I was journaling the other day and ran across my dad’s obituary. In honor of my Dad, I would like to share memories of a remarkable man. He was an enormous blessing in my life to be close to him during my growing-up years. His creativity was so inspiring to me. The picture is of my Mom and Dad.
I was doing some work for USNO (United States Naval Observatory) in Florida. I was helping them design an environment for their atomic clocks to avoid the effects of EMP coming from lightning. My mom called me and told me that Dad was not doing well. We immediately changed our plans and caught the next flight from Miami to Salt Lake City.
Miracle Number 1
I had never been to Miami before and drove straight to the airport in 18 minutes.
Miracle Number 2
They were just ready to close the doors for that flight to Salt Lake. A minute later we would have missed spending the last night with Dad.
We had left our car in Riverton at our daughter Jeannette’s place. Our beautiful and compassionate Jeannette picked us up at the SLC airport at about midnight. We got down to the rest home in Springville about 2:00 a.m. Dad was unconscious, but moving around in great pain. His body was fighting heavy infection from bedsores. They increased his pain medicine dose, which helped a little. My wife, Edna, and I were able to express our love for him over the night—believing that he could hear us
About 7:30 a.m., Mom called to see how he was doing. She said she felt he would be leaving us that day. I called Jeanne, my younger sister, and she said she was on her way to the rest home. While I was talking to Jeanne, Dad passed. It was February 19th, 1994.
Miracle Number 3
With a smile on his face, Edna saw his hands raise as someone was taking him home. I believe it was my grandfather to with a peaceful smile on his face, he was gone. Over the night his face showed grim–his dad. The pain was gone! When Edna told me he had passed, I put my arms around her and cried like a baby. I don’t know how a mortal man could have loved his father any more than I do my DAD! Thank you, Lord, for eternal families.
Precious Memories
During the four-hour flight to Salt Lake, I wrote eight pages of highlights from my experiences with Dad. I re-read those eight pages the other day and was in tears of gratitude for the privilege to have this great man as my father. It came to me that he was 87 when he died and my wife and I are 87.
Sylvester Allan’s Obituary
Patient and loving husband father, grandfather, and great grandfather, SYLVESTER (SMUSS) ALLAN 87 of Mapleton died 13 February 1994 in Springville following a long illness. He was born 7 January 1907 in Mapleton. He married Florence Carrick 2 December 1925, which was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple.
“Smuss will be remembered as a multifaceted man, with a non-judgmental nature, with a deep love of mankind, and a large circle of friends. He was especially devoted to his family. His sons-in-law and daughters-in-law felt loved and accepted as if they were his own.
Beyond his work, which was also multidimensional, he had a life of service. He was a charter member of the Lions Club, for both Springville and Mapleton and served also a term as President. He served for 32 years for the Strawberry Water users and four years as its President. He served on the Mapleton City Council.
In his time he was known as one of the most famous river guides in the mountain West. Even though this was in part his profession he brought to it his unique personality–out of which grew large numbers of friends from all over the country. Anyone who has ever been with him on such an outing will remember with relish his famous forty-mile Dutch-oven stew. He has guided tours on many major rivers including the Colorado, the Green, the Yampa, the Snake, the headwaters of the Columbia at the Big Bend, the Middle Fork of the Salmon, the Main Salmon, and Yukon rivers. In addition, he also worked as a river guide for the US Geological Survey.
In addition to farming, he worked with lumber and construction business. Two pieces of his work which will be appreciated by local people are he helped construct the road at Bryce Canyon and the solid walnut benches in the old White Church in Mapleton. He worked at the powder plant and was manager of the Ford-Ferguson Tractor Repair. To neighbors, family, and friends, Smuss could fix anything. His kindly nature often so folks in his shop enjoying the visit while getting something repaired.
Smuss is survived by his wife Florence, four children: Beverly (and Mal) Malheiro of Sun Lakes, Arizona, Dean S. (and Jean) Allan of Springville, David W. (and Edna) Allan of Fountain Green, Utah, Jeanne (and Doug) Strong of Springville, a brother Ira Allan of Mapleton, and a sister Eva Thomas of Spanish Fork. In addition, there are 25 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Services will be held Saturday 19 February 94 at 11:00 AM in the White Church in Mapleton. Friends may call at the Wheller Mortuary on Friday evening 6 to 8:00 PM. There will also be a pre-funeral service viewing at the White Church at 10:00 AM. The interment will be at the Evergreen Cemetery.”
God’s Miracle Number 4
A dear friend of ours has the gift of seeing folks on the other side of the veil. At the viewing, she saw Dad with a big smile and dressed in his temple clothes. At the graveside, she saw him in white without his temple cloths; he had passed by the angels, etc., and was in celestial realms. He was enjoying seeing his grandchildren playing on the grass during the time of the grave dedication ceremony. I am sure he is continuing to do great work for the Lord in heaven because of his great loving nature.
It was so wonderful to see my Dad partaking of the Perfect and Infinite atonement in the midst of all our imperfections. It is Christ who perfects us as we come unto Him; we cannot perfect ourselves (Moroni 10:32-33). Moroni summarizes the great message of the Book of Mormon with that incredible promise from our infinitely loving God.
David W. Allan
PS See the incredible WWII movie, The Scarlet and the Black, taking place in Rome based on a true story with Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer. And then see Joseph Smith the American Prophet narrated by Gregory Peck. There are two mistakes in the latter movie. Joseph translated the Book of Mormon from two sets of plates. And it is well documented that Joseph used the Urim and Thummim to do the Book of Mormon translation, and not with a stone in a hat.
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