Uncle Richard's Girls

In response to a recent article on our BLOG called Vanishing Treasures, we have been given a wonderful opportunity to become acquainted with more of our family. Samantha Vance read the article and realized that she is related to us. Samantha is one of Uncle Richard's daughters. She gave me permission to post her picture on our BLOG in hopes that we would get a chance to know her better. She really didn't get to know her father very well because he died when she was a little girl. Samantha's mother remembers talking with our mother, Gatha many years ago. Her mother remembers going out to Colorado for funeral of one of her dad's brothers, she thinks it was Earl's funeral.


Samantha has two children, Kaiden Richard Vance named after his grandfather, and Natasha Jeanne who is is three years old.

Samantha's older sister is Angela. Angela is married and has three children, Daniel age eleven, Makenzie age four, and Elizabeth age three. Her little sister is married and has two step children and two of her own. Her children are Kiley age ten, Brendon age four, Salina age nine & Sasha age two.

Samantha sent two pictures one below is of Samantha's younger sister, Barbara, and her family. The picture below is of Samantha's children and all her nieces and nephews.

I have invited Samantha to join us as an author on our BLOG. I am hoping that she will tell us more about herself, her sisters, and their families.

When I wrote the article, Vanishing Treasures, I never dreamt that sharing my feelings would bring me in contact with people so closely related to us. I can look at the two pictures above and see the family resemblence. I am grateful that they have been willing to share with us and am very anxious to pull them into the family circle.

Houses-Many moves

The day Arlo and I were married, we moved into a little house that Isabel and Raedeen lived in. Isabel was staying in Arlene Barber's house while Arlene and Lyle and their children were gone somewhere.

When Isabel came back we lived with Grandma Vance for a while. we lived in two rooms that belonged to Charles and June Vance. That is where we lived when Dad died. Then Keith sent a wire and said he was released from the navy and was on his way home. one of the aunts or uncles met every bus or train that entered Alamosa until he got home. He was in time to go to Dad's funeral. Those were hard days.

Doris Faye came then to live with us. Arlo and I had been married 4 months. Arlo told Dad that he would take care of Doris Faye and raise her as his own.

Soon after that time we moved to Guymon's ranch where we lived until after Bonnie was born. That is where we lived until Arlo no longer worked for Ed.

We lived with Grandma Vance for a time after that and then we moved to the the Ross' place. Arlo worked for Walt Gylling while we lived there.

From there we moved to the house by Romeo, where Larry was born. He was born at home. LaRue and I decided to have our babies at home and Doctor Davis was willing to come to the house to deliver or babies. I took care of LaRue when Eddie was born and LaRue took care of me when Larry was born. Harold was overseas. He was in the army and was at both Viet Nam and Korean wars. While we lived there Don had rheumatic fever and st vitus dance. Arlo had a serious problem with his back and suffered greatly with it. He was working for Thales Smith when we lived there. Our home was part of his pay so when Arlo was not able to work we had to move. Richard and Roxanne came to visit us while we lived there. Larry and Gerald Lynn were both blessed in Romeo ward.

On the first of the year, Richard and Roxanne took Arlo to Grand Junction to the veterans hospital. He was there for about a month and was transfered to Denver where he had surgery on his back. While he was in the hospital, I moved our family to Manassa, so we could be close to Grandma and Grandpa Dunn, so they could help us while I worked at Manassa School hot lunch.

We moved into Lucille Jackson's house. We lived there for about some time. Arlo went to work for Boyd Pagett at the garage.

We bought the old Mary Christensen house, across the street from Maggie Weston, (Maggie's mother's house).

Our next house was the one on 3rd street. We bought it from Frank Maestas.

0ur Family- continued

When we lived in Romeo, where Larry was born, Donnie had rheumatic fever and had St Vitus Dance which caused him to have great tremors. He couldn't hold a spoon. He had a priesthood blessing and was instantly healed of the st vitus dance.

While we lived there Arlo had a pinched nerve in his spine and was in terrible pain. Richard, Arlo's brother and his wife Roxanne and Gerald Lynn came to visit us there. Larry and Gerald Lynn were both blessed at church. When Richard and family left, they took Arlo to Grand Junction to the veterans hospital and left him there. He was there in traction for about a month and then they moved him to Denver, where he had surgery on his back. He was home in about 2 weeks.

While he was in Grand Junction, I moved us to Manassa. In Romeo he had worked for Thales Smith. and the house was no longer available to us. Arlo wasn't very happy about that, but he learned to love Manassa.

Donnie recovered from the rheumatic fever and was active all of his life.

In Romeo is where we lived when the snake bit Kent. Nona and Audrey were at our house when that happened. Calvin must have been with you boys. You were playing in an irrigation ditch which ran through that property. I did't know what kind of snake it was that bit him. We took him to the doctor and he said if it had been a rattle snake it would be swollen. He didn't seem to have any after efects of it.