I was born in our home at Grouse Creek, Utah on 26 March, 1923. My parents are Sidney Paskett and Alice Myrtle Johnson.

I went to school grades 1-10 in the Grouse Creek rock schoolhouse. The rock was hauled from a sand rock hillside a short distance from my home. The children of the town played all over the rock quarry in and out of the holes.

Velma Kimber, Viril Kimber, Barbara Kimber, Evva Lee, Virginia Warburton, Emma Paskett, Max Tanner & Gerald Warburton

I married Heber Percy Smith on September 29, 1939. Children:  LeGrand Heber (1941), Richard (1943), Darwin H. (1945), Gloria Fae (1946), Alice Mae (1949), LaNae (1952), Harvey Curtis (1954), Shana Rae (1961), and Alisa Gay (1964).

We began our married life in Yost, Utah and later moved to Brigham City, Utah to make our home so Heber could gain more gainful employment.

I have a lot of memories of Grouse Creek. I remember one Easter my Mom put the old copper water boiler, made to cover two holes of a wood burning kitchen range, on a wagon with Dorotha, a baby, about four months old, Arthur, Arnold and me and we Eastered at the quarry.

Grouse Creek 4th Grade Class-1934
Front Row: Wilda Frost, Edward Frost, Delmar Jorgensen, Max Hadfield, Dorothy Kimber, LaGrande Horsely (Teacher)
2nd Row: Velma Kimber, Evva Lee, Barbara Kimber, Emma Paskett, Uknown, Virginia Warburton
3rd Row: Clifton Kimber, Viril Kimber, Chester Blanthorn, Max Tanner, Gerald Warburton
4th Row: Effie Kimber, Marie Roberts, Virginia Richins
5th Row: Theron Simpson, Dale Warburton, Rulon Kimber, Russell Kimber, Uknown, Kendall Kimber, Leland Wakefield

When I was six years old the frame home I was living in burned to the ground. Grandpa Johnson was living with us. The town rallied around and gave us a place to sleep and clothes to wear.

Dad and Uncle George contracted hay harvesting each year. They put the cook tent and sheep camp together, that they had used when haying, and we lived in it while they renovated the old log granary to be livable. When it rained we put pans all over the house to catch water that was leaking from the sagging ceiling made from cloth.

Max Tanner, Velma Kimber, Barbara Kimber, Eva Lee, Gerald Warburton, Emma Paskett, Virginia Warburton & Irvin Kimber

Aunt Mandy took me to Ogden to have my tonsils removed. Mother was there having my baby sister, Dorotha.

We had our first pine tree for Christmas when Dorotha was five years old. Dad and Uncle Parley were admiring it and mentioned trimming it. Next thing we turned to see my little sister with scissors and clipping the ends. She said she was trimming the tree.

My older sister, Ralva was married and lived in California and always helped make Christmas special.

One time I went to the lower field to get the cows and the horse bucked me off. I remembered Dad saying if you are ever thrown get right back on, so I did.

I used to sit for hours and listen to Grandpa tell stories.

We used to sleigh ride down Aunt Mandy’s hill and also Lizzie Cook’s hill that Grandpa dug out where they lived when they settled Grouse Creek to keep away from Indians.

We spent a lot of time playing games with the neighborhood children and going to parties and dances. Emma passed away January 14, 2001 in Brigham City, Utah and buried in the Brigham City Cemetery.