I Write Letters to the Dead - Part Two

Dear Dad,

This is such a great picture.  I never knew you to have a mustache.  But, the hat, that's classic!

Last night was the Saturday night session of our stake conference.

WOW!  What a marvelous meeting it was.  From start to end, it was so inspiring.  The music was magnificent and EVERY talk was given by people filled with the spirit of the Lord.

The theme was the church's new program of ministering as the Savior did.  One lady told about how members responded when her house caught fire, destroying everything; another lady told of her brother's death in Iraq as a green beret, another talked of her father-in-law returning to activity after many years away. We were spiritually fed for one hour and a half, leaving little time for the stake president, who is a wonderful speaker.

And, then he got up to speak.  At that moment, I thought about you as the Stake President.  I thought of how the people in our stake love President Mike Thompson; he's energetic, a good speaker, a man of GOD.  And, I realized that the people of the Pocatello South Stake would have revered and honored you.  They would have felt the Stake was in good hands, that they were being led by a man of God.  They would have respected your wisdom, insight, Gospel teachings, and I was overpowered with a feeling of such great love and admiration for you, dear DAD.

Oh, what a great blessing it was to have been raised in your home, filled with laughter, music, and most of all LOVE.  Thank you, President Gee, for those rich beginning18 years.

Love,
Your daughter, VaLonne, Valon, Lonnie, Loni (but I think you know who I mean!)

Dear Mom,

OH, dear mom, I love this picture of you in your youth.  You always loved style, class, and beauty!  You are so beautiful!

Nearly every Thursday, I go to a YOGA class at the Senior Center - it makes me feel so old, but that's the target audience.

And, nearly every week, I think of YOU, dear MOTHER.  I think of how you took Yoga classes in California before it was so hip.  And, then, how you came to Pocatello, Idaho and taught a community class at a school close to your home.

I didn't even know what YOGA was when you told me you were teaching it!

I'm so proud of you, Mom.  You were always giving of your time and talents, no matter what stage of life you were in.

Oh, what a great blessing it was to have been raised in your home, filled with laughter, music, and most of all LOVE.   Thank you, Dorothy Gee for the rich blessing of being your daughter!

Love, your only daughter, so man, was I blessed!