Wyl Colgrove 2/1/09

Today was the first day in a long time that the temperature got above freezing somewhere around 40 but it didn't feel to warm because the humidity was still high. It was nice to see some of the snow melt altho it will turn to ice by morning.

We spent 4 days this week at the library finishing up the work we started and Annette training the new couple to take over as our mission ends this coming week. We also had the opportunity to watch a couple of seminars over the web on Wednesday and Thursday about how the genealogy work is progressing and the direction it is going.

Today being Sunday we went to church, how we enjoy Sundays getting out and greeting all the people as they come in. I like to park my scooter close to one of the back doors and shake hands with all the people as they come in, adults, teenagers and even children respond to a warm smile and a hand shake. It is one of those things that lightens the receiver and the giver. Love is one of the things that the more you give it away the more you have. I also have the privilege of teaching the adult Sunday school class called Gospel Doctrine.

How I enjoyed seeing everyone of you that came to dad's funeral and renewing and strengthening the love we feel as a family, I wish more of you could have been there, I want everyone of you to know I love you.

Love to all,

Wyl

Wyl Colgrove 1/25/09

A week ago Friday, we awakened at 3:00 a. M., (Bill had had 3 hours sleep, I had 2) Heidi picked us up by 3:30 a.m. And took us to the Indy airport. The traveling was thankfully uneventful, everything on time, no hazards. Bill slept most of the flights, I slept some but mostly took pictures from the window. Philip picked us up at the Salt Lake airport and drove us to Bill's brother's (Jim) place after picking up his own wife, Heather. We spent the evening finalizing arrangements and practicing musical numbers for the funeral which was the next day. By the time we got to put our heads to pillows, I had been awake 24 hours after only 2 hours sleep.

The funeral went well, but Bill's dad didn't look like himself. He ALWAYS had a smile on his face, and that was missing. The rest of that Saturday and all Sunday after church, we enjoyed visiting with Bill's family. Sunday night we stayed at Philip's apartment, spent all day Monday with them (including driving through freezing mountain roads with the convertible top down, having dinner with one of our best friends, then off to the airport Tuesday morning. At least we didn't have to leave quite as early. 6 a.m. Is much better than 3 a.m.!!!

Our mission at the library ends in two weeks. It looks like we may not need to train the new couple as there may be changes in the way things are done. So we will just need to finish up loose ends on the things we had been doing. Not sure if we can get that done in two weeks, but will get through it all as quickly as we can.

Love to All,

Wyl

Wyl Colgrove 1/11/09

I called and talked to dad on Thursday, he was hard to understand, we had a good talk, he still had his sense of humor as he said he was ready to kick the bucket but he wanted a Styrofoam bucked so it was soft and wouldn't hurt foot when he kicked it. We got to tell each other I love you one last time.

George W. Colgrove

George W. Colgrove 91 of Shelly, Id, past away last night Jan 10, 2009, at home where he lived with his son and family, Jim Colgrove. He was born in Eureka, Montana Jan. 15, 1917 to William F. Colgrove And Verna May Aitkins Colgrove the last of 10 children. He was proceeded in death by his parents, siblings, wife, Pearl L. Van Winkle Colgrove, and 2 of his sons, Larry Le Ray and Roger Gene Colgrove.

Survivors include his sons William F. Colgrove of Fort Wayne, IN., James E. Colgrove of Shelly, ID., Richard D. Colgrove of Casper WY., and daughter Marjorie M. Colgrove Holliday of Scotts Bluff NE., 30 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and 2great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be held..

This is the draft of his obituary, if there is anything any of you think should be added please send it to Jim or me via e-mail. I am still putting together his life sketch and would welcome anything you would like included.

The services will probably be on Saturday, we will keep everyone informed as things prosgress.

I love you all, each and Avery one of you1

\Wyl

Family e-mail 1-4-09

Dear Family; Here it is another new year 2009, happy new year, may your new year be productive, successful, and most of all HAPPY This is the last picture I have of them together. The reason I'm sending this is because I got a call from Jim this past week, he said Dad my not make it to his birthday. He eats very little and sleeps a lot. The best time to call him is in the morning George William Colgrove was born 15 of Jan. 1917 in Eureka, Montana, that means he is in his 92 year of life, not bad, especially as he said, "I never thought I'd live this long". I would encourage all to call and talk to him as soon as possible, he would enjoy that. If there is anything any of you would like to put in his Obituary or life sketch please send it to me as I will be putting that together. My e-mail address is now wylcqlq@gmail.com as the one at ldsliving keeps getting bombed. Our 19th grandchild was born in Hawaii on December 30, Kala to Chris and Heather Rouch. Isn't it great! Will send pictures when I get them. Love to all, Wyl

Wyl Colgrove 12-28-08

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas was a reality here in Fort Wayne this year as we had a full gamut of weather this past week or so including Christmas day. It started out with snow then freezing rain then colder than normal temps then more freezing rain lots of it with wind coating everything with an inch or so of ice, then snow , sleet, thunder, lightning, warner temps, lots of rain melting all the ice and snow. Today it was cold and windy again.

We had a Christmas brunch with mom Wesche, Mike, Heidi, Katrina and Izzy, it was nice.

Yesterday we went to a wedding and reception of a relative of Annette's over in Ohio, it was lots of fun we even danced one slow dance together. Than we drove home in the rain and fog.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, Thanks Audra for the pictures and Christmas letter, it would be real nice if we could get more of you to write on a regular basses.

Here's wishing you all a happy new year,
Love to all,
Wyl

Merry Christmas from Wyl & Annette

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Wyl Colgrove 12/7

Dear Family; Well here we are right in the middle of the Christmas season isn't it great! Annette has the house all decorated, candle lights in most of the windows, tree is up and decorated standing on the sofa table in the bay windows, it's lovely. Mike, Heidi, Katrina and Izzy were over on Saturday to spend some time with us. Katrina was a great help to grandma in decorating. Mike, Heidi and Izzy are in Kansas City for three weeks or so for a job Mike is doing there. We miss them but they call frequently so talk with them and get to talk to Izzy and hear her cute noises. Their cat, Winkee is staying with us till they get back, she has stayed with us before, but this time she is much more sociable. My hope is that more of you will write on a regular basis, that's how we will get to know each other better and grow closer, so please write, thanks. Thanks Geno for your e-mail last week, and yours to Dena, they were both appreciated and enjoyed. Geno I will get you June's phone # and address, you will enjoy her and she you and your family. I have made all addresses visible this time so everyone can update their address books, I did hear from Frank this week and it was wonderful, here is some links to photos he sent hope you enjoy them. http://www.flickr.com/photos/fwsharp/sets/72157610655672725/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/gwsharp/ These Frank sent are of George and his family. That's all folks. Love to all wyl

Wyl Colgrove 11/30

Dear Family;

The Pictures Below are from Shelley.

Welcome Shelly I'm thankful to hear from you, you have beautiful children and grandchildren, thanks for the pictures, now how about one of you. Please invite your sisters to join us.
I hope we will keep reaching out to our other family members so they will join us also.

Hope you all had a good thanksgiving, we did. Our week went something like this, Sunday we attended church, Annette played the organ for Sacrament meeting, interpreted for the deaf and helped with young woman's organization, I teach gospel doctrine class and attended Sacrament and priesthood meeting.
I like to Position myself near the entrance to the chapel so I can welcome as many people as possible by shaking their hands as they come into the chapel, I especially enjoy shaking hands with the children and teenagers, many of them now make it a point to come shake my hand every Sunday and are disappointed if I'm not there.
Monday we served at the library for 10 hours scanning family history books and preparing them to be put online for genealogy research.
Tuesday we were at home, I caught up on some things on the Internet and Annette baked pies, cake, fudge, and bread in preparation for thanksgiving. Wednesday, 8 hours at the library.
Thanksgiving day we spent at Annette's mothers home here in Fort Wayne with her sister , Beth, friend , Nena, brother John, and his two children Rose and Ben. Had a wonderful turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and good company.

Friday Annette, Heidi, our daughter, and granddaughters Katrina and Izzy went shopping on what they were calling "Black Friday" and upon coming home said, "That was fun but we"re not doing that again"
Saturday was Annette's Aunt Bearny's 70 birthday, her kids, all grown, had a party for her so we spent part of that day with more family. Wonderful week.

What did you all do for Thanksgiving? We all need to open up and communicate more freely, that what I'm encouraging each of you to do!

I have a wonderful screensaver program, free, called second nature that I can add my own pictures to so I want to do a family one with all your pictures so I'm collecting.

Well that's all folks
Love to all,
Wyl

Wyl Colgrove 11/23

Dear Family; Let's start by saying I enjoyed Annette's introduction last week even thou she took advantage of my falling asleep as I was writting the family e-mail, but there is one part I would like to tell differently, that is she sit on my lap to get my attention , ha, ha, no really we probably both saw an empty chair and headed for it only I was faster because I got there first as she sit on my lap by her own admission. This is fun! Anyway the end results are the same and we're both happy with that. Dena We enjoyed the Halloween pictures, what great Halloween art, don't know that I've have recognized Dick if I seen him on the street. Looks like you had a fun Halloween. This is a photograph of my oldest son Frank and his wife Kristi in their natural habitat in Idaho where they run a rental business renting snow mobiles in the winter and jet skies, four wheelers and the likes in the summer. They have a son Kasey 12 years old and a daughter Ashley who graduated from high school two years ago. I was hoping he would introduce himself, maybe he will after this poor job I did not having any recent photos. I've got a reloader I would like to give him if we can find a way to get it to him. We also have a Cousin Max who lives in Arizona, he is Larry's age if I remember correctly. That's All Folks Love To All, Wyl

Wyl Colgrove 11/16

Dear Family;

This first photo is of my beautiful Annette doing one of her favorite things! We could title it Annette and her piano. This is what she looked like when she wrote the introduction today.

This is of my hand with my wedding and family rings isn't that neat, cool, or maybe awesome is the word.

When I look at the rings on my hand I think of my family, all of you, even those we are not reaching yet.

You all are in my thoughts and prayers.

Thanks to all on the introductions now let's keep writing on a regular bases.

Linda that must have been quite an experience moving to Arizona after living all that time in Texas.

Geno do you know June Landess there in C? She is you cousin, your Grandpa Colgrove's niece. She is in need of some help getting to the web site I sent a couple of weeks ago, could you help her do that?

Jim and or Vaunda maybe Dad / Grandpa would like to tell all of us some things about his life, such as the car that run on water, or the time he come face to face with a bear, maybe about his time in the navy.

Well as they usta say at the end of a bugs bunny cartoon "That's all folks".

Love to all,

Wyl

Annette Colgrove Introduction Continued

There are so many of you I haven't met yet, so I thought I'd take advantage of Bill napping to tell a little about me/us. We met at a singles' conference June 1991. He was living in Heppner, OR at that time, and I was living in Moscow, ID with my four children then. My children are: Heather (married to Chris R, and they have 2 boys with a girl due in January, and in the process of moving to Hawaii), Holly (married to Robert G, has 2 boys, 2 girls, and they live happily in California), Heidi (married to Mike A, with one girl, Izabella, but we call her Izzy, lives here in, IN about 10 miles from us), and Philip (married to Heather, they are both students at BYU-Idaho and twitter-pated as can be). So, at this singles' conference, the first night was table games and active games. We played one that involved rotating to other chairs in a circle, and as I sat on one, he slid under me faster than a whipped whip. He may have been faster than me physically, but I left him speechless a time or two with my unique perspectives. The second day of the conference, we triple-dated into the nearby town to do the tourist thing, and he had the nerve to hold my hand. It made me nervous, but it felt good, too. The third day was testimony-sacrament meeting, followed by a brunch, then the drive back home. I rode with him part way until our roads split into two different directions, and my friends followed in my car to that same point. We talked for quite a while longer. Then I felt a pair of hands literally push me toward him. I turned around to see who that was, and no one was there! but I sure found myself wrapped in hug that felt like home. I was stunned. Once we parted, I prayed while I was driving my friends and myself home, and asked Heavenly Father if "Bill" was my eternal mate. The answer was the strongest "YES" I'd ever received. The Spirit was so strong, I started crying and could hardly see the road. The Spirit was so strong, my friends started crying and didn't know why. The Spirit was so strong, one friend asked, "Is THAT the Holy Spirit?" She had never felt anything like that before!

When we got home, I told my kids I had met my eternal companion over the weekend, and I didn't even know his last name! The next day, Monday, he called me in the evening. I learned his last name, and when I asked how to spell that -- you know him -- he said "T-H-A-T." We talked for 3 hours, and it never showed up on his phone bill. We made plans of when we'd get together again, made arrangements for a date to the temple, and to make a long story short, that ended up being the day we were sealed to each other in the Seattle Temple, 6 weeks after we met. And the rest is history, and it's been the happiest 17+ years of my life.

I loving being his wife, love being a mother and grandmother, and love that we share a testimony of our Savior, not necessarily in that order. I also love to do art work. I have a small collection of canvases I've done, and quite a few rooms in several homes with my murals, and stacks of sketches and pencil drawings. I also love playing and teaching violin and piano. At church I play organ 4th and 5th Sundays, interpret for the deaf the other Sundays, am the second counselor in Young Women, am serving a mission with Bill digitizing Family History Books and Local History Books to put online (I believe he's already given you'all the site). In my spare time, I like to... I'll have to let you know when I have spare time. Just kidding. I enjoy sewing, needlework, reading, baking, and yard work if it's not too cold outside.

I've also enjoyed reading all the emails that have come in from some of you. Yes, my son Philip, I read yours, but that doesn't count as a call home! Glad you're happy, though.

Now, Bill is napping in his chair at his computer. He has this cute little butler that comes out with his nose in the air when an email comes and says in his supersilious tone, "Sir, you've got mail." He should make his appearance as soon as I hit the "send" button. Maybe I better turn his volume up before hitting "send." I wonder if it will wake him up. Nice to meet you'all!

Love, Annette

Wyl & Annette; Cape Cod Trip

Dear Family;

We had a wonderful time last week on our trip to Cape Cod to see Chris , Heather, Silas and Zeke Rauch

This is a photo of Heather, Heidi, Silas, Zeke, and Izzy taken at the YMCA all three children really enjoy the water. Heather is Annette's oldest Daughter, Heidi the youngest. Silas, (4)and Zeke, (2) are heather and Chris's boys, our grand kids.

It was Halloween weekend so we went to a Halloween party put on by the library there in Cape Cod with a live band called the Toe Jam puppet band, what fun and they did shadow puppets and kids music and fun activities Silas and Zeke went in costume of course. All dressed up for trick or treat.

The Rouchs are moving to Hawaii the end of November so are going to be out of touch and very busy so have ask we not include them in our e-maling for now.

We traveled with Heidi and Izzy in their van stopping in Hartford Connecticut where Mike is working out of town so his wife and daughter could have a little time together.

On our way over and back we went through Worwick, RI. where our ancestor came over here in 1667 from Wales, Francis Colegrove.

I think Marje is the first to report on her family ring, that's great Marje, I'm going with a silver ring with a note tied on top to signify being tied to my family and ware it on my left hand closest to my heart.

Thanks to all who have done their intros, more pictures will help us know each other better.

Love to all,

Wyl

Wyl: Tradition

Dear family; This is my favorite picture of Annette and myself because of the way we are looking at each other. We do have a wonderful time together. I put all the addresses back in and if anyone wishes to opt out we'll leave it up to each of you, ok. We're heading out to Cape Cod next Tuesday with Heidi and Izzy to see Chris and Heather and Silas and Zeke before they move to Hawaii. On the way we are stopping in Connecticut where Mike is working. We'll be back the following Tuesday. Let's start a new tradition. Let's call it family ring. Here how I see it, The family ring could be plane ring like a wedding band or it could have something on it like C for Colgrove. This ring would be worn on the index finger of ether hand, the strongest finger, i.e. The strength of a nation is in it's families, the strength of a family is in it's closeness. So are we up to the challenge, can we start a tradition in our family and spread it to other families and start a new social tradition? How do we go about it? First we each get a ring for our index finger, when we look at it it makes us think of our family. When someone ask about it we explain that it's a family ring, then we can tell them about our family ties. This would be fun, walk into a jewelry store and ask if hays have any family rings. Then we would tell them it's significants and suggest they carry some in their store. Sounds like fun to me, how about you? Were still looking for some introductions and motivation writings photos are always helpful too Now it your turn. Love to all, Wyl

Annette Colgrove Re: Introduction week.

Howdy Ya'll,

I thought I'd add my ditto. Life is good. I marvel at the blessings I have received from the Lord - a story-book marriage, wonderful children (all of them), and equally wonderful grandchildren (all of them). When Bill tells "our" story, I'll be sure to put in my 2-cents worth, to make sure the story gets told right (just kidding). We have a lot of fun together, and every day together is a blessing.

Today we were at the library for 11 1/2 hours doing our missionary-digital processing. It's the only job I've ever had where the pay and time spent there didn't matter. We barely take time for lunch, and we don't take any other breaks in the day. It feels like time flies when we're doing what we know is important to the Lord. The pay will be spiritual, since there is no monetary reward in this.

Looking forward to getting to know all of you.

Wyl & Annette Colgrove Introduction week.

My Dear Family;

I am calling this introduction week, this week the request is to give a basic introduction of who we are and what relationship we have to the people in last weeks photograph, each of you may take that to what ever extent you would like, The invitation is to write at least once a week, mine will usually be on Sunday. It not so important how much or what we write as it is that we e-mail frequently. Included in this mailing will be the names a e-mail address of all who responded to last weeks mailing in the affirmative, please

Continue to invite all of our family members to join us, if you would like my help in doing so please let me know. Then I would like to share briefly my vision on where this is going.

I am reaching out to each of you in love there are no alterer motives in what I'm doing, realizing that we each see things differently weather it be politics or religion or anything else, I love you for who you are and always will please do the same for me, but I will openly say what makes my life happy, what fuels my life and hope all of you will do the same. Having said that let's get on with it.

This picture is from a Christmas card we did two or three years ago. My Wife's Name is Annette Marie Colgrove, she goes by Annette, My name is William Franklin Colgrove, I go by Wyl by choice. She is the oldest of her siblings, birthday June 14 1951. Second is my spot in the birth order, birthday Feb. 9, 1942.

At present we are empty nesters as all of our seven children have their own homes, she has 4, three daughters and a son, I have 3, two sons and a daughter , Their names are Heather, Holly, Heidi and Philip. Mine are Frank, George, and Heather. More on them at another time. I am retired. Annette is a music teacher by profession, teaching private lessons on violin and piano. We are serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints digitalizing family History books at the Allen County Library that are placed on line for family history research. We are basically in good health with the exception of my spinal cord injury which is disabling. All of these things we will expand on as we further explore our lives with each other.

Now To the vision part. I can see us growing closer as a family, growing in love and understanding of each other, drawing in all of our other family members into the family circle. Visiting the graves of the three that have departed from us. Having family reunions, they could be held in Texas, Idaho, Nebraska, Florida or even Hawaii, any place we have family members. That's a big vision, I believe it's possible.

Life is a wonderful experience, come let us enjoy it together.

Love To all,

Wyl