GatheringGardiners: 1990 West Ward Former Bishops

GLENDALE WEST WARD REUNION
MARCH 11, 1990
NOTES FROM TALKS OF FORMER BISHOPS

HARRY BROOKS

"I'm not getting older, just more mature. Lou and I often reminesce about the ward. You have added so much to my life. Two great stake presidents, Pres. David H. Cannon and Pres. Edwin S. Dibble, guided me. Pres. Cannon asked our ward to support the welfare program. I thought that was too much to ask of the ward members, who were already sacrificing to build our new building. Pres. Cannon said, "What are we going to do when the saints are hungry? Feed them bricks?" I wondered how we would raise the money. I asked Ham Pulley, Reed Christiansen, and Theron Johnson to borrow a flat bed truck and drive to the L.A. market to buy produce at a low price. They brought peaches, pears, tomatoes, and some canned goods from the cannery to our home on Virginia Avenue. The ward members were able to buy this produce. We were the first ward in the stake to fulfill our welfare commitment. Wayne Hancock is here today. Wayne, would you please stand? Wayne did a tremendous job with welfare and scouting. Wayne planted tomatoes in the valley. Emma Peterson, "Grandma" we called her, fell coming to church at the Masonic Temple. Dr. Beers took care of her arm. The priesthood leaders helped to build a larger and more comfortable home for Grandma. Another sister, June Kessler, needed a place to live. She moved in with Grandma and took care of her. Grandma was able to support herself by making handicraft items which were sent to SLC to be sold in the RS store. There were many spiritual aspects in building this building. These pillars were polished by a nonmember who joined the Church. Wayne Hancock was a convert who was touched by many spiritual experiences and later became a member of the bishopric.

JAMES MARTIN

"Ihad the shortest term as bishop. I was 39 years old, 40 years ago, when I was called to be the bishop. One day while we were working on the building, I was sanding the poles (pillars). Bishop Brooks said, "Jim, you've got to do a better job than that!" My office was what is now the cry room. Lock Hales and Theron Johnson were my counselors. After I had been bishop for six months, I was notified of a job transfer to New York. I didn't know what to do. I went to see Pres. Dibble, a man of few words. He said, "Go; they can use you there like we can use you here." I had many emotional experiences in this building and was sad about leaving Glendale. One day I stopped at the building and went into the chapel and sat down in a pew about half way from the front. I asked the Lord why has this move come now when I havejust accepted the call that I have always wanted. I walked up to the pulpit and looked over the empty chapel. Like Enos, I heard a voice. The Lord answered that I would be made a bishop in the East. In two months I was made a counselor and two months later I became the bishop. The ward was 75% Dutch speaking. Dr Fletcher, Dr. Smith, and the Wickmans were ward members. Our challenge was to build a new chapel. I had already built 12 chapels.

As soon as the chapel was completed, I was transferred back to Glendale. Later I was a mission president in Firance. Your bishop's brother was one of my elders. I am now a patriarch in my stake. Helen and I have been married 57 years.

TAD CALLI5TER (FOR HIS FATHER, REED)

"I remember being a four year old boy and helping with this building. My dad liked short talks. He would quote Pres. Hugh B. Brown who said that to be immortal, you don't have to be eternal! Dad often surprised people with his decisions. When he called the Blairs to be stake missionaries, people thought they had been converts themselves too recently. The Blairs baptized 98 people including Gordon and Anna Jump. Dad called Mildred Robeson to be the RS Pres. only six months after she joined the Church. Dad disliked meetings, but he loved to be with the members. One time we got a bucket of Kentucky Fried' chicken to take to a family. When the sister opened the lid, she said, "Bishop, there's a $20 bill in here!" My dad said, "You just can't get competent help anymore. They must have put the $20 in the bucket instead of in the cash register." My dad advised me, "Son, love and serve the Lord; he's a good paymaster."

GLENN CARPENTER (BY DON PEARSON)

"we have memories of the old. We spent countless hours in the building. When we left, part of us stayed behind, where our testimonies were. While I waa bishop, the ward was divided into the 2nd and 4th Wards. We did some plastering and painting. Sometimes I held tithing settlement while I was on a scaffold. We now live in beautiful northern California."

HOMER REEDER

"It is good to be with you. I feel like a junior citizen. A building doesn't make a church; the people do! The programs make the people to make the Church. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into this building! I was mixing cement for the tower. Some cement powder flew up into my face. I went to Dr. Lock Hales to ask him what to do. He said, "Cry a lot; but don't stop working!" Reed Callister was the building chairman. When we needed to raise money, Lock Hales offered to match dollar for dollar. This is where we got the expression, "sock it to Lock." We really socked it to him! I was bishop from 1961-1967. Elder LeGrand Richards and Pres. Hugh B. Brown were here often to visit bheir families. Elder Richards challenged us to have at least 2% of our members on missions. We had 46 on missions during six years, 23 at one time. In January 1965, I received a letter from Elder Richards which said that we had over 3% on missions. Sometimes we had two farewells at the same time. Things will be even better in our new building!

ROY VALANTINE

"I married Jane Dibble in 1958. During my tenure,¡we made addit ions and changes to the building to create more office space for the two wards and more classrooms. The sponge bricks with their water leakage was the biggest problem with the building. The windows in the back and south side of the chapel and behind the choir seats were closed in. Air conditioning was installed in the chapel. I was bishop from 1970-1977. Please turn to D.C. 104: 11-13; 72:3; 84: 109-110. We are all stewards. You members have done these things, not me as a bishop. Onward ye peoples, carry on!"

ELDON ZUNDEL

"I was bishop of the East Ward and then on the High Council. The freeway uprooted our family. I was still in the East Ward when Pres. Seamons called me to be the bishop of the 4th Ward. I told Pres. Seamons that the ward boundary was down my front yard. Pres. Seamons replied that the boundary was now down my back fence! I like the advice given by Pres. J. Reuben Clark. He said, "In the Church, we serve where we are called. Neither do we seek or decline a call. It's not where we serve, but how!" I am now living in the Highland, Utah Stake where I serve on the high council. I bring greetings from Ofa Schimmer and her husband Tony who is ill: Pres. Seamons wanted to come, but his wife is due to have surgery." I didn't want to move to Utah. Why should I trade my leaf rake for a snow shovel? My wife said that if I wanted to stay wih her, I would have to move to Utah."

STANTON MCGUIRE

"I served from May 1977-January 1982. The organ was donated by Dr. Harold K. Marshall. When I first moved into the 'ward, Bishop Callister said, "You know that Thorne girl, Coreen. You had better marry her!" I remember these events during my tenure: the Dance Festival in the Rose Bowl in 1980; inventories at Bullocks'^ the May Company and the Galleria; changing to the three hour block schedule; Roy and Lottie Jonkey going on their mission in 1981 to Micronesia. I am now the HC rep for the 4th Ward, but live in the 2nd."

LANCE WICKMAN

"Our family first heard of the Glendale West Ward while we were living in the East Orange Ward in New Jersey. A.J. Martin and his family moved into our ward. When my dad was transferred to Glendale, he bought a house in the West Ward. I was bishop of the 4th Ward from 1976-1980. Elder James E. Faust returned from a visit to Kirtland and told Pres. Kimball that the Church should obtain the Klrtland Temple. Elder Boyd K. Packer was there and said that we had taken all that we needed when we left the temple. It is the same with our building here."

JOHN REESE

"When I was 3A years old, Pres. VanSlooten called me and my wife to his office. He called me to be the bishop of the 2nd Ward. I could hardly find my way home from the Stake Center. After my wife went into the house, I was to take the babysitter, Alicia Allison, home. I pulled that car into the garage and then saw Alicia's stunned face. Things did get better. One time I felt impressed to take one of my counselors to visit a less-active family. My counselor asked my why we were going there. I replied that I didn't know. Inside the house, we found a mother of four small children. She had pneumonia. She had phoned her father, a bishop in the East, because she wanted a blessing. Her father told her to phone her bishop. She said, "Bishop, I couldn't phone you; I know how busy you are. I just prayed for you to come."

ROGER HAWLEY

"I have served in various callings under many bishops in this ward since I moved here when Harry Brooks was the bishop. Because time is short, I want to bear my testimony and also to tell you that words cannot express how much you have blessed myllife."

MARION GUBLER

"I have been thinking about the pioneers who came to southern California to establish the Church. I remember the funeral of Pres. David H. Cannon when Pres. Harold B. Lee spoke and cried that he would miss his old friend. My wife and I came here in 1960. We decided to choose a ward first before looking for a hbme. We visited a sacrament meeting here when Reed Callister was the bishop. The choir seats were filled with young people who were receiving Individual Awards that night. That was our answer; we had to find a house in this ward! Once we were having a 6AM bishopric meeting in my office when a call came from Pres. Van Slooten. It was pouring rain. Pres. Van Slooten wanted us to assign five men to go to the Church farm to install a sprinkler system. As we laughed about the request, a bolt of lightning struck the tower. I said that if Pres. Van Slooten can call lightning down from heaven, we had better go install the sprinkling system!"

VAL SHEFFIELD

"I'm glad to be included with these younger bishops. We will have a real challenge to go to the Stake Center to meet while our new building is being built. We look forward to our new building and great things happening there as have occurred in this building. I remember many beautiful funerals here, including my wife's Feb. 5th."

DENNIS SHANKLIN

"My whole life has been spent in this building. I was taught the gospel by people who cared about me. I have gained strength from the testimonies of others. Our Father in Heaven and His Son love each of fnHiwiHnaiiw pnri lnvfi all of us as their family."

he is not in the Church - he doesn't believe in and "ism", he is a very kind and loving person. He is happily married and teaching in a college in Northern California. He has a special program in Ecology and Economics for deprived students, who did not have educational opportunties. He helps them get grants and scholarships and shepherds them throught the 4 years.

SATURDAY TALKS- Elaine Beers Garrett was asked to talk about Relief Society Pres. 1. Pearl Halvorson-was released to work in a war plant 2. Elsie Webber-she & her counselors went to the dump and found 100 mayonnaise bottles to clean, sterlize and use for canning, since they could not buy canning bottles during the war.3. Pearl Halvorson again 4. Olive Marshall 5. Rhelia Edllng 6. Mildred Robeson after only being a member 6 mos. and her husband was killed in a freeway accident while she was pres.7. Wilma Hillquist 8. Sue Alvord 9. Marilyn Torgeson 10. Jane Jameson.

Judy Beers Richie is now Stake Relief Society President and talked about her mother being such an example and that she worked on her lessons all month.

Don Pearson had all those who have always lived in the Glendale wards stand - about 30. Called up Florence Hansen to talk about the dance teams, festivals and youth. She and her husband Doug and one of the sons were there. Florence is still the same -full of energy and enthusiam. Bishop Dennis Shanklin, who is also a judge, spoke about the championship basketball teams. Sandy Hale Dietlein talked about how great it was to grow up in a ward where all the youth enjoyed doing things together all the time; no age discrimination.

Dennis Shanklin used his own growing up experiences-trembling knees and fear when at the pulpit, but growth and maturity came. He had Norrine come up and speak for a few minutes and I have already told you what she said, and then she bore a beautiful testimony.

SUNDAY TALKS-Bishop Harry V. Brooks, when someone helped him to his feet, said he is not getting old, just more mature! He and Lou have reminisced so many time about the ward. He said he had two great men to guide him Pres. David H. Cannon and Pres. Edwin S. Dibble. Told of Pres. Cannon coming to their ward welfare mtg. in the Masonic B Idg. He said we needed to promote the welfare program and assessment in the ward. As a bishop building a new church, he felt that wes asking too much of the ward members, who were already sacrificing for the new bldg. Pres. Cannon said,"Bishop what are we going to do when the saints are hungry? Are we going to feed them bricks? Pure wisdom from a keen spiritual man. Asked his counselor Ham Pulley end Reed Christiansen to go with him and get a flat bed truck. They went down to the LA Market to buy produce - quite en experience for those men inexperienced with sharp shooting food brokers. They bought peaches, pears, and tomatoes, and some canned goods from the cannery, which were unloaded at Brooks home. Then they were sold to the ward members and friends. They were the 1st ward to raise and exceed their welfare accessment. Next his comments were about asking Wayne Hancock to work with the scouts when he was not even a member of the Church. Told story of Grandma Peterson, who had such a poor humble home. The priesthood helped out when she fell and broke her arm, and saw she needed more room in her house and better facilities. When they finished her home was much more respectable and comfortable. They sold a small piece of her property and it gave them some of the money needed. Eventually another sister, named June Kessler, who was in need a place to live, lived with Grandma and took care of her. Grandma became self-supporting when the brethren suggested she make things to sell in the Relief Society Handicraft Store in SLC. Last comments where that the construction of the bldg. and spiritual experiences touched the life of Wayne Hancock and he was baptized into the Church.

Pres. Tad Callister for his Dad-He said his dad always gave short talks. He told Tad that to be immortal one doesn't need to be eternal! Often surprised people with his decisions. When he called Dr. and Sis. Blair on a mission people were surprised. They baptized 90+. Mildred Robeson called as RS Pres. when she was just a member 6 mos. His dad hated meetings, but he loved to be with the people. Tad often went with his dad to get a bucket of Kentucky Fried to take with them to a family. One widow lifted the lid and said, "Bishop there is a $20 bill in this bucket." To which the bishop replied," You just can't oet competent help anymore. They must have put the $20 in bucket instead of in the cash register." More advise from his dad. "Son, always love and serve the Lord. He is a good paymaster!"

Bishop Glen Carpenter represented by Pres. Preston-read a letter from the bishop. Sad about the building. Greatest experience of his life being bishop. During tenure divided the ward into 2nd and 4th. Got approval for plastering and painting the bldg. Conducted tithing settlement with some members up on a scaffoldina worklna on the nlastftr nnri nnintinn i iv<*; in m r^m

Bishop A.J. MARTIN_shortest terra. Age 39-40 and was frightened when the call came but —

grateful. He had so many wonderful examples during his life, that he secretly always hoped to be a bishop one day. He helped sand the poles in chapel and one day Bishop Brooks came along and said, "Jim you've got to do a bit better!" The crying room under the tower became his office. Lock Hales and Theron Johnson were his counselors. He had a job transfer after 6 mos. and did not know what to do. Asked Pres. Dibble and he said, "Go, they can use you in New Jersey, too.!" He said he had mony emotional experiences in the building, end was so sod about leaving. Stopped one day on the war/ to work to sit in the chapel. He asked the Lord, "Why has this business opportunity come when I have accepted the call I have always wanted?" He walked up to the pulpit and choir area and looked over the empty chapel. The Lord answered, "You will be made a bishop in the East!" In 2 mos. he was made a counselor and 2 mos. later the bishop was released because of heart attack. He became a bishop again in a ward with Dr. Fletcher and ward member Irene and Alton Wickman. His big challenge was to build a new chapel. As soon as the chapel was complete he was transfeffed back to Calif, and Glendale West Ward. Wickman's eventually moved here because of riartins. While Miss. Pres. in France one of his elders was the brother of Dennis Shanklin, Jeff Shanklin. He and Helen have been married 57 years.

Bishop Reeder-He said, "I feel younger looking at all of you! A building does not make a church, the people do! Programs make the people, so they can make a Church." He was mixing cement one night for the 5 story high tower, when a bag of cement spilled in his face. He went to Lock Hales to ask him what to do, and the reply was, "Cry a lot, but don't stop working!" Said that one never knew what kind of careless comments Lock would make. When they needed to raise money, Lock offered to match it dollar for dollar. He said that is where they got the expression, "Sock it to Lock, and they socked it to him!" They continued to have problems with the sponge brick that the building was built from, so he said that he favors tearing down the building and rebuilding it. He W8S bishop for 6 1 /2 yrs. 61 -67. LeGrande Richards, Hugh B. Brown both came to speak and urged them to increase the missionary effort to at least 241 of young men. Soon there were 46 young men and 2 couples on missions. When werd was divided, they only had 23. In 1965 received a letter from LeGrande Richards saying they were over 5% on missions. Sometimes they had to have two farewells at the same time. He says things will be even better in the new building!

B ishop

GLENDALE WEST WARD REUNION MARCH 11, 1990

NOTES FROM TALKS OF FORMER BISHOPS

HARRY BROOKS

JAMES MARTIN

TAD CALLI5TER (FOR HIS FATHER, REED)

GLENN CARPENTER (BY DON PEARSON)

HOMER REEDER

ROY VALANTINE

ELDON ZUNDEL

STANTON MCGUIRE

LANCE WICKMAN

JOHN REESE

"When I was 3 years old, Pres. VanSlooten called me and my wife to his office. He called me to be the bishop of the 2nd Ward. I could hardly find my way home from the Stake Center. After my wife went into the house, I was to take the babysitter, Alicia Allison, home. I pulled that car into the garage and then saw Alicia's stunned face. Things did get better. One time I felt impressed to take one of my counselors to visit a less-active family. My counselor asked my why we were going there. I replied that I didn't know. Inside the house, we found a mother of four small children. She had pneumonia. She had phoned her father, a bishop in the East, because she wanted a blessing. Her father told her to phone her bishop. She said, "Bishop, I couldn't phone you; I know how busy you are. I just prayed for you to come."

ROGER HAWLEY

MARION GUBLER

VAL SHEFFIELD

DENNIS SHANKLIN

Judy Beers Richie is now Stake Relief Society President and talked about her mother being such an example and that she worked on her lessons all month.

Bishop A.J. MARTIN_shortest terra. Age 39-40 and was frightened when the call came but —

Bishop Valentine-commented that he and Jane have been serving for 2 1 /2 years in the Del Rio Branch, which must be a Spanish speaking branch. During his tenure they had to make additions to the bui Iding to create more office space. Water leakage was a constant problem plaguing all the bishops. Windows were removed on the front and over choir loft. Spanish tile roof was replaced with shingles, and all the glass doors to patio were replaced, when the patio was closed in to create library, classrooms and offices. In that remodeling air conditioning was added. He commented that the back foyer partition had been changed earlier and a new foyer added. (You may remember how noisy it was with the foyer in the back.) It certainly made a great big chapel. He is now a seminary teacher and quoted quite a few scriptures from the D&C. in conclusion.

Bishop Zundel-commented that he is a relative newcomer. The freewey took their home when they were living in East Ward. When he was called to be the bishop, the home they moved into still was In East Ward, and the boundary was their street. He mentioned this to Pres. Seamons who replied, "It now goes down your back fence!" He was bishop at the same time that Bishop Valentine W8S bishop, and he said that he and his counselors like to think that they did all the work on the building remodeling. Commented about early leaders in the Church and said, "I need to do more, and maybe someday I'll measure up!" Liked advise given by Pres. J. Reuben Clark, who had served as 1st counselor for two prophets and then was called to be the 2nd to another. "In the Church, we serve where we are called. Neither do we seek or decline a call. It's not where we serve, but how!"

Bishop McQuire-organ was donated by Harold K. Marshall when the building was built. It was refurbished during his 1977-82 tenure, and to match the pi8no. Remembered helping with inventories at May Co., Bullocks & Galleria. Events such as the Dance Festival 1978 in the Rose Bowl. the new 3 hr.block plan in 1980, Roy and Lottie Jonkey to Micronesia in 1981. Said that when he first moved into the ward, Bishop Callister said, "You better marry Corrine Thorne!" "And I did!" He is now in the High Council assigned to 4th Ward, and live in 2nd.

Bishop Wickman-said that his family first heard of Glendale West Ward when they were living in New Jersey and A. J. Martin moved into their ward. His dad was transferred to California and bought a home in West Ward. Was bishop in 1976-80. He recalled Elder James E. Faust said to Pres. Kimball, "We simply must obtain the Kirtland Temple for our Church!" Pres. Kimball said, "We took everything with us that was important."

Bishop Reese-he was called by Pres. Don Van Sloten while in SLC, at age 34. He was so shook-up that he could not find his way home from Salt Lake. The night he was set apart, when it was time to take the babysitter home, he pulled the car into the garage, got out and lock«! the door momentarily, then he realized there was a wide eyed babysitter sitting there. Things did get better! One time he felt impressed to go visit a less active family with one of his counselors. They sat down and he said, "I don't know why we are here!" She had called her father to ask her for a blessing and he told her that she should ask her bishop. She hesitated to do this because she knew how busy he was. So she had been praying that the Lord would send him. They gave her a blessing!

Bishop Hawley-served in various callings under many bishops since he moved into the Glendale West Ward, when Harry Brooks was the bishop. Love all of them. Because time was short he just bore his testimony and sat down.

Bishop Gubler-he had been thinking about the pioneers who first came to Southern California to establish the first ward. Told of the funeral of Pres. David H. Cannon, and that Harold B. Lee was a speaker, who spoke and cried about his old, dear friend. He and his wife came to Southern California in 1960. Decided to chose a ward first, before looking for a home. Reed Callister was the bishop and the day they visited they were having their special awards night. They were so impressed, that they moved into the ward and have been here 30 years. In the same home, just done some remodeling. When he was a counselor in a bishopric, Pres. Van Sloten called to give the bishop an assignment to have 5 men out at the farm to install a sprinkler system. It was raining very hard when he took the message, and those in the office questioned the necessity. Just then a bolt of lightening struck the tower. "If he can call down fire from heaven, we better go!"

Bishop Sheffield-was married to liathew Cowley's daughter, who just died in February. Had also been a bishop in SLC. Said the Glendale Wards have always had such a fine record in VT and HT. Said to keep up the good record, carry on and then bore his testimony. He is presently a bishop of one of the wards, •

Bishop Shanklin-has spent his whole life in this building. Taught the gospel by people who loved him. Many testimonies born in this building and rooms. Then he bore his testimony and the meeting ended after 8 special musical number by the choir.

Both meetings ran 1 hour longer than planned, but we all enjoyed them so much!

alentine-commented that he and Jane have been serving for 2 1 /2 years in the Del Rio Branch, which must be a Spanish speaking branch. During his tenure they had to make additions to the bui Iding to create more office space. Water leakage was a constant problem plaguing all the bishops. Windows were removed on the front and over choir loft. Spanish tile roof was replaced with shingles, and all the glass doors to patio were replaced, when the patio was closed in to create library, classrooms and offices. In that remodeling air conditioning was added. He commented that the back foyer partition had been changed earlier and a new foyer added. (You may remember how noisy it was with the foyer in the back.) It certainly made a great big chapel. He is now a seminary teacher and quoted quite a few scriptures from the D&C. in conclusion.

Both meetings ran 1 hour longer than planned, but we all enjoyed them so much!

Saturday, October 8, 2016

1990 West Ward Former Bishops