827. Some parts of our Life Story Book, Family History and writing your own life story!
Now and then I will put in parts from our Life Story Book.
We took 3 to 4 years to write and have printed our over 600 page book, with over 1000 pictures -- in black and white, as it was too expensive to make the pictures colored. It was printed in 2006, right after our 50th wedding anniversary. We did have pictures of our children in color in the front of the book. I can't seem to take clear pictures! My hands aren't steady enough.
Wayne wrote the following in his section of writing his own life story:
No matter what else you are doing,
From cradle days through to the end;
You are writing your life’s secret story,
Each night sees another page penned.
Each month ends a thirty page chapter,
Each year the end of a part;
Each morn when you awaken the book opens,
Revealing a page clean and white;
What thoughts and what words and what doings
Will cover its surface by night?
God leaves that to you, you are the writer,
And never will one word grow dim;
Until someday you write the word,
“Finish” And give back your Life’s Book to Him. -
Anonymous
SEPTEMBER 18, 1930
This is a special date, forever to be remembered by all connected with the Eckman family. The 1930's were the depression years in our country. Going through those years was no problem for a couple of lively twins born September 18, 1930, at 6066 South State Street in Murray, Utah. We were born one month prematurely to Gladys Treganna Dayton Eckman and Roy Waldamer Eckman. I list mom first because of the stamina and patience she needed over the ensuing years to keep up with us. The doctor, Dr. Olie Sundwall, delivered us prematurely at home, and immediately suggested that we be blessed and given a name, as we would not last the night. We were so small that we could fit in a shoe-box with the lid on it. They sat us in front of an open door to the oven of the coal and wood stove to keep us warm, as they didn’t have incubators in those days. Little did he know what the Lord had in mind for us when a ward teacher, Joseph Blaine, took the two of us in his arms, and gave us a name and a blessing. He blessed us that both of us would live to a matured life and fully fulfill our missions on earth.
Blaine fulfilled his earthly mission March 19, 1999. The Lord is giving me a few more years to catch up with Blaine. My father, Roy Eckman, has tearfully and emotionally born his testimony about this great blessing in our behalf by Brother Blaine, many times. Blaine’s name was chosen in special tribute, and my name Wayne, to rhyme with it. Twenty years after this blessing, a patriarch in our South Salt Lake Stake gave me a blessing: “You are living today because of the power of the Priesthood in your behalf. Let this always be a source of comfort to you.” The Lord does inspire patriarchs, who have no prior knowledge of circumstances in our lives, to give blessings especially for us. Roy and Gladys Eckman, and “Double Trouble”. Which is which?
If you went to 6066 South State Street in Murray, Utah, today you would not find that green house. It has been swallowed up as commercialization has spread all along that thoroughfare today. You’ll not see the old red schoolhouse just west of the property where all of my brothers and sisters living at that time went to elementary school. The tolls of the bell in the belfry no longer are heard at particular times during the day. I don’t recall the times the bell tolled, but I know what it sounded like and that it beckoned all of us to school.
TURKEY DAY
You probably think I’m going to refer to Thanksgiving Day, but you’re wrong. A family by the name of Turpin (I think) had a bunch of turkeys in a coop. Now that is a natural temptation for twins to explore – and explore we did. When we got through, there were turkeys all over, some on the tops of houses. We didn’t endear ourselves to the neighbors on that one. We just managed to open the door and the turkeys did the rest. We went to a barber by the name of Hubbard that same day. He had a clubfoot (one foot turned in the wrong direction. ) When he got through cutting our hair, it looked like a butcher had been at work. Anyway, he scared the devil out of us when he referred to our turkey escapade. He told us the police were on the way over to pick us up. We were about four years old at that time. How could you ever forget a threat like that? It caused a few nightmares later on.
Wayne and Blaine, about age 2
If you went to 6066 South State Street in Murray, Utah, today you would not find that green house. It has been swallowed up as commercialization has spread all along that thoroughfare today. You’ll not see the old red schoolhouse just west of the property where all of my brothers and sisters living at that time went to elementary school. The tolls of the bell in the belfry no longer are heard at particular times during the day. I don’t recall the times the bell tolled, but I know what it sounded like and that it beckoned all of us to school
SCHOOL LIFE AT LIBERTY SCHOOL (1936-38)
At age 6 we went to the first grade. There was no such thing as kindergarten back in those days. Chrystel Mathis was the first grade teacher, and pretty much a fixture there. All of my older brothers and sisters, Floyd, May, June, and Ruby, had gone through her classes. Blaine and I were a real challenge to this grand old lady. I well remember the day when a knock came to our door, and there standing in the frame was Miss Mathis. Blaine and I were hiding behind the door, when she sobbingly asked Mom to take us out of school for a year, so that we could mature a little more – we were driving her out of her mind. “I got one of them controlled, and the other is on top of the piano, entertaining the rest of the class.” So we officially began school at age 7. Thus we were always the oldest kids in class, yet the smallest, due to size.
We seemed to settle down that first school year and didn’t have Miss Mathis paying further visits. We have been labeled from time to time as “double trouble,” but that is a prerogative twins have. Wouldn’t it have been dull without the Eckman twins around? I’m sure varied answers would have surfaced on that one, depending who you’re talking to. Somehow, with 25 in that first grade classroom, we both got a good background in reading. We have both experienced a vocabulary ability and reading skills with great carry-over value to our adult years. All my brothers and sisters going through Miss Mathis’ classes are great readers and intelligent people. Just ask them. Proper credit where credit is due is something we could all improve on, for sure.
Second grade was under the tutelage of Mrs. Ann Blacker. The years have dimmed my recollection of time in her class. She had a son named Kay in the class–that I know. We only stayed at Liberty School two years. I remember going to an Eagle’s party once. My dad was a member of that group (something like Kiwanis or Lions today) and they had a Christmas party one year. This was quite awhile after our Liberty School days. Someone had brought an 8 mm. film to show. In that flick were two kids chasing each other during a Liberty School fire drill, and in general clowning around. Guess who it was? You’re right. Dad was quite embarrassed about it, but he still had a grin on his face.
Wayne and Blaine out stomping in the hills, about age 7
SCHOOL LIFE AT LIBERTY SCHOOL (1936-38)
At age 6 we went to the first grade. There was no such thing as kindergarten back in those days. Chrystel Mathis was the first grade teacher, and pretty much a fixture there. All of my older brothers and sisters, Floyd, May, June, and Ruby, had gone through her classes. Blaine and I were a real challenge to this grand old lady. I well remember the day when a knock came to our door, and there standing in the frame was Miss Mathis. Blaine and I were hiding behind the door, when she sobbingly asked Mom to take us out of school for a year, so that we could mature a little more – we were driving her out of her mind. “I got one of them controlled, and the other is on top of the piano, entertaining the rest of the class.” So we officially began school at age 7. Thus we were always the oldest kids in class, yet the smallest, due to size.
We seemed to settle down that first school year and didn’t have Miss Mathis paying further visits. We have been labeled from time to time as “double trouble,” but that is a prerogative twins have. Wouldn’t it have been dull without the Eckman twins around? I’m sure varied answers would have surfaced on that one, depending who you’re talking to. Somehow, with 25 in that first grade classroom, we both got a good background in reading. We have both experienced a vocabulary ability and reading skills with great carry-over value to our adult years. All my brothers and sisters going through Miss Mathis’ classes are great readers and intelligent people. Just ask them. Proper credit where credit is due is something we could all improve on, for sure.
Second grade was under the tutelage of Mrs. Ann Blacker. The years have dimmed my recollection of time in her class. She had a son named Kay in the class–that I know. We only stayed at Liberty School two years. I remember going to an Eagle’s party once. My dad was a member of that group (something like Kiwanis or Lions today) and they had a Christmas party one year. This was quite awhile after our Liberty School days. Someone had brought an 8 mm. film to show. In that flick were two kids chasing each other during a Liberty School fire drill, and in general clowning around. Guess who it was? You’re right. Dad was quite embarrassed about it, but he still had a grin on his face.
Wayne and Blaine out stomping in the hills, about age 7
26
The Eagles used to sponsor boxing matches, and the most exciting bout of the night was when the Eckman twins squared off against each other. The boxing gloves were almost bigger than we were–but we gave a free-swinging show that was something to see. I remember that Blaine always stuck his tongue out when he swung at me, and I always tried to hit him on the chin so he’d bite his tongue. He didn’t like that very much. He was always claiming he was the winner and that caused a few arguments. It was fun to beat him up all the time. I can say that now because he can’t defend himself. Now that it’s in writing, I’ll let the grand-kids argue over it.
PROBLEMS OF DEPRESSION YEARS
I mentioned that we were too young to understand the problems of the depression. The depression presented problems only to adults and those who could understand. Dad Eckman worked at jobs he could scrounge up and for very little recompense, often working very long hours to support the family. He ended up spending 20 years at the Murray Smelter until it went under and then worked another 20 years at a steel company. He never complained about his lot in life, but plugged along, supporting a fledgling family, whom he loved dearly. There were many people at that time who rode the railroad cars from city to city looking for work, and needing food. My mother was a wonderful cook, and the word must have gotten around among them because many came at various times asking for a meal. She always fed them, having them sit outside on the porch. Blaine and I often marveled at the wonderful stock we came from and their love for us. They did the very best under unusual circumstances to take care of us as best they knew how. Hence a great posterity rises up and blesses their names and carries on the tradition of supporting their own families to the best of their abilities.
PRINCE THE PROTECTOR
Conditions from time to time warranted moves to other localities, which became kind of an adventure to all of us. Our time on State Street in Murray was full of great memories. We had a dog named Prince that was the “Protector of the Twins”, and proved it a time or two by pulling one or both of us out of the irrigation ditch, that ran along in front of our house. He irritated us by walking in front of us to steer us away from the ditch and we would throw rocks and sticks at him to show our disgust. A sad day was when Prince came home sick from one of his tours around the neighborhood, apparently poisoned by something he ate. His death was a sad blow to the whole family. He was a fairly large, black curly-haired dog and was extremely loyal. Anyone laying a hand on the twins were sorry for doing so in his presence. He loved the whole family.
3200 SOUTH REDWOOD ROAD
A man by the name of Evan C. Richards came into our lives around 1939. He and Dad Eckman had worked together at Granite Furniture Company, and Evan had taken on a 72-acre farm at 3200 South Redwood Road. He needed help on the farm and so we moved there, lock, stock, and barrel. It was the beginning of a new adventure for us. Blaine and I took to it quite readily, because there were a number of cows to be milked twice a day and we were needed to holds the cows’ tails so that they wouldn’t swish in the faces of the milkers while swatting flies. We had various chores to perform–getting kindling wood to burn in the stove to heat the house and cook the food. This was a new experience for us, because there was actually a bathtub in the house. Our previous baths were taken in a round tub (they called it a # 3 tub) in water heated on the stove. The same bathwater accommodated two or three persons. Thus baths weren’t as frequent when we had to go to so much trouble to take one. I remember Blaine, Ronald, and I all sleeping in the same bed. If one wet the bed, we all got soaked. The bed-wetter wasn’t much appreciated at all. I remember us herding the cows out to pasture and then bringing them in for the evening milking. Evan had a good voice and would sing as they milked, claiming the cows gave more milk as a result of good music.
The Eagles used to sponsor boxing matches, and the most exciting bout of the night was when the Eckman twins squared off against each other. The boxing gloves were almost bigger than we were–but we gave a free-swinging show that was something to see. I remember that Blaine always stuck his tongue out when he swung at me, and I always tried to hit him on the chin so he’d bite his tongue. He didn’t like that very much. He was always claiming he was the winner and that caused a few arguments. It was fun to beat him up all the time. I can say that now because he can’t defend himself. Now that it’s in writing, I’ll let the grand-kids argue over it.
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