My Handsome Grandpa

Look at that handsome man. Yes, I may be biased, but I don't think so. He was one of the best Grandpa's anyone could ever ask for. I remember many, many hours spent sitting on Grandpa's lap watching old movies while eating either tootsie rolls or pretzel sticks and drinking root beer (his favorite drink). Shortly after the stroke I brought a six pack of root beer for Grandpa, when I gave it to him I asked if it was okay for him to have it and he told me " I don't care, I'll drink it anyway". My Grandpa wore hearing aids he had a little remote that he kept in his pocket for adjusting the volume, I took great joy in playing with the volume control. I think that when it came time to replacing them he took great care in choosing hearing aids that automatically adjusted the volume level. I remember watching him in his workshop fashion a detailed table leg out of a simple block of wood. I have so many stories, I could go on forever, but I will end on that note and add a copy of Grandpa's obituary.

On Sunday, January 30, 2011, Kenneth Karl Wiesmore passed away peacefully following complications of a stroke. Ken was born March 3, 1927 in Los Angeles, California to Karl and Lorenna Wiesmore. His father died when he was very young and his mother later married Earl Farwell. At 17, Ken joined the US Navy and was stationed aboard the LCI 558 during WWII. He later served in the Korean War on the USS Baroko CVE 115.

After his service in WWII, Ken married Charlotte Jones on his birthday March 3, 1951. They were sealed in the Los Angeles Temple, again on his birthday March 3, 1977.

Ken was a member of the Masonic Lodge participating in events in California and later Utah. He was Master of the Golden Bowl Lodge in 1958. Ken and Charlotte raised their four children in West Covina, CA and were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 20, 1968. When Ken retired from Firestone in 1979 they moved to Santaquin, Utah.

Ken and Charlotte made Family History their life work. They both completed a large portion of their family lines and their own personal history book. In 1998 they served a full-time family history mission for the LDS Church to the Des Moines, Iowa and St. Paul, Minnesota Missions.

Ken is survived by his four children, Sharon Hunt of Manti, Marge (Bruce) Houser of Santaquin, Ken (Betsy) Wiesmore, Jr. of Twin Falls, Idaho, Carol (Steve) Nielson of Chugwater, Wyoming; 16 grandchildren, and 36 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his eternal companion, Charlotte, his parents, great-grandson, Korbin Horton, and countless friends and relatives awaiting his arrival to the other side.

We would like to express a special thanks to the members of Santaquin 13th Ward for the many visits you made to Dad. We would also like to express our heartfelt appreciation to the staff of Parkway Health Center for the love and care you gave Dad.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 5th at 11:00 am at the Santaquin 13th Ward, 250 South 580 East. Friends may call at the Holladay-Brown Funeral Home, 66 South 300 East, Santaquin, Friday from 6 to 8 and Saturday at the church from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Burial, Salem City Cemetery. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.holladaybrown.com

The funeral went well. It was a little long. It was an hour and fourty minutes. Needless to say the kids started to lose control. When the funeral was finished we dropped the kids off at Peter's parents while we went to the cemetery and the luncheon. It was nice not to have to battle the kids during the graveside service.

The graveside service was a really amazing to watch. There was a 21 gun salute, which was amazing, there was also a Masonic ceremony that was interesting to watch. Grandpa's chapter came to conduct the ceremony. They laid a white lamb skin apron on the casket (it was square with a triangle folded down over some words. I didn't get the chance to read it.) and read some verses out of a book, they then said a small prayer. After fourty minutes at the cemetery we all headed back to the church for a luncheon. It was really nice. We had ham, salad, and cheesy potatoes. It was really yummy. I think that the whole thing went beautifully. Well done Mom and Ken.

We will miss you, Grandpa. I am so glad that you finally get to be with Grandma, Korbin and all of your loved ones.

Until we meet again.