Williams Reunions: Memories of the 60's and early 70's

This is how I remember my grandmother, my aunts, my uncles. We had reunions every summer, and I looked forward to them.

My cousin Randy Culver would be here, and the two of us spent a lot of time on the ranch and in town on weekends. It was great.

It was different having someone in the fields doing work with me. Dad was there too, but I was alone when I did field work. Dad spent time doing other things. This way we were able to accomplish everything we did on such a large acreage.

I was mean in terms of playing practical jokes. During harvest, Randy and I were at a field on the Jules Harris place we bought in the early 70's or so. It was hot and dusty. At the end of each day, I would drive the truck from the field, after running the combine during the day.

I would stop at least 30 years away from the gate. There was a thick layer of dust in the wheel ruts out of the field. Randy would walk to the gate. I would rev the engine. After driving through the gate, it would take at least three or four minutes for the dust to clear. I did things like that every day, but in spite of everything, Randy and I had fun together.

One day, while getting sacks of rolled barley for the calves in the pasture behind the house on Bannock Street. I would drive through town. I'd stop.

"Randy, I think we left the endgate down on the truck."

Randy would get out of the truck and walk to the rear. I would drive off, Randy chasing behind me trying to catch up. I'd drive 200 yards and stop. He'd almost get to the truck, and I'd tear off again.

Randy was like having a little brother. In spite of my jokes, we had so much fun together. He did, however, on occasion do a few tricks of his own.

I remember after getting home from my mission, I lined Randy up with a blind date. Ann and I and Randy and one of Ann's friends went to Logan. I don't remember, whether we went to a basketball game at USU or a movie, but when we went to a restaurant, we waited for our food.

"I'm just too hungry to wait." Randy looked around. Some students next to us had french fries on a plate. Randy walks up to them and takes a couple of fries from the plate. It was hilariously funny. Only Randy could get away with something like that.

It's just a small sampling of the fun Randy and I had in those years of growing up in Malad. It was a reason I looked forward to summer and the Williams reunions.