Memorial Day 2020

This year we spent Memorial Day weekend in Ephraim and Manti. It felt good to getaway, spend time with family and reconnect with our roots.

We left our house on Friday afternoon. We both were able to wrap up work early on Friday. On our way out of town we stopped by Aleene’s house to pick up her flowers. She was going to come down and put the flowers on the graves herself, but her eye was giving her some trouble so she decided to stay home to keep it from getting more aggravated. We missed her.

There was more traffic than usual, especially for the early afternoon. It seems like with lots of people working from home maybe more people were able to get an early start. We also think a lot of people are going a little stir crazy and wanted to get out and enjoy the holiday weekend.

We arrived at camp a little after Blake and Debbie. We are camping at the Temple Hill Resort next to the Manti temple. While the campground has a great location it has continued to go downhill. This will likely be the last year we stay at this campground.

We were all hungry so we drove over to Miller’s and ate burgers and shakes. When we finished our meal we walked outside the restaurant to find the Manti High graduation underway. Due to covid-19 the graduation was a parade down main street. It was awesome - such a fun way to celebrate the graduates.

Then we drove over to Palisades. Kristin and Dan were camping there with some members of their ward. We played with our nieces and caught up with Kristin and Dan. Holly was in great spirits and Skylee loved playing with all of her friends from the ward.

We headed back to our camp where we visited with Kim and Gayle. I also flew my drone around the Manti temple.

On Saturday morning Alison and I woke up and went for a run. This was my first outdoor long run in a while. I ran nearly 9 miles and it felt good. I was really happy with this run because I have dealt with a leg injury, but I have gotten it under control. It was a beautiful morning for a run.

Back at camp we cooked up some french toast for breakfast. Alison backed challah bread on Friday, which we used for the french toast. It was delicious. Kristin and Dan brought their girls over for breakfast. After breakfast I took Skylee on a short walk over by the Manti temple to see if we could see some cotton tail rabbits (I saw them earlier on my run). We had no luck finding the rabbits, but we did find a field of beautiful flowers.

We spent the rest of the morning and afternoon at the cemeteries. We visited the Manti and Ephraim cemeteries. We placed flowers on the graves of many loved ones who have passed on and shared stories and memories from their lives. We also ran into many family members who were there to memorialize their ancestors as well. It was a great year at the cemeteries. Debbie and Kristin worked with Skylee this week to learn about ancestry and preparing her for this experience. She had a scavenger hunt where she would look for and record the birth and death dates from the graves of some of the close family members we visited.

Skylee was getting bored so I let her use my camera to take pictures. It kept her entertained for a while and she got some good shots.

We ran into a lot of family at the Ephraim cemetery. It was fun to visit and catch up with everyone.

In the afternoon Meg's parents had us over for lunch. They had quite a spread of barbecued turkey, potato salad, pasta salad, fruit, and delicious cookies. We ate and visited and played outdoor games. They are awesome to host us every year.

Alison and Debbie went back to camp and took a nap while Blake and I took the dogs out to the farm. We let them run around and live their best lives. We had to work a bit to keep them out of the cattle pens. They really wanted to herd the cattle. They ran and ran until they were tired out.

Back at camp I took the drone out around the temple again to catch the sunset around the temple. It was a beautiful night.

On Sunday morning Alison and I took the dogs for a walk around the temple. It was a little cold, but otherwise it was a nice morning. When we got back Debbie made us some biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Alison and I drove out to Palisades to pick up Kristin and the girls for breakfast.

After breakfast Alison and I drove out to Fairview with Blake and Debbie. There are a few graves there we visit and place flowers. When we were done in Fairview we stopped by Rick and Linda's house. We ended up visiting with Rick and Linda for a few hours. We had a few questions for Linda and she ended up telling  us quite a bit of memories from growing up and shared a lot of family history.

We went back to camp and quickly cleaned up/packed the trailer before heading to Kerry's house for a barbecue. He made a great roast and had a spread of food. Many other family members were there as well. We all visited and the kids played and the dogs ran around. It was a good get together.

Then we left Ephraim and headed home. On our way Alison and I stopped by the Springville Evergreen cemetery to leave a flower for my grandma Pat and my great grandparents - Delbert and Lavern. We also visited the graves of Delbert's parents - my great-great-grandparents, and his brother Ernest, who was killed in Europe during the battle of the Bulge. I have always felt a special connection to my grandma Pat. Leaving a flower on her grave on Memorial day has become a special tradition for us. I have also felt close to Delbert these past few years as I have learned about his life, particularly his military service during World War II. This year Ancestry is celebrating 75 years since World War II. As part of this celebration they asked employees to submit stories of their ancestors. I submitted the story of my great-grandfather Delbert Leon Johnson. His story was highlighted in Ancestry's social channels. Here is what they shared:

Eric Troff’s great grandfather, Delbert L Johnson, was a Corporal in the 5th Marine Division, nicknamed the Spearhead. They were assigned one of the most difficult battles of WWII, Iwo Jima. Eric never got to meet his great grandfather, but through Ancestry® he was able to learn his story.
This Memorial Day, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, Ancestry® employees are honoring the veterans in their family’s history.

Memorial Day has become a more meaningful holiday for me as I have had the opportunity to connect with my roots and learn more about the legacy my Ancestors have passed on to me. They inspire me to be a better person. I am grateful we use this time of year to remember them.