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Show 198S Fire Shuffles Priorities For Johnsons FATHERS DAY SPECIAL! Your worthless old mower 13, June by Nick Drake , Everything they had worked for, planned for and collected went up in smoke May 24, just before the Memorial Day weekend. It only took an instant but five years of hard labor in restoring the 53?F wiUbringyou$50 loser to tms newlbro. Palmer Home to a comfortable, cozy family home were gone when a small fire grew into a rapid blaze that engulfed the Dean Johnson home at 141 E. Main in Grantsville. Model 20676 21, The damages were insurmount- able amounting to over $80,000 worth, not including the priceless antiques, years of clothing and numerous personal memorabilia that money cant replace. Yet, through it all the Johnson family, still remains intact after the tragedy that took an instant to wipe out five years of blood, sweat and tears. No lives were claimed in the blaze, which Dean and Beatrice Johnson remain thankful. As parents of seven, both state that it has been a learning experience. The seven sons and daughters include Chad, 16, Krista, 15, Craig, 13, Jared, 9, Brandon, 6, Brady 4, and Shaun, six months old. "I think we realized (after the fire) that the last five years we have been so wrapped up in that house that we havent noticed what weve been doing with our lives, and now all of the sudden, its wiped out from under us. "Yet now all of the sudden, it doesnt seem all that important any more. You kind of regret slowing your life down like that. I think we all get so wrapped with stuff like that that we dont realize the little things that are so important to you like family, Beatrice stated. She said it is hard to lose five or six antiques that have been around for a number of years but its better losing them than things that cant be replaced - like their children. "It was nice to have a few items that had been there for a lifetime but now it doesnt matter that they burned. We dont care about those other things because to it, thats all life really is about, she added. "Sure this has been a hard lesson to learn because I am worldly. I like -- Self-propelle- d, ' Key-Lectr- ic Rear Bagger Model 20672 21, Self-pro-p BBC Rear Bagger Right now well give you a $50 minimum guaranteed trade-i- when you buy a new Toro mower. Choose from a variety of models all covered by Toros limited warranty. You wont find a better time to put your n old mower out to pasture. Bishop Waldon O. Gurney helps escort Krista Johnson during the May 24 fire that destroyed the Johnsons home. The damage has been estimated at over $80,000 but the Johnsons say they have learned some valuable lessons from the costly tragedy. countless gifts that have been pouring in. They have yet to halt. 'We all have a tendency to be so independent that we refuse to even ask for help, Beatrice commented. "And thats the way it was with the home. Unless we absolutely need it we did everything ourselves, and thats been the hardest thing. "The Grantsville community has been so good that we finally had to take a deep breath and swallow and just say thank you. Because it has Havent you done without a Toro long enough? men to haul to safety. Yet, it didnt stop there. Other concerned citizens cleaned off what just overwhelmed us. "At times it has been really hard because were just not used to having any help from anybody and to have people rally like they have, its just undescribable. The aid has continued since day one. During the fire, Grantsville resi- had been rescued, "like it was FDD brand new. All of Kristas clothing and personal items were destroyed, but by nightfall fellow residents had brought her four or five outfits to wear. Food, towels, blankets, The Auto Supply Company dishes and other valuable items were purchased for the Johnsons. Those burdens helped the family dents scurried in and out of the house saving what they could, ' family albums, sewing machine and even the piano in which it took nine 398 NORTH MAIN-882-30- 07 (continued on page five) the better things in life but we have now recognized that our family is more important than those kind of possessions. Her realization came after pondering the fire and potential it had of taking one of the Johnson youngsters. Shaun was sitting at the end of the bar in a high chair Beatrice said when she noticed the fire. "The fire was just so small, you could take a bucket of water and pour on it, she added. But in her anxiety to run out and look for the oncoming fire trucks, she asked Krista, "where is Shaun? "We werent worried but were just so protective of him I just said, 'Run and get him to Krista." And after Krista retrieved the youngster, within two minutes the kitchen was completely engulfed with raging flames. "This kind of thing has reemphasized our feelings and brought our family closer together, Beatrice noted. "Our family has always been important to us but you kind of let priorities get in the way before you realize what is happening. We now enjoy ourselves and our family a lot more now." Dean couldn't agree mere. "I feel the say way Beatrice does," he explained. "Sunday was the first day that I can remember in the last five years of going up to the park and spending time with my two little boys, swinging, walking down to the store and stuff like that." Before the fire, Dean was working two jobs on top of the remodeling. "I was just finding my life on a constant treadmill. The first job is an assistant for the Tooele and Wendover branch of Commercial Security Bank and the second being cutting meat with his father. "And on top of the remodeling, I wasn't spending much time with my family. We went to ballgames and things but even then it was a rat race because of me driving home in 10 to 15 minutes, piling everybody into the car and taking off for the ball park as fast as we could. We did enjoy ourselves for about an hour but then we would zip back home and run, run, run all the time. "What I've learned is that those seven kids and ourselves are so much more important to each other than any remodeling. It was just overpowering to us. The Ironic twist is that the Johnson home will now be remodeled by the insurance company's contractor that does old home restoration and fire restoration. Still, clothes and personal items were lost to the costly fire. But, due to the Grantsville community rallying around the Johnson family, they can start looking to rebuild what was lost. Since the day of the fire, Grants-vili- e residents have been showering the family with clothing, food, toys, dishes, blankets, coats, etc. to help them get back on their feet. The overwhelming effort has left the family searching for words that express their gratitude for the At Your Room Size i2'xio' I2xi2' irir 12'x14' 2x1 S' For price Call 882-096- At 8.95 sq. yd. Your Room Size 0.95 sq. yd. 14597 la'xio 1 12'xii 12xl2 60.64 1 75.20 1 09.77 204.44 219.00 of other room sizes 9 irxir 1 1 12-XI- 12-X1- 3- 4 12-xl- S $1 $1 19.31 At 9.95 sq. yd. $1 12'x10' 31.30 91 43.20 32.64 .....145.97 12xii' 1 2xi 2 I2xi3 159.20 155.11 172.44 '. 167.10 i2xi4 105.77 179.00 2'xl 5For of other room sizes 199.00 For price of other room sizes price 1 Call 882-096- Price does not Include pad or labor 882-096- 4 Price does not Include pad or labor mem ccHvcniiHT cncmT nar.tsi AL 90 Days Free Interest or Up to 3G Months and LID Furniture-Applianc- e Finn Qualilv-Fus- 082-09G- With Qualified Credit 4 l Sorvicc-Tcri- m 54 So. Main 'The Slurit Thu! 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