1971
WRH 1971 Pocket Diary
(some of the dates are approximate)
Jan 1: Jane Norton & Bill Hinckley tell family of wedding plans at big New Year’s Day dinner @ Hinckley house, Omaha, Neb. Took Jane to airport for SLC Utah flight. Jane’s father passed away December 31, 1970 @ age 82. Nebraska 17 LSU 12 in Sugar bowl.
Jan 2: To S/O Boys’ club lunch with Jim Ramirez-talk about Unit director Job at N/O club. Teri to airport to meet Ralph Bobick-snowing. Debbie to Mike Connors with Debbie Olson & 2 “Hippie girls”. I was worried sick- she came back in about 10 minutes- how grateful I was. Ralph Bobick spent night.
Jan 3: Blizzard and church was canceled. Wind blew all day. 4’ drifts. Called Ron-they made it to Provo OK. Ron to take flowers to Cherringtons.
Jan 4: Shoveled snow- mtn’s of it. Monday snowplow came through street late at night. Fire in fireplace, played hearts with kids. Called Jane. I love her so.
Jan 5: Picked up Dr. Tom Hood @ 60th and Redick—he came in on snowmobile & gave my knee a shot. Lakers vs Royals & pizza for kids. Mike N. in accident.
Jan 6: Jane stays in Utah 1 extra day-an eternity for me. Rotary & BK of Mormon for Dr. Kay. Bowling at Rosebowl and snowplows still busy-very cold. Lots of traffic jams.
Jan 7: Mtg to plan “Giovinazzo Day”. Lunch with Perry Jenifer regards Joe Orduna story. Jane came at 3:30. I’m on cloud 9 again. To her house to unpack-get dinner for her boys & dinner at NASAR’s for us & an evening @ Jane’s planning honeymoon.
Jan 8: Morning @ home with Shane. Major decisions to be made @ club. Review new staff positions. Jane, Mike @ Howard to house for spaghetti dinner.
Jan 9: House hunting with Jane-found nothing to brag about. We shopped for groceries @ Central Market and went to Creighton-SMU game. I am very fortunate to have found a woman of Jane’s stature to become my wife. She wears a gold bracelet with a special gold charm as our engagement token.
Jan 10: Church @ O II with my family & then to Jane’s for a lovely dinner. Mike fell on ice & sprained a knee. Jane & I attended a singles meeting at 1st Presb. Church where I spoke on Boys’ Clubs.
Jan 11: Called several Real Estate people to set up schedule for week to look at houses. Attended Bernice Woodhires(sp) funeral. Very sad.
Jan 12: Shane stays with Alice Forsha this week-made several staff promotions to complete reorganization of BCO following Dominic’s resignation to go to Nashua, N.H.
Jan 13: Ask Bishop for letter to be sent to General Authorities approving my marriage to Jane. Wonderful evening with Jane. Bowled 512 @ Rotary. Debs thrilled Jane by asking her to go to church program for “Mothers and Daughters”.
Jan 14: Teri and Debs had a nasty scene with tears & words—Deb said she would kill herself if pushed. Big day @ club—desk bound all day—30 days behind in all phases of work.
Jan 15: Spent morning @ Leo A. Daly’s office with architects regard Carter Lake. Found Jeff Houdy(sp) in garage- $50.00 and airport—called Dr. Giles took Jane to Creighton- Portland game.
Jan 16: Up-Top meeting at N.O. Met Pres. James with Jane-received his blessings to marry—took Jane house hunting. We found & agreed to purchase a home @ 10811 Poppleton St. for $53,000 and an assumable mortgage of $25,000 @ 5&1/4% . five bedrooms-beautiful wooded lot, lots of paneling (Philippine Mahogany) We love it so!!!
Jan 17: Priesthood & Sunday school-I teach Doctrine and Gospel class. Dinner with girls. Took Jane to music program @ Bill Osborning’s church and to Sacrament service at Omaha 2.
Jan 18: Baby to Forsha’s so Teri can study for college exam. Had lunch with Cal-He and Marg are having spats. So I called Marg and had them meet me at our new house. They love it- did house work @ home.
Jan 19: Shane to Alice Forsha’s. Teri to UNO, Debs to Westside and car to Rosen Novak for service. Gene Sullivan-BCA in Mnpls & Roger & Sandy Erickson and Jane were my guests for dinner.
Jan 20: 1st Fed Savings & Loan of Lincoln appointment to review assumable mortgage on new house. Rotary had U.S. Senator Carl. T. Curtis as speaker.
Jan 21: Page and Peter Graves & Mnpls BB teams in town. Met Bob Mitchell @ Jane’s home re sale her home. Had lunch with Jane and at night June and Alice Forsha and Jane and I attended Omaha playhouse. Split seat of my Pants!!!
Jan 22: Morning @ LEO A. Daly Co. reviewing plans of G.E. Ranch @ Carter Lake. Interviewed Jay Swanson, Omaha’s prominent Family. H/P grp party with Jane. Good time.
Jan 23: Giovinazzo Day @ S/O GEBC—Mnpls played BB. Hundreds came to say goodbye and give gifts and cry as Dom, Liz and Rocky left Omaha for Nashua, New Hamp. Hockey Game- Dom introduced and Jane too as the “Future Mrs. Hinckley”. Staff dinner at Ross’s to present Staff gifts to Dom and Liz.
Jan 24: Taught Sunday School. Had dinner with kids and met Tom Davis and Betty and Jane @ new home. Jane came to our church. All had supper my house.
Jan 25: Shane to Alice’s and I met Ed Shafton at Omaha National Bank to arrange house financing. Norton’s and Hinckley’s had family home evening and dinner @ Janes.
Jan 26: My home for sale @ $38,000. Janes @ $31,000. Had meeting with new N&S Dir’s. They (United Way) finally gave in and gave BCO $13,000 due us.
Jan 27: My car back in garage. “Up with People” group at Rotary. M.I.A. talent night. I enjoyed it- especially Deb’s and her group’s singing role.
Jan 28: Weeks behind at the office Re: mail and correspondence. Played catch up & worked all day. Met @ stake bldg. with Pres James re Bishops School. Picked Jane up and had wonderful evening.
Jan 29: Full day at office. Teri is upset @ my decision not to have Barbs stay all summer. Met with Shafton Re home closing. Interviewed Dorian Sowell @ N/O, to Janes for wonderful evening of “Spooning and Sparking”.
Jan 30: Slept until 9:45. Barb Wagoner a weekend Guest. Norton’s and Hinckley’s saw Creighton lose by 3 to Duquense in Basketball. Shane loved the game. Shopped with Jane for Bed guard rail and mattress covers and went to Tom Davis surprise party.
Jan 31: Stake conference very good. Corned beef and cabbage dinner. To Omaha 1 ward. Jane talked. Her nephew Kent Murdock flew in. Norton’s and Hinckley’s saw “Up with People”.
Feb 1: Jane & I see a lot of each other and never grow tired of each other’s company.
Feb 2: we closed on 10811 Poppleton and while visiting at a jeweler’s store had my car towed away from a NO parking zone between 4-6 PM.
Feb 3: $5 for the ticket and $10.50 for the tow charge. I went back o the jewelers and set the ring aside Jane had said she liked- a white gold ring with 5 stones totaling ½ caret. $260 ring that my friend who owns the store said I could have for $125. I also picked out another gold charm to add to Jane’s bracelet I gave her as an engagement gift. It has two hearts entwined and has a cut which gives it a beautiful Sun Burst effect. I will have our names, the date April 10, 1971 and Manti Temple engraved on it and will give it to her as a special wedding gift after our marriage.
Feb 8?: Jane’s nephew Kent Murdock from Springville, Utah stopped in Omaha & we took him & Debbie to dinner and showed him the new house. We are moving my things into the new home but will have considerable delay due to a frozen sewer line.
Feb 9: Jane and I enjoy Creighton basketball games and taking staff to dinner.
Feb 10: With Tom Davis, the new assistant Ex. Dir. Of the BCO. We will see a lot of Tom and Betty. We hired a young Black man from Dayton- Henry Key as Dir. Of Individual Services for the N/O club.
Feb 11: UCS meetings, Omaha slush and lots of Boys’ Club work keeps me busy but of prime concern and interest is Jane and our love for each other. I know that love does strange things to people but it seems to bring a great deal of relief and relaxation to my sense of being. Jane seems so very perfect for me and my needs that it seems too good to be true.
Feb 13: We shop together and have a great time. I bought her a scarf and a pair of dressy lounge P.J.’s for Valentines. We had dinner with Borcher’s and then went to Sioux City for the dedication of their new chapel and their being made a ward.
Feb 14: (Valentine’s Day). Our fondness for each other and our touches & affection frequently pus us both on cloud #9—as it did Valentine’s nite.
Feb 17: Jane kissed me – sent me bowling (Rotary League) and I had a 228 game, 573 series.
Feb 18: The sewer problem at the new house is a bugger. Sewer runs 3 inches uphill and never drains—setting idle it froze solid. We will have to keep it flushed out good especially in winter. Half of my furniture, etc. is over at the house and half is at 8614 Harney St.
Feb 20: Big snow storm- 10-12 inches and winds making 4 foot drifts have us showed in again. Wouldn’t be bad if Jane were snowed in with me. Our children seem to be taking everything in stride except for our wanting too much family togetherness before we get moved into one home.
Feb 22: We are snowed in tight- 2nd time in six weeks. All schools, offices etc. are closed. Biggest drift down the middle of my driveway I have ever seen. Catch up time for checks, letters etc.
(NO entries until March 20)
Mar 20: Up top session at N/O club. Load of items from Jane’s house to 10811 Poppleton. Moved last load from 8614 Harney- Helped movers with Piano. Shopping with Jane and dinner at Ross’ Steak House-“Love at Home”.
Mar 21: Tom Davis and I flew to Detroit (Dearborn Inn) to attend BCA’s “Big City” conference on boys’ club problems.
Mar 22: Good conference- Sessions are of excellent quality. Hours are long.- BC apprehensions are high- Problems are great.
Mar 23: Left Detroit in cold snowy weather. Plane troubles caused re routing home via Chicago. Omaha in time to hear Debbie in stake speech finals @ Omaha II Ward.
Mar 24: Office-Rotary- Jane’s for station wagon full of her things. Jane sat Shane while I bowled. We are in 2nd place in Rotary league.
Mar 31: 84 degrees in Omaha!!! Talked with Al Sorensen and Eppley people re “Mayor’s Money”. Did home teaching –shopped with Jane.
Apr 1: 2 inches of snow in Omaha!!! Flew to Chicago’s Midway airport and on to Gary Indiana. Met good and old friend Einer (Joe) Johannsen and spoke at annual meeting of N.W. Boys’ Clubs of Indiana.
Apr 7: Put in a good day at the office preparing to leave. Rotary Club, picked up Jane’s ring and bracelet, ran errand and bowled—battery stolen– late getting packed but finally made it.
Apr 8: Jane and I flew Omaha to SLC and picked up a Hertz car and our marriage license at courthouse. Visited Houston’s. Lovely lunch together and on to Springville. Lovely evening at a church dinner with Jane’s family and Ron and Cathy. Jane’s mother is a wonderful lady, so gracious and sincere. Ron and Cathy are “PG”, Tommy is due in November!!
Apr 9: Cathy fixed a nice dinner for Jane and I. Ron has Beaumont Fellowship offer from USC.
April 10: Absolute heaven as Jane and I are married in Manti temple with 20 close friends and family there and on to Page Arizona.
Apr 11: Absolutely the most fantastic day of my life—Jane is every special, in fact an even “dozen of specials”. Lazy beautiful day in the Arizona sun.
Apr 12: We walked out of movie, lousy F. Sinatra –“Dirty Dingus”. Boat trip on Lake Powell. Tour of Glen Canyon Dam and on to Flagstaff.
Apr 13: “Big Boy” for breakfast and on to Snowflake. Warm welcome at Glen and Carole’s. Tour of high school and Quail dinner. Home evening and a nice visit.
Apr 14: Waking up with Jane in this Arizona sunshine is out of this world. My 2 pair of PJ’S are still untouched in my suitcase!! To show , Low, Arizona and Elbert Lewis “Cash and Carry Store”!. Talked @ Glen’s Kiwanis club. Cub Scout lost in desert. (there were two Elbert Lewis’s that were actors and two movies called “Cash and Carry” but I cannot tie them together.)
Apr 15: Boy found alive. Drove Snowflake to Albuquerque in desert rain (much needed). Had dinner with the Walter Ahlsteads and spent night at their home.
May 12: Car to Rosen-Novak for service and 2 new tires. Rotary honor roll program @ Peony Park. Jane took me home and we spent afternoon in mowing, weeding etc.
May 13: Heavy work schedule. Getting ready for BCA convention in Georgia. Full staff Mtg. Joe Lipton Mtg. re-BCO P&P committee. Car from garage, lasagna items, clothes from cleaners. Played with Shane and to Forsha’s. Met Bybees re wedding. Eastern airlines, Omaha to Atlanta- Marriott hotel. Jane has much love for me, for which I am grateful.
(That is all that was in the 1971 small diary)