This past weekend I was able to travel to Vernal, UT and celebrate my Grandfathers life. He was 90 years old and he lived a very successful life. The following is an article in the Deseret News about my Grandpa O'Neil that I thought I would share. I will hopefully find time soon to update with pictures. I haven't even got Christmas on here.
Just an interesting little tidbit. My Grandfather attended Davis High School as many of my fellow bloggers have. He Graduated in 1936. He also remembered delivering the news paper to The Webster's in the old farm house. He possibly delivered to Great Great Relatives.
A little about my Grandfather
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Deliveryman helped many on life's route By Lee Benson
Deseret News
Published: January 14, 2009
When 11-year-old Brian O'Neil started delivering newspapers in 1929, little did he realize what he'd started.
Not until 1986, with just one timeout for World War II, would he stop — and at that, he kept the "route" in the family, transferring the duties first to his son, Kelly, and later to Kelly's son, Shannon.
All this was recounted in detail, seasoned with much humor and nostalgia, at funeral services that honored Mr. O'Neil this past weekend in Vernal.
The man's 90 years on Earth were remembered for many accomplishments, including a posterity approaching 100 direct descendents, a lifetime of church and community service, and of course the war years, when he served in the U.S. Navy and met a fellow sailor who outranked him named Dorothy, a lieutenant who became his wife.
But over, under, around and through it all was an uncanny habit of getting up early in the morning to make sure one Salt Lake newspaper or another made it to its destination on time.
O'Neil began delivering the Salt Lake Telegram on his bike when he was 11, just in time to let residents of Kaysville know Wall Street had fallen.
He kept pedaling through the Depression, making money despite the hard times, later switching to the Salt Lake Tribune.
After World War II, he and his new bride moved to Vernal and Brian accepted a position as distributor of the Tribune to the Uintah-Duchesne territory in northeastern Utah. Now, instead of one paper route, he was responsible for distributing thousands of newspapers to the various carriers throughout the region.
In the early 1960s, after the Telegram folded, he added the Deseret News to the lineup.
It is inestimable how many porches got their papers because of Brian O'Neil.
Brian O'Neil's obituary caught my eye last week when it ran in the newspaper — appropriately in both the Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune — as much for what it said about the future of newspapering as about the past.
Few 11-year-old boys, or girls, strap newspaper bags to their bicycles any more. And fewer and fewer adult distributors are left to mentor those boys and girls.
"Dad raised us with the newspaper," remembered Kelly O'Neil, the son who would inherit the family distributorship. "That's how he taught us to work and to manage our money."
In his father's personal journal that Kelly shared with me, a young Brian wrote this of his early days delivering papers:
"The newspaper route was good for me, helping me to meet people ... and to have almost everything that I wanted to have due to being able to have the money to purchase it."
In a later journal entry Brian wrote about the difficulty he had getting up in the morning — and the invention it inspired.
"I contrived a contraption that would wind a string up on a spool which in turn pulled a knife switch that would ring a bell until I got up to turn it off," he wrote. "The alarm clock was the power to set this in motion."
Practice made perfect, and over time, as Kelly recalled, his father needed no such contraptions.
"The truck (with the newspapers) would come into Vernal about 3 a.m. And when it came, it would wake Dad up," Kelly said. "And if for some reason it didn't come, it would wake him up anyway. He would know that truck was late. It was just his whole focus."
Every one of Kelly's brothers and sisters delivered newspapers in Vernal — and almost every one of Brian O'Neil's grandkids have delivered newspapers.
All over northeastern Utah, you'll find men, many now in their 40s, 50s and 60s, who delivered papers for Brian O'Neil when they were teenagers. Many were there to pay their respects at last Saturday's funeral.
But the times, they are changing. Most newspapers are delivered now by adults in automobiles — and many more are delivered through cyberspace on a newfangled invention called the Internet.
No delivery boys — or men — required.
It makes the passing of good men the likes of C. Brian O'Neil all the more nostalgic. As Arlen Peacock, an executive of the Newspaper Agency Corporation who was O'Neil's supervisor back in the day, observed, "He helped a lot of young men become good citizens."
Starting with himself.
Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.
© 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company All rights reserved
Published: January 14, 2009
When 11-year-old Brian O'Neil started delivering newspapers in 1929, little did he realize what he'd started.
Not until 1986, with just one timeout for World War II, would he stop — and at that, he kept the "route" in the family, transferring the duties first to his son, Kelly, and later to Kelly's son, Shannon.
All this was recounted in detail, seasoned with much humor and nostalgia, at funeral services that honored Mr. O'Neil this past weekend in Vernal.
The man's 90 years on Earth were remembered for many accomplishments, including a posterity approaching 100 direct descendents, a lifetime of church and community service, and of course the war years, when he served in the U.S. Navy and met a fellow sailor who outranked him named Dorothy, a lieutenant who became his wife.
But over, under, around and through it all was an uncanny habit of getting up early in the morning to make sure one Salt Lake newspaper or another made it to its destination on time.
O'Neil began delivering the Salt Lake Telegram on his bike when he was 11, just in time to let residents of Kaysville know Wall Street had fallen.
He kept pedaling through the Depression, making money despite the hard times, later switching to the Salt Lake Tribune.
After World War II, he and his new bride moved to Vernal and Brian accepted a position as distributor of the Tribune to the Uintah-Duchesne territory in northeastern Utah. Now, instead of one paper route, he was responsible for distributing thousands of newspapers to the various carriers throughout the region.
In the early 1960s, after the Telegram folded, he added the Deseret News to the lineup.
It is inestimable how many porches got their papers because of Brian O'Neil.
Brian O'Neil's obituary caught my eye last week when it ran in the newspaper — appropriately in both the Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune — as much for what it said about the future of newspapering as about the past.
Few 11-year-old boys, or girls, strap newspaper bags to their bicycles any more. And fewer and fewer adult distributors are left to mentor those boys and girls.
"Dad raised us with the newspaper," remembered Kelly O'Neil, the son who would inherit the family distributorship. "That's how he taught us to work and to manage our money."
In his father's personal journal that Kelly shared with me, a young Brian wrote this of his early days delivering papers:
"The newspaper route was good for me, helping me to meet people ... and to have almost everything that I wanted to have due to being able to have the money to purchase it."
In a later journal entry Brian wrote about the difficulty he had getting up in the morning — and the invention it inspired.
"I contrived a contraption that would wind a string up on a spool which in turn pulled a knife switch that would ring a bell until I got up to turn it off," he wrote. "The alarm clock was the power to set this in motion."
Practice made perfect, and over time, as Kelly recalled, his father needed no such contraptions.
"The truck (with the newspapers) would come into Vernal about 3 a.m. And when it came, it would wake Dad up," Kelly said. "And if for some reason it didn't come, it would wake him up anyway. He would know that truck was late. It was just his whole focus."
Every one of Kelly's brothers and sisters delivered newspapers in Vernal — and almost every one of Brian O'Neil's grandkids have delivered newspapers.
All over northeastern Utah, you'll find men, many now in their 40s, 50s and 60s, who delivered papers for Brian O'Neil when they were teenagers. Many were there to pay their respects at last Saturday's funeral.
But the times, they are changing. Most newspapers are delivered now by adults in automobiles — and many more are delivered through cyberspace on a newfangled invention called the Internet.
No delivery boys — or men — required.
It makes the passing of good men the likes of C. Brian O'Neil all the more nostalgic. As Arlen Peacock, an executive of the Newspaper Agency Corporation who was O'Neil's supervisor back in the day, observed, "He helped a lot of young men become good citizens."
Starting with himself.
Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.
© 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company All rights reserved
Cool link for Moms
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Okay How many moms out there with little girls have had to deal with the "scream like a Banshee" ordeal every time they go to pull out that pony at the end of the night? After running jumping rolling and napping that thing doesn't come out the same way it went in. I deal with it daily. So today while reading one of the blogs I follow I read about Knot Heads. After the blogger was raving about this ingenious idea I figured I should follow the link and find out more. After checking out this blog I ordered right away. All you have to do it check it out and you will understand why I jumped right on it. Anything that can save my sanity is worth all the money in the world. SO check it out... http://www.knotheads.com/index.html
Oh and cute ideas for Mom's too, not just the girls.
Tagged again!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
1. DID YOU DATE SOMEONE FROM YOUR SCHOOL? Actually I never did. I guys when I dated Roylin Bradley he was from my school but he had graduated.
2. WHAT KIND OF CAR DID YOU DRIVE? I drove a 1985 Honda accord. What can I say? Hondas are great cars.
3. DID YOU PASS YOUR DRIVERS LICENSE TEST ON THE FIRST TRY? Yes I sure did. But I have to disclose that when I moved to Idaho and had to take the test again, I failed the first time then I studied and got every answer right the next time.
4. WERE YOU A PARTY ANIMAL? I think we all have a little animal in us.
5. WERE YOU CONSIDERED A FLIRT? I guess. I never really felt like I dated around so I can't say I flirted a lot
6. WERE YOU IN BAND, ORCHESTRA OR CHOIR? Chamber Choir (Yeah me)
.7. WERE YOU A NERD? Some might think that Choir people are nerds, but I wasn't super smart or anything and I had a few friends, so I'll say no.
8. WERE YOU ON ANY VARSITY TEAMS? Nope did a little volleyball but apparently I wasn't too good at it.
.9. DID YOU EVER GET SUSPENDED OR EXPELLED? Nope I was an angel
10. CAN YOU STILL SING THE FIGHT SONG? Hmm I think I could once but it is all so vague
11. WHO WERE YOUR FAVORITE TEACHERS? Mr Lowe for sure. He was the most awesome teacher. And then of course Mrs Robinson. I still have dreams about choir...in most of them I'm running late which isn't too far a stretch from the truth.
12. WHERE DID YOU SIT FOR LUNCH? I was in the back corner. But I liked to rove a bit. Maybe 2 or 3 tables one way or the other.
13. WHAT IS YOUR SCHOOLS FULL NAME? Roy High School.
14. WHAT IS YOUR SCHOOLS MASCOT AND COLORS? Royals; black and gold.
15. DID YOU GO TO HOMECOMING? WITH WHO? I only went once. With Roylin Bradley. I tell you what I just really didn't date much
16. IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND DO IT AGAIN, WOULD YOU?I loved high school, but like Lindsey I wouldn't go back. I love being a Mom too much and I wouldn't want that in High School
17. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT GRADUATION? See here is something I regret. I was engaged when I graduated so my head was completely somewhere else. I went straight over to Mikes house after graduation. I really missed out on that kind of stuff.
18. WHERE DID YOU GO ON SENIOR SKIP DAY? I don't even remember. Probably hung out with Mike.
19. HAVE YOU GAINED SOME WEIGHT SINCE THEN? I sure did. But luckily I've been able to get back to it. My middle will never be that same though. Not with out some lipo and some cut and stitching.
20. WHO WAS YOUR PROM DATE? I did go with Jason Sederholm and My husband
21 ARE YOU PLANNING ON GOING TO YOUR 10 YEAR REUNION?
Yes. And like Lindsey I'd like to wait until after it to have any more kids. I'm so vain and selfish! :)
22 DID YOU HAVE A JOB IN HIGH SCHOOL? I had a few. Taco Time my sophomore year to mid junior year. I did Roy Rec in that summer then Shopko my junior year. Roy Rec again in the next summer I was the arts and crafts planner. Then my Senior year I worked at Sears.
I tag. Once again my list is going to be short. How about all the Webster Clan...I don't know much about your High School days.
Family Pictures
Monday, December 1, 2008
This past weekend my brother came up for Thanksgiving. So I had him take some family pictures. Here are a few of them. I can't decide which ones I like so I am going to ask for a vote.... So I will number the pictures and I would like a democratic process to make this very important yearly decision.
#1
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#10
#11
If any of you in Utah like these pictures my Brother's link is on my page for jDye Photography. He needs to update his website, but you can get an idea if you read his blog. I did all the editing in adobe. Which I absolutely love doing. So if anyone has a picture they want edited just let me know.
North Pole Express
I bet there aren't many of you that have been to the North Pole. Well Guess what... We have! There isn't any snow yet. It's been a weird year even for Santa. Rudolph may not have a job to do this Christmas. Well the train ride wasn't too long. You know Santa gets around quick so you'd figure the ride to the North Pole couldn't be too long. There was caroling and cookies and milk. I don't think it could have been more festive! Well snow would have helped but even then Michaella, Grandma, Papa and I had a Holly Jolly time!
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