OCR Text |
Show A Fima! Trilb mite ren in whatever they did. She followed Dave, Larry and Charlie's sports activities from the minor league on up. She went to hear Marilyn give a speech in the United Nations convention. She followed Anitas progress as a top athlete. She always seemed to know just what we needed, the children said. "We never had to ask. Charlie, one quarter shy of graduation, out of money with a small family of his own to support, received an By Margaret Van Noy Profiles Writer with Andy Roberts thie week ago today Mining Services International's plant west of Grantsville literally disappeared in a violent, white hi blast, taking with it five residents of this small community. This little town of Grantsville has lieen deeply touched by the tragedy. It has brought the community to its knees and lias united it in a way that nothing else has done. Indeed many more lives than just family memlicrs have been changed. And though the lives of the five ended with that explosion, the questions have just liegun. What happened and why, of course, the foremost among them. In addition to the more technical aspects of the event, there are other questions that echo through the minds of family, friends, neighliois and townsfolk: Was it just chance that these particular five people were all at that certain spot at that express moment Thursday, July 30, at 4. 19 a.m.? Or was it just a coincidence mere chance? Why did three employees decide not to go to work that night? Why did another change his mind about working overtime? Why? Why? Why? Whatever the answers to these questions which will continue to haunt those concerned in the catastrophe, one thing is certain: The people who were killed in Thursday's devastation were all special , Jeanne Mabey was no! only a good mother but the "world's best wife, a fact borne out by the happy smiles of Jeanne and husband Paul. portant to her. Perhaps that was why she worked so hard to make hers succeed. In her efforts to support her daughter, Jeanne's mother worked at odd johs. "Cod will know my mother by her hands, Jeanne once said. The family was forced to live in apartments, with no private bath. Seattle, in those depression days, had long bread lines. They waited in those lines, and they got help from the one-roo- m people. Today, after all that has been written and said, this is our tribute to Richard Higley, Jeanne Mabey, Jeff Boyer, Cary Cilliert and Phil Didericksen. Sal-vati- Army. Somehow they pulled through. She Was So Alive We were poor but happy, Jeanne said of those early days. Jeanne Mabey seemed to be the last person that death could overpower; she was so alive. Not everyone who lives knows the art of living. Jeanne was one Economic conditions improved with the U.S. war effort, and Jeanne got a job selling tickets on the Bremerton ferry who did. when she was only 15. It was there that she met a shy sailor Perhaps life was a joy to her because she had known its sorrows. Perhaps her childhood st niggle just to survive made life that much more precious to her. Jeanne never knew her father; he left his family when she was bom. Perhaps that was why a good marriage was so im from Crantsville, Utah, stationed in Washington with the Coast Guard. Lynn Palmer was lonely and homesick and needed someone to talk to. Lynn brought Jeanne to Grantsville to meet his large family and they were married in 1944 in Seattle. When their first 4 maker, and when the family moved to Crantsville after the war, she set out at once to make her home on the edge of the western desert - blossom like a rose. The couple lived on a farm, and she did the chores along with Lynn. the trimmings. Once Marilyn and her Coming from the lush green forests of Seattle, she struggled to make her yard a friends asked for bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches instead. Jeanne comreminder of her home. "Wherever we t raveled, she wanted to stop and get a tree or plied, but she was frustrated. Before the a plant, Charlie, her son said. It became a day was over, she had gone to daughter Sue's house and cooked a roast and family joke. The kitchen soon became her headquarters. If we wanted to find mom, she would always be in the kitchen, Marilyn remarked. Jeanne soon became noted for her baking skills, and over the years almost everyone who knew her became the recipient of her cakes, cookies, rolls, or hand-dippe- d candies. There was something in the life of Jeanne Mabey for each one of us to emulate. As a mother, she supported her child formal schools to tie a free spirit down. It was not that Jeff could not leam. He was skilled at many things. His pinewood derby entries always came in first or second. He loved to take things apart and see how they operated. He was often engaged in dismantling old trucks and putting them back together again. At a young age, he knew ever part of a gun and its mechanism and enjoyed reloading his own shells. 4 He would sit with his grandfather, Pratt Matthews. Pratt taught him to braid which stimulated an interest in leather-worHe took it up in school and made all scabbards and kinds of leather objects saddle bags all having to do with his bek. loved outdoors. Jeff was an artist and worked with and screen painting. His subjects were always wildlife. But whatever Jeff did, it had to be perfect. Before he put in his fireplace, he built a model brick by brick. He was also an expert welder. Jeff had a good relationship with his family. He was good to see that the work was done while his mother was at work. He took his brother Blaine hunting and fishing with him, and was especially close to Teresa. Once Teresa was in the hospital away from home. She kept asking for Jeff Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Boyer on their wedding day. Jeff Boyer was a quiet person - until you got to know him. And once you got to know him, you would notice his laugh: it was contagious. Jeff would laugh, and so would everyone else. And when you were not with him, you would remember his smile. Jeff was a son, a husband, a father, and a grandson. This we know from reading his obituary. But for those of us who wish we knew him better - now that it is too late - one word describes him best. Jeff Boyer was a free spirit. He couldnt stand to be confined. Give and he was happy. Jeff the Give him a forest filled with game he could hunt, a stream stocked with trout he could fish, a wilderness brimming with wildlife he could study, and it was home. Jeff didn't like school from his first day on. His mother, Helen, would drop him off at kindergarten. By the time she had picked up the mornings mail, Jeff would already be home. The fields and the farm were his classroom. He loved the Matthews and Boyer farms. He had a mechanical aptitude which just naturally drew him to tractors and farm machinery. It wasnt that Jeff didnt want to leam. He did. When he was just a tiny boy, he came home with a gallon jar crammed full with polhwogs. The polliwogs became a study project for the whole family as they turned into frogs. Everyone liked Jeff. They couldnt help it; he was a likeable kid. But he was shy, rs t ciative companions soon finished it off. lie later learned it had cost her $35 to send it. She adjusted her activities to meet each family memlier's schedule. When Charlie worked afternoons, she fixed him a full meal Irefore he left and later fixed another meal for the rest of the family. When she went to work at the Skyline restaurant to support her two oldest sons on missions, she got off shift at 3 a.m. At 5 a.m. she was up, as usual, taking care of the familys needs. Jeanne's need to cook was almost overwhelming. Sunday meant a roast and all potatoes. Jeanne accomplished more in 24 hours than most people do in several days. Her children attribute this to her vast amount of energy. She was always busy. We could never get her to sit down and visit with us. She made the rounds of all our homes and always dropped something off, but she never had time to stop. She always had something she had to do." Besides being a mother, Jeanne was the of Hodgkins' disease. She never complained. After his death, she kept the family together. "She kept us st rang, said the children. Dad died on Saturday night. Sunday morning we were in church. Jeanne kept her grief to herself. She never cried openly, but always in the privacy of her bedroom. How did she cope? She kept busy," said the children. Thats her secret. When Jeanne died, many people came to the Mabey family and said, Jeanne was my very best friend. What a compliment! Ibis is because she loved everyone. She was always the first to go to a family's aid at the time of death. She baked cakes for birthdays. She had her own version of a welcome wagon before there were welcome wagons. "She went to people's homes that she didnt even know because she felt they needed her. "If she wasnt at home in the kitchen or at work, we knew that she was helping Jeanne was one of the most talented someone else. She had a boundless store of energy. To make money for a church cooks in town. Almost everyone who knew her has been the recipient of one of project, she made her famous butterhoms. her masterpieces. Marilyn sold 50 dozen at TAD. Jeanne got up early every morning and baked to make provisions including fuel for all the famisure the butterhoms were fresh. lies. She and Paul bought a farm and were She always regretted not getting an involved in plans for building a home After education. seeing her children there so they could take care of everyone. through school, she and Paul went back to 1 wo days before she died in the devasschool to get their high school diplomas. It Jeanne took the job at explosion, tating took them two years. It was a switch, MSI to eam more money so the dream of a had said the children, we to help mother new life could become a reality. with HER homework. We typed her term The little girl who never had a family, paper. Jeanne and Paul were slated to renow had six, loving children now grown. ceive their diplomas Aug. 6. Each is successful; each is a strong, She took her schooling seriously. individual. The little girl who Daughter Sue was slated to be admitted to never had a father of her own, had had the hospital for an operation that day. two happy, full marriages. Jeanne had Cant you reschedule it? Jeanne said. reached a plateau in her life. The dream "After all, I went to YOUR graduation. of the new home and the farm was the next step in a new direction. She worried about her familys welfare, and had a two years supply of food and Jeanne Mabey was ready for a change. nt We Will Miss His Smile He Loved The Great Outdoors rV child, David, was Ixim, she dropped out of high school. Jeanne proved to be a talented home- unexpected check for $350 from his mother. "We had been wondering what to do, he said. Our parents saw that we got the best, the children said, "whether we could or not. They remember the many sacrifices made by Jeanne. She catered to each child's individual wants. Birthdays meant a special treat. Larry's favorite desert was Cerman Chocolate Cake. When he was on his mission in Norway, a fresh Cerman Chocolate cake arrived by air. Larry and his appre- world's best wife. She loved being married. After her find husband Lynn died in 1974, she married Paul Mabey, She always treated Dad and Paul royally, the children said. "She taught us girls that a husband comes first. Whenever we sat down for a meal, her husband was served first with the biggest and the best. Jeanne nursed Lynn through two years and somewhat afraid of strangers when he was a kid. Once on a family outing in Idaho to watch his father Waynes horse race, Jeff wanted some licorice. His mother gave him the money and told him to go and get it himself, thinking it would give him some experience in dealing with strangers. But Jeff dragged his little sister Teresa along and made her buy the licorice while he stood in the background. Jeff had plenty of friends. He chose those who were free spirits like himself. Among them were his uncles and grandparents whom he grew to idolize. Both sides of his families were good fanners and great sportsmen. Hunts were family affairs, and Jeff was allowed to tag alone from a very early age. He became an and Jeff kept asking for Teresa, until said. Cindee and Jeff were married in Feb. of that year, and have a son Kasey. Having a son brought maturity to Jeff. He could hardly wait for the time when he could carry on the family tradition and take him hunting and fishing. He was a good father, patient and loving with Kasey, teaching and guiding him. Jeff supported his family by working in construction. He worked for the company that built the MSI plant, and then became a regular employee. During the past year, Jeff had begun to change. When he first went to work for MSI, he was like many youths reluctant to take on responsibility. He went on to become one of the most valued employees there. He asked for the hard jobs and gained the respect and trust of the management. He became very close to his little family, taking them with him, teaching them whatever he could. He began to face his problems, and to work them out in a mature way. Before that fateful day, Jeff had come face to face with death several times. When he was a very small child, he walked into the path of a The alert driver had seen him coming toward the road, and braked his truck. Once while hunting. he fell on his loaded gun so hard that he birough t it home in pieces. Another time, he rolled his truck, and later a construction trench caved in on him. He barely escaped each time. semi-truc- finally a nurse sneaked him up the stairs. When Connie was older, they became just as close. When Jeff was a junior, a pretty girl Slowly but surely, Jeff began to put his moved to Grantsville. Her name was life in order. He was in the process of turnCindee Batt. Shy as he was, Jeff called his life around when he reported to ing Cindee and askedfor a date. After that work that fateful July night. we saw each other every day, Cindee Jeff Boyer was ready for a new life. A mortal individual has no conception of the tremendous influence his words and actions have on the countless people he comes in contact with. And this is especially true of the truly thoughtful, kind and considerate man. He is much too busy being the good neighbor, the kind father, and the involved citizen or the interested friend to concern himself with keeping a record of his worthwhile and beneficial actions. Such a man was Richard Higley the only boy in a family of four children. All he wanted was the opportunity to serve he never kept score. He was bom and spent his youth in Topeka, Indiana. After his graduation from high school Dick joined the U.S. Air Force. It was here that Dick exhibited the faculty of being better than the ordinary -- gyHe loved his life in the service Dick loved kids, not only his own, but all kids. He was especially kind and com- passionate to troubled kids and spent many hours counseling and listening to the problems of kids. He especially enjoyed counseling for Pine Canyon Ranch for Boys. That was another of his great characteristics he was a great listener, and was capable of offering sound advice without "preaching. Since his death many people have told Marie about their experiences as Dick took time out to talk to them and lis- ten to their problems. After receiving his honorable discharge from the Air Force he took up the trade as a carpenter and established an enviable reputation as a home remodeler. From 1956, after being discharged from the service, Dick and his family lived in White Pigeon, Michigan. and was proud of the part he played during the A compassionate and concerned neighKorean War. He became a munitions and friend, Dick was always one of the bor expert, and rose to be supervisor of a munitions crew and was soon promoted to first to offer assistance to those in need. An incident typical of his service to the rank of Staff Sergeant. A patriotic occurred in 1965 when a torhumanity his follow his wanted sons to Dick man, nado unleashed its full fury in Dicks example. It was while Dick was in the serice in home area, wrecking havoc and destrucWendover, Utah that he met and married tion throughout the community. Dick was one of the first to offer assisSarah Marie Hector marriage that was to last for 26 years. Dick was the father of tance to the victims of this tragedy. And four children, two sons, Wayne, and he refused to quit until all the missing persons had been accounted for and peace of Joseph and two daughters, Julie and Wanda. (Continued on page thirteen) ' expert himself. From these forages into the mountains to hunt grew two other loves. His skill with his gun led to an interest in trap shooting and he was rated among the best in the county. Time spent in the gave him a love for all wildlife and its theme dominated his life. When he was still a small boy, his mother asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday. He didnt want a party; he didnt want gifts, he just wanted to go someplace where he could fish. Perhaps Jeff was bom in the wrong century; perhaps he should have been born when there were stll frontiers to build a time when there were no -- The famous Boyer smile flashes in two scenes from Jeff s childhood. He learned early the skills of hunting and fishing handed down as family traditions. Dick Higley spent much of his time serving others. Here he is getting ready for Christmas at the Pine Canyon Ranch for Boys I |