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Show CR-RT 000 62nd year Number 18 2?y Patricia Knoell Times Reporter t t V When people first meet the active and" alert white-haired woman they usually do a double take. "You're kidding," is the usual response when Laura Swallow Beckstrand proudly announces that she is 102 years, old. She certainly doesnt look or act her age. So, what's the secret of her longevity. "Just the things that come up that's interesting," was her reply, "Like BYU ball games and watching watch-ing the Jazz play and going to the temple, I enjoy all those thingp. A regular at BYU football, basketball, volleyball and baseball base-ball games, Mrs. Beckstrand can still cheer her team and boo refs and umpires with the best of them. Three years ago, at the tender age of 99, she was named Orem climber tackles Himalaya: World's highest mountain range By Clyde E. Weeks, Jr. Orem-Geneva Times Someone asked the question: "Why do men climb mountains? One climber answered: "Because they are there!" One such Orem climber is Troy Walker, partner in Walker Fruits & Produce, Inc. 1286 North State Street, who has climbed Mount Timpanogos some 30 times, Cascade Mountain, seven times, and King's Peak, twice. Walker, an inveterate out-of-doors lover ,has scaled mountains and skied snowy terrains all over the West. That challenge to adventure has also led him to teach ski and rescue strategies for the National Ski Patrol. It has, also, led him to tackle the highest mountain system in the world. Troy Walker returned April 24 from his most exciting climbing adventure in the Himalayan Mountains. The Himalaya rise in steps from the plains of northern India, which have an elevation of about 1,000 feet 1. Troy Walker, Orem busiaessmsii, recently realized a life's ambition when he traveled to Nepal and joined a sdesiiSc expe&kta, climbing Mount Everest in search of the bodies of two climbers who disappeared on the face 75 years ago. He is shown here at one of the climbers' camps on the north side of Mount Everest. (IJIlMj WL. Ma 5 ,fi ' t yctT' "'J Iff v f PI 4, ( 4i - I Jaclyn Leavitt (center) accepts a set of pot holders from Laura Beckstrand, while Governor Mike Leavitt presents Mrs. Beckstrand with a pin commemorating her 102nd year at a reception for centenarians held last summer at the Governor's . mansion. above sea level. "Mount Everest (29,141 feet) which lies between Tibet and the kngdom of Nepal, is the highest peak in the world. The name of the Himalaya comes from the Sanskrit language and means the house of snow, or the snowy range. The Himalaya are made up of several parallel ranges, capped with snow-covered peaks and cut by great valleys. Standing, above the clouds in their icy fastness, the Himalaya, for centuries, have fascinated many people. Some of the more adventurous have tackled the perilous climb, only to turn back, unsuccessful, or in some cases, to die on the mountain. Troy Walker read about two of such climbers who attempted the feat in 1924, only to disappear on Everest 900 feet below the summit. The thought of their ordeal, over three-quarters three-quarters of a century ago, would be enough to quench the sense of adventure in most people, but it fired the imagination of the Orem man who was more inspired I by reports jof some $t : ... Oirem 538 South State hikers, who had actually reached the summit and returned. Walker thought it was incredible that the two English climbers, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, could get within a few hundred feet of the summit, wearing tweed clothing and using extremely heavy and primitive oxygen equipment, and then, simply, disappear. "Surely, experienced climbers, wearing proper clothing and using state-of-the-art equipment, could make it to the top and survive," Walker thought. And then, Walker heard about Eric Simonson, a high-altitude climber and guide who had climbed to the summit of Mt. Everest in 1991. In 1999 Simonson planned to lead a team of historians, climbers. filmmakers, and even glaciologists on an expedition, which would endeavor to determine, once and for all, the fate of Mallory and Irvine on Everest. Back in 1933, an ice axe, Continued on page 3 A0&? - 2 & Iter's Df Street - Orem, Utah 84058 runner-up in a nationwide Sears "DieHard Fan" contest. She earned local and national attention atten-tion at that time, including a short appearance on ABC Television Televi-sion during the Pigskin Classic that was played at BYU to open the 1996 football season. But sports aren't the only thing that keep Mrs. Beckstrand young. She also attends the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Temple twice a week and rarely misses a church meeting. The majority of her activities are conducted in the company of her children, Thressa Knoell, Therald Beckstrand and Nelda Wadley. All are also avid BYU fans and love temple work. Arbor Day noted. The Orem Golden K Kiwanis organization recently continued a longstanding long-standing tradition of planting a tree in the city to commemorate Arbor Day. Pictured to the left of the new Cedar of Lebanon tree are David Swenson, Tom Adams, DeLoy Smith, Pete Workman, Bill Ward, and (front) Milton DeGering. (Right side, from left) Press Hyatt, Boyd Asay, Zane Alder, Kermit Anderson, Lowell Christensen, (front) Charles Loris, Vern Harmer, John Hardy. Songs of a humble heart By Debbie Hamilton Orem-Geneva Times Reporter Thursday, April 29 1999, BYU hosted the 24th annual Women's Conference, with many local attendees at-tendees from Orem, Lindon, and Provo as well as those from Texas, Montana, California, and many other areas; making up this year's record attendance of 20,000. This was a 30 increase from 1997 attendance. This year's theme was "...Encircled In The Arms Of His Love." One of the most anticipated presentations reached far beyond expectations as Gladys Knight shared an hour of "Songs of Her Heart" both spoken and sung. A unique bonus during Thursday's performance was her inclusion of 8 Young Women from her Las Vegas Paradise Stake invited by her to sing back-up. This was an especially touching part of her program. Angela (Buffie) Lucas said, "I was surprised one day to get a call from Gladys someone told her about me, and she called up and said "Girl, I want you to come and sing for me!" Buffie is a return re-turn missionary for the LDS Church, while the rest of the girls ranged from 16-18 years old. Emily Richardson and Becky Savage from Gladys's Legacy Ward in the Green Valley Stake said they met Gladys in church. Emily even performed a solo at the MGM Grand in one of Gladys's performances! All echoed ech-oed agreement that "She lives what she says she is so humble and real, not full of herself like you might expect a superstar to Utah Press Assoc. 307 West 2fc)0 South 14 0005 Salt Lake City, UT 84101 She lives with Mrs. Knoell, a long time resident of Orem who goes everywhere with her mother. "I don't know what I'd do without with-out her," Mrs. Knoell said. "She's the one who goes to all the games with me and we go to the temple together. No one else can go to everything with me. I just love her so much." There are two things that Mrs. Beckstrand loves as much as sports and temple work, her family and doing handiwork. Her children, grand children, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren are her pride and joy. Whenever they come to visit, the little ones immediately flock around great grandma be- TT be; she is like a sister or a mother to us very kind and supportive!" support-ive!" Other Young Women performing perform-ing were Tiffany Strobelt, Tara Leavitt, Sara Towls, Heidi Neibaur, and Sonna Segert..There was an obvious comraderie in the entire production produc-tion team, including John Fluker, her very gifted keyboardist and Larry Ward, her road manager. According to the girls, "She takes everyone in as family," and indeed in-deed Knight spoke of the "Tremendous "Tre-mendous outpouring of love from my Church 'Family.'" . When questioned in a Press O ' ' Gladys Knight, renowned recording artist, at a Press Conference Con-ference heldApril 29, 1999 at the 24thAnnual Women's Conference Con-ference held at Provo, Utah's Brigham Young University Campus. There were 20,000 participants who came to hear Gladys Knight and other presenters over a two-day Conference; Con-ference; during which nearly 5,000 service hours were donated by those in attendance who prepared medical and educational kits for Kosovo and other needed areas. 50C Wednesday, May 5, 1999 cause they know shell play with the. "I love them so much," she said. "I enjoy playing with them Td do anything for them." And play she does, getting right down on the floor to help them build block towers and play Go Fish and other children's card games. She also gets active with such pursuits as Hide and Seek and Ring Around the Roses, then settles down to read story books. Known for years as a fierce competitor card games like Rook, Flinch and Thistle, she now pre- Continued on page 5 Conference following the performance, perfor-mance, she answered the question, ques-tion, "How is it different performing perform-ing for an audience of 'Sisters', members of your Faith?; with an exclaimed "Whew!! You can't imagine the power you feel from those who understand your heart, and who understand that we all want to share His light in the works we do- It's unbelievable!" unbeliev-able!" Also announced in the Press Conference was the signing sign-ing of Gladys Knight as this year's Headline Performer for Continued on page 4 POOR COPY |