Setting the bench: Shae Anderson pushes down on bench as Jeanne Jeppesen, Rex Nelson, Evan Anderson, Becky Christensen and Bruce Nelson watch.
Evan and Shae.
Plaque for grandchildren who have died.
Marie Anderson Walker's poem for Brenda inscribed on plaque.
The Bench!
Wayne Nelson and Evan Anderson survey a job well done.
Shae speaks about Brenda and her love for children.
Sarah Morrell picked the flowers.
Evan sings the words of Marie's poem (which was longer than the verse
on the plaque) to a tune he composed with Joe Clark.
After Brenda died in 2000, we wanted to create a fitting memorial for her. We decided on a bench, and over the years, members of the family contributed to a bench fund that grew to $200. Several years ago, Marie Anderson Walker wrote a poem in her honor for the bench. A year ago, plaques were made to spur the project on, and Jeanne and Alan took them home to Utah and found a man who would make a nice bench for us. He got it done and they brought it to reunion this year.
By a marvelous chance, Shae was able to come to the reunion this year, along with Evan. He selected a spot near the swing where mothers can watch their children play. They helped set the bench in cement, and Evan led a group of young men to the hill to pick up flat rocks to place over the grass at the site.
We had a wonderful ceremony-- Shae spoke, Evan sang and Shanan said a prayer.
