Uncle Bill's Funeral, October 3, 2009

                                                              

 

Billy Richard Folston,

August 17, 1924 - September 26, 2009

Margaret.  These past months she has given the best of care to Bill.  The services reflected their love and their good times.  I admired the inclusion of Bill's whole history--from the time of his childhood in Prescott, through the beginning of his naval career, his first marriage to Arden, their first child Christine (Harris), adoption on Guam of Billy and then John in CA, he and Margaret meeting through mutual friends in CA, the blending of their families and the birth of Jim and Michael.  It really was a time of rejoicing on a life well-lived with family fun.  Best of all--Bill's wonderful laugh.  Who can ever forget.      

Diana (Piini) and her boyfriend, Don Sturges.    Below:  Diana and her daughters, Kelsie Piini and Tammy Bangerter Leach with Margaret at Tonaquint Cemetery, south St. George.  Diana has another daughter, Josie Bangerter Edison who was unable to come.  She's a stay-at-home mom taking a break from teaching elementary school.  Tammy and her husband, Johnny have two businesses that keep them very busy.   Kelsie is working on her general studies and enjoying making her mark in the local musical theater.  She created a lovely video tribute of Bill's life with the music of Frank Sinatra--very endearing.  Her vocal of "Always" by Scott Allen was beautiful as was "You Raise Me Up."  You can listen to "Always" by the composer at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7O7Z8PD86s.

Cathy (Hill-Castro) was recovering from kidney stone surgery in Arleta, CA where she lives.  She has three children.  Elonka Perez and her husband, Martin have two children, Kim & Nicholas.  Jason Castro (21) is on his own and Cheyenne Castro just graduated from high school.

Jan and Charli (Fraughton).  Charli and I drove down together.  Stayed at Jan's and were up until 4 a.m. talking.  Charli's daughter gave birth to a darling daughter the day before we left.  Lots to talk about coming and going.  She has three married children:  Jodanna and Tanner Sessions and their three children Avi (dec.), Oliver and their newly arrived Lucy Marilee;  Kyle and Ashlee and their two daughters, Chloe and Londyn; Malerie and  Nate and their baby daughter, Oakley.  All live near by Charli, Cody and their two sons, Sennet (Sr. in high school) and Ryker (4th grade.  You will remember Seth who passed away two years ago in a drowning accident.  The Fraughton family home is in Centerville, UT.

Jan could easily fit in the Folston family.  She lived with them in Fountain Valley while our parents served their  mission in Scotland.  While Jan was a teen Margaret's three girls lived with Grandpa, Grandma and Jan on Pescadores Avenue in San Pedro, CA.  Jan is the link between the generations and everyone loves her dearly.   Staying with Cal and Jan is always a delight.  Need to get back to do hike again with them.

 

                                 

Billy, lives in Portland, OR--loves the nature of the Northwest where he had formerly lived.   Billy was just recently paroled from prison in AZ for manufacturing meth and is now looking for work.  He'll take welding if business isn't available.  He's curious about science.  While in prison he finished his first half of his Associate degree and was clean for a year and half before prison.  Things are looking up, though understandably difficult.  His son, Billy, 3rd, and daughter, Alyssa (17) live in AZ with their mother.  He's very proud of them. 

John does vintage home remodels.  Not a whole lot of work right now.  It was a delight visiting with him.  I never would have recognized him.  Lives in San Diego, CA.

Jim and Michael

I love the photo of Jim and Michael in front of their Dad's Naval uniform of years past.  It had been too many years since seeing these guys.  I had last seen them at Grandpa Watson's funeral in 1982.  

Michael, his wife,  Nicole (Nikki) and daughter Stephanie, 12.  One more daughter, Sydney (DeeDee) 8, wasn't feeling well during the funeral services.  After dinner it was fun to get acquainted with her at Jim's house.  Michael works construction and does special wood furnishings, but his passion has been his band since his teen years.  Michael does the vocals and most of the writing of their original music.  You can go to live footage at stonzthro.com or to myspace.com/stonzthro.  You can also find their first CD on iTunes--search Stonz Thro.

Jim and his wife Noelle and their three sons, 16-year old twins Joshua and Jeremy and oldest son Taylor (19) in the center.  After the dinner at the church many of us gathered at Jim and Noelle's lovely home located east of the mall about 2000 E.  It was fun to get better acquainted.  Their daughter, Nicole is married to Ed Barlow and they have two girls, Lydia and Alivia. 

Paul and Kim Badger, Sun Crest, South Jordan, UT.   Kim lived with the Folstons for about a year.  She was a close friend of Charli's.   Kim didn't have a safe place to live after high school.  Bill heard about it and said she had a home with them.  The following year she and Paul married.  The Folstons have always counted her part of their family.  Who wouldn't.  Paul and Kim are a lovely couple.

 Tonaquint Cemetery Graveside Services

Military Honors

Pallbearers-- Left front: Jim, Billy, Joshua, Taylor.
Right front:  John, Mike, Jeremy, Ed.

Presentation of the United States flag to Margaret.

 Bill's boys and daughter Chris.

Michael, Tom Piini, Billy, Jeremy, John, Joshua, Jim and Taylor.

Bill Folston Family

Back row:  Diana, Nikki and Michael,  Kim and Paul, Jan and Cal McAffee, Charli, Billy, Jeremy, John, Joshua, Jim, Taylor, Nicole and baby Alivia, Noelle, Ed.

Front row:  Stephanie, Kelsie, Tammy, Lydia, Margaret, Chris and her daughter, Brittney, and Bill's sister, Caroline.

Bill's brother-in-law, Babe Dominguez, and nephew, Steve, from Prescott.

A big surprise at the dinner after the funeral and graveside services was meeting Ilene Collins Ellsworth and Van Duane Hakes.  In Margaret's high school years there was a surprisingly large group of LDS students in Lennox Ward.  Most of them attended Inglewood High School.  They were together for Mutual activities and often hanging out on weekends at each other's homes.  I loved it when they came to ours and I could listen in to their fun.  Ilene and Duane were part of that group.  Ilene lives in Agoura Hills, CA and Duane in Washington City, UT.

Ilene's sister, Karen, was a close friend of Ruth and me.  We were the three Beehive Girls in the ward.  It was very exciting to reconnect and have the hope of catching up with Karen McComb now living in Hemet, CA.  Lots of wonderful changes in her life.  It made for a very happy ending.