A letter from Fawn Taylor to her children and grandchildren — May 1992
Fawn Jones Taylor penned this letter to her posterity the 15th of May, 1992, while receiving prayer roll phone calls in the Provo Temple. Fawn would have been 72 years old as she wrote this letter.
Dearest loved ones,
I cannot think of a better time or place to write this letter to you than while I am on the telephone prayer roll duty here at the Provo Temple. As I ponder and stop to think about the aspects of life, it is hard for me to realize how the time has flown. It seems such a short time since you were gathered at my knee, and now here I am writing to you about things that have happened and will happen in my future life. It was 13 years ago yesterday that we lost our dear husband and father. It still seems like a bad dream to me and i will never adjust to the loss of having his love and nurturing in my life.
At the present time, I come to the temple each Saturday and take names for the prayer roll. What a spiritual experience this is for me, as many tell me why they are calling and why they need the blessings that come from having their names in the great Provo Temple. It brings me back to when this temple was built and that I worked here for over two years as an employee as head switchboard operator. President Glen Clark was the temple president. Also, I work each week as a Pink Lady in the gift shop at American Fork Hospital. This brings much joy to me as I have always classed myself as a ‘people’ person and I enjoy being in the service of others. If I can make it, I also work on Sundays at the information desk at the hospital after my church meetings. I am in a lovely club called Literary League and we meet once a month. There are 25 ladies in the club and they are all outstanding women in American Fork. I have also joined the TOPS Club as I have gained weight since my back operation on January 24th of this year. I will always be thankful to Linda and Tim for letting me recuperate in their home for two weeks after that surgery. Their dog, Lulu, kept me company much of the time.
In Relief Society I am a visiting teacher with Sister Jerri Astle, my next door neighbor. I am in charge of having a review with our leaders each month. I am an active member of the Senior Citizens group and I love it so much. I go there to eat, but the food isn’t the big attraction. The attraction is all those dear friends I have down there and I love them all so much. The wheels on my little Toyota don’t stop too much, as I am a real goer and at the present time I am looking forward to going to the Taylor reunion with Margaret Taylor. It is in Manti and we will all get to go to the famous Manti pageant on the temple grounds. (I just received a call from a sister in North Carolina, asking that I put three names of the prayer roll.)
This spring has been a most beautiful time with the blossoms on the trees and gorgeous flowers in bloom. My tulips on my patio are just beautiful. Linda planted them and I didn’t even know they were there. Because of my allergies and hay fever, I have not felt very well this spring. I can actually forget that I had back surgery just 3 months ago as I have done so well. I was hit by a car 7 years ago and I have lots of side pain still. I have a 15 inch scar on my side that I will never get over. It hurts most of the time.
I am so thankful for my family, for my four wonderful children and their married partners and my precious grandchildren. I hope that in the future my grandchildren will all choose worthy mates and be married in the temple. I pray that Ryan will get his diploma from American Fork High School and go on a mission. He is such a sweet boy. You are all such a blessing to me! Deanna and Glen are both working in the same office building and are doing so well. Ashley is married to Natasha Cluff from Oregon. Ian is a senior and will graduate in a few weeks and plans to go to college. Dayna and Dan are employed. Dan is a carpenter and construction worker and Dayna is employed at Ken Kraft Candy Company. Greg and Ryan also work there. Gary is dating a sweet girl named Lisa and he works at Novell. Greg is also dating a girl name Lisa and plans to go to college in the fall. Ryan is in a little jazz band and is never home. Tawnie is in the 10th grade. She is a darling girl and has been chosen to play the big bass drum in the marching band. Paul is in the 7th grade and is getting so big. He is a sweet boy.
Linda and Tim have a nice home in South Jordan where Tim has his cement construction business. Linda is the bookkeeper for Tim. Their dog Lulu is so big and fat and they treat that dog just like a member of the family.
Michael and Susan are two busy kids with Michael serving as 1st counselor in their bishopric and very involved in Scouting. His medical work keeps him so busy at Alta View Hospital, where he is an anesthesiologist. He is considering coming to Provo to work for Gerald Hayward in his surgical center. He is thinking about changing jobs this summer. I don’t know how Susan does it, but she keeps her 5 children going. What a sweet little mother and housekeeper she is.
I love my condo home. It is so good for me and I am thankful Dean could look into the future an purchase it for me. I had planned to sell it and move to a mobile home but I am so glad it didn’t happen. I love my ward. All the members are good to me. I love this section of town that I live in . All the people are sweet and friendly.
I have to mention last week as it was Mothers’ Day. It was a very happy time for me. Michael and Susan and their children came down Friday evening and took me out to dinner at the Golden Corral. It was so good. On Saturday, Dayna, Tawnie, Linda,Gail Barney, Deanna, and I all went to garage sales and had a blast. We then went to Brick Oven to eat. Oh, it was so good. We all laughed our heads off and had so much fun. We were also celebrating Gail’s birthday.
It is almost time for me to go down to the cafeteria for lunch. I plan to go to the dance tonight at the Orem Senior Citizen center. I hope I feel well enough to go. The times are changing so much. We are in the process of voting again for President of the United States. Bush, Clinton, and Brown are in the running. I personally am in favor of an independent named Ross Perot from Texas. We have just had a terrible problem in Los Angeles with riots. This is because 4 white policemen almost beat a black man to death. Many lives were lost during the riots and the property destruction with fires and looting was terrible. The fulfillment of prophecies of the latter days is truly coming to pass. There is much wickedness and unrest in the world. President Benson is 92 years old and quite feeble. Who knows how long he will live.
As I bring this letter to a close, may your days be filled with sunshine and laughter and your nights sweet and peaceful. As I close, may you each and everyone realize how very much I love you. You have all added so much to my life and I pray for success to come to each one of you.
All my love, Mother (“Fawnie”)
P.S. I am so thankful to have my name Fawn Jones Taylor. I am proud to be called Taylor if it couldn’t be Jones. Both names mean so much to me!
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