Zack's surgery and J. Verl Rasband's Funeral

 This has been a difficult week, but looking through different eyes, most things have also been for the greatest good.  Zack had his cleft palate surgery early Monday morning.  Crista stayed at our house Sunday night and left before we woke up to meet the doctors at Primary Children's Hospital.  The surgery took several hours, and though Crista was told not to leave the premises, she came home for a short nap.  She got back in plenty of time to be there when Zack woke up.  Roy and I had offered to go to Logan to watch over the kids there, but since they were in school all day (except Todd who had preschool), Matt opted to stay and work and get them off to school.  That left me free to help Crista out at the hospital on Tuesday morning.  Zack had had a hard night and was napping in Crista's arms.  Crista's such a great mom; the doctor had told her it would be a three night hospital stay, but she knows Zack and knew he would do much better at home.  As long as his stats were good, the doctor was willing to let him go.  When I arrived, I offered to hold Zack so Crista could rest, but she wasn't willing to move him because she didn't want him to get upset and make his oxygen dip (which had happened in the night), so rather than relieve her and take Zack, I just acted as an extra pair of hands.  When he woke up, he still wanted mom, but I was able to hold him here and there to give her time to eat etc.  Zack was doing well enough by early afternoon for the doctor to release him.  I picked up all the prescriptions while Crista did the paperwork, and as soon as he got the okay, we were able to pick up and leave.  

The day before surgery

Day after surgery.  He was a trooper.

Helping Crista (he didn't love letting me hold him, but I was better than the crib).

At home

J. Verl Rasband passed away on January 1,  2026 at around 3:30 in the morning.  He lived a long life.  We loved him and were happy to celebrate his life at his funeral on January 10.  J. Verl Rasband Obituary

We picked Elise up at the airport on Friday afternoon, grateful she could be here for the funeral of her granda, J. Verl Rasband.  She had considered trying to extend her stay after Christmas, knowing grandpa's time was short, but was already on her way to the airport when Roy got the call that he had passed.

The funeral was lovely, even though we were late getting started due to technical issues with the sound in the chapel.  When you start late, it makes it seem like the funeral is longer.  We didn't keep it to an hour, which was the goal, but we were only over by about fifteen minutes (if you take into account the time we started).  Nan had planned the funeral, choosing to have all three children speak, and one grandchild from each family.  We asked Elise because 1) she made the effort to come right back to Utah after she got home, and 2) she lived with her grandparents two or three times during her college years and got to know them really well.  I know all of our kids would have been willing and they would have all done a great job.  Nick said the opening prayer.  Adrienne led the music and Crista played the organ and piano for the hymns and the grandchildren/great grandchildren sang, He Sent His Son.  It touched my heart to see all of my family up there singing with their cousins.

Of course, my favorite talks were Roy's and Elise's.  Elise talked about the love grandpa had for people.  How he ministered throughout his life in his quiet way, even in his days in the care center.  She shared a quote from a BYU devotional address by Tom Holmoe, where both she and Dan had been in attendance,

It'll be a long time before I forget the special kindness expressed by my friend Verl Rasband.  Verl learns the first names of the children in our ward and goes out of his way to greet and talk with them regularly.  At first the children are surprised that an older man would even know their name, but his warm greeting makes them feel good.  As a result of his kind heart and sweet spirit, all my children respect, admire, and love Brother Rasband.  From his fine example, my children now go out of their way to greet Verl before he can find them.  His love is contageous.

 

Roy was the final speaker and he realized that we were over time, especially because of the late start, so he tried to shorten his talk.  I'm not sure if his revised words were any shorter than what he had planned originally.  In his written talk, he shared how his father taught him--not by lecture, but by example.  He said that his dad had lived the gospel as the Savior had taught.  The song that reminds Roy most of his father is, "Have I done any Good in the World Today."

Have I done any good in the world today

Have I helped anyone in need?

Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?

If not I have failed indeed. 

Roy wrote, "I remember going on many service projects with him such as serving others in the ward and community.  Whether it was picking cherries or working at the welfare farm, he always did it without hesitation or complaints and did it cheerfully."  

Most importantly, Roy wanted to share that his dad had a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It was part of his "core."  Roy said that he also has this kind of a testimony; it is part of his being.  He bore his testimony of the Savior, "I personally know that our Savior lives.  If we choose to believe and follow Him we can have great direction and happiness in our lives.  The Savior suffered for our sins and heartaches.  He rose from the dead for all of us to have the great blessing of the resurrection.  It is a choice; each of us has to decide whether we want to have faith in Him and allow His great power and love to influence our lives.  That is what I have chosen to do on my path and it has brought me great joy and happiness."

I also enjoyed hearing Lance's story about naming his son J. Crosby Rasband (after Grandpa).  He called Grandpa to tell him, and Verl said, "Oh, don't do that.  It was hard having a one letter name."  Lance said there have been a few challenges with it, but he doesn't regret it.

I need to find out why Verl's name started with an initial.  I'm thinking (but I'm not sure) that he was named after two men whose names started with J.  I guess this is something for me to look into.

Dan and Jennie paying their repects at the viewing

Adrienne, Caitlyn and Crista

Ila, Greta, Ruby, Effie (and I think Avie or Bridget is in front of Greta)

Ila, Bridget, Greta, Ruby and Effie

Nick and Aunt Gloria, the only remaining sibling on Fern's side of the family.

Todd and Camden

The Pall bearers: Dan Rasband, Matt Rasband, Brady Theobald, Aaron Rasband, Tyler and Shane Theobald, Lance and Nick Rasband

Camden and Nick

One of Grandpa's replies to, "How are you, Grandpa?"
"I'm older than dirt."

Crista, Matt and family went home following the lunch because of Zack's recent surgery.  Adrienne also went home because Ollie was home with AJ.  He's very sick.  

Roy dedicated the grave up in Midway.  He gave the small group assembled there a short history lesson after looking around at the nearby graves.  His Casper grandparents were buried nearby, and even John Watkins, his 2nd great grandfather who came across the plains in the Martin Handcart Company. 

Roy says, "My great-great-grandfather John Watkins came across the plains in the Martin Handcart Company with his wife Sara and his two children, ages 2 and 4.  They settled in the Midway area and were some of the principal settlers.  John was very instrumental in settling the town of Midway.  He built a lumber mill up on the mountains near by as well as some ditches to bring water into the valley and city.  He was a young architect when he came from England.  He built several signature homes in Midway which are identifiable to this day.  They were built with red brick with white corner stones.  The main house was for his family to live in.  It looks small today but was considered large for it's time.  When apostles,prophets, general authorities and other dignitaries were in the area they often stayed in the home.  As a polygamist with four wives he had a tunnel under the house which he could use to elude the local authorities and escape to another house.  His wives would make baked goods, fruit and other things, then they would take them over to Park City and sell them at a markup to the miners.  This helped provide funds for living and expanding the farm.

Some our relations were also instrumental in the settlement and buildup of Heber City; such as John Carlile, James Carlile, Wm. Giles and Thomas Rasband.  Also included were the Montgomery's, Murdochs, etc.  Many of them had several businesses along the main street.  

Grandpa Reed Rasband who had a home for many years on 300 W Center Street also had a couple of businesses around 600 West Center Street.  For a number of years he acquired/cut ice blocks from the Provo River in the winter and stored them in an ice house insulated with straw.  He would take a wagon around from home to home and cut chunks of ice for their ice box fridges.  Later when electric fridges came out, that business was no longer valid.  He then had a coal business for a number of years.  Homes were heated with coal furnaces.  He would deliver the coal to each home and drop the coal in coal chutes at the side of the houses.  Once natural gas furnaces came out that business slowly went away as well.  Reed always ran beef cattle in the north fields with mixtures of Black Angus Bulls and Hereford cows which made great marbled meat.  He also worked for the county government performing various tasks.  One of these tasks was inspector of irrigation.      

Evan, Nan, Catharine, Roy, Lisa, Al

Nick, Elise and Caitlyn at the internment (Jennie had already gotten
into her car when we took this picture)

Jordan, Jennie, Foster and Elijah.

Dallin and Caitlyn

Elijah.  It was cold, but he wouldn't wear the hat for long.  At least it was sunny.

Ori, Nick, Elise, Elijah, Jennie

Following the interment, we went to dinner with just those of our immediate family who went to Midway (minus Cait and Dallin who headed home because Dallin was fighting a cold).  We ate at Chick's Diner; a final memorial of Verl; something that Roy really wanted to do.

Roy, Catharine, Elise, Sara, NIck, Camden, Effie, Avie, Foster, Jennie, Ori, Jordan and Elijah

Sadly, Ollie missed the funeral (and AJ and Cub by default). 
 He's sicker than he's ever been with croup, strep and influenza B

Foster at home practicing her yoga pose.

Photos are mostly thanks to Sara and Elise.  I took zero pictures.  I know Allie Rasband took a lot of candids and I'm hoping to get copies of those.  

Roy and I opted not to invite the family over on Sunday night (with Elise's permission) because we knew we'd see everyone on Saturday and we knew we'd probably be tired.  However, Elise is a magnet and we ended up having another get together with Elise before her flight early Monday morning.  Sorry that we didn't get the word out to everyone...it wasn't planned.  Dan and Jieun brought pot sticker filling and everyone present helped to stuff and eat them.  Nick and Sara had a super busy day, and just came over to play a game or two and say goodbye in between meetings.  They ended up staying for dinner (and Sara handled the meetings that involved a baptism preview for Avie and a YW temple preview for Ori).  

Yuli and Camden

Avie, Effie, Yuna, Ori, Yuli and Camden

Hyeji

Catharine and Elise helping

Yuna, eating

Yuna, Ori, Nick, Avie, Effie, Dojin and Hyeji

Bridget at home making blueberry muffins with some mixes she got for Christmas