Aunt Bessie and Uncle Lyle

My Father's next youngest sister and her husband lived two doors East of us all of my young life. They had one Son, Jack. Jack was at least 20 years older than me and always my idle. Part of the reason I loved him so much is because of the love my parents had for him. Before I was born Jack had the great blessing of being raised by his parents and mine. My Dad adored him and taught him all the mechanical skills. Later when I was born Aunt Bess and Uncle Lyle adored me in the same way. When I was very little I remember visiting daily with Aunt Bess. When I was very small they would take me with them to the park in the summer to swing. Sometimes we would park the car on Main Street uptown and just watch the pedestrians pass by. Sometimes we would go to a movie. On very special occasions I could eat dinner with Aunt Bess and Uncle Lyle. Aunt Bess made the best macaroni and cheese, not out of a box, she hand made it herself.

Uncle Lyle had this enormous railroad lantern/flashlight. If I was at there home after dark I could carry the light from their home 75 feet to our home. Uncle Lyle would send me off and my Dad would meet me at the other end. I felt very important and very mature. The next morning I would return the light. One Valentine our doorbell rang and when I opened the door their was a small box on the porch. When I reached down to pick it up it moved away. I went for it again and again in moved. I kept advancing and advancing on the box until the stairs ended the game. Uncle Lyle was in the bushes holding the business end of the string that advanced the box. In the box was my present. When I was very small my favorite toy was a doll that I carried everywhere. The dolls name was "Lyle".

When I was about 5 years old Aunt Bess got terribly ill and was bed ridden until her death 20 years later. I remember she would make me Mormon Tea. This was hot water with a couple of teaspoons of Eagle Brand condensed milk. In the Summer sometimes Aunt Bess would give me a nickle to go to the corner store to buy a fudge sickle. This treat was not for her or me. We would sit on the porch and feed it to King their dog. I loved being with her and feeding the dog. I never saw it strange that we didn't have a fudge sickle also. It was at Aunt Bess and Uncle Lyles house that we celebrated New Years Eve. There I learned of pickled pigs feet, pickled eggs and other delicacies. On Christmas morning the family would gather in their little house about 11:00 to see their presents and then we would go to everyone else's home to see theirs. Uncle Lyle always had Mogen David Wine for the men. Eddie and I would take the cork out of the bottle and smell the rich, sweet fruity wine. We never dared "sneak" a drink.

Uncle Lyle was the best caregiver ever. When Aunt Bess fell ill he devoted himself to her every need. Other than work and shopping he never left her side. During the daytime she had a hospital bed in the living room. He carried her to the bedroom at night. I got out of school at about 2:30 and my Dad got home at 4:00. I could go play, watch TV or countless other things. I always chose to be with Aunt Bess. We would read the cartoons and Dan Valentine in the Tribune. She had a million family stories about my Dad and other family members. I never met my Grandmother Davis but I have a very close relationship with her memory because of the stories Aunt Bess told me.

In Jacks little bed room was a book case. It had alot of Jack's school books. I wanted to go to Granite High because of the Year Books I read when a child. There was a small book about Joseph Smith and another about George Washington. I read them so many times I knew the stories by heart. They became my "historical heroes". One of Jack's text books had the complete Gettysburg Address. Aunt Bess and I memorized it one Summer. Do you want to hear it? Ask sometime.

Uncle Lyle would get Aunt Bess ready for the day before he went to work. My Mom would come home at 10:00 and give her a shot. Noon Mom made her lunch. When she got more feeble my Aunt Suzi came every morning to be with her while Uncle Lyle was at work. On Sunday Mom would fix their Sunday Dinner and I would take it to them on a tray. When Aunt Bess would be in the hospital Mom would make an enormous breakfast on Saturday Morning and Uncle Lyle would spend that time with us. Suzi and I gave blood for Aunt Bess at the old Saint Marks Hospital on 300 West shortly before she died. When she did pass I was in Cedar City attending a Summer Session in leadership. I flew home and Suzi picked me up at the airport (we were not married yet). I remember that every speaker praised Uncle Lyle, Aunt Suzie and my Mom and Dad for the love and care they had shared with Aunt Bess. They all also lamented how ill she was for so long. How she suffered hinting she should have passed along time sooner.Although I never wanted her to suffer. I will be Eternally greatful that she lived those 20 years. She provided a richness to my life that I could have found no where else. She truly loved me and shared so much. Although a very quiet man Uncle Lyle was the world's greatest example.

Since my Dad had died before I married, Uncle Lyle stood by my Mom in the wedding line.
They are at rest now, neighbors to my parents in the Salt Lake City City Cemetary.