Early morning Musings

An excerpt from a letter written 25 November 1989 while in Switzerland:

Swiss Temple at night

I think it was Wednesday morning when I awoke early (about 5:30 a.m.) and stood in front of our living room window and look at the temple with the lights on it, shining in splendor in the dark.  As I then sat down on the couch and watched it, I thought of all of the great blessings I have had throughout my life and thought how blessed I have been.

Family group - approximately 1933-1935

back row: Garnons Davis-Jesse Butler-Edith Davis-Della & Harker Davis

middle row:  Louis Butler (far left) - Charles Butler (far right)

It was a neat hour or so as I thought about my parents and my youth with family on so many great occasions of happiness as I met with them and all I learned from them - all of the love I was shown.

Leona - Lou

December 1977

And then I thought of my good fortune to have a wife who is so great and good and all of the great things we have been able to do over the years.  Our family, getting our educations, our jobs, our work in Scouts, our work in the Church, our work in the schools - and always we were fortunate to share all of these activities.  And since retirement, we've had the opportunity to serve at Haskell [Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas], then in the Ogden Temple, and now here in Switzerland.  In all of these activities, we have had so many mutual friends and acquaintances who have enriched our lives.

Principal Lou welcoming a prospective kindergarten student

May 1964

Then I thought about how lucky I was to be employed in an occupation which I thoroughly enjoyed.  I was able to look forward to each year with anticipation of good things to come and always had rewarding experiences and many great friendships with both teachers, parents, and children and with fellow administrators.

Lou, Jr - Jim - Tom - Don

Lou, Sr - Leona

November 1993

Most of the time, though, I spent thinking about our sons and our daughter-in-laws.  How important our daughters have been to our lives.  They each complement our sons, and by working together there is mutual growth.  How happy we are to have all of you sealed to us and your children to you that we may have a great forever family. 

With fellow temple workers

March 1990

And then as I looked at the temple, I thought how lucky we are to be here in this comfortable apartment and working with such fine people and serving in the House of the Lord here in Switzerland.  Our health is good and we are very happy.  Of course we miss our family, but we know you are all very capable of taking care of yourselves and that you really don't need us around all of the time!  But I hope you miss us and look forward to our return as much as we look forward to more good times together.

Love, Dad

"The Capital Rover"

 Jeremiah DeBolt Overturf

1811 - 1901

 The following sketch of Lou's 3rd great grandfather comes from a publication

 "History of the OVERTURFS"

written by N.F. Overturf, 1924

"Jeremiah D. Overturf (the D. is probably for Debolt) was the fifth son and probably the eighth child of the ancestral family [Simon and Mary DeBolt Overturf], regardless of birth or any other rank, he was the capital rover of the family.

"A Mr. Samuel Oliver, who once resided east of Old Eden, Delaware County, Ohio, said he was at one time a near neighbor of Jeremiah, who owned a forty-acre tract where he lived and made his ends for necessity by shoe making.  This forty-acres was a deadening in prime shape to clear.  That Jerry would stand out by his cabin and in vision seem to see, what ease to him would come if his land produced, would with a sweep of eye and hand say, 'all that deadening will be in corn this spring.'  Spring passed, clearing not done.  Then he would say, 'Well, too late for corn, but buckwheat is a better crop for a poor man and I will clear it and put it in buckwheat.'  Clearing not done in summer Jerry would say, 'Fall of the year is the best time to clear and anyway a winter wheat crop is the best and on that new land it will make a crop if sown as late as Christmas and I'll put her all in winter wheat.'  The deadening was still there after Christmas, and he finally sold out and moved away and left the deadening.

"Whether this tale is true or false, it proves an abiding faith in the future, an unquenched hope for the better, a desire to build higher and slothful as it may appear.  Jerry's unswerving grind on hope likely crushed many of his discouragements and he somehow attained above the average of men in finance, moral and religious contact, a social life of varied conditions of family bonds.

"Narrator [N.F. Overturf] about 1892, accidentally got into correspondence with him and he wrote.  He was then living in Star City, Texas with his fourth wife; that Texas was the seventh state he had made a home in; was in the shoe trade; had several properties and was in easy circumstances.  His wife died soon after and he took up his home in Oregon, at or near Clear Water, where he died at an advanced age, best recollection is he was past 95.

"The correspondence mentioned continued until about the time of his death; was always clear and well expressed, well written in his own hand and far surpassed many written by men of much younger years.  One contained his photograph, shows a full bearded, keen eyed, self confident look, with a demeanor that expresses courage and determination void of worry, but full of hope."

I'm not sure exactly what a "capital rover" is, but wouldn't you love to have known him?  

I'll bet he had some great stories to tell!

This picture is simply labeled "Grandpa Overturf," so I'm assuming it is Jeremiah Overturf.  If you have other or additional information, please email me.

Family Resemblance

While I had hoped my cleaning and organizing would give me a fresh perspective, it took my sons to point out what had been under my nose all the time!

I have seen this picture many times, and even used it in a previous post.

Leona and her mother, Etta Lorene Carpenter

But this week my sons were amazed at the resemblance between Grandma Leona and a great-granddaughter:

Katie Sandberg - 4 years old

July, 2009

"Great joy comes in seeing our family enter another generation."

A Pause for Station Organization

 The fruits of my labors

I'm taking a winter break, as I've tackled a big project in my office.  You can read about it here (just click on that word).  I hope to be back with a more inviting workspace, a clearer mind and better quality posts.

See you soon!

Sailing into a New Year

 The Crown Princess

From December 28, 2001 - January 12, 2002 Lou and Leona were aboard the Crown Princess cruise ship sailing from San Diego, California to Point Everglades, Florida through the Panama Canal.

Highlights will follow (when I get some of the pictures), but for now, welcome aboard!

Boarding the ship in San Diego