Soup Town JJ: The Green Van

Goodbye, old friend, goodbye

We hate to see you go.

You have given us many pleasures

And we love you so.

Saturday September 30, 1995, DeRay and Ed met Uncle Robert at the Salt Lake Airport at 9 AM, planning to fly to Minneapolis through Kansas City to buy a van. They bought the custom van in Eden Prairie and stayed with Robert's daughter, Mildred, and her husband, George Rogers, overnight, driving all the way home Sunday – actually arriving Monday morning at 6 AM, having traveled straight through with only food and gas stops. Uncle Robert loves to drive so much he would hardly give antsy DeRay a turn to drive his brand-new van. $20,000.

One week later, as we were driving home from New Castle, Eddy says, "You know what, Mom, I still have memories of our Minnesota trip. I'm going to make it my favorite trip this year."

We kept the van until we bought a Red Van November 2003 when we gave the old van to Brent and Jan. In July this year when they came out for the last Pugh Reunion, they brought the old green van back, having used it for 15 years and took the newer red van home. We thought we would use it for a second vehicle but as with the red van, we found we used it so seldom that when the insurance company totaled it out for $2,900; when it was pelted with hail in August, we decided to take the money and let them take the van. DeRay spent around $500 fixing the brakes, buying two new tires, licensing, insurance and all when we planned to keep it.

On Wednesday November 7, 2018, when the $2,428.34 ($500 deductible) was safely deposited in our bank account, they came and towed it away.

You have given us many pleasures. . .

Two separate trips to the Arizona Strip.

Shirley's friend, Yula Hunting, who was raised on the

Arizona Strip was our guide both times.

Shirley, Charles, DeRay, Eddy, and I

went the first time.

It was so interesting

we planned a second trip

so more of our siblings

could walk where Daddy walked

as he herded sheep

a few years before and after he married Mama

and again in the mid-forties.

Mama saved all the letters he wrote to her

just before and after their marriage.

We typed them up so that his posterity

could know him.

When he went back out in the 40's,

he had eight kids.

He wrote to each of us separately.

Daddy used an indelible pencil.

Yula, Shirley, Charles, Ed, DeRay in front of the

school, church, dance hall, court room

Daddy talked about in his letters.

Yula chatting with her cousin who was out checking on his cattle the 90's way.

Back: Ed, Lynn, Charles, Shirley.

Middle: Yula, Juanita

Front unseen: Jerry & DeRay

with Verla and Jeanette on the floor.

Yes.

for those hundreds of miles on dirt roads.

This was our second trip.

When we got to Short Creek, we had a flat tire.

While it was being fixed,

we visited with our cousin, Eva Johnson.

Eva, Lynn, Verla, Jerry, Shirley, Jeanette

We also made two trips in the green van
to visit the Muddy Mission
where our ancestors were called
to settle on the Virgin River.

It has been said that when you make extraordinary demands of people, they often become extraordinary people in responding to those demands. The Muddy settlers, who were not only willing to go to the Muddy Mission (as many others were not) but to stay there until the bitter end (as many others were not) were some of the most extraordinary people the Church has ever produced. We can only stare in amazement as how tough they were - physically, mentally, and spiritually - and how dedicated they were to their cause.--Jack Worlton

James Hoyt, William Heaton and John Esplin and families

all stuck it out to the bitter end.

Then re-settled Long Valley

and eventually the successful United Order.

That's our heritage on three of four sides.

The Carrolls joined the United Order later.

Eddy, Shirley, Eva, Jeanette, Jerry and cousin Lillian Heil
at the dairy in Short Creek November 2001

Nan Johnson, Lillian, Shirley, Jerry, LaNard, Jeanette
Orderville

Lunch at the JV Cafe in Orderville - Johnny and Virginia Esplin
Jerry, Lillian, Shirley, Johnny and Eddy

Lillian and Jerry at the Muddy River
which isn't muddy.

Shirley, Jeanette, Eddy, Lillian, Jerry

Visiting cousin Verna Holgate Pugh at the Beehive House in Kanab
Verna, Lillian, Shirley, Jeanette

The Second Trip

October 18, 2003

We looked around Sun River before we left for the Muddy Mission. We stopped at the Springs first, then went to the Museum in Overton, stopping at the pioneer cemetery where they moved the graves when St. Thomas was going to be underwater because of Lake Meade, then down to St. Thomas where Lynn, Jerry and Carol walked down to the homes that have been under water for decades and are now exposed because of the drought. Shirley & I go to the bottom but we didn’t know how to get through the tamarack. They brought back old tools and artifacts from the homes. We saw the Muddy River and went to the side where St. Joseph and Sandytown A & B were, where our ancestors tried to eke out a living for several years.

Amy Jayne, DeRay, Carol, Lynn
Listening to the missionaries tell the history

Lynn, Carol & Jerry hiking down to the original town

Muddy River

Jerry & Lynn Muddy River

The Green Van took us back to Missouri

for Jonathan's birth in 1996

and to see the Twins in 2002.

Then riding the Katy Trail with them

for several years.

Jonathan Hugh 1996

Naomi and Amanda Hugh 2002

Ed with Twins in Trailer

Ed, Jonathan, Brent riding the Katy Trail

Lake Powell 2000

Suzanne, Eddy, DeRay, Clare, Karen, Ron

Norm and Karen at Rainbow Bridge

Norm, Karen, Ron, Marilyn, Clare Rainbow Bridge

Branson-Nauvoo 2002

Shirley, Jeanette, Eddy, DeRay Nauvoo Temple

San Diego where we had a condo right on the beach.

Shirley ? Jeanette

Ed, DeRay, Shirley

Amy Jayne, Jeanette, Shirley, Ed San Diego

It wasn't always smooth sailing.

Brooke and Elizabeth took several trips in it.
It was Brent and Jan driving it
when they were returning home from a Utah visit
and accidentally ran into
Brooke, Elizabeth and family
coming back to Utah
after a visit back east
at Wall Drug, South Dakota. 2012

Jan, Brent, Naomi, Amanda

Jonathan, Brigitte, Karlton, Klarissa, Isaak, Brooke, Elizabeth

Brent, Isaak, Naomi, Amanda, Brigitte, Karlton, Jan, Jonathan
inside: Brooke, Klarissa

Reunions
Island Park

Eddy, DeRay, Grace, Lana, Shirley, Jerry, Lucy, Lynn, Juanita
Jeanette, Carol, Verla, DeLoy 2003

Mt. Carmel

No explanation needed.
Except for posterity: Lucy & Carol

DeMoin, Jerry, Carol

Moccasin - 2003

Lynn and Juanita, Lana and Jerry, Amy Jayne Hart, Effie Chappell,
DeRay & Jeanette, Shirley Hart, Carol Murphy, Lucy Sorensen, Jolene Clark

Carol, Amy Jayne, Eddy

The Annual Pugh Reunion at Duck Creek Campground
1999

Marilyn Cornelison, DeRay, Karen Ogden, Sherrill, Clare Thompson

Clare, Ron, DeRay. Matt Thompson behind DeRay.
And funerals

VeRene Tait, Georgia Lou Schmutz, Nan and Nard Johnson
Adeline Johnson, Lucy Sorensen, Jeanette and Eddy Hugh, Shirley Hart

A gathering of the Heaton cousins for Carol Lamb's funeral in Orderville.
Adeline Johnson, Georgia Lou Schmutz, Nan Johnson, Lucy Sorensen,
LaNard Johnson, Osa Figgins, Eva Johnson, Landell Heaton, Guenivere White, McKay Heaton, Eddy Hugh
front: VeRene Tait, Jeanette Hugh, Shirley Hart