September 23, 1967

Dear Family,

We have decided not to go to Utah for Conference. We have prayed about this. We feel that it
would be just too much traveling for Mother at this time. While the Cortisone shot seems to be doing
some good, the Dr. told her to take it easy until he sees her again the first of next month. We would not
go to the McKays without going across to the Meekers. We feel that this would be just too much
traveling for Mother at this time. Then too, Mother wants to be available in case Marta should need her.
I am sorry about this. I so I wanted to see my namesake before he started chopping down trees.

We received a nice long letter from David. He sent us a news clipping about the USS Somers,
(this is the first time I knew how to spell the name). According to this clipping David is among the
advance techs that are getting the ship ready for commission. She will not be completed until May;
however her crew will join her in December. Thanks for the letter David. If you ever get a chance to
attend other schools, be sure to do it.

By the way you Stobbes, David says you owe him a letter. We have been wondering about you
as we have not received a letter from you for more than a week. We realize that the typhoon did not hit
you, (according to the papers). But we wondered if you had to take in some refugees from Wake,
although the paper said they all went to Hawaii.

We talked to Marta over the phone and she seems to be quite chipper. Bob has been working a
lot of extra hours lately. By-the-way Bob, I see that your GI bill allowance will increase. There is also a
provision in this new bill whereby a Vet with vision permanently impaired can get up to $1,600.00
toward the purchase of a car. If I just had the gift of persuasion of Frank I could get most of that. As it is
I will probably get $1.60 or thereabouts. At any rate I am going to apply for it as I need something to
help me drive at night.

What has happened to the Smog bound McKays? I have been giving you lower and lower copies
of the “Decker” hoping that you would get the hint that “Writers get legible copies”. We would like to
hear about Brian Jon. Is he walking yet?

The following is David’s address. I am sure he would appreciate a letter from any you.

SM L.D. McKay B 801707

USS Somers (DDO-34)

S.F. Navy Shipyard

Hunters Point

San Francisco Cal. 94135

Guadalajara, 2 October 1967

Hotel Fenix

My Beloved Family:

This includes your mother as I am here alone working. It has been a long time since I arrived by
air and no one was waiting to greet me. It made me feel rather blue. The trip down was very bumpy as
it was cloudy all the way, but the plane- a jet, is not at all bad. After dinner this evening, I found a barber
shop, (I was beginning to look hippy) and had a manicure to get my spirits up. I miss you my darling
Wife and it is no fun going places without you anymore.

I have a hard day’s work tomorrow and hope to catch the plane to Mexico City at 7 p.m.

We received letters from Bill, Marta and Rina in that order. They are home and I don’t
remember much they said. Bill’s garden was frozen. Marta was writing from the Hospital, where she
went for a check-up. I remember that she said that the Young Marrieds, I believe from her old Ward,
gave them a high chair for the baby.

Rina’s letter was full of church activities, it appears that the Navel Base is not far from them and
they entertain Mormon Sailors quite frequently.

David is becoming our most constant Correspondent. I am going to have to cut him out of this
decker, so you can send your copy to him Mother. He told us that he had gone to church with a Mormon
friend-which as you might suppose, made Mother very happy. When Mother and I went to Rocky Point
last month, they almost did not let her go. They would accept nothing but a Birth Certificate, or a
certificate of citizenship. Just by luck, she had her’s with her.

My ID card has always been sufficient identification, but I told her this morning that I was going
to take my Certificate, just in case. It is a good thing I did. We did not go through Immigration until we
got to Obregon and they took two Americans off the plane who did not have a Birth Certificate.

Muy Buenos noches, con todo mi carino

Su Marido ye Padre

August 19, 1967

Dear Family,

Rina, your letter activates this decker. We had not received a letter from anyone for so long that
we were beginning to wonder. You sure sound like a full time missionary. The more power to you! I
don’t see how you can miss if you turn “High Pressure” Pancho, loose on those people.

Speaking of Missionary work. We received letters from Mimi and Johnny Meeker that really got
us stirred up. Mimi says that her Mother is about ready to join the church. We are delighted. We have
heard nothing from Marion though, so maybe it is just wishful thinking on Mimi’s part.

Mother and I went to the funeral of old Bill Young yesterday. Everyone thought that his brother
Phillip would pass away first as he looks like he is on his last legs. Marta you should remember him, he
was the Grandfather of the girl you palled around with here.

Rina, the Anglina, who were our Landlords on Wintstel St., moved to Mesa. They sold their
property to Lonny and Lannete, or almost gave it away, (18,000.00 for both houses and that big lot),
anyway they rented the house we lived in to a middle aged couple and night before last the woman shot
herself.

Mother is about the same or maybe just a little better after her therapy. She keeps taking pain
killer and when her leg feels good she does not know whether it is the pain killer taking effect or whether
it is better. We finally got the exercise board just yesterday. She says, so far she does not know if it
hurts or helps.

David is through school and is assigned to a ship. We think the following is his address. We took
it over the phone and it may be wrong, but I am sure if you write to him he will receive it.

L.D Mckay B 801707 USS SHMMERS (shig (DDC-34) U.S. Navy Shipyard Hunters Point San Francisco, CA
94135

This ship is being remodeled and will go to Long Beach when completed. Long Beach will be his
home station.

Hey Rina! Does this excursion you plan to the slant eye country mean that you are not coming to
the Main Land this next summer?

You McKays in Utah have just about had it. Bill, unless you have shot out your light again there is
no reason you cannot write out in camp in the evenings.

Robin, I will get around to answer your letter. Tell Renee and Boo, not letter, not pictures.

Love,

Grandpa

Tucson, August 26, 1967

Dear Family,

I am keeping my fingers crossed and almost holding my breath, because that exercise board
seems to be helping Mother’s knee. It is a bit too early to tell because the unwanted exercise has caused
her a lot of aches and pains in other areas. I even got on the thing and I’ll admit that it exercises a lot of
muscles, (especially in the “pot” area) that had not been exercised in a long time. Keep Praying.

We received a nice long letter from Marta which rather changed out plans. She has asked her
Mother in Law to help out during the time of the Baby’s birth. She, Mrs. Wilson is quite thrilled. It
seems that her other Daughters in Law rather ignore her when anything important occurs. We too are
satisfied with the set-up. I am sure Mrs. Wilson is better able, physically to cope with our darling
Granddaughters, than Mother.

Our tentative plans now are to go to Utah for conference the 1st of October. We were going to
Bill and Fran’s and watch it on TV, but since they have quite corresponding with us we will probably
camp out someplace near enough to Salt Lake to catch it on the radio at least. Then we will go on to
Marion’s. We received a letter from Mary Ann the other day. She said that while her Mother had not
gone back to drinking coffee, she is wavering. Actually all the information we have comes from Mimi.
We have not heard a word from Marion verifying or denying.

I am back P eyeing again. I had a case in Nogales Arizona the other day and interviewed the
widow of a colonel regarding it. When she found that I too was a retired Officer she really let her hair
down, even religion entered the conversation. She said she was a Catholic but was not very satisfied
with that church. When I told her I was a Mormon she became very interested. The uphot? I referred
her to the Missionaries.

We may get a case in Guadalajara. I am trying to get to drive down so I can take Mother, but
those kinds of cases seem too good to be true and usually fizzle out.

We received a letter from the “Old Salt”. He is aboard his ship, which he says, can hardly be seen
for all the scaffolding around it. He says it will not be in commission before December. How is the chow
aboard ship David? Is your rate still SN?

We went to Stake Conference last Sunday and saw Don Pederson and family. He was David’s
teacher in Ft. Huachuca and asked about him. He is teaching now in Patagonia. His boys are taller than
their father.

There is no other family news I know of. We continue to have home evening with the
Jaspersons. We can realize now just how important this program is for a family with children and I hope
you all participate.

Mother joins me in sending all of our love.

Dad

August 31, 1967

Dear Family,

Well the twist board was not the cure for Mother’s knee after all, although it does not seem to
hurt it, there is a swelling under the joint that does not want to reduce. She saw the Doctor this week.
He decided that she should see an orthopedist and made an appointment with one on 12 September,
however he said that the swelling must be reduced before then. He reluctantly gave a new
medicine, “Muy fuerte” which, he said, she should stop immediately if there were any symptoms of
stomach ulcers, (he described these symptoms) or if her heart appeared to be overworked. She has
been taking these pills since Monday and her knee is relieved. We know now that she does not have
ulcers and to keep her from having them, we have moved.

Mother has been very unhappy in the 1st Ward. The Relief Society, according to her, has fallen
by the way side and the people are the clannish descendants of Binghamton Settlers who are hard to
get acquainted with. Then, the Jasperson place in which we lived is on a dirt road, one block from the
school and traffic keeps a continual dust storm stirred up.

Mother, who has been continually looking, found this place advertised. She jumped in the car to
come see it and got lost, this is not the place she was looking for at all. I guess the Lord directed her,
because we later looked at the place she started for and it is Ugh!

We are very comfortable here. We have a very large bedroom, with screens that will allow it to
be made into two. A large living room looking out on lawn, surrounded with foliage, with two large palm
trees in the center that remind us of Hawaii. The thing that made us almost ill, was to break the news to
the Jaspersons that we were moving. I think it did make Ida ill. We are only a few blocks from them
however and will continue our association with the, Howe Evening etc.

According to Webster, “Orthopedics is the branch of Surgery dealing with diseases and injuries
of the bones and joints” so our plans depend on the outcome of Mother’s next appointment.

Rina, we were talking to Sister Ripley and she said that her daughter had been quite ill. I
suppose your RS had things well in hand. Our new address is 3536 N. Blackledge App #5. Telephone is
the same.

Vaya Con Dios

Dad

Tucson Sept 12, 1967

Dear Family,

I think the Millennium must not be too far in the offing, because I was paid to go fishing last
week end. Mother and I went to Rocky Point last Friday and returned Sunday evening. Our Office has a client who is on a diet of fish and claims that the commercial fisherman dip the fish in preservative solution to which she is allergic. We stayed in the best Motel in the place, (Ugh) and I hired a boat to take me out. It was a small open boat and I was glad Lloyd was not with me because it pitched like a bucking bronco and he would have been seasick for sure. We, (the Mexican boys and I), caught about a hundred pounds of Mackerel, which did not cost the client much more that tow dollars a pound.

We have received three letters at our new address, from Bill, Marion, and Rina. And to you Bill, I
want to make one statement, “No quiero decir que Vd des Embustero, pero, Vd. Esta estrechando la verdad”. That old story of not knowing where to write has long white whiskers. We do plan to get up there for Conference as long as you have the family room completed we will leave our trailer at home. How is the road between Ducheane and Price? According to the map I have it as still unpaved. Tell Fran not to be too miffed about us not going your way last spring. We would have gone if it had not been for Mother’s knee. By-the-way, her knee seems much better and did not bother her nearly as much on this Mexican trip. We were glad to hear that Lloyd is walking, but not surprised to hear that he is such a good baby. How could he miss with a name like that?

Marion, thanks for your invitation to move to some place like Napa, but I don’t think I could take
it there during the winter. We will look that area over next spring though. Your temperatures as
announced over TV sound mighty inviting right now. We talked to Marta and Bob the other day and they said it had been miserable there. Bob said he even had to quit school one day because the smog was so bad they could not study. You don’t say a word about the most important subject in my recent letters,
although, I am glad you enjoyed the outing with the LDS girls. Thanks for the report on David. It makes mother feel good to hear that he is putting on a little weight.

Rina, we were sorry to hear that your Church Picnic washed out and that school conditions are
not so good. There is always a fly in the ointment, and you can’t always have everything just the way you want it. We were also sorry to hear that Lane has impetigo? But things like that can be expected in the tropics. I remember I had it once in Venezuela. Yes we were very glad to get back in the 5th Ward and we were greeted like returned prodigals. The Bishop even took me out to play Golf. We are paying $75.00 a month for this apartment, $25.00 more that the other one, but the comfort and contentment of your Mother is more than worth it. I will take some pictures as soon as she gets the drapes up. I am trying to hold her down as much as I can so that she does not do too much at once.

Betty, called the other day, she wanted some of her childhood pictures to enter in some church
contest. She is very active with the girls in Mutual.

Rina, we enclose some pictures of our Oregon trip and would like you to return them to Marta.

Vaya con dios

Dad

Tucson, June 1, 1967

Dear Family,

The Stobbe’s address sounds like it should be written with a background of Tom-toms. It

is 118 So. Ocean Drive, Finegayn, Agana, GUAM 96910. It looks like they are going to like

Guam very much. They were given the “red carpet” treatment when they arrived. The Relief

Society Teachers visited them the next day and the children have found a lot of children their

age to play with. They have PX and Commissary privileges. If Frank is happy in his work I

would not be surprised if they signed over for another “hitch”. By-the-way Rina, thanks for the

Fathers Day present. You did not say a word about it in the letter but I gather it must be mine as

Mother does not wear tie clasps—as yet. Anyway, thanks a lot. We found an extra shirt in that

bundle of my shirts you sent from Hawaii. It was a size 15. Did you include one of Franks by

mistake? If you did he has lost a shirt (white) because it fits me fine, (I am on a reducing kick

again.

We also received a letter from David. The “latrine” rumors have that poor kid in a dither.

He thinks now that he won’t be going to ‘Diego after all and that he will have five more weeks of

school. Stay in that school as long as you can boy, this looks like it will be a long war.

We called Marion on her birthday, 30th and found that she too had been in dither

Mother’s Day as their car was totaled in an accident. She was not hurt, thanks to our Heavenly

Father. She is preparing to take the church girls to a girl’s camp. I think it is a MIA activity.

Marta, Mother received her unmentionables, but we were sorry and surprised to learn,

when we opened the pk., that you did not include a tiny clandestine note telling us how you and

the family are getting along. I am wondering why you have not received our gas bills. I had the

address changed to the Hemlock Address. Do you suppose the Post Office has not transferred

them? Did you get the package mother sent?

Mother’s knee is getting worse and worse. We had to give up golf. We saw the Doctor

yesterday. He gave me a thorough examination and said my arteries are not hardening as of

yet. They ex-rayed Mother up down and sideways. She has to go back on the 19th, when they

might know what is the matter with her. If it is bursitis as mother thinks, or maybe they can inject

the knee with cortisone, (painful as it is) to alleviate this condition. He told her yesterday to keep

off her feet as much as possible. This is a big laugh. It is like waving a red flag in front of a bull.

You all know your Mother. I try to get her to stay in bed in the mornings, but NO! She struggles

out of bed to make breakfast, with the excuses that I will make too much mess in the kitchen.

When did you mail that exercise board Rina? We realize that it will come by slow boat, but if

you mailed it from Hawaii it should be getting here soon.

We would give up this trip, (we may have to het, if Mother gets worse) but this may be

the last opportunity we have of taking a long one. If this Middle East thing breaks and it looks

almost impossible now, that it will not, gas will either be rationed or so costly that we cannot

afford the trip. We have been reading a book by Cleon Skauson called Prophesies and Modern

Times. You would almost think to read some of the prophesies, that Ezekiel, Isaiah and some of

the other Biblical prophets had picked one of our morning papers, they describe the now

conditions of Israel so closely.

Lloyd, Marta sent us the map with projected itinerary. I will write you under separate

cover listing the things we have so there won’t be a duplication of too much stuff.

Still nothing from the “chilly” McKays. We had better hear from you by the 20th “or else”.

What are the plans for this summer? Are you going back to the timber Bill?

Dad

WRITTERS GET GOOD COPIES

P.S. Just heard that your Aunt Ruth’s husband’s Virgil Smith, is very ill in the Hospital.

We would appreciate it very much if you would remember him in your prayers.

D.

PPS. We had a formal family night with the Jespersons last night.

D.

Mt. Whitney, July 23, 1967

Dear Family,

There has been a change of plans. We stayed for an entire week at Loon Lake in

Oregon and even then the girls did not want to leave. They had made friends with other girls

their age and were having a lot of fun. We finally broke away last Monday and drove down the

Oregon coast. The girls kept pestering to let them wade in the surf so I stopped at a place

called Gold Beach and the girls ran along the beach and gathered shells. We stopped that night

in a State Park at Crescent City (Jedekiah Red Woods). This is the only place we have been

gypped. They charged us three dollars to stay the night and the camp was no nicer than Loon

Lake.

We had planned to go on down the coast to San Francisco, but it was here that Roberta

started to get ill. Probably due to playing in the cold sea water she came down with a sore

throat and fever. We decided to get her home by the shortest route. We drove south on 101 to

Arcata and turned toward Redding on 299. What a road! Mountainous, narrow and twisty. We

stopped at the first place we found to camp. Here we were adopted by a couple puppies

someone had abandoned. The girls fed them and they slept under our trailer, growling and

barking at everything that moved-mostly chipmunks. The next day we drove on to Tahoe. This

long drive almost killed Mother. We stayed one day to wash a few clothes, but she still was not

rested when we hit the road Friday. She was in a lot of pain and I had to stop frequently to let

her exercise her leg. We barely reached Bishop Friday night and camped in a State Park off

395. This place was jumping all night. We did not get much sleep and found the next morning

that two people were bedded down in our camp site. They had not awakened before we left so

we don’t know what they looked like.

It was hot in the valley. We decided yesterday that we would find some camp and if it

was nice, lay over the week end. We only drove about 60 miles and turned off 395 at Lone Pine

and climbed to a camp at the foot of Mt. Whitney. It is a very pretty camp alongside a swift

running stream in which you can see the trout, but who refuse all offerings. I have not talked to

anyone yet who has caught one. It is here that climbers jump off to climb Mt. Whitney. We saw

a team of Mexican climbers as we drove in yesterday. We also saw a few Hippies, but they

were leaving. We are just resting, trying to store up enough energy for the drive across the

desert. I don’t think we will even go to see Bob and Marta, even though we have a package of

clothes for them from the Rices. It is according to how Mother feels when we reach San

Bernadino.

Rina, we found your letter waiting at Betty’s. We were very sorry to hear that Julie is ill

and wish there was something we could do. Congratulations Scot on your ninth birthday. We

will save our present until we see you again.

We have heard nothing about David since we left Tucson. Betty said that she had not

heard from him either so it may be that he has been transferred. We should find a letter waiting

at home.

Marion we were indeed sorry that we did not get to see you. But it was just too much

extra driving for Mother to take. We may see you next year if the treatment the Doctor is going

to give her is effective, otherwise you will just have to come see us.

Vaya Con Dios,

Dad

3819 E. Farr, Tucson 85716 August 2, 1967

Dear Family,

We left Bob and Marta’s Friday morning and drove to Yuma. They were having a heat

wave in L.A. and we felt it more there than we do in Tucson. We stayed Friday night in Yuma,

leaving there about 5 A.M. It must have been a hundred at that hour.

Your prayers for our safety on the highway were very effective. We drove 4,000 miles

without incident- then the morning after we arrived, the car would not start. The ignition switch

was burned out.

I took Mother to the Doctor Monday and he prescribed physical Therapy. This will be

continued for at least a half hour each day for two weeks. Mother says they hook her up to

a “big old “machine, attaching elements to each side of her knee. I think it diatherpy. She says

that it seems to be doing her some good.

That rest Mother had at Mt. Whitney seemed to have done her a lot of good. She still did

not want to travel any further that Marta’s when we left the camp. We were very pleased to see

how Bob and Marta have fixed up their home. They now have wall to wall carpeting throughout

the house. It made us want to take off our shoes. I think Marta would have a lot less work if she

would initiate that old Japanese custom. We ate peaches off the trees in their back yard.

We called Lloyd and Carol and learned that they had stayed several days at Marion’s

and that she is going to take Mark for a couple of weeks when she returns from the church

outing. They also saw David. What is the matter Swabbie? We expected to find a letter from

you at Betty’s.

Rina we found an old letter waiting us here, (5 June). You should never have sent us

that brochure on Guam, Mother keeps looking at and saying how nice it would be to go there.

(she will be alone if she goes).

Now that you know we are home I expect letters from all of you, especially you Bill and

David.

Vaya Con Dios,

Dad

June 10th. 1967

Dear “Smoggys”,
Con favor de Dios we will leave here ten days from today. Mother has a Hospital
appointment on the 19th about her knee. We hope she can obtain relief, but relief or not she
says she will “grin and bear it” as it should hurt not more traveling than staying home. It will be
impossible to keep her from working, but we should try to save her as many steps as possible
without drawing attention. If we try to make her sit down it will just make her mad.
Now we have the trailer loaded. Here are the things in it.
Axe, Shovel, hammer
Dishes for six
Two boxes of food, (we cannot have too much of that), including a good supply of jerky,
some pinole.
Stove, lantern and supplies for same
1 cot, two tables, a card table and the one you know.
Three chairs. (we acquired a camp rocker without webbing. I was trying to reseat it with
some of that rubber tubing and I pulled so hard that I broke the chair.
If any of your friends have a good sized Dutch oven, try to borrow it.
We received a letter from Betty. She says that the girls can hardly wait. There was one
bit of bad news though. Robin, who is so very good in camp and who would be such a good
baby sitter, is in difficulties and may not go with us. Betty said that her grades had dropped off
and unless she got them back up before the end of the School term, she would have to go to
Summer school. She has just turned teen-------------.
We want to know just when you are leaving L.A. The reason we are going early is
because we are going to take it mighty easy on the road. Probably spend a day or two at
Boulder Dam. Then too Mother wants to visit a day or so with Betty before we go on.
Your itinerary looks good. There seems to be good camping places along that route so
that we won’t have to drive more that 150-200 miles or less on any day.
Break down and write. We would like your comments and itinerary between L.A. and
Tahoe.
Mother and I went to the Temple Wednesday and did Ordinance work for all the
Grandparents on the Mckay McGinnis side. Mother forgot to get the baptismal certificate date,
but the ordinance work was done on 1 June. Also for Verna, my oldest sister who is dead.
When you are ready to go the Temple we will do all the sealings at one time. If you don’t have
time to write, the telephone number is 326-0665
All Our Love,
Dad

Tucson, June 12, 1967

Hi:-
Received your letter, in fact we received a letter from everyone but David this past week. I am
reluctant to write a “decker” as it will be hard to keep my “good copy to writer” promise.
I do not care for some of your last projected itinerary. For instance you have by-passed
Shasta Lake, which is the place I had picked out to camp the second night from Betty’s. I
enclose a clipping about the fishing in that area which may make you change your mind. Your
map of Oregon is old. It does not show some of the better roads. Here is the way we have
tentatively planned. We can discuss it at Betty’s.
1st Day. Leave Betty’s as early as possible, (Grandma will undoubtedly want to stop at
Carson City to lose her small change) then to Lassen National Monument.
2nd Day. No rush. Leisurely breakfast. Drive to Shasta Lake, where there is dozens of
Camping Sites to choose from. Here we will stay as long as we wish. Grandpa has lost a lot of
his push, especially if the fishing is as good there as the enclosed article indicates.
3rd Day. Day or third camp. Drive north on 99 to Medford, (where I think there is a
commissary), turn off on 62 and camp at Union Creek, 19 miles from Crater lake, but down off
the mountain. It will be too cold for the Baby to camp right at Crater Lake.
4th Day. Early start. Drive up to Crater Lake. Take pictures, then down 138 to Eagle
rock. From here you can do the pushing. If the trout are biting I would just as soon stay here for
the duration.
There is nothing else of note here since I wrote you last. We don’t know what we will do
on our Anniversary.
All Our Love,
Dad

June 19, 1967

Dear “Smog Sniffers”,
Reference our conversation last night, (in the middle of the night”), here is the best I can
do on directions to Betty’s
1. As you come down the mountains and enter the South Lake Tahoe area, turn off
Highway 50 onto 89. You will notice a Super Market on your right just after you
make the turn, I think it is Safeway). Turn right on the second street after you pass
the market.
2. I don’t know the name of this street, but drive down it to the second intersection and
turn left. This should be the street Betty lives on. I don’t know the name of it either,
however Betty’s house should not be more than a block from the intersection. It has
a big vacant lot on one side, (facing you where you should see our tent. A two story
apartment is on the other side.
Now if after receiving these detailed, minute, explicit instructions you cannot find the
place, go back to the Super Market and call 541-2258. Some one will rescue you.
PS If you cannot find the place, I advise you a refresher course at the Police
Academy
PPSS Safeway store – Turn onto 89 to Tahoe City
Go down to 10th &Turn Right
Go 2 blocks & Turn Left on Eloise
Address is 780 Eloise