Written by himself on March 21, 1947

I was born in Ogden Utah, November 26, 1937.  At the age, the age of three weeks, I came to Grouse Creek, Utah, where l have lived ever since.

I have had a lot of misfortunes in my life. When I was six weeks old my mother noticed a red all over my body. The neighbors said it was just heat rash but when she took me to a certain Doctor he said it was eczema. I have surely had some awful bad sores.

One day when I was about two years old I was playing in the backyard with some other kids. They were playing in an old two wheeled trailer. They would climb in the front of the trailer and then run to the back and jump out and then it would titter back down and I happened to come along just when it came back down it hit my arm and pinned me to the ground and cut an awful gash in my arm.

About a year latter dad had the tongue of the trailer on the cellar to balance. There was a 50 gallon barrel of water in the trailer. We were playing’ around the trailer when it tipped. The barrel fell on me and hurt my back and hurt me very much.

One time when I was in Ogden going for a car ride with my cousins, the door of the car came open and I fell out and cut a gash in the back of my head. Another time I was swinging on an old rope in the top ofthe granary. The rope broke and I fell and cut another gash in the back of my head.

I had a lot of fun in my life too.  In the winters when I was 5 and 6 years old I used to go with my dad everyday and froze to death. I helped him feed and everything. Sometimes when it was awful cold, Dad would wrap me up in his sheepskin coat and bury me in the hay so I couldn’t get too cold.

I was nearly seven years old when I started school. During the first four years of school I only missed two and 1/2 days.

I like to ride horseback. Much of my time in the summer is spent riding.

July 11 1946 I was baptized and confirmed a member of the LDS Church. Daddy baptized me and Bishop Elmer Kimber confirmed me.

June 21 1946 I went to Salt Lake Temple with the family and was sealed to my mother and father. While we were in Salt Lake we went to the capital building, the zoo, the museum and all around the temple grounds.

In June 1948 I went to the Salt Lake Temple with my Sunday School class and was baptized 18 times for the dead. During the years of 1948, I was the only

member of the Grouse Creek Ward to make 100% attendance in Sunday School.

Jan 22, 1949 I went to Ogden with the Primary Officers and offered the opening prayer in the Primary Union meeting.

June 7, 1947, we left to go to the Idaho Falls Temple to be baptized for the dead. When we got there we went straight to the hotel then the next morning we went to the temple. I was baptized 24 times and then we had dinner in the temple cafeteria. Then we looked around the city and went to Arco and stayed there over night. I slept in a trailer house. June 8th we headed for home we looked all over the craters of the moon and then we stopped at the Ice Cave. I took picture at both places. We got home just in time for the picture show.

In June 1951 I went to Caldwell Idaho with the family to visit Charles Kimber. We had a lot of fun. I got a big kick out of some of the signs along the way.

Most of my time is spent in school and doing the things around home that all farm boys have to do.

I believe my hobby is riding horse back. I started to ride when I was about four years old. I broke a colt to ride, when I was nine. Since then I have broke several.

Last summer I drove a tractor and mowed hay for Ernest Kimber at Ernest Warburtons. I surely had a lot of fun as well as a lot of hard work.

This has been a winter I won’t forget. Right now we are rehearsing a play “Mr. Slick from Pumkin Creek”. I’m Mr. Slick. I’ll surely be glad when it is over. But I guess Mr. James will find something else of interest for us to do then.

Following history was given at Norman’s funeral.

Norman D. Kimber was born Nov. 26, 1937 in Ogden to Joseph Edwin and Martha Amanda Kimber.

At the early age of five, he experienced the joy of being a help to his Dad in feeding the cows and helping on the ranch.  Wintery days would find him cuddled down in the hay to keep warm but still by his Dad’s side. Being a cowboy was an early dream and a lasso his only wish for Christmas. At the age of nine he worked with his colt until it was broke and ready to ride. Riding horses was easy for Norm and riding all day standing up in the saddle was no big deal.

He attended Box Elder High School in Brigham City, where he participated in football and wrestling. He did have one wrestling match that he didn’t care to talk much about. He had a match with L. J.Silvester and in Norm’s words it was like this. “I didn’t know the match had even started when I found myself lying flat on the mat looking up and the referee was on the count of three.”

He married Geral Dean Durfee on May 24, 1957 and they were blessed with three lovely children, Sharon, Shirlee and Ricky. They were later divorced.

Norm met Fern Hatch who he loved and wanted for his wife. They were married April 6, in Elko, Nevada. This marriage brought into this world, Jeff, Kayleen, Marty, and Kenny. This family unit worked together, played together and showed love to each other. Norm worked as a truck driver in the Ogden and Bountiful area. He took his driving very seriously. Norm was noted for his exceptional strength. He had no problem picking up a 960 lb propane tank and loading it into the back of a truck or picking up a 55 gallon drum, weighing 460 lbs, lying on the ground and standing it up, by holding the ring around the top with his fingertips. One summer at lagoon he won hats for all his and JoAnn’s children by consecutively ringing the bell at the top of a “try your strength machine’.  Many times, around Christmas, you would find Norm up in the hills, way into the night, cutting Christmas trees for all that was in need of a tree. Even the year he broke his leg, he had a flat on the tractor and ended up walking with a cast on his leg from Pine Creek to Grouse Creek in three feet of snow.

Norm had two brothers and two sisters, Lee, Keith, JoAnn, and Carolyn. Norm loved to visit with them and all of their families, especially late at night and into the early hours of the morning. His favorite spot was at the kitchen table. He always had a captive audience to hear the tales of yesteryear. Norm managed the Grouse Creek Coop for five years before running the ranch. Norm loved to hunt, and his brothers, brother-in laws and nephews loved to hunt with him. It was a well know fact that Norm always knew where to find sage grouse and the big bucks.

Norm was truly loved an appreciated by all that really knew him because he was always willing to help them. What he had to do could always wait until another day. I must finish after I read a poem written by my Aunt Wanda, because Uncle Norm said he would sit up if his funeral was too long.

As you think of the things that Norm loved,

It will bring comfort to your heart.

Chasing that ornery cow in the cedar trees

On a horse Norm taught to do his part.

Hauling the hay in the summer heat,

Feeding the cows in the winter cold.

Tossing heavy bales like paper weights

To him being a cowboy was better than gold.

A way from the noise of the city,

Away from the sidewalks gray.

Grouse Creek was the place he loved

With the freedom to go his way.

Up on top of the mountain range

Looking down to the canyon below.

Trying to see if the movement was a buck,

Or only that highly protected doe.

On the Fourth of July he stood out

Announcing the rodeo with a flare.

You knew he really was better

Than announcers in Madison Garden Square.

He really loved to visit with you.

You could talk way into the night.

You felt in the simple exchange

A kinship that was very much right.

Many of us when we think of strength

It is attained by pumping iron in a gym.

Norm was one of those rare individuals

Whose strength was from hard work done by him.

So as time eases the pain of parting

Be joyful for the time we had.

Remember the many good things about Norm,

And know he wouldn’t want you to be sad.

By Wanda M. Tubbs

Norm passed away on November 30, 1984 of a heart attack. He is buried at the Grouse Creek Cemetery in Grouse Creek, Utah.