Brad and I had a wonderful time spending the holiday with our families. I didn't take any pictures, so once I gather up some from those that were good enough to take out their cameras I'll have to post some. Over the holiday's I also attended the funerals for my Grandma (Nana) Sarah Utahna Luke Butler. My Dad's mom and the last of my Grandparents. She went by Utahna, named after and Indian Princess from the Legend about MT. Timpanogos in Utah.. She was as unique as her name. I love funerals because you learn so much about the person who its for. Even though I had heard bits and pieces of most of the stories recounted, there is still things that you didn't know. I won't recount her whole life story or anything just a few memories of mine and some pictures that I have on my computer. Don't feel pressured to read the whole thing, I know its long.
Nana in the middle with all her family. My Grandpa John Dallas Butler pasted away about 31 years ago. She was a widow for a long time. She went on three missions after he passed away. She would (try at least) to teach the gospel to every one she met.
Me and Nana. She is wearing her World greatest Grandma sweatshirt. I remember for Christmas she would give us each $5 and I would get very excited for that. For a few years in a row she would also give our family a 10lb cylinder log of cheese, which I always thought was very funny.
When I was younger Nana would take her Grand kids up to Eagar Arizona for part of the Summer. My siblings have lots of their own stories of Eagar . My memories are mostly with my cousin Jennifer. We are the youngest of her Grandchildren and she would call us her little munchkins. We would just run wild up there, playing in the pasture, the Barn, the tree house, it was so much fun. Nana didn't like to cook so we got to eat all the Corn flakes,Totinos pizzas, and butter pecan ice cream that we wanted.
Nana could sleep any where, and she did! Nana seemed to always fall asleep when ever sitting on a couch. She would often have pull over and take a nap when driving up to Eagar.
Nana was a very slow driver, on one occasion I remember being in the car and she was pulled over by a cop because she was driving too slow. Another instance, She was driving Jennifer and I up to Eagar and we noticed a very long line of cars piling up behind us, we told her to pull over because the line was so long. Jennifer and I spent several minutes counting all the cars that had piled up. I don't remember the specific number but it was a lot! We probably drove our Nana crazy sometimes, but she was patient with us.
Nana spent her summers in Eagar and winters in Mesa, and I had many slumber parties with her in her house across from the Mesa Temple. She would take Jennifer and I took my Uncle Nolan's house to see his wide array of animals. Nana was very supportive of me and she attended so many of my Choir concerts when I was in Middle and High school. I also had the neat experience to interview her while in High School when my Stake was doing a documentary of those who lived in the era of World War Two and she told me about when she was a part of the USO tour with some of her friends and toured around the country.
It was probably around when I started high school that Nana started declining with Alzheimer's. After a few years it got to the point where she had to be put in an assisted living home. While she was living there I had the opportunity to take her to church sometimes and frequently would drive her over to my parents house for Sunday dinners. It was hard to watch as Nana's memory faded away. After a while you get used to how they are and you just enjoy the humerus things that happen. I have so many funny interactions with Nana.
Here is a sweet picture of Nana a couple of years ago at a family dinner at my parents house.
Nana was such a sweet and funny lady. I love her and the great example she was to me. I appreciate all the time she spent with me and love that showed me. I'm so grateful that she is finally reunited with my Grandpa and her family and friends.
