Torleifs Children

"Soon after we moved into this home (Redondo), my brother Torleif Melvin was born. [Kimball was about 10 yrs old.] I remember the day he was born; Dad and I went on a long hike up Parley's Canyon. We hitchhiked up to where the cement plant is, then hiked north and west over the top of the mountain, then back down to our home. On the trip, Dad asked me to kneel and pray with him twice and, when we got home, I could see why. We had missed all the excitement. Mother had just given birth to her fifth child. He was a boy and they named him after my father Torleif, but we all called him by his initials: T.M. He seemed to like that name better."

"When I was fifteen years old and had just graduated from Irving Jr. High, I decided I was going to go to California and get a good job in the movies or something great and make some money, as I was tired of being so poor all the time. I hitchhiked to Cedar City the first day and the second day on the road, I got a ride with a fine man that lived in Overton, Nevada. He talked me out of going on to California and offered me a job with him and his family on their ranch. This sounded great to me so I accepted the job and started my life as a farmer boy again. It was really all work and no play. We had to get up early in the morning to do the chores, such as feeding all the cows, horses, pigs, and chickens. There were also many other jobs like milking the cows, gathering the eggs every night, and always seeing that all the livestock had water, which was always a problem. The family that I stayed with, the Wilkinsons, was a fine LDS family. They were active in the church and encouraged me to attend my meetings with them, which I did, along with many of their ward dinners, etc. I had sent a letter to my mother and told her not to worry about me, that I was getting plenty to eat and was living in a good LDS home and was doing fine. That wasn’t what she wanted to know. She wanted me back home and back in school. I stayed in Nevada about three months, then, in December 1927, I came back to Salt Lake."

“In the summer of 1930, I had finally saved up enough money to buy a new Ford convertible, or Roadster, as they were called in those days, with rumble a seat and all. It was really a fine car and much more romantic to take uptown to the Paramount Empress Theater to see the Harold Lloyd Comedy than when we would ride on the electric street car. We went on many fun outings in that good old car until one night when Lois and two of her cousins, LaVon Davis and Susan Porter, and three of us fellows, were going on an outing on a warm summer evening. We had the top and the windshield down so we could cool off and were traveling fairly slowly so the girl’s hair wouldn’t get messed up by the wind. As a car came around us trying to pass, a car was coming towards us in his lane and the car that was passing us cut in so sharply that we were crowded off the road and, to avoid rolling, I turned into a field. But what seemed to be an open field was a barbed wire fence, which hit us in the face, leaving many of us cut quite badly. It tore out six of my front teeth but we were very lucky that none of us were hit in our eyes.”

Harold Leon Knaphus

Born: Dec. 20 1912 in Central, Utah (about 5 miles south of Richfield)

Died: September 15, 1918 in Salt Lake City

Harold died when he was 5 years old. He and his older brother Kim (age7) both were sick with diphtheria, a disease that wasn’t easily treated at that time.

In about 1950, Torleif told Marie about Harold’s passing, saying that it left him so grief-stricken he could hardly bear it. After much weeping, mourning, and praying, the Spirit spoke to him one night as vividly as if he heard a comforting voice say, he would have the opportunity to watch him grow up in the life to come. And that Harold escapethe cunning temptations of the adversary and rise with the righteous spirits.Torleif told Marie, as they stood over his grave, that his “Severe” anguish and grief turned to comfort and understanding . . . and that the burden of his loss was lessened.

Harold’s only older brother, Kim, loved him very much. They were together constantly for his short 5 years. Kim missed Harold greatly for years to come.

Olive (Bost) Miller

Olive was very generous and giving. She offered service readily to many— particularly to her Mother-in-law for several years, who helped raise her son, as well as others who needed her care. She was an avid reader, especially anything containing gospel truths. Her job at the hospital as a nurse’s aide afforded her more opportunities for service. She loved attending the Temple frequently. Her greatest desire was fulfilled when her husband, Lee (in his wheelchair and dressed in white) went to the Ogden Temple where they were sealed. Before his death, they went to the temple many times. It was the non-verbal communications that I was privy to witness that provided me with an everlasting witness to the bonds of love that held them [Olive and Lee] together through the tumultuous years of marriage. No Hollywood actor or actress could ever simulate the loving expressions that passed between them. I was blessed with such a moment, when unobserved, I saw a look on their faces of pure love and unabashed tenderness. It was an expression of total love if ever I saw one. I was held transfixed by the scene before me. It was a look, an expression of pure love that passed between them such as I had never seen before. I learned a great deal from their non-verbals that day. --Ron Bost

Grace LaVerne Humphrey

Grace was the fourth child of Torleif S. and Millie Knaphus. She was born May 12, 1919. When she was 12 years old, just before Christmas, she went into the bathroom at home to discover that her mother had been electrocuted while taking a bath. She remembered this vividly the rest of her life. When she was 18 she went to Sun Valley, Idaho and worked at the ski resort as a waitress in the lodge restaurant, where she met and served several famous people. When she was 21 she married William Ernest (Ernie) Humphrey. They became the parents of six children: Karlene, David, William (Bill), Kimball, Ruth and Dan.

Grace, like her father, never really mastered the skill of driving a car. But, unlike her father, that did not stop her from driving a car. One day she kept the family car so she could do some shopping in Salt Lake (the family lived way out in the farm part of the valley, Sandy). She was supposed to pick up Ernie after his work on the corner of Fourth South and Main streets at 5 PM. He thought the pick up point was on the north-west corner by the post office, she thought it was on the south-east corner, by the bank. She pulled up to the corner by the bank but couldn’t see Ernie. Then she spied him on the opposite corner. So she made a left turn across all lanes of traffic, right during the five o’clock rush traffic. Ernie saw what she was doing and just turned to look at the post office, sure that his car would be in an accident and his wife and children injured. After a lot of horns honking and tires screeching, he heard a voice say, "Ernie, get in, I’m double parked and could get a ticket."

Grace loved children and loved teaching. She was a favorite teacher of a class of M-Men and Gleaners. Out of this class there ended up being four couples marrying each other. She would often go to a creek near her home in Cedar City and play with her grand-children. Or she would take them on an afternoon hike in the mountains just east of her home. And Monday evenings were always reserved for the family, to hear scripture stories, have Ernie play his harmonica, and to sing. Grace could not carry a tune in a bucket, but she instilled within her children a love of music and the love of singing.

Submitted by David Humphrey (son)

Torleif Melvin (T.M.) Knaphus

Anyone who knew our Dad knew of his great love for horses. Growing up we lived in Bountiful, Utah, in a subdivision where most of our neighbors had dogs. Our family also had dogs, but it was also very common to find a horse in our back yard on the grass, which was totally against the law in the area we lived. Some of the neighbors would get upset but Daddy had such a wonderful smile and way with people that they would just shake their heads and live with the horses. We all remember how fun it was when Daddy would bring the horse to the front yard and take all the neighbor kids on a ride. Our family spent many fun outings centered around Daddy’s love of horses. In the winter we would go to the cutter races and in the summers we would go to horse shows and races around the state. We all remember going to Nevada and staying with Aunt Olive and Uncle Lee for the horse races in Elko.

The fall of every year was always an exciting time in our home. Daddy loved to deer hunt. He would start scouting the areas he thought would be filled with the most deer as soon as the first autumn leave turned to gold. We as a family or he and our mother would spend many weekends on scouting trips to plan the big hunt. Finally the big weekend would arrive for the hunt to start and we always thought Daddy would burst with excitement. He loved the preparation, he loved the camping, he loved to cook breakfast for everyone and some years he even got his buck. He and our mother loved the deer meat but they especially loved the whole season and the preparation.

After Daddy’s heart attack, he lived about four more years but it was truly an effort to have enough energy to do much. Mother was working at the hospital and Daddy was doing all he could at home. Lisa, our youngest sister brought him so much joy and the two of them spent a lot of time together. Daddy would call our Mother at work about three times a day just to say “I love you”. On the day he died, he had called to tell our Mother how much he loved her and she was busy in one of the patient’s room. One of her co-workers took the message but forgot to tell Mother. When she found out Daddy had died, she called our Mother to tell her of the forgotten message. What a sweet message this was to our Mother from our special Dad.

Anne Marie Knaphus (Gerritsen) James

Born: August 18, 1923 in Salt Lake City, Utah

I was the first in the family to be born in a hospital. My older brother Kim escorted Mother on the streetcar to the Cottonwood Maternity Hospital, since Dad was in Cardston, Canada working on the temple. The doctor didn’t show up for the delivery so Dad didn’t want to pay him. Deanie (we all called her that) and I were inseparable. J.D. was at our house so much of the time that he became almost like family. (Note the old wooden back porch and stairs.)

Grass grew between our sidewalk and Cushman’s house to the west – there was no house built in the lot between for many years. Oh, the fun shower baths we’d have on that big lawn!

My two closest friends (next to Irene) was Afton Harris, the prison warden’s daughter & Lois Sherwood, the captain of the guard’s girl. That was a familiar place for us to go because Afton lived there. The three of us were good school friends.

Elmer and I loved our travel business and shared wonderful experiences while seeing our beautiful world together. Our family and love grew to great proportions through the years. We enjoyed every stone we turned over in the path together.

Marie (age 9); Grace (13); Irene (6)

Marie (age 8); Irene (6½); J.D. Cushman (my age)

Marie (age 16) in the backyard of the home. Notice the old state prison in the background

Marie & Elmer at Lake Louise, Canada on a tour (about 1976).

Irene “Deanie” Goldie Conran

By Steve Conran

Growing up in the Knaphus home must have been quite an adventure. With Torleif at work and the older kids in charge anything could and did happen. From the stories my mom told to me the pranks usually started with T.M. The two stories that I recall from mom had to do with Tumpy. Mom said that he loved to tease the girls. She said that he once chased her around the house holding a mouse by the tail and to the day my mom died she remained terrified of mice. When mom was about sixty years old she made our daughter Stephanie sleep next to her when we were camping because she had seen a mouse in the area. I’m not sure how Stephanie at age 5 was going to protect her grandma from the ferocious mouse. The other story we have all heard was when TM brought his horse into the house. That isn’t something that happens to often in most of our neighborhood.

Everyone knows how my mom was so emotional about almost anything. I think Uncle Jack is a lot the same that way. They are both extremely sensitive and in my opinion that is one of the reasons that are so close to all of us. We were always embarrassed as kids whenever mom was asked to speak in church because she could never get through the first line of her talk without starting to cry. That may have been uncomfortable for us as kids but seeing the way my mom lived all of her life made me realize that she possessed an extremely tender spirit. The way she was means so much to us now.

John "Jack" Knaphus

From: John and Peggy Knaphus

Jack was born August 13, 1930 in the beginning years of the depression being the eight child to very proud parents. He never met his older brother Harold due to his passing when he was only five years old. Jack also has no memory of his dear mother due to her tragic passing when he was only sixteen months old. He already was the star of the family being the baby with six living older siblings. He looked up to his big brothers and their many accomplishments, and was raised by his four dear sisters who have never ever stopped sharing that special love for him that was developed through the service only a mother would give. He remembers days of going to work with his father who he always said was so strong and such a good example. His father was always teaching and continues to through the memories of hard work, sacrifice, Temple work, and provident living. Jack is in the twilight of his life but is so blessed to have his own eternal family who has always looked to him as an example of strength and truth. What joy and rejoicing must be his with the special memories of the posterity he is a part of, and the wonderful posterity he has been blessed with. Because of the life he has lived and the charity in his heart his reward will be great.

What a friend! Those who have come to know Jack over the years no matter how long ago it’s been still think of him as their friend. Because of his unconditional love of people, his sincere caring about their needs and welfare and finally his non-judgmental ways he has endeared himself to countless people. When Jack celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary the turnout of those invited was a testament of the love others have for him. Those who were friends in his very early youth attended along with his more recent friends – all felt as though they were his very best friends. These relationships are for the eternities and Jack seems to have always understood that concept through his example of how he always treated others. Now as he goes through the struggles of age and sickness he is not alone, the friends and family is a constant companion to help the journey along. Again what an example Jack has been for all of us to see and want to emulate in our own lives, we can only hope to be as loved as he is and has always been. Those who are the closest to Jack will know what jokester he is. He’ll say some of the following; talking about his waist size, “I wear a size 38 but a 40 feels so good that I buy 42’s. Or “everything I like is either illegal, immoral, or fattening. Or countless others, we all will enjoy countless memories of Jack through the years

Husband, Provider, Father, the callings he has taken the most serious and enjoyed the most success at. Married and the father of six with 27 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren and the prospects of many many more. What posterity and what an example to all. The joy he feels when all of his family is around is so evident. So many desire the peace and quiet of being alone or away, but Jack lives for the commotion of a family gathering. When the family gets together he is so keenly aware of who is missing and comments about what it is about that person that he loves so much. There is not a single one of his posterity that doesn’t feel his love. We all have a strong love and respect for him as a result. As he is struggling with the aging process and his challenges of diabetes he enjoys a lot of service from the family due in large part from the many years of his service to others. We are so fortunate to have been born into his family and have him as an example of how to live a life and prepare ourselves for the future.

Marie & Torleif’s Children:

Norman Lee Knaphus

"Dad was always happy to see me bring home fish. I wish he was around to enjoy this one." - Norman

Elling Knaphus

May 2, 1941

"Memories"

I remember sitting in the window seat.

The button box was cool.

I remember the fire that Steve and I set.

The couch burns fast, but mom moves quicker.

I remember the yard stick on the dining room ledge.

It wasn’t for measuring if you know what I mean.

I remember the TV that TM gave to us.

Friday night wrestling with Dad was the best.

I remember Cookie under our table.

My plate was always clean and Cookie never went hungry.

I remember fixing my bike in the back yard.

Five cents worth of gas would clean it fast.

I remember paper routes, Albertson’s and Lee Vincent’s Gas Station

We all worked when we could and earned our own money.

I remember Garfield, Irving Jr., Highland High and the U.

School lasted way too long.

I remember Wrestling.

I lost every match

I remember Track (The one mile run).

I was quite good and it was fun.

I remember my first car a 53’ Chev.

Convertible!!

I remember catering leftovers.

Swiss stake - I can’t eat any more.

I remember it was great, but now it’s even better.

Stephen Paul Knaphus

When I was born Mom was hoping for a girl. In those days you didn't know the sex until we arrived. When the nurse brought me to Mom and told her she had a fine boy she said put him over there and pointed to the crib in the corner of the room. She was always embarrassed about saying that. In fact she didn't tell me until many years after I was married. I told her I understand and forgive her. After all she had Jack, Norman, and Elling at home. I don't blame her.

I Was Dads Favorite. I enjoyed helping Dad in his shop, hiking with him and taking him for rides in the canyon.

OSHA would not have approved of the working conditions at his shop. I would beat clay for hours with a lead pipe (no gloves). My hands would be black from the lead. I'm sure it did some damage to my body. Sometimes I was more of a hindrance than a help to him. One day I bumped into and broke a statue of Joseph Smith into a thousand pieces. I spent the rest of the day gluing it back together. I did such a good job reconstructing it he forgave me and took me for a root beer. Of course his root beer looked a little different than mine. He liked the dark German kind.

We Have a Laughing Place. Barbara is the love of my life and our favorite place is Disneyland; it's our laughing place. I married her because she got me into shows free. I stayed married to her because she is the best cookie maker in the world. We have no children. Dodged that bullet. However we are God Parents to a Princess.

Rebecca Marie Knaphus Beddoes

I am Knaphus child #12. I grew up in a home with two wonderful parents and an abundance of siblings. I felt loved and valued throughout my happy childhood.

I owe everything to my beautiful mother. I have so many happy memories of her reading to us by the fire. She made the most delicious bread and cinnamon rolls. She was a perfect seamstress. She worked so hard and never complained. Her love was boundless and unconditional.

My favorite memory of my father happened when I was about twelve years old. It was a very cold winter day. I was very cranky and said how much I hated winter. Dad put his arm around me and took me to the front window. He explained to me how lucky we were to live in a beautiful area that experiences four seasons. Dad pointed out that in the winter we can see the beautiful outlines of the trees. The branches are not hidden by the leaves. The glistening snow enhances the light coming from neighboring houses. I was truly taught that day! My optimistic teacher had such an appreciation for the beauties of this earth.

Martin Knaphus

Rowena Knaphus Aina

April 18, 1950

“The baby” of the family – youngest of 14, child of a 34 year old mother and sixty-eight year-old father, oldest brother thirty-nine years my senior, half my nieces and nephews older than me – yes, it was, and is, an interesting position.

I was fifteen when dad died and he had been more like a grandfatherly figure in my life. As a young child I remember wondering shy there was laughter as I encouraged a toddling nephew just a year or two younger to “Come to Aunt Rowena.” I knew who I was, though others might sometimes forget. An older brother once introduced me as his niece and I had to remind him I was his sister! Since there were no true cousins my age, I associated at family gatherings and had friendships with the nieces and nephews my age.

How fun it was to be in the halls of Highland High and hear Bryan Gerritsen call out “Hi, Auntie!” I think the unique relationship with my older siblings has helped me relate to my older sisters in the gospel as more of a peer than from a different generation.

My lifetime love of learning brought me to Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, where I graduated with a degree in English/Teaching.

MY preparation there has been best used in church service, where my favorite position has been an early-morning Seminary teacher for ten years.

Why Pacific? I also met my husband there! A handsome Hawaiian-Chinese student was in, of all classes, my Russian course. He was preparing to be a Math teacher which he did for 19 years before shifting to the more hands on, instant results of house painting. Together we raised six children, five boys and then the grand finale, a daughter. Motherhood had always been my number on career goal and I was blessed with wonderful, unique, and exceptional children to raise. They are my greatest joy. I am pleased with their progress here on earth.

Perhaps one of the most defining experiences of my life was the life of our son, Paul. At en months he was diagnosed with Hemophilia and at six years it was confirmed he had contracted HIV from his treatments. By the time he was eight it had developed into AIDS and we fought for his life until he was eleven and a half when he returned to Our Father in Heaven.

(I imagine Dad has been giving him some art lessons, because Paul loved to draw). Great challenges and trials, lessons and blessings came with the heartaches and love of those years.

My testimony has made all the difference in my life. I am grateful for the knowledge of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ that was begun in the home of a devout, hard-headed Norwegian and beautiful, hard-working descendant of pioneers.

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