his grandchildren ages 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, and 17. I'll bet there are pictures of Merrell standing in front of this home at each of those ages. The question is, "Where are the pictures?"
2nd stop: Merrell’s father’s automotive garage, built in 1954. The building was sold in 1986 and is now the home of a bag and backpack manufacturing business. The owner was kind enough to give each of the grandkids a red bag (a blue one for Chandler). We looked for four items that have been in the building since 1954.
Everyone is checking their booklet as they look around for the four objects.

The Clock

The Bottle Opener

The sign above the restroom.

The original GARAGE sign outside.

3rd stop: Columbus Ward meetinghouse, built in 1903. This old meetinghouse is one of a kind, not like the cookie cutter buildings we see now.

Check out THIS picture!

The stained glass windows, skylight dome, 1903 podium and choir seats, and wooden benches were all in place when Merrell left on his mission in 1959.
We sat in the hall of the church to shelter ourselves from the rain while we read about our next stop.
When Merrell and his friend, Mike Verde, were 15 years old, they operated 2 movie projectors which provided Friday night movies for ward members. Few people know the ancient projectors still exist, yet they remain, with film still on the reels, well hidden behind the cultural hall’s sheet-rocked walls. Columbus Ward, do you have a secret?
4th Stop: Barnes & Noble to purchase a book. Of course Barnes & Noble didn't exist when Merrell was a kid, but the Sprague Library next door is still a working library. Books were not affordable when Merrell was young (so sad), but he spent many hours in the library.

5th stop: Merrell’s home after his mission. This home was more of a stopping off place than a home. His homes became the army, BYU apartments, and then married apartments and homes. But, it was Grandma and Grandpa Hanson’s home, and therefore, it was loved and visited often. This home looks very different -- no awnings, scrubs, roses, white truck parked in the driveway...

Two beautiful girls that grew into two beautiful women.

6th stop: Chuck-A-Rama. Tradition! Tradition!

Full tummy and content to sit by Grampa

7th stop: Hampton Inn. The swimming pool turned everyone into prunes and the vending machines provided a place for earned treasure hunt quarters to drop.

One last celebration: The adults went to dinner at Los Hermanos and then came to our home for dessert and trivia! Quite the combination! Can you answer the first trivia question? Which comic book hero first appeared on the scene in 1939. (1) Batman (2) Flash Gordon (3) Superman