History of Robert Stratton Wright
Written by Lois Marie Hawkins Wright
Robert S. Wright was born on 22 August 1926 to Robert John Wright and Margaret Stratton Wright. He was born in the family home at 600 W. 1600 N., Orem, Utah. His mother said he was at least 11 pounds. He was born on Sunday. He was last to be born in a family of six other children. Emma, Eva, Beulah, Letha, John, Glora, and they all called him Bobbie. The girls said that all cute little boys were named Bobbie he was really welcomed into this family, and spoiled a lot. Whatever he wanted the girls made sure he got it. When he was learning to walk they would clear a path on the kitchen table and he would walk from one end to the other. He was breast feed for about two years and could not go to sleep as a child unless he had his hands on his mother's breast. When he was being toilet trained his mother let him ‘pee’ in the coal bucket. It became such a habit that in later years he would catch himself going to the coal bucket to ‘pee’. He was raised on a farm mostly fruit trees, a cow, chickens, and horses. They had acres of raspberries, tomatoes, sugar beets, and other crops. As a young boy he went to the Farmer's market in Salt Lake City with his parents. That was a good way to sell produce at that time. Now days the roads are full of fruit stands and even Farmer's markets in many towns. The old Salt Lake market is long gone. Times were tough in those days. Bob's mother was very frugal in running a household. She was a wonderful cook and always had food in the table at a very low cost. Bob's dad was the breakfast cooker for everyone. It was always hot, with meat, eggs, potatoes and gravy. Diet food was never heard of then, the more grease and butter the better the taste. Everyone was always well fed and full. Every Sunday was homemade ice cream day. Everyone came home for that ice cream party (no electric freezer) it was all done by hand. The family’s favorite pet dog was always there to greet everyone. He only had three legs but was always loved by the family. His name was “Ring”. He sleep on a bed next to Bob. He even got his sheets changed each week. Bob was a lover of farm life however he liked animals better than the fruit farm. He always wanted a dairy farm but could never talk to his dad into building one.
His dad died in a 18 December 1956 at 71 years of age.
A few years after his father passed away he got tired of the family living from crop to crop and so he decided to finally build a dairy farm that he had wanted for so many years. He started with a small dairy behind his childhood home on 1600 North in Orem. He started with 17 cows and increased it slowly every year after that. After a few years they needed more room and so he bought some land in Lindon a few miles from his farm and built a new dairy there. It took a lot of hard work through the years. Sometimes 18 hours a day to get it all done. At that time he was still farming and taking care of Orchard work besides. In 1957 we built a home next to his childhood home, (two blocks East of our first little home) where his mother was still living.
Bob was very quiet and shy and he was a good listener, and had little to say. He was a hard worker and happier when he was in the process of a new project. When Geneva Steel open up just down the road from the farm, he decided he could make more money working there than on the farm. He went and signed up for a job. Finally when they called him to come to work he decided he could not leave his dad and the farm.
There were many times that we lived on almost nothing, especially from winter to spring. There was a grocery store called Wilburgs. They would let us run up a bill for groceries throughout the year, then when the new crop of fruit would sell in the fall we would always pay it off. Now we have a credit card, they were never even heard of then.
One of Bob's favorite pastimes was to go swimming in the canal. It came through Gillman's orchard on 1600 N. I guess you could call it “skinny-dipping” because they had no clothes on. As time went on and there were too many people around they had to wear swimsuits but it was never as much fun as “skinny-dipping”. It got so the police would patrol the area and put a stop to everyone swimming. Bob's friends consisted of many young men that lived on 1600 north and also in the old sixth Ward. The Gillman's were older than him but he chummed with them some. His friends were Dean Gillman, Glade Gilman and Harley Gillman, Kay Whitley, Jesse Ash, Leon and Stan Hansen, Orval Klander, and Gene Richins.
He didn't like school, and because he wanted to be with his dad working on the farm, he spent most of his time at home. He didn't finish school quitting when he was in the 9th grade so he could help his father full time on the farm. He was called to the army but was turned down because of a hernia. He later had a hernia operation. The December before we were married he had an appendix attack. His appendix broke and he was in great trouble. He was in the hospital for 10 days. Antibiotics had just come in and they fill him full he was really sick, and was lucky to make it. His mother said he asked for me at that time so I spent some time visiting him in the American Fork Hospital. She told him if you like that girl a lot you better get married. It was February 13, 1946 that he gave me a ring. He was always very possessive of me and still is after all those years.
At the time of our marriage things were a lot cheaper than they are now. A gallon of milk was 70 cents, a loaf of bread was 10 cents, gallon of gas was 16cents, a pound of bacon was 58 cents, the average income per year was $2875. A new car was $980 and a new two bedroom home was $9850. Our first small two-bedroom house cost about $3-$4000.
Some of the music that we liked when we were young was, Sentimental Journey, Till the end of time, Candy, If I loved you, Don't fence me in, Rum and Coca-Cola, Chicory chick, There I've said it again, Prisoner of love, To each his own, I'm a big girl now, Five minutes more, Old buttermilk sky and Personality.
Bob grew up in a democratic home his mother loved President Truman and thought he was wonderful. (My father didn’t like him much) what a difference in politics between the two families. Some things don’t change.
I thought I was about through with Bob’s history as a boy but he woke me up early one morning and had so many things to tell me. He had two horses, Dick and Don. They were a good pulling team but old Don was spooky. He run away a lot and after they would run away he always knew they would be able to rest all day.
When Bob was 16 he went deer hunting on Timpanogas. He was with his brother-in-law, Roy Ash. Roy’s brother Owen Ash, and several others. During the day a bad snowstorm came up. Bob and his horse came down off the mountain. Four of the guys including: Owen Ash, and three others went up on some cliffs. Roy was behind Bob and came off the mountain. The four guys couldn't get off the mountain as it was storming so badly that they lost their direction and three of them died. That was a bad experience for Bob. He never cared to go hunting after that.
Because he had dropped out of school in the ninth grade and didn't graduate. A teacher had told him that he wouldn't amount to much actually his expression was that he wouldn’t amount to a “hill of beans”. He never forgot that comment and told me about it often. I think he was hurt because he knew there were other things besides school that could make a person successful. This gave him the incentive to even try harder than ever to be successful at farming. Once in the third grade he and the Hooley boys crawled into an air vent at the school. All the plaster was off the restroom wall. Through a hole in the wall they could see into the bathroom stalls. One girl happened to be using the toilet, as she was sitting there they tickled her butt with a weed (which I’m sure scared her to death). His favorite teacher in elementary school was Fern Harris. She lived to be 100 years old. I'll bet if she had known about what they did she would have kept them locked up. He was definitely not a little angel.
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We were engaged on February 13 of 1946. We were on our way to a high school basketball game when he proposed. We had talked earlier about getting married and Bob tells the family that I said I needed a ring first so that's when it all started. I can't say it was a really exciting proposal or even a surprise. Back in those days it was a wonderful thing to even get a ring especially one that was paid for. About two weeks before we were to get married, we were going to Price with Leon Hansen to get his girlfriend Beverly Peacock. They were going to get married just a week later than us. We were going to Salt Lake to buy some furniture for the both of us. As we were traveling down the canyon into price we wrecked the car and totaled it. He was going around the curve too fast and ran into the back of a flatbed truck. Bob didn't get one scratch on him. Leon got a bad cut on his face. I was in the middle with Bob's arm around me when we hit I was thrown into the dashboard and received a bad broken nose. I was in the hospital for about three days with two black eyes and black knees. We couldn't postpone the wedding so I got married with a big strip of tape across my nose. The day of our marriage June 5, 1946, there was 48 bridess with no air conditioner in the Salt Lake Temple and it was near 100° that day outside. We couldn't go on a honeymoon because Bob had to haul hay the next day. Bob had money in the bank and we could've had a honeymoon but his work commitment always came first to Bob. We started out our married life in the basement of Bob's parents home. We had the kitchen and bedroom it was comfortable but we had to go upstairs to the bathroom. I washed our clothes in an old washer with a close ringer on it. Every time I plugged it in I got shocked. We heated our living area with hot water pipes that were running to the old radiators upstairs. It was not so handy but we got by. We lived there until Bill our oldest child was one year old. He was born April 20, 1947. We named him William Hawkins Wright. We then moved into a small home about two blocks west. It had one bathroom and two small bedrooms and living room and the kitchen it was a very small box house. But it was our first home and we felt blessed to have it. I thought I was in heaven and that was the happiest time of our life. Judy was born April 2, 1950. Her full name is Judy Marie Wright. We didn't have much and no money but we were happy. We lived in that little home for eight years. We've then sold our home to Alf and Cleta Cherrington. They moved to Orem from Panguitch. He was a carpenter so we asked him to build our second home which was next door to Bob's childhood home where his mother was living. We had to move before our home was built so back into the basement we went. We helped with the building of our new home.
I was very busy in our Ward. I started to put together some history and picture books on our family. I hardly had time to think as I was also singing at funerals and various programs. I love to sing and have a strong alto voice. Bob was building a new dairy and a cold storage unit to help preserve the fruit that we picked. That was also a very happy time for us as Bob loved being kept busy working on the farm with as many projects as he could find. We finally finished the dairy and apple storage. Bob always thought he had to do all the milking night and morning. No vacations and for the first time we had a little milk check every other week to help provide for our family. We were so happy to get a paycheck every two weeks.
Jed our third child was born November 2, 1961. What a surprise as we didn’t think we could have another child.
We first sold milk to Al Harris in Salt Lake. Then we sold to Meadow Gold. We then found a new supplier which was Winder Dairy. In 1977, we finally had to sell all of our property in Orem and move our dairy to Elberta, Utah. We bought 1000 acres built a new dairy, expanded our herd and grew our own feed. At this time Bob's mother was still living. She was in poor health and had to be moved to a care center. We bought his mother's home and a small portion of land behind and also a few acres against the highway. We paid $22,000 at the time. Bob's mother had land East of the Hwy. We had a partnership and paid for the care center from the payments on the home for five years until it was paid off. The rest was sold and each grandchild got their share of money. At that time the only living sibling of Bob was Beulah.
We lived on the farm in Elberta for 30 years. We rented Mother's home for several years before finally selling it and the home has since been torn down. It was really sad to see our family home tore down only to be a memory. We are so grateful for the fond memories that were created there for our family. We took the money from the sale of mom's home and bought an apartment in St. George Utah. As Bill grew older we and worked harder on the farm we gave him a third of the dairy. Bill ran the farm with his father and when Jed became old enough he also worked with them. Jed We finally finished the dairy and apple storage. Bob always thought he had to do all the milking night and morning. No vacations and for the first time we had a little milk check every other week to help provide for our family. We were so happy to get a paycheck every two weeks.
Jed our third child was born November 2, 1961. What a surprise as we didn’t think we could have another child.
We first sold milk to Al Harris in Salt Lake. Then we sold to Meadow Gold. We then found a new supplier which was Winder Dairy. In 1977, we finally had to sell all of our property in Orem and move our dairy to Elberta, Utah. We bought 1000 acres built a new dairy, expanded our herd and grew our own feed. At this time Bob's mother was still living. She was in poor health and had to be moved to a care center. We bought his mother's home and a small portion of land behind and also a few acres against the highway. We paid $22,000 at the time. Bob's mother had land East of the Hwy. We had a partnership and paid for the care center from the payments on the home for five years until it was paid off. The rest was sold and each grandchild got their share of money. At that time the only living sibling of Bob was Beulah.
We lived on the farm in Elberta for 30 years. We rented Mother's home for several years before finally selling it and the home has since been torn down. It was really sad to see our family home tore down only to be a memory. We are so grateful for the fond memories that were created there for our family. We took the money from the sale of mom's home and bought an apartment in St. George Utah. As Bill grew older we and worked harder on the farm we gave him a third of the dairy. Bill ran the farm with his father and when Jed became old enough he also worked with them. Jed loved the land and Bill loved the dairy. The boys didn't get along very well and Bill eventually bought Jed out when the farm in Elberta was sold. More land was bought at this time near Holden Utah. A place called McCornick. A new dairy was constructed at a small home was built for us. Bob had a stroke in the year 2000 which nearly took his life. He lost all feeling in his right side and has never walked since the stroke. This has been very hard on him as he could no longer take care of the cows and the dairy which he loved so dearly. It has been hard for him to talk and communicate with others since his stroke. Every day since his stroke he has loved having me drive him around the farm and take a look at the cows.
Bill and his wife Kathy had 10 children. And so far have 18 grandchildren. Judy and her husband Bill have 7 children with 20 grandchildren. That makes 37 great grandchildren for us and one on the way. Jed had one boy but never married. We have stayed in pretty good contact with his son Jacob over the years.
As of 2008 Bob is 82 years old and I am 80. In June 2009 we will celebrate 63 years since we were married. We have always been blessed we love the Lord and are grateful for the church. Prayer is more part of our life now than ever before. We have faith and know for sure the path we should follow to return home and be with our Savior. We have a very diverse family but we love them all and they are all wonderful. Recently we have been reading the Book of Mormon and loving it. Bob is unable to do much but he loves me to read to him. And when we think our problems are bad we are reminded through the Scriptures how blessed we really are. It is comforting to know that when we make wrong choices we can make it better through repentance.
Since writing this history Bobby's had another stroke. We moved next door to our daughter Judy in St. George. Since then he has been in the hospital twice. This time the stroke was on the opposite side of the brain it took a lot more of his speech and he is much weaker than before. He is now in the care center because I can no longer care for him home. He is very unhappy and it has been the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. He knows that he will never be at home with me again and that is very sorrowful for both of us. I try to visit with him each day and feed him his dinner and read to him as much as possible. I hope the Lord won't let him suffer too much in this life. We are still blessed I can go every day and visit him and sometimes take him for a ride to get his favorite hamburger at Wendy’s. I bring him home each Sunday for dinner and also to visit with the family. I'm only a couple miles away from him and recently moved him to the care center called the Beehive House. A few days ago I asked him where he would rather be here or with his mother and father he smiled and pointed up towards heaven. He is not afraid of death and prays the Lord would take him home soon. We both think that there are many things harder than death and I have to agree that death is sweet. But no matter what happens in our life we will try to endure it well. What a wonderful assurance to know that we can be together forever.
I wanted you kids to know a few more things about grandpa Wright. He was always fair in his dealings with others, honest, sincere and kind. If you ever got a compliment from grandpa you know he meant it. He was a man of few words and never told the family the love he really had for all. He told me and I know how dearly he loved all of you. He was always kind with me and very loving. If he could he would tell you that 62 years of marriage hasn't always been a bed of roses. We have had our problems in our life but always blessed immensely. We have had a comfortable life together. He worked hard and provided for all of us well. Grandpa does have a testimony within and has been a full tithe payer most of his life. We were called to work in the Temple before he had his stroke in 2000. He worked for five years in the baptismal font at the Provo Temple. We spend several years traveling with our good friends, Harley & Mary Gillman and Wayne and Colleen Bateman. He loved BYU football and went to many games in different areas. He still watches them on TV and is an avid fan. We both are pleased with what the beehive house care center has done for him. It is the place you would all be happy with. Of coarse he would rather be home with me but that is just not possible at this time, as I am getting too old and he is too weak for me to care for anymore. Whenever I visit him he stores up all his kisses and freely gives them to me. One day I asked Bob what more he wanted me to tell his family about himself and he said “ just tell in my history that he loved me their mother.”
I wrote a few words in my journal in 1979 about Bob and the way I feel about him.
“Our Family”
First it begins with dad
He is the kindest and lovingest man
A wife has ever had
He loves me and his children to
For us there is nothing he wouldn't do
We want him to know that we love him so
We hope that we all will be worthy
To be with him throughout all eternity
