September 1962
September 1, 1962
7 AM came very early. Large breakfast of bacon, eggs, bananas, cold cereal etc. really disappeared. Cleaned up and sat on top of the Sand hill watching the boys swim and fish. They certainly had an enjoyable time. Lunch followed a warm pleasant morning. Mountains of sandwiches and gallons of milk disappeared! I began to “fold my tents” and get ready for the trip back to the city. Arrived home about 4 PM, tired and sleepy. Bathed and shaved and ate a large dinner. Bro. Farr picked the boys and myself up and we drove to city auditorium to see the Detroit Lions-St. Louis Cardinal pro football game for the benefit of Omaha Children’s Hospital. Capacity crowd of 14,000 jammed the stadium and the temporary bleachers. Detroit won 19-14 to our pleasure. Traffic jam was one of Omaha’s biggest-but just par for someone coming from New York. Weather was ideal. A beautiful night. Just cool enough to appreciate football.
September 2, 1962
Had a monthly ward teachers meeting with the Bishopric. We met at 8 AM in the Bishop’s office. I am a ward teaching supervisor. I have the senior Aaronic list. It is a real challenge to take over a problem group and try to find and re activate a Bill Hinckley or John Egan. I have a tremendous job in sorting out and developing a master record of my group. Priesthood was routine. Helen brought the boys over and then went back to get the girls for Sunday school. Helen and I enjoyed another fine class in Sunday school. Bro. Maurice Smith is a very talented person. Fast and testimony meeting was very enjoyable. The Bishop’s daughter summoned up a lot of personal courage and asked people to forgive her for her foolish actions of last week. I don’t think I have that kind of courage! Scott and I had a chance to make three ward teaching calls. It is quite an eye opener to Scott to visit some of the real delinquent, run down, crumbly houses we call on in some of the most run-down sections of town. We had the Smith’s over for a family night program. Had a jumping party on the trampoline and showed the picture “the sea around us”. Fine documentary film in technicolor. Sherbet and cake for dessert.
September 3, 1962
Scott, Helen the girls and I took off for Callahan’s summer cottage near North Bend, Nebraska. Ron had a morning football practice so decided to stay home. We had a pleasant drive. Light traffic, cool weather and everything fresh because of a heavy rain fall last night. We stopped in Fremont to purchase some picnic supplies (franks, rolls, fresh plums, and night crawlers for bait). Arrived in the Wolf’s lake area at 11 AM. Marge was putting a gym sealer on their knotty pine paneling. It certainly improves the appearance. They are doing a lot of re-painting and re-finishing. Gee but the kids had a good time. Teri and Debs fished, catching small crappies and swam. I and Scott and Cal pitched some horseshoes and we all did an awful lot of visiting. Built a fire atop the sand hill and roasted wieners over the coals for lunch. We returned to Omaha by 5 PM. Scott stayed with the girls while Helen and I attended the Westside High School football program. Watched a controlled scrimmage. Ron is #2 quarterback. He engineered two TD’s in 4 plays.
September 4, 1962
First day back at the office and lots of things to do. Weather has arrived in the form of a cold front dropping temperatures to low 40’s. Rain falling in pretty good abundance all through the midlands. we rushed into a high gear production schedule to cut stencils and mimeograph a financial report for the Board meeting. We just made it. I dashed for the hotel at 11:15. Had to go to the parking lot and pick-up my slide projector and return with it. Had a press conference at 11:30 re/Jim Lipsey’s attending the midwestern layman’s conference in Ohio. Had a very good Board meeting. Good number in attendance. Very attentive and willing to discuss issues. I was very surprised and flattered when they read a vote of thanks into the minutes for the fine way Bill Hinckley is taking hold of the job in Omaha. Committee meeting of the Personnel group following the Board meeting gave approval to hire Johnette at $7,200 and Erickson at $6,000 and the same fringe benefits I enjoy. Good progress. The evening was spent at the church house working on ward teachers records. It was the opening social for MIA so all of the Hinckley’s were present. Helen is president of the YWMIA.
September 5, 1962
5 AM and the alarm went off. Helen and the boys were up and around. Bro. Lawson called for them at 6 AM and they were off to the Omaha 2nd Ward for their first taste of seminary. Bro. Maurice Smith is their teacher. Helen will pick up a bunch of them at 7:30 and have them back at Westside high school for their 8 AM classes. Yesterday was their first day of school. Some other interesting items.
1-teacher sent Debbie home for more lunch. Said she doubted if she had eaten enough. (Debbie had a dill pickle-Helen was grocery shopping and didn’t know Debbie would have an early lunch period). 2-Debbie was excused by the teacher to bring her dog “Cookie” home. Her dog invaded the 2nd grade and although the kids were glad to see her the teacher didn’t appreciate it. 3-our lawn was invaded by children to jump on the trampoline. Looked like an invasion from Mars.
Dr. Paul Miller-new superintendent of public schools- was the speaker at Rotary today. Felt his message was flat. His stories were cute. Dr. Milo Bale, president of Omaha University was chairman of the day and did a good job. Visited boys’ club building site. Steel is going up. Mowed the lawn.
September 6, 1962
5 AM dawned dark and cold. Shower and shave helped. Breakfast with the boys at 5:45. Off to the office at 6 AM. Was at my desk by 6:30. At 9:30 Shirley and I went over to Mr. Sorensen’s office. She worked on some financial records with Mildred. I spent an hour with Al and then went on out to the building site. Took some pictures. They are booming steel today. Just about have all of the gym and middle section steel up. They are not up out of the ground yet on the swimming pool section. But the steel is on the ground ready to go up when they finish their cement pours on the walls. Took Shirley out to lunch. Afternoons are usually interrupted by salesmen and telephone calls. Events took a change for the upswing in terms of tile and the swimming pool. Statistics are beginning to pile up to give evidence to the value of tiling the pool for long term maintenance. Arrived home at 6 PM. Dinner and the paper and a session of ward teaching reports killed the evening. Weather remained delightfully cool all day.
September 7, 1962
Missed remembering my sister Wilma’s birthday on September 1. Helen reminded me. Wilma and Luther (Brizendine) live in Moses Lake, Washington with their three girls. Another early day for me. I dropped my projector off at the Sheraton-Fontenelle. Have a luncheon meeting today. Roger and John came by the office. John brought a model of the Boys’ Club along. It is a pretty good job. It will come in handy for illustrating the exterior development program when I meet with the building and grounds committee. Split my pants out and nearly caused a riot at the office. Finally gave Roger my pants to dash to the tailors for repairs. Closed the inter-office door and kiddingly told Shirley “if my wife walks in you will have to explain why I’m sitting here with my pants off”. Good luncheon with the Junior League group. They are a quality bunch of gals. We hope to get their assistance with boys’ club projects. Perhaps a co-sponsorship of the Omaha Horse Show. Attended the first local high school football game. Overflow crowd in excess of 5,000 people. Westside lost to Benson 13-0. Ron failed to break into the lineup. Told him to be ready-he will get his chance.
September 8, 1962 After a week of five AM alarms we really appreciated a morning of rest. Not a Hinckley stirred prior to 9 AM. We found a steady rain falling-it lasted nearly all day. Helen began a day of dashing. First to Primary with the girls. Then to the service station (took Scott for company) to have her windshield wiper repaired. Then back to Primary to pick up the girls. Meanwhile back at the ranch (house) Ron and I unpacked several boxes of camp gear and welfare food. We put a steel shelf unit together. (gift earned with trading stamps), cleaned out the closet under the stairs and stored some of our years supply of food, camp gear and suit cases etc. while we were hard at work Bill Cullum drove up en route to the University of Southern California. He has a student-teaching fellowship. We were all very pleased to see and visit with him. As per wire received from his mother, he called her in New York. Helen and the girls took off to buy groceries. Bill, the boys and I drove downtown. I showed them the boys’ club building site. Took the boys to the Florsheim shoeshop-barber shop where they each had a crew cut. (Ron calls his a brush cut). Stopped at Hauff’s to get Scott a pair of football shoes. Low cuts, he is going to play quarterback. (McGregor@$12.95). Back home to a very lovely steak, salad and baked potato dinner and a visit that lasted until 11 PM. Scott’s on a cot-Bill is in Scott’s bed.
September 9, 1962
Up at 5:30 AM. I am driving with Bill to Kearney, Nebraska- 180 miles west of Omaha on route #30. Rained all the way out. Hard driving rain. We stopped in Wahoo, Nebraska for a hot chocolate and a cup of coffee. Sign in Wahoo said “Wahoo the home of good Indians. We say this without any reservation!” Bill is loaded to the hilt. All the space in his T-bird is loaded. Spare seat and trunk plus a large trunk on a rack on top of the trunk. Roof is out-it’s a convertible. On to Grand Island, Nebraska and breakfast at the Conoco café. We were joined by the Fred Berger’s and the Ken Bartlett’s. Parted from Bill in Kearney. Wished him God’s speed. Attended Sunday School and sacrament service at the Kearney branch. Pres. Smiley and small group (about 30) have high spirits. Just took a new family into the branch. Spoke at their sacrament service. Held a meeting with the stake presidency and returned to Grand Island for dinner with the Berger’s, Bartlett’s and two missionaries. Drove 70 MPH to get back to Omaha for 5 PM service. Following service, I attended a ward finance committee meeting and then a ward fireside.
September 10, 1962
Another 5 AM Monday. Just couldn’t drag my 260 lbs. out. Finally at 5:25 I made it. Was late getting to the breakfast table the boys had already eaten and left shortly with Bro. Lawson for seminary. Visited a bit with my good wife and departed 6:20. Stopped at Rosen-Novak and left the boys’ club chevrolet station wagon for service. Had the front door repaired (parking lot claim) it cost $17.00!! Worked out a long letter to June Forsha regard our discussion of last evening’s finance committee discussion. We have a shot-gun approach and it is wearing everything and every body out—“plan your work and work your plan”. Stayed in the office all day. Shirley brought me a sandwich and a cup of soup. Mrs. Hicks-our volunteer- told me of losing her 18 year old son (just a year ago) in a car accident at Twin Falls, Idaho. She had tears in her eyes as she related it. They set up a special sportsmanship trophy in his name to be an annual award at Westside High School where he attended and graduated. Stopped at Hauff’s today and worked out some of the equipment needs for the boys’ club pool and gym. Lovely baked pork chop dinner and a quiet night with the family.
September 11, 1962
Drove Helen’s Chrysler down to AC Nelson’s. Left it for oil pan gasket to be replaced and walked over to the office. Joe Sharp called to report on the car. Woe is me. Apparently the work I had done a month ago was billed to me but it was not done. My oil pan needs replacing-apparently it was hit and sprung which would explain why the left front wheel was hit hard enough to need machining to straighten out. Looks like the big city boy was taken!! Live and learn but I hope that some of you who may follow me and read this diary in the next 200 years may LEARN and LIVE!! Routine day at the office. Big deal was the battle over what the diving board in the pool should be constructed of. Made two calls- one to Howard Williams in New York and the other to Charles Cummings in Andersen, Indiana. Satisfied myself that the board specified is the best dollar buy. Stopped at the local service station and told the boss about the car. It wasn’t his fault but he had to know about it if a correction can be made.
September 12, 1962
Early schedule again took me to the office early. Was in for quite a surprise when the telephone rang and Dominic Giovinazzo said “Hi”. He walked down to my office from the bus station and I learned that he was en route to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas from Fort Ord, California. He had a long travel time so had gone to Utah to see some friends at the “AC” and to St. George, Utah to see his girl friend and then to Omaha to spend a couple of days with the Hinckleys- we are honored. Put Dominic on a bus for the house and heard Tom Nurnberger tell Rotary that the 4.1 million necessary for the United Community Chest drive could be made if they wanted to do the job. We watched Ron and Scott scrimmage and work out in football. They both worked hard and were pooped after practice. Surprise on Surprise!! Don O’Rourke and his wife Joann and son Timmy stopped at the house. They were en route to Idaho and had to be there Friday morning. Joann teaches at Idaho State College. We had an old home week-visit. Really enjoyed ourselves. Very hot and humid. Kids loved playing with young Timothy Patrick O”Rourke.
September 13, 1962
Everybody moved out on time but not without a wee bit of prodding as the result of last nights activities and visiting. Dominic mowed the lawn and then came down to the office. We drove out to the doctor’s building to look at some office furniture that was for sale. A young doctor age 48 had died- sad thing. I took Dom to lunch at the Golden Spur in the Blackstone Hotel. Had a very important Building and Grounds Committee meeting. Argued and discussed the pros and cons of tiling the swimming pool, using sound proofing material in the swimming pool etc. we concluded with a trip to the building site. Walked all over the area looking at several problems that face us. Had the OK to have Daley’s office come up with some preliminary studies. Returned to the building site with Dom, Helen and girls. None of them had ever seen the building or the site. Back to one of Helen’s famous steak dinners.
September 14, 1962
Up at 3 AM. Showered and off to the airport. Parked and caught the 5 AM jet to Chicago. My 9:30 flight to LaFayette on Lake Central was cancelled. Lake Central’s plane was grounded because of equipment failure. Killed several hours and then found my 11:30 flight was moved back to 12:40. Sure glad to get out of Chicago. Flew DC-3 to LaFayette. Taxi to the Union Club. Registered, left my things in my room and caught the last half of a great Keystone-Keynote speech by Ed Van Billard. Went on to get caught up in the papers and procedures of a good Boys’ Club administrative conference.
Following dinner a large group of the gang drove over to an East LaFayette bar to have a few beers. I had my ginger ale. Thick cigarette smoke, raw filthy stories and the “Twista Kats” floor show made me really appreciate how far I have come in my church work. Was happy when we finally headed for home about 1:30 AM. When food was suggested I seconded it. Ham and eggs really tasted good. It was nearly 24 hours since I had been in bed-my bed really felt good when I made it.
September 15, 1962
Breakfast in the cafeteria for 49 cents. I was amazed at the quality of food and the low price. In fact, Purdue is quite a revelation to me. Other than Michigan it is the first big 10 campus I have been on. With 16,000 enrollment it is a fairly large school. Its’ building facilities are very impressive. I stayed at the Union Club. Most of the conference meetings were in the memorial center. It was a day full of good times. Papers were well prepared and very interesting. Ed Pastore made a very very good presentation as he took a look at national personnel statistics and compared them to the Midwest region. I was struck with the fact that there are very few jobs of the quality that I found in Omaha. From a direct remark made by Van Billard I know that I was very thoroughly investigated by the Omaha people. Makes me feel good that I made the grade. The evening program- a dinner meeting- was outstanding. The speaker was a Presbyterian Minister from Warsaw, Indiana. He was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pa. his message on “Unconscious influences” was terrific.
September 16, 1962
Started a letter to the Voriseks since I had time to myself. Hadn’t finished when I was called to have breakfast with Bob Coleman and Ray Kietting of Minneapolis Boys’ Club. checked out of the Purdue Union Club and enjoyed a fine breakfast with a fine conversation. Three hours later and with the story of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon behind me we were in Chicago. Kietting is a Catholic. Bob is a non-denominational believer in God. It all began when Bob said his sister and brother-in-law had been converted to Mormonism and he wanted to know more about the “Book in the Mountain”. I bought franks and knockwurst sandwiches for lunch and they continued on to Minneapolis by car and I waited for a flight to Omaha. Added a couple more pages to my letter to Gert and Bob. Finally left for Omaha via a United DC-6 flight. Because of my ride to Chicago I was four hours ahead of schedule and had time to hurry direct to sacrament service and make the entire meeting except for the sacrament. Home with the family- a wonderful feeling. Love them all and love all of them around me.
Monday September 17, 1962
A real blue Monday for the Hinckleys, a day we will never forget. I was at work when Helen called to say I should make arrangements for finding a family doctor. Consequently I sought out and made an appointment with C. Lee Retelsdorf-a general practitioner that had introduced me to the Kiwanis club as a speaker when I first arrived in Omaha in April. I stopped to talk to him at 4:30 PM and we agreed to try each other as a family and a family doctor. Upon arrival home I found Teri home from School in mid morning with a bad back pain. She had had progressive paralysis and numbness set in that left her without feeling. I called Dr. Rettlesdorf and he said Methodist Hospital. Helen and I took her right over. She was first examined by an intern who after a long and careful examination said he felt it was a mental condition and that it would leave as quickly as it came. Dr. Retelsdorf arrived at that time and following a quick but thorough examination said she was suffering from an illness and would have to be hospitalized. By the time we checked her into room 207, Dr. Brown- a fine neurologist- was there and made his examination. Wasn’t sure what it was but whatever it was had occurred at her 5th thoracic lumbar and she was paralyzed from below her breasts on her left side. What a blow. But what a champion of a girl. It just broke our heart to leave her.
September 18, 1962
Tuesday morning we all started a fast for her and I drove the boys to seminary and asked Bishop Eskelson and John Lawson to come with me to the hospital and administer to her. I will never be able to describe the strange feeling I felt in that hospital room when she was administered to. There was a strange power present. You could feel its dynamics. Helen and I visited her from 2-4 PM and from 7-8:30 PM. (for those not familiar, back then other than those hours no one was allowed to visit a patient). Spinal taps showed no infection, X-rays showed normal spine. So it isn’t Polio or meningitis or cerebral hemorrhage. How pathetic she is unable to move. But a strange thing-she said “Dad I began to feel better after you and the bishop and Bro. Lawson were here this morning!” “I really mean it” I have never felt so helpless or inadequate. Your willing to take their place but you can’t. So we keep fasting and praying. The word of the tragedy spread fast and nearly all the church knew about it and nearly all of them were fasting and praying to help Teri-unknown to us.
September 19, 1962
Wednesday the cards and telephone calls and flowers begin to pour in. I was flabbergasted by the way the news had spread and the way so many dear kind people came forth to visit and see if anything could be done. Helen and I are at the hospital every visiting hour. I always stop in early every morning about 7 AM on my way to work. The doctors still do not know what has happened. But whatever it was the spreading effect of it has stopped. Never did she have pain except in school. The doctors think a small blood vessel may have ruptured in her spinal column and the resulting pressure brought about the end effect. My Board of Directors have responded magnificently. Flowers and calls. Mr. Sorensen called from Colorado.
September 20, 1962
I am getting my office work finished early. Still rise at 5 AM and go to the Hospital after driving the kids to Seminary. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Armstrong are in town from St. Louis. I spent some time with them- had them meet Millard and Shonsey of our Board and then took them out to see the progress being made at the Gene Epply Boys’ Club. Encouraging news at the hospital. Teri is in fine spirits and some feeling and motor ability is returning to her legs. Not much- just enough to have hope. More calls, visitors, flowers, cards and gifts for Teri. I find she cheers people up who come to cheer her up. What a champ!! Long distant calls from the Voriseks and Florence Anderson in Locust Valley, New York really warmed our hearts. What a wonderful blessing it is to have friends. Helen and I make every visit at the hospital. Dr. Brown has her foot against a physical therapy board. She can lift her left leg rather well. Still can’t wiggle toes or foot and can’t control side sway of her left leg when it is lifted. I finished a 72 hour fast!
September 21, 1962. Thrilled beyond words to the sight of walking into the hospital and having Teri be able to move her left leg a little. It is early progress that is not normally found in these cases. We have high hopes fostered by the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the power of the priesthood. I met Helen at the hospital for the 2-4 PM visiting hours. Following that we drove to North High School to watch the North-Westside freshman football game. Scott got to play a bit on defense and his team won 27-7. (not to detract from Teri but because there were so many freshmen on the team there were duplicate Jersey numbers. The coach yelled at Hinckley for missing a tackle and I was on the sideline and said, not me coach I’m here. He yelled for me to get in, so I tapped the other number 11 and played three snaps) Drove over to Bro. Mac Read’s home. He brought a new G.E. TV home for me to take to Teri- who was really thrilled! ( sorry kids but back then there was only the walls to look at in a hospital room) Took Debbie who was staying at the Reads and Barbara Read and Helen out to the local MacDonald hamburger drive-in for dinner. The children went back to Reads for the evening. Helen took the TV to the hospital and visited Teri. I met brother Ray Summers at Westside and we watch Creighton Prep rally to defeat Ron’s Westside team 6-3. It was a hard game for Westside to lose-after leading 3-0 for three quarters. Rainy, misty night. Ron still hasn’t broken into the football game. Picked up Debbie and followed the family to bed.
September 22, 1962. We were pretty exhausted people, therefore it was not surprise that we were all in bed at 8 AM. I had a bit of breakfast with Helen and Ron and then moved into the job of cleaning windows. Worked all day in the master bedroom and the master bath and the girls bathroom. A slow painstaking job with a razorblade. Scrapping paint and cleaning seal off. Ron and Scott pulled weeds in the back yard. They took time out to have Cookie dig a mother mole and conduct a major mole hunt. Really beautiful day. Temperatures really go down at night -40’s. Paused for a bit of lunch and then on with the job of windows. The boys helped me put the storm windows on. Truly a 3 man job. Me upstairs in the bedroom, Ron on a ladder and Scott holding the ladder. Finished the job and took Debbie to visit Teri. First time they have seen each other since Teri went to the Hospital. Back home to put up a couple of outdoor thermometers. One Ada Foss gave me back in Xmas 1960. We all attended a very fine bishop’s cookout and barbeque at Elmwood park. Very good food. Mom and I slipped away to visit Teri at night. I am strengthened in my testimony of the priesthood.
September 23, 1962
Drove the boys to 2nd ward for priesthood meeting and then went on to Omaha 1st ward to attend priesthood meeting and make an official Sunday School visit. Prayer meeting, opening exercises of junior Sunday School, observation of class #4 and the evaluation of my meeting and the ward’s program followed when I met with the ward SS Presidency. Back at the house I found a change of plans-was going ward teaching but found the boys had to be back to a 2 PM youth musical practice for a stake conference youth choir. Bro. Lloyd Redd called to say he would pick up the boys and take Debbie to his house. Bless him! This left Helen free to visit Teri with me. Teri’s hospital companion- a little girl with a tonsillectomy left and she has a lonely room to herself again. Back to sacrament meeting and a ward teacher’s report meeting. This was followed by a youth fireside at our home. We showed a series of slides produced by BYU and narrated by Elder Hunter via record. Teri called- very lonely- 1st visiting period that some of the family haven’t been.
September 24, 1962
Stopped in to see Teri. She was asleep so I woke her and we had a nice short visit. Left her a bag of peanuts. Callahan is back in town. We got together for a bowl of soup and a sandwich and drove out to the boys’ club site. Had an interesting tour. Steel is up over the entire building. Roof deck steel is up over the gym and the games room. They are pouring interior walls on the swimming pool. Materials are being moved in, in anticipation of the masons and bricklayers starting to run the walls. We went on to the hospital and a visit with Teri. Found Helen there. Teri was in good spirits-as always. Boys came home from football practice with a big appetite. Helen more than matched it with a truly great steak dinner. Boy oh boy- do those Hinckleys like steaks!!! Cleaned one set of windows in Teri’s room and then attended a church ward coordination meeting followed by a ward teacher’s supervisors’ meeting followed by a stake Sunday School meeting. Came dragging in at 11 PM to bed-5 AM comes early. (Monday nights before they had FHE)
September 25, 1962
I always get a lift out of my early bird visit with Teri. She is always so very cheerful and chipper. She certainly enjoys the TV Bro. Read is letting her use. Her room is full of gifts, cards and flowers and more arrive every day. She has a mountain of “thank you” cards to write. Bro. Surber came through his stomach operation OK. Has the stomach pump out and has some color in his face. Ran into some questioning about the advisability of our dental clinic, So I spent the afternoon with Dr. Lyman of the Omaha Douglas County Public Health clinics and Dr. Wegner of the Dental Clinic. We talked health and health problems as they related to the Omaha-Boys’ Club program and after a tour of the Dental Clinic I was off. Following a MIA dinner- frozen fish sticks, French fries, onion rings, the boys and Helen headed for mutual and Debbie and I drove to the hospital to visit with Teri. We had a bit of a problem getting Debbie in- hospital rules say you are to be 14 years or over to visit. But, we made it. Debbie loved Teri’s scrapbook.
September 26, 1962
Took some knitting in to Teri on the way to work. She has read a great deal and looks for a variety of things to do. She had her first physical therapy today. She was put on a bicycle type machine for leg exercise. Made the move to take the dental clinic out of the boys’ club building. Also dropped the dark room to enlarge the kitchen, radio room and games room office. Rotary luncheon was a light and delightful affair. Jake Isaacson, “Mr. Aksarben” had members of the championship rodeo group down for lunch. Trick riders, calf ropers, rope twirlers, clowns etc. they did a good job of providing a bit of gaiety and country music. Webb Pierce and his $20,000 Pontiac convertible were on hand. He has had 28 straight folk and country records (by Decca) sell over a million records each. Called Dorothy Apodocka, rodeo secretary and told her about Teri. She is going to ask Corrine Williams to visit Teri. What a surprise that will be. Ron and I drove back to the hospital area at night. We combined some ward teaching with a visit to Teri Ann. The elders had stopped in and had started her knitting project on a spool. We kidded the nurses about a man starting the knitting-none of the women were able to do it. We made one visit with a senior Aaronic family and missed another.
September 27, 1962
When that alarm goes off at 5 AM I shut it off and jump back in bed. Lousy habit! But my bed is warmer than the bathroom-nights drop into the 40’s and we haven’t turned the heat up. Teri was in her usual good spirits. She had been watching for me and saw my car pass through the intersection. I spent the morning writing a report on Teri Ann to be mimeographed and mailed out to the many many people who have written, called etc to inquire about her condition. Had lunch with a man who is going to introduce me at the Lion’s club luncheon meeting next Tuesday. He is an insurance man. Pleasant fellow. I enjoyed the luncheon. Soup and sandwiches at the Omaha Athletic Club. Missed seeing Teri in the afternoon and at night. Put in a trip to the building site. Being held up for some swimming pool hardware. They have started laying up the block and brick walls. Helen went back to visit at night. I picked up Dick Forsha and we covered five of his seven ward teaching families. Most of them in Ralston. All senior Aaronic- sad to behold.
September 28, 1962
Visited Teri. Dropped a dozen shirts off at the hotel laundry. Took Teri Ann’s new shoes out to the Omaha Brace shop to have a brace put on for her. The brace will be on her left shoe and will help her control her drop foot plus giving her support. Had lunch with R. P. Callahan from our board. We attended the Square and Compass Club noon luncheon. The speaker was Mr. Seaton who is a candidate for Governor of the State of Nebraska. He made sense to me and he did it in a very dignified and quiet manner. No political haranguing with loud shouting and the waving of arms. Mailed over 100 bulletins to people all over the United States in response to calls, letters, cards etc. received in behalf of Teri. Left the office at 3 PM. Picked up my shirts from this morning and drove to the hospital. Visited a short time with Teri and then drove home. The family drove over to the school and watched Scott’s freshman football team play against Benson. Scott played a little defense. His team won by a score of 13-0. After a bit of dinner Helen, Debbie and I went to the Westside school to watch Ron play. For the first time this season Ron broke into the game. Played in two different quarters- defense and offense. For the first time in 15 games Westside didn’t lose-they tied 7-7 with Bellevue. They should use Ron more often.
September 29, 1962
Scott spent the night at a friends- a brother to Terry Petersen- and we all slept late. Early showers settle into a day-long soft penetrating rain fall. Ron drove to take Debbie to primary. We stopped at Builder’s Supply and purchased a couple of closet rods and returned to do some odd jobs at the house. 1- Ron cleaned and oiled his 22 rifle. 2- I put an extra closet rod in the boys closet and hung some hangers, racks etc. 3- hung the pennants in the boys’ room. 4- finished cleaning the windows (razor blade) in Teri’s room and hung the round mirror for her. Made two visits to the hospital- had ward teachers. Helen and I had dinner at the Sparetime café. The AV Sorensen’s were there. They stopped by to say hello. When we went to pay our dinner check we found it had been paid by Mr. Sorensen. We sent Mr. Pratt – at his request- $20 worth of New York cut Omaha fed sirloin steaks. They will ship by dry ice. Picked up Callahan and he and Helen and I drove to 20th and Lake St. on Omaha’s near north side. The very center of Omaha’s Negro population. Arrived at 11 PM in a rain storm. Entered the Off Beat Club and spent two hours at the Lucky Clover Club’s dance. Watched a floor show and received a $50 contribution for the boys’ club. Only white people in the place! We were treated most kindly. What an experience. Lady next to us drank scotch and milk- she had an ulcer!! Didn’t get home until 2 AM.
September 30, 1962
Up again at 5 AM. Showered and on my way to Lincoln with Bros. Read, Redd, and Clark.. we all attended the Lincoln II ward’s ward conference. I attended the Jr. Sunday school. Those little children are precious- and so reverent and dignified. Bro. Redd and I returned and were in Omaha by 12 noon. Rode home with the family. Debbie was a guest of the Smith’s. Lonnie Eskelson came home with us for lunch. She and our boys returned to the church for choir practice and Helen and I visited Teri. I caught a little nap at the hospital. Back to Sacrament services and then one more trip to the hospital with Ron and Scott and Debbie at the house. Rain and cool weather has marked the entire weekend. Teri should be home in a couple of days.