Grandma and Grandpa Dudley had five children. They are Leah Snelson, Ralph Dudley, Glenn Dudley, Kathy Porter & Jean Hutchings.
Living with them for as long as I was able to and as young as I was, set a very stablizing secure background for me. It was not only a stable background / environment, but one of LOVE, Strength and Spirituality. It helped me to set my priorities and beliefs in order for the rest of my life.
During the first 4-5 years of my life, Grandma and Grandpa were baptized and sealed to each other in the Manti Temple. My Mom, Jean Dudley, was able to receive her endowment and be sealed to her parents at the same time. Grandma and Grandpa believed in the gospel for many years before their baptism and made sure their children were raised in the Church as well.
Grandma was involved in a Birthday Club and had many friends. Grandma loved to crochet and do needlepoint and various crafts. I remember she corcheted my Mom and I matching sweaters. They were beautiful and very warm. She crocheted doilies, sweaters and other items as well, and did needle point.
There were a lot of fishing trips with Grandpa. I remember Grandpa patiently teaching me to fish. It made my day when I actually caught a fish with Grandpa's help, of course. He probably did most of the work, but gave me the credit for it. It made me feel very important. Grandpa also made me my own small fishing pole.
When it came time for the Daddy Daughter Dinner Dates, it was very awesome for me, the first year my Dad went with me. Since there were so many girls coming up after me and it was hard to have to share our Dad, I took Grandpa the last two years, so that my sisters could go with Dad. It was always fun to go with Grandpa anywhere. On one of those Daddy Daughter Dates we had a dance. Grandpa taught me the two step. That was so much fun.
Grandpa loved baseball a whole heap. He was on a semi/pro team. At that time he played on an Ironton Team. Ironton is who he worked for. As he got older he didn't play as much, but he would umpire games. He would also watch a lot of games. He was a die hard when it came to baseball.
There were many times when we lived 1/2 block from a baseball park in Provo. Grandpa would park his car just the right place where we would see it and he would go watch a baseball game. We would yell at Mom that we were going to watch a ball game with Grandpa. These were some of the funnest and most important times with Grandpa.
Grandpa also liked to watch boxing and wrestling on weekends. Grandpa & Grandma liked to go on car rides. We did this quite often. A lot of those times we'd go get ice cream. Grandma always seemed to like maple nut. The rest of us would choose chocholate, vanilla or strawberry. We would go for car rides up through Spanish Fork or Provo Canyon, Benjamin, Palmyra, Leland, Lake Shore or West Mountain and see a lot of the areas where Grandma and Grandpa grew up. We would have picnics at Canyon Glen in Provo Canyon.
Grandpa was a steam train engineer for Ironton. He dressed the part with coveralls and an engineer's hat. He loved trains. He worked there until his early 60's when he retired and Ironton closed down.
Alot of times I would go downstairs to see Grandpa working at his workbench tinkering on things, fixing or building something. A playhouse of sorts was put together in the basement of the house for my friends and I to play. It used to scare me as a child to go into the basement and play because it seemed so dark and dreary. It always was alot more fun when Grandpa was at his workbench or Mom & Grandma were doing laundry. I had alot of fun down there.
Grandma was always the best cook. She always canned food for storage. She made the most awesome chili sauce. It was scrumptious, especially on eggs and tators.
I went to California to see Kathy and her family with Grandma, Grandpa, and Mom. Those times were such fun. I didn't see their family as much as other cousins during this part of my life, so it was really alot of fun. It was also fun seeing someplace different than Utah.
It was also alot of fun going to all the other cousin's houses with Grandma and Grandpa. It always seemed to me that all the cousins were their favorite grandchildren. They loved us all so very much.
I lived with them for 4 years, during that time I was able to build a close relationship with them. One night Grandma and Mom were out somewhere, Grandpa was cooking dinner for us. He did try to make gravy. It tasted real good, but it was sure lumpy.
Grandpa had a flower garden in his backyard. He grew all kinds of flowers and probably vegetables too. He really enjoyed his flower garden very much.
Grandma and Grandpa would sit on their little porch just outside their kitchen door. They would visit with each other and the neighbors in the area.
It was alot of fun visiting Grandma's brothers and sister-in-laws; Angus and Mary Mortensen. Wow, what a privilege it was to know them. Also to visit Grandpa's family in the area, Aunt Erma, Aunt Thelma and Uncle Harry. Uncle Roy would come down from Washington sometimes to visit. That was cool too. I learned at a very young age that family was very important.
Grandma would always make macaroni and tomato juice. It always tasted good. When I wasn't feeling well, it always made me feel better. Grandma and Grandpa always grocery shopped at Reams grocery store on 900 West Center in Provo, probably for the prices.
Not only did Grandpa like watching boxing and wrestling, but he and Grandma would watch Lawrence Welk, Red Skelton, Ma and Pa Kettle movies, and alot of sitcoms that came up like the Honeymooners, Dick Van Dyke and I Love Lucy, Ozzie and Harriet and all the other great shows. They would always watch the news.
Grandma and Granpa were always available for their family no matter what the reason. Mom & Dad were on a date one night and we had a babysitter. We were all horsing around, like all kids do. Trina was riding piggy back on Sheryls back when Craig went up and scared them causing them to jump. Trina fell to the ground and broke her arm. I ran across the road barefoot to tell them what was going on and that we needed help. They got their car and came over to take Trina to the doctor. The babysitter felt so bad. She called her family doctor and did everything to make it right. Mom & Dad were very surprised to see Grandma and Grandpa's car at our house. Lucky for us they were there.
While we lived in Glenwood or Richfield I wrote them a letter. I had always felt close to them and it was a great way to keep in touch. They wrote back and told me what was up at the time. It was so great to hear from them.
These are several of the memories I have of them. There are so many that have settled in my heart and have given me peace throughout my life.
Living with them for as long as I was able to and as young as I was, set a very stablizing secure background for me. It was not only a stable background / environment, but one of LOVE, Strength and Spirituality. It helped me to set my priorities and beliefs in order for the rest of my life.
During the first 4-5 years of my life, Grandma and Grandpa were baptized and sealed to each other in the Manti Temple. My Mom, Jean Dudley, was able to receive her endowment and be sealed to her parents at the same time. Grandma and Grandpa believed in the gospel for many years before their baptism and made sure their children were raised in the Church as well.
Grandma was involved in a Birthday Club and had many friends. Grandma loved to crochet and do needlepoint and various crafts. I remember she corcheted my Mom and I matching sweaters. They were beautiful and very warm. She crocheted doilies, sweaters and other items as well, and did needle point.
There were a lot of fishing trips with Grandpa. I remember Grandpa patiently teaching me to fish. It made my day when I actually caught a fish with Grandpa's help, of course. He probably did most of the work, but gave me the credit for it. It made me feel very important. Grandpa also made me my own small fishing pole.
When it came time for the Daddy Daughter Dinner Dates, it was very awesome for me, the first year my Dad went with me. Since there were so many girls coming up after me and it was hard to have to share our Dad, I took Grandpa the last two years, so that my sisters could go with Dad. It was always fun to go with Grandpa anywhere. On one of those Daddy Daughter Dates we had a dance. Grandpa taught me the two step. That was so much fun.
Grandpa loved baseball a whole heap. He was on a semi/pro team. At that time he played on an Ironton Team. Ironton is who he worked for. As he got older he didn't play as much, but he would umpire games. He would also watch a lot of games. He was a die hard when it came to baseball.
There were many times when we lived 1/2 block from a baseball park in Provo. Grandpa would park his car just the right place where we would see it and he would go watch a baseball game. We would yell at Mom that we were going to watch a ball game with Grandpa. These were some of the funnest and most important times with Grandpa.
Grandpa also liked to watch boxing and wrestling on weekends. Grandpa & Grandma liked to go on car rides. We did this quite often. A lot of those times we'd go get ice cream. Grandma always seemed to like maple nut. The rest of us would choose chocholate, vanilla or strawberry. We would go for car rides up through Spanish Fork or Provo Canyon, Benjamin, Palmyra, Leland, Lake Shore or West Mountain and see a lot of the areas where Grandma and Grandpa grew up. We would have picnics at Canyon Glen in Provo Canyon.
Grandpa was a steam train engineer for Ironton. He dressed the part with coveralls and an engineer's hat. He loved trains. He worked there until his early 60's when he retired and Ironton closed down.
Alot of times I would go downstairs to see Grandpa working at his workbench tinkering on things, fixing or building something. A playhouse of sorts was put together in the basement of the house for my friends and I to play. It used to scare me as a child to go into the basement and play because it seemed so dark and dreary. It always was alot more fun when Grandpa was at his workbench or Mom & Grandma were doing laundry. I had alot of fun down there.
Grandma was always the best cook. She always canned food for storage. She made the most awesome chili sauce. It was scrumptious, especially on eggs and tators.
I went to California to see Kathy and her family with Grandma, Grandpa, and Mom. Those times were such fun. I didn't see their family as much as other cousins during this part of my life, so it was really alot of fun. It was also fun seeing someplace different than Utah.
It was also alot of fun going to all the other cousin's houses with Grandma and Grandpa. It always seemed to me that all the cousins were their favorite grandchildren. They loved us all so very much.
I lived with them for 4 years, during that time I was able to build a close relationship with them. One night Grandma and Mom were out somewhere, Grandpa was cooking dinner for us. He did try to make gravy. It tasted real good, but it was sure lumpy.
Grandpa had a flower garden in his backyard. He grew all kinds of flowers and probably vegetables too. He really enjoyed his flower garden very much.
Grandma and Grandpa would sit on their little porch just outside their kitchen door. They would visit with each other and the neighbors in the area.
It was alot of fun visiting Grandma's brothers and sister-in-laws; Angus and Mary Mortensen. Wow, what a privilege it was to know them. Also to visit Grandpa's family in the area, Aunt Erma, Aunt Thelma and Uncle Harry. Uncle Roy would come down from Washington sometimes to visit. That was cool too. I learned at a very young age that family was very important.
Grandma would always make macaroni and tomato juice. It always tasted good. When I wasn't feeling well, it always made me feel better. Grandma and Grandpa always grocery shopped at Reams grocery store on 900 West Center in Provo, probably for the prices.
Not only did Grandpa like watching boxing and wrestling, but he and Grandma would watch Lawrence Welk, Red Skelton, Ma and Pa Kettle movies, and alot of sitcoms that came up like the Honeymooners, Dick Van Dyke and I Love Lucy, Ozzie and Harriet and all the other great shows. They would always watch the news.
Grandma and Granpa were always available for their family no matter what the reason. Mom & Dad were on a date one night and we had a babysitter. We were all horsing around, like all kids do. Trina was riding piggy back on Sheryls back when Craig went up and scared them causing them to jump. Trina fell to the ground and broke her arm. I ran across the road barefoot to tell them what was going on and that we needed help. They got their car and came over to take Trina to the doctor. The babysitter felt so bad. She called her family doctor and did everything to make it right. Mom & Dad were very surprised to see Grandma and Grandpa's car at our house. Lucky for us they were there.
While we lived in Glenwood or Richfield I wrote them a letter. I had always felt close to them and it was a great way to keep in touch. They wrote back and told me what was up at the time. It was so great to hear from them.
These are several of the memories I have of them. There are so many that have settled in my heart and have given me peace throughout my life.
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