I do have some memories of the aunts and uncles. I remember Aunt Maxine and Aunt Gen when they were in the service and came home on leave. They looked so awesome in their uniforms. Grandma Gardner lived along the main highway in Afton and we would congregate there to see them. They would take us out in the yard and lead us as we marched around.

When I was in high schoool, Dad and the uncles purchased the Orange and Black Drive-In in Rock Springs. We spent several summers working in Rock Springs. The first summer I lived with Aunt Marguerite and babysat Leah Rae and Al Dee. I actually lived with them. The next two or three summers I worked at the drive-in. Aunt Gen and Aunt Dorothy worked there, too. What fun we had!! Aunt Gen was married to Uncle Les and Aunt Maxine was married to Uncle Van. They both lived at Stansbury, which was a mining town just out of Rock Springs. Kathy and Kirk were the cutest little kids. It was so fun to go out to Stansbury and visit them. I don't think the town even exists anymore. Aunt Gen always took my side if there were any difficulties--I remember one time when I got into trouble with Aunt Marguerite and she slapped my face. Aunt Gen was there to coddle me until Dad came from Afton. It didn't take him long to defuse the situation! Aunt Dorothy had such a fun sense of humor. We have such fond memories of those days.

I got into trouble another time. Aunt Beatrice and Uncle Darrell lived close to us. We lived in the old Will Gardner home and it was just down the road from the old Gardner home where Uncle Darrell and Aunt Beatrice lived. Anyway, Aunt Beatrice called on the phone and wanted me to babysit Mike and Linda. Now, they weren't the easiest kids to babysit and I said I didn't want to babysit them--along with some other choice comments. I didn't realize Aunt Beatrice was still on the phone. When Mother hung up the phone, she was so angry with me. I had to go up to Aunt Beatrice's and apologize. (I must admit that that wasn't the only time my "mouth" got me into trouble!)

I was in high school when Uncle Vern reached his fame at the U. I kept a scrapbook of every newspaper article that I could find about him--which I gave him after he finished school. It was several inches thick. I was such a fan!! I remember when he courted Aunt JoAnne. He was so in love. The song "The Girl That I Marry" was popular then, and we heard it about a million times. She was a beautiful young lady and is still beautiful today. Uncle Vern wasn't too much older than we were, so we especially have fond memories of him. We always went to Grandma Gardner's house for Christmas and slept upstairs. One Christmas morning I wasn't fast enough for Uncle Vern, so he grabbed me around the waist like a sack of sugar and literally carried me down the stairs to the parlor.

I learned what a sense of humor Uncle Lincoln and Aunt Phyllis had when they came to visit us in Rapid City. I was really embarrassed with my kids when they short-sheeted their bed and stuffed paper in Uncle Lincoln's boots. Uncle Lincoln and Aunt Phyllis were such good sports and laughed about it.

We are so fortunate to be from such a loving family. I have nothing but good memories of all of the aunts and uncles.


LeNiel