September 30, 1982, Grandpa Garrick's 90th Birthday. John A. Garrick and his five children. Howard, Beth, Lorraine, Bud and Judy. This picture was taken at Aunt Judy and Uncle Craig's home. — with Howard, Beth, Grandpa Garrick, Lorraine (my mom) and Bud and Judy.
John Alfred Garrick was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on 30 September 1892 to Alexander Garrick and Mary Elizabeth Ball Garrick. His father, Alexander, was born in Fort Clasdow, Scotland 7 November 1860. His mother, Mary, was born in Franklin, Oneida County, Idaho 2 August 1863. My great grandfather was the third oldest out of 9 children. They were Angus May (sister), Robert James (brother), my great grandfather John (who they sometimes called Jack), Walter Hamilton (brother), Frank Ball (brother), Ruth Elizabeth (sister), George Alexander (brother), Ada Pearl (sister), and Andrew Earl (brother). His little sister Ada Pearl lived only 2 weeks in 1904.
It was interesting to note that my great great grandfather was baptized in 1895 when my great grandfather was 3. My great grandfather and his mother were both baptized on the same day – 1 Feb 1913. He would have been 21 and a convert to the church. My mother and I hadn’t realized that before. My great grandfather was not baptized by his own father but instead was baptized by Edwin Q. Cannon. He was then confirmed a member of the church the next day on 2 Feb 1913 by Alvin B. Beezley and Hand P. Nielson. Some of my mom’s favorite memories of her grandfather were going on great adventures hiking throughout Yosemite National Park. My mother also remembers how he liked to garden and he also had an avocado tree in his yard- he was always giving his produce away to everyone. My great grandfather was always kind to everyone. My mother remembers him always saying “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything – but remember you can always remark on their kind smile. Everyone has a nice smile.” My mother knew she could always go to her grandfather whenever there was trouble. She recalled a time when she was young and her book Articles of Faith fell and killed her parent’s bird. First thing she did was call her grandfather and tell him her troubles. He told her to tell her parents the truth about what happened and that everything would be fine. My great grandfather married my great grandmother Henrietta Simmons Taysum in the Salt Lake City temple on 23 September 1915. They had 5 children. My Grandmother Lorraine was the oldest. “Uncle Bud” (John Dilworth) was next, followed by Judith “Aunt Judy”, then Alice Elizabeth “Aunt Beth”, and Howard Taysum “Uncle Howard”. Out of these children, I knew my great Aunt Judy and great Aunt Beth the best. Some of the more interesting things I learned about my great grandfather was that he was called on 2 August 1942 (the same date my dad was born) to be the Bishop of the Inglewood Ward, Inglewood Stake in California. He was set apart by the apostle Harold B. Lee. When he was released from being a bishop, he was then called to be the Second Counselor to the Stake President and set apart on 26 September 1946 by the apostle Joseph Fielding Smith. When he was released from that calling, he was called to be a high councilman and also the Chairman of the Genealogical Society. He was set apart for those callings by the apostle Ezra Taft Benson. (I feel special because President Benson was the prophet who issued my mission call to me. How exciting that years before he laid his hands upon my great grandfather and set him apart.) After those callings, my great grandfather was called to be the Stake Patriarch and set apart by Elder Mark E. Peterson. It was interesting for my mom to go through her grandfather’s history and share these things with me. Another interesting story she shared with me was that once her grandfather was called to be the Stake Patriarch, she wanted to be the first grandchild to get their patriarchal blessing from them. She couldn’t remember if she actually was, but on her 12 birthday she received her patriarchal blessing from him. Some of the fun things that her grandfather did, would be to gather the family over at his house on Sundays and they would do genealogy together. My great grandfather would like to call New Year’s Eve right after the clock struck midnight to wish everyone a Happy New Year. And one tradition that my mom carries on with my children that she got from her grandfather was to send them every year birthday cards with $1 in it. My great grandfather was 94 when he died 5 January 1987 in Inglewood, California. Although my mother was not able to go to his funeral, she felt her grandfather’s presence in her home comforting her and letting her know he was all right. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to get to know my great grandfather better! Above: My baby photo, my Grandma and Grandpa Hapeman and I outside the Los Angeles Temple, Aunt Judy, Grandpa Hapeman, Ethan, and I outside Aunt Judy Garrick's house in California, Baby Ethan with his great grandfather William Dale Opperman.
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