Like most of us, I suppose, I have great memories of growing up in Glendale and the Glendale West Ward. Of course, I remember with fondness Bishop Callister, Bro Lock Hales and Dr. Sleight (sp). It seems like they were our Bishopric for years and years. It was always great to see Dr. Sleight fall asleep on the stand week after week and Lock Hales at 7:30 pm if someone was still speaking at the pulpit in Sacrament Mtg. to stand up and let them know it was time to sit down. At least I remember him doing that. Thought it was the funniest thing.It was Homer Reeder, however, who was the Bishop that sent me on a Mission. It was probably John Harmer that had the biggest influence on me at a critical time. He came into our Ward as a young attorney and was called to the Priest Quorum. He made us put together an IP (Instant Preparation) book. I still have that book and took it with me my mission.
As I look back there were great friends, Tad Callister, Gordon Christiansen, John Reese, Kent Gardiner, Larry Noble, Brian Pettit, Lynn and Mike Reeder, Dennis Shanklin, Brent Frost, Steve/Ron Leeper, Charles Brown, Vernon Jolley, to name a few. These guys were great examples to me.
I remember the years of playing Church basketball and then school B ball at Hoover High. It was sports that probably kept me off the streets and on the right path. I remember my Dad coaching the West Ward team in 1963. I couldn’t play because I was on the school team. They won the Stake, Region, District and they went to Salt Lake for the All Church tournament. My Dad would call home every night from Utah and say well, we won. This went on everyone night. There seemed to be many overtime and double overtime games. They made it into the All Church Championship game and lost, as I recall, in double or triple overtime to another CA. team. Gordon Christiansen was MVP or Most Valuable Offense Player. My Dad was always so proud of that group. He kept that picture of the team around until he died.
I do remember the night in Sacrament Mtg. when they split the Glendale West Ward. A lot of sad ward members that night.
There was nothing like the Glendale West Ward and the great examples that influenced my life for good.
