Hilda Fleming and skeet

Kevin's Friend
Hilda Fleming and skeet
Written by Marilyn Johnson
March 1, 2009

Hilda Flaming was our next door neighbor. She married Dr. Fleming after his wife died. She never had children but was a friend to my son Kevin. Kevin helped in her garden , cut lawns, and planted bushes. They talked a lot about hunting. Hilda was the coach and teacher at Harold's Club trap shooting range out in the mountains north of Reno. Hilda taught men and older boys to shoot skeet.

Kevin was invited once to go and see the range and my 13 year old son was so excited. I explained to Hilda that he loved hunting but didn’t own a gun and had never used one.
When they got to the range on a spring afternoon, she found a gun just his size and explained in great detail how to use it. Skeet is a form of trapshooting in which the shooter fires from eight different clay targets thrown from traps to simulate birds in flight. Hilda showed Kevin by her example how to shoot the clay birds as they came out of the skeet. Kevin placed his feet in an easy stance and slowly leaned into position to shoot as the decoys were ejected. Kevin shot down decoy number one on the first shot and kept shooting in rhythm and shot all ten in his first try. Hilda jumped up and down and clapped with joy as she hugged Kevin. You are a natural. I can’t wait until I tell the doctor and his friends. He only got to go a few more times with Hilda because we moved out of the Belford home in Reno when my husband and I were divorced.
* * *
Kevin wanted to go with his dad to Stillwater and shoot real birds. It was a year or so before he got to go to the Stillwater marsh with his dad. Meanwhile I was worried and often prayed about this hunting trip. His dad, had a drinking problem and there was a lot of drinking when the men went out hunting. I decided to teach my two sons how to drive, when they were only fourteen and fifteen. I told them why, and that they might have to drive if their father was inebriated when he took them places. They were eager to learn to drive. I took them to a quiet street by their grade school on a weekend. I taught them how to park a car, turn around and backup. I tried to teach them everything they might need to know. I never let them drive my car except when we were practicing.

Kevin went with his dad whenever he was invited. Bryan was not interested and had jobs 2 to earn money on weekends, like playing in a band for church dances. His goal was to save enough money to go on a two year mission for the L.D.S. Church. I was always nervous when Kevin went to Stillwater. with his dad.

One day it was getting dark when Kevin got home and I heard him yelling for me as he arrived. “Mom! Mom! it happened. I had to drive home all the way from Stillwater. Dad had one or two too many drinks. He got in the back seat and fell asleep. I had no choice. It was easy driving until I got to the freeway. I decided to get behind a big truck and then I began to relax. I got all the way to Reno before I had to turn. I was terrified since I had not driven in traffic before and turning corners was the hardest. There were at least three corners, before I got the car home.

"I kept praying I could do it.”
“Where is your dad now?”
“Oh! He woke up and drove home I guess.”

Kevin hugged me and said he was very tired and didn’t want to drive again until he took drivers ed in school when he was old enough.
I guess experience is a good teacher.

Kevin from Heaven

Kevin from Heaven. . . .
written from memory
Marilyn Johnson February
24, 2009

Kevin Clark Jackson was born March 19, 1957 in the Boston Lying-In-Hospital. His dad was busy taking a test in Medical School, but one of his friends was finished with his testing and he took me to the hospital. The nurses kept asking him questions when I was getting admitted. He
blushed and referred them back to me.

Kevin was a beautiful baby. He had blond hair and big, beautiful brown eyes. When he was a few weeks old, I was taking the garbage outside and Bryan, who was about 14 months old, slammed the door. The lock latched and I couldn’t get back in. I jumped up on the iron rod railing and looked through the window because I could hear baby Kevin crying. Sure enough, Bryan had climbed into the playpen to play with him. Bryan was sitting on my baby. I yelled at Bryan to get out of the playpen , but to no avail. I jumped down and tried to get the door open, as the crying got louder. I hunched my right shoulder and banged against the door until I broke the lock. I only weighed about 110 but I was determined to save my baby.
All the moms in our neighborhood student housing made a fuss over him. By the time he was walking, the other boys would hit him, they were jealous of their mom’s attention to him. He didn’t want to go outside any more, so I put up the playpen out side and he liked that.
When he learned to walk and run it was fun to watch him. He walked nice and smooth but got excited and running was his downfall. He would get up on his toes and run off balance until he fell. His imagination took him places, like climbing up the wall by our back door step. He would climb up just fine on the narrow six inch wide retaining wall and stand on top for a minute, but he would run down again and always fell. He got lots of bumps on his forehead and I finally took him to a doctor. After he examined the bumps, the doctor stood back thinking with his arms folded. Then a grin came to his face, “put a helmet on him.” This was fun for Kevin. He felt important, even the bigger boys that used to slap him because he was so handsome, became his friends He tried to take off the helmet to share with the boys but couldn’t get it unfastened.
* * *
By the time Kevin got to high school and we had the yearly exam to play sports,the family doctor realized there was a problem in his back. He was developing Sherman’s disease (hunchback). The doctor assured me that he had found the problem early enough and that it was correctable. He put Kevin in a brace from his neck to his pelvis. It was uncomfortable but he 2
wore it faithfully. His brother Bryan let him have the second hand water bed a neighbor gave to him. Kevin had to wear the brace day and night. It was not fun but he seldom complained. One morning he woke up and his face was so swollen he could hardly breath. I rushed him to the doctor without an appointment, and the doctor saw him immediately. The doctor sat down and looked at the floor in thinking position for a minute or so.
“Marilyn take a broom and push it through the back of the brace, I think Kevin can handle it. This way when he tries to turn, the broom will stop him.”
“Thanks doctor I’ll try it.”
Kevin was a good sport and when it was time to go to the graduation dance, he wanted to go with a girl that he liked. He asked her, but she turned him down.
“ I want to dance and you can’t dance with that brace on.” Kevin was crushed. He told an other girl how bad he felt.
This girl said. “I will go with you, I don’t have a date and I’m graduating too.”
Kevin went to his doctor on his own and asked if he could take off the brace for the dance. The doctor agreed. His only request was to please wear the brace that night after the dance.
I was waiting for Kevin to come home and he was so happy and laughing, he couldn’t wait to tell me what happened.
“Remember the girl that didn’t want to go to the dance, her date didn’t know how to dance and she sat pouting all night while he talked to the other boys. Mom, I danced every dance.”
His date was fun and she didn’t mind that he danced with lots of other girls especially the ones that didn’t have dates and he wanted to help them have a good time, too. Cheerfully he put the brace back on that night with the broom stuck in it.
Kevin was restricted in his activities, or so I thought. Bryan told me that he was worried because he knew Kevin was skiing. He would go off with his friends and I thought he was working. I took him back to the doctor. It was funny, every one in the family would go to the doctor with us. The other four children would sit on the floor. I excused myself for a minute and told the nurse I needed to see the doctor immediately, in the hall.
“Yes Marilyn, what’s up this time?”
“Kevin has been going skiing, his older brother told me. He even won a short course
downhill race. He doesn’t know I know.”
3
“I’ll think of something.
* * *
“Hi Kevin take your brace off and touch your toes. You’ re doing pretty good.”
“My son says you even wear it when you are skiing. He said you won a race. How do you see where you are going?”
“Oh! I hold my breath and look down the hill and memorize where the poles are and then ski it.”
“O.K. Kevin all you have to do is fall just once and you break your neck.” and he left the room quickly. To my knowledge Kevin never skied again.
* * *
After Kevin’s graduation, he went to live with my brother Bob in Salt lake City. A year later he didn’t have to wear his brace any more and his posture was good. I heard through the grapevine he was skiing. I called him on the phone and asked him how he was doing. He laughed and explained, “I’m just giving lessons to beginners on the bunny hill. It is good money.”

Is It The Magic . . .

Writing a blog of son Chris
February 12,2009
Marilyn P Johnson

Is it the magic. . . .
of being the youngest of nine children
in our combined families?

I was hard pressed to find young pictures of each child to do in their birthday month this year. But not with Christopher Cordell. Maybe that is what you do when you know he was going to be the last of our children-you take a lot of pictures.

I don’t think we spoiled him, maybe it was the time in our family when his turn on earth began. He was born 11, 1966. He was the only baby I carried full term. The others were born a week or two early. He was a happy, healthy fun-loving baby. It was just what the doctor ordered. We were in the throes of a divorce. Their dad Jerry, had other things on his mind that didn’t include me or our five children. We were all busy taking care of Chris. He was a fun baby and I subbed at many schools looking for a teaching job. We all enjoyed caring for baby Chris. It was like rally around the flag pole. Taking care of Chris was a family project and kept us busy so we didn’t worry about me being a single mom. We had to lose our big nice home and moved to a small one close to church and schools.

My interview to teach at Sun Valley School went something like this: Mr. Coyle said,

“You have the room next to my office and I have been watching your teaching. You re doing a great job even with the large class of third graders. But you have five children , you will always be out taking care of sick children.” I thought for a minute and replied. “Chris my youngest is sick with the chickenpox and I’m here teaching.”
“Where is your baby, he can’t go to Child Gardens Nursery when he is sick?”
“My three oldest children take turns every other day to take to take care of the baby at home. This way they don’t miss too much school.”
He laughed, “You figured out that problem, you have the job.”

Chris was the highlight of our day. He always needed us and seldom cried. Mater of fact he was too quiet. When he was three I took him to the doctor and he discovered he needed tubes in his ears and his tongue clipped. When the doctor placed Chris into my arms, his first word was, “Mother.”

I looked surprised, and the doctor explained. “Chris couldn’t hear well, and in order to talk, he needed hi tongue clipped. I thought Oh, my his cry was then quite loud and no baby talk. He picked up talking fast from his brothers and sisters. I was relieved that his talking showed no sign dullness. The doctor checked him in a few weeks and assured me Chris would be fine.

Chris went back to nursery school but became a bit aggressive. I came home one day and saw Bryan, age fifteen, had Chris sitting on his lap and he was slapping Chris’s cheeks, one side and then the other side. Chris sat there taking the blows silently. He sent Chris out to play with the other sibling in the back yard.

I asked Bryan for an explanation.
“The principal called from the nursery school and informed me that Chris was hitting the other boys! I was just teaching him to turn the other cheek.
A few weeks later the nursery principal called again and said Chris was behaving!! himself and not hitting any more.

Chris tried to do everything his brothers and sisters did. After church and dinner we all moved to the living room to read our Scriptures silently, Chris found a book, too, and laid on the couch to read also. We tried not to laugh because Chris was too young to read and often held the book up side down.

Christopher’s Pediatrician explained that he was deficient in calcium and was even wearing holes in his toenails. She put him on a high dose of calcium. His lungs were underdeveloped too. The doctor highly recommend sports. His older brothers and sisters were on the YMCA swim team. They taught Chris to swim. He was the youngest member of the team.
His first swim meet was the hardest. His brothers and sisters ran along side of the pool, cheered him on and somehow he finished. The crowd cheered for him, too. His doctor told me he would not be as tall as his older brothers. But he is the tallest now, six foot four.


Chris was allergic to cats. He loved them and wanted to play with them. His older siblings laid on the floor with him and talked to the neighbors cat through the sliding glass doors. But one day he slept over at a neighbors house in his sleeping bag and he let the cat sleep with
him. OH! Did he have terrible allergy attack by the time he got home! He was sick for a few days. He learned as he got older to ask his friends if they had a cat and if they did he would not go into their house. He even asked the girls when he was dating if they had a cat. If so he moved on.

When we moved to Fernley he took up running because Fernley didn’t have a swimming pool. Kay’s girls were all runners. Chris adjusted. He played the trumpet with Kay’s youngest daughter, Rachel. All in all Chris was a happy well adjusted boy. After graduating from high school he got a job at Scolari’s grocery story and earned money to go on a two year mission for the LDS Church. He served in Jamaica and Florida. He took a few collage classes and married a tall beautiful girl named Stacey and moved to Oregon and they are parents of three children. David, Jared and Kelsie. Their oldest son named David was born December 27, 1990 the same day as my birthday. But I’m somewhat older. I always know how old David is. I turn 78 this year and David will be 18. David is now taller than his dad. Sometimes for the fun of it, when Chris asks David to do household chores he stands up to his dad and says. “And who is going to make me?

Celebration Of A Life Well Lived

Oh
dear what can the matter be
February 5th
By frustrated Marilyn Johnson

We went to a family funeral on Tuesday February 3, 2009. It was hectic getting ready and calling the four Johnson daughters, Debbie, Linda, Cheryl and Rachel.

Jacobus William “Willie” Hooft
July 21, 1923 - January 28, 2009

Willie was the town baker in Winnemucca, Nevada. In 1998, Willie retired from the bakery he owned for 40 years and worked in for 65 years. He also spent his days enjoying time with his many grandchildren. He also spent time with his special friend, Aaron Garrison, a young boy who he met in physical therapy.
Willy was a very friendly likable man. he loved life and it showed and served on many civic positions. He was also very generous with his delicious bakery goods. He often gave to the needy. If you want to know more pull tab

He brought beautiful wedding cakes to Fernley for each of Kay's daughters. He was the older brother to Agnes who was Kay's first wife preceded him in death- in 1970
I guess about eight hundred people came to his funeral. The LDS church was packed and the eulogies were about his kindness and fun loving personality. Then off to the cemetery and a military burial. We enjoyed a dinner and social with relatives and friends.

As you rumble on through life
Whatever be your goal
Keep your eye upon the donut
and not upon the hole

It was a long ride back home and we were tired. But the three Johnson girls, Cheryl, Linda and Rachel came over for a quick goodbye to us. Debbie our oldest daughter had a bad cold and went to bed. She is the only one that lives here. The girls were leaving early in the morning to catch a plane or drive to California.
But Kay who was tired because of all the driving was so hard on him. But the girls warmed up the the fun time going into Kay's den and picking out the Delft Dutch china he had collected over the years for them. This little party moved in to the master bedroom, we call it the green room. They dried their tears as Kay began to relax, told his old jokes, played his guitar the girls sang the old familiar songs. We found boxes and news paper for their take home treasured presents. Kay also got out his candy and shared a bunch with them. Cheryl teaches an early seminary class, of twenty high school students. Oh ! They will have fun with the treats. It was good to see the love and devotion with father and daughters.

Rachel's Beauty Contest

Rachel got brave and decided to enter a beauty contest when she was in High School. We went to Reno many Saturdays to find her a bathing suit. She played the trumpet as her talent. She looked beautiful in her long light dress. The crown she picked was perfect.

But at the last minute the lady in charge said she had to take off her glasses. Rachel doesn’t see well with out them. She almost walked off the front of the stage to play her trump. He walk and smile was great. She didn’t win, but the girls voted her miss congeniality. Her confidence and beauty were natural and kind. She is a winner in our books.

Do you remember this hot summer day 1977 ?

Bryan was just home from a Brazilian mission.
Rachel was in high school and Chris was in elementary
school and Cheryl is getting ready to go back to
college at BYU.

This was the last run of the summer, but it was 90
degrees and they went too long and too far.
Home to jump in the shower as I brought
them ice water to help cool off these crazy kids.

Marilyn Is 77 Now!

Marilyn’s 77 birthday party
OH my! How fun it was to have the Wilkerson gang out to Fernley for my 77 birthday. I was nervous thinking it would snow and then they couldn't come. But they showed up at noon on December 27, 2008 and brought Melinda too. I had set the table the night before. It was exciting getting out the Christmas place mats that Janette gave me some 26 years ago. At that time she was pregnant with Cheryl Lynn and having morning sickness, but she came anyway. I think that was the year that all five of my children (Bryan, Kevin, Janette, Melinda and Chris were there too.) I didn’t even have gray hair. I’ll try to find those old pictures for another blog.
This birthday was a pizza brunch, with fresh fruit and vegetables. The Wilkerson Family brought a beautiful cake that said, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET LIL’ GRANDMOTHER ! It was great to hear the chatter around the table. Denise had her right arm in a cast from hand to shoulder, from falling on the ice in the parking lot at a ski resort. That didn’t stop her from having fun at my party. I opened the birthday gifts from family. I gave each of the girls a funny Wal-mart, black, long sleeved T-shirt with stars and snowmen on the front. We took fun pictures in the master bedroom. Dolly our cute cocker spaniel came in for a short visit and pictures.
Debbie our Fernley daughter, came by later to give me a present. It was a nice set of scrap booking stuff. So much fun to have family around.