Leland Nielson Thomas

Elsie Rae Mickelson Carter, 94, died June 25, 2005, at San Luis Care Center in Alamosa. She was born Sept. 26, 1910 in Sanford to Rasmus Mickelson and Elsie Marie Cornum, their seventh and last child. Her early years were spent in Sanford and Antonito where her father raised sheep. She loved playing basketball and laughed about playing on the first girls team to wear bloomer shorts, which scandalized the older women in town. After graduating from high school, she attended Adams State College to receive a teaching certificate. Her first teaching job was on the Terrace, west of Carmel. She also taught in San Acacio, La Jara, and Nortonville. On Dec. 22, 1933, she married Stanley Kirby Carter at the home of her parents. They were later sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple. Together, Elsie and Stanley raised two daughters, Deanna and Karen, and one son, Stanley Harvey. They had 18 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren. Elsie enjoyed her family, her home and serving in her church. In addition to serving in her ward, she served on the Stake Primary Board, and as a counselor in the Stake Young Women and Stake Relief Society Organizations. In 1976-1977, Stanley and Elsie served as missionaries in the Louisville, Ky. Mission. This was a highlight in their lives. Elsie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Stanley; her brothers, Martin, Myron, Joseph, Clifford and Nelson; her sisters Hazel and Lena, her daughter and son-in-law, Deanna and Leland Thomas; her daughter-in-law, Chandryka Carter; and great- grandchildren Sean Kerwin and Charles and Louisa Sido. Surviving are daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Vaughn Johnson and son, Harvey Carter and their families. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. today, Tuesday, June 28, in the Sanford Cemetery.

Elsie Rae Mickelson Carter, 94, died June 25, 2005, at San Luis Care Center in Alamosa. She was born Sept. 26, 1910 in Sanford to Rasmus Mickelson and Elsie Marie Cornum, their seventh and last child. Her early years were spent in Sanford and Antonito where her father raised sheep. She loved playing basketball and laughed about playing on the first girls team to wear bloomer shorts, which scandalized the older women in town. After graduating from high school, she attended Adams State College to receive a teaching certificate. Her first teaching job was on the Terrace, west of Carmel. She also taught in San Acacio, La Jara, and Nortonville. On Dec. 22, 1933, she married Stanley Kirby Carter at the home of her parents. They were later sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple. Together, Elsie and Stanley raised two daughters, Deanna and Karen, and one son, Stanley Harvey. They had 18 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren. Elsie enjoyed her family, her home and serving in her church. In addition to serving in her ward, she served on the Stake Primary Board, and as a counselor in the Stake Young Women and Stake Relief Society Organizations. In 1976-1977, Stanley and Elsie served as missionaries in the Louisville, Ky. Mission. This was a highlight in their lives. Elsie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Stanley; her brothers, Martin, Myron, Joseph, Clifford and Nelson; her sisters Hazel and Lena, her daughter and son-in-law, Deanna and Leland Thomas; her daughter-in-law, Chandryka Carter; and great- grandchildren Sean Kerwin and Charles and Louisa Sido. Surviving are daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Vaughn Johnson and son, Harvey Carter and their families. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. today, Tuesday, June 28, in the Sanford Cemetery.

I have never met my Grandfather, he died long before I was born. From complications that he got during a car accident. I do remember a few stories though about my grandfather that my mom shared with me. There was a time that my Grandfather decided that he wanted to try smoking. Though unable to find any cigarettes he and his brother went to a near by hay stack. They climbed into the middle of the hay stack and made a little cave there, then proceed to create a little cigarette type thing with the hay. He and his brother began to smoke those, they didn't notice that the hay stack they were in also had caught fire. When they did notice the flames they didn't bother trying to put them out they ran from that hay stack and went and hid underneath the barn. There mom when she noticed the flames was scared to death and ran around yelling for the boys. Scared that they were going to get in trouble they stayed hidden under the barn. Finally long after the flames of the hay stack had died out they came out soot stained and crying to their mother who proceed to envelop them in an enormous hug. After finding out what had happened their mother let them. A few days latter while cleaning up the burned hay stack they found a hen and her eggs that had nested in the hay stack and had been caught in the fire. After playing with the eggs tossing them back and forth they then went to the chicken. Deciding that the chicken had been well cooked enough to be able to eat they pulled off a few feathers and then each took a bite. Their mother this time was keeping a much closer eye on them. She ran out there when she saw this and made both boys spit the chicken out, dragged them back to the house, and made them eat a spoonful of castor oil.

It was late, you were asleep, and I was sitting at the table in the kitchen copying a recipe, When all of a sudden I realized it didn't matter. Whether it was one cup of sugar or two cups of flour. You see my dear our life has not been one of weights and measures. a pound of love for you, sixteen ounces of thanks for me, Nothing works that way, not if it works. I crossed the thought bridge, and thought of my life. You know, the big flashback, ti was like a movie, So that is what I did today, the big flashback. I thought about the way you were the first time we met, I thought about how attracted I was to you. I think you must have felt it too, if not Our brief encounter woulod have been forgotten, And just think what we would have missed. We would have missed a lot of long kisses, and a lot of short tempers and all that wonderful making up. We would have missed tuitions, and rodeo fees, and outgrown clothes. And soft wet kisses and very big hugs, and someone little saying, "I love you." We would have missed our first home, without any furniture, the refrigerator three doors down, Robbing the piggybank to buy a tomato. We would have missed the pride of owning our first new car. The waiting up late for each other and then for the kids, The late night studying, and irrigating, and rocking sleepy kids. We would have missed the goodbyes at airports, Ther farewells at bus stations, and alot of memorable hellos. We would have missed a lot of doctor bills, alergist fees, tonsils out, braces in, And we would have been able to afford the psychiatrist we don't need. I suppose, my dear, we have missed the thought of giving up The life we have now. We have missed the getting and giving of Furs and jewels and trips to Honk Kong. We've missed a villa in France, and sixty dozen opening nights, But we haven't missed love. Although there were times when it seemed so, We really haven't missed love. Not too many couples can say that, not with the present getting and gaining. But I know that our marriage now isn't what our marriage was It's a lot better, like fruitcake, our marriage took ageing. So here's to our vintage marriage. Here's to potato chips on the floor, and children who cough in the night, Here's to dinner out; and dinner in, and I won't be home for dinner. Here's to hot and cold of marriage, cold feet, cold cuts, cold cream. Here's to expanding waistlines and shrinking wallets And the fun of making it all happen. Here's to you and here's to me, and here's to us. Here's to recipes written or a love that still isn't perfect, But between you and me, my love, did you expecti ti to be this good? (written by Deanna Thomas to her husband, Leland Thomas)

I have never met my Grandfather, he died long before I was born. From complications that he got during a car accident. I do remember a few stories though about my grandfather that my mom shared with me. There was a time that my Grandfather decided that he wanted to try smoking. Though unable to find any cigarettes he and his brother went to a near by hay stack. They climbed into the middle of the hay stack and made a little cave there, then proceed to create a little cigarette type thing with the hay. He and his brother began to smoke those, they didn't notice that the hay stack they were in also had caught fire. When they did notice the flames they didn't bother trying to put them out they ran from that hay stack and went and hid underneath the barn. There mom when she noticed the flames was scared to death and ran around yelling for the boys. Scared that they were going to get in trouble they stayed hidden under the barn. Finally long after the flames of the hay stack had died out they came out soot stained and crying to their mother who proceed to envelop them in an enormous hug. After finding out what had happened their mother let them. A few days latter while cleaning up the burned hay stack they found a hen and her eggs that had nested in the hay stack and had been caught in the fire. After playing with the eggs tossing them back and forth they then went to the chicken. Deciding that the chicken had been well cooked enough to be able to eat they pulled off a few feathers and then each took a bite. Their mother this time was keeping a much closer eye on them. She ran out there when she saw this and made both boys spit the chicken out, dragged them back to the house, and made them eat a spoonful of castor oil.

It was late, you were asleep, and I was sitting at the table in the kitchen copying a recipe, When all of a sudden I realized it didn't matter. Whether it was one cup of sugar or two cups of flour. You see my dear our life has not been one of weights and measures. a pound of love for you, sixteen ounces of thanks for me, Nothing works that way, not if it works. I crossed the thought bridge, and thought of my life. You know, the big flashback, ti was like a movie, So that is what I did today, the big flashback. I thought about the way you were the first time we met, I thought about how attracted I was to you. I think you must have felt it too, if not Our brief encounter woulod have been forgotten, And just think what we would have missed. We would have missed a lot of long kisses, and a lot of short tempers and all that wonderful making up. We would have missed tuitions, and rodeo fees, and outgrown clothes. And soft wet kisses and very big hugs, and someone little saying, "I love you." We would have missed our first home, without any furniture, the refrigerator three doors down, Robbing the piggybank to buy a tomato. We would have missed the pride of owning our first new car. The waiting up late for each other and then for the kids, The late night studying, and irrigating, and rocking sleepy kids. We would have missed the goodbyes at airports, Ther farewells at bus stations, and alot of memorable hellos. We would have missed a lot of doctor bills, alergist fees, tonsils out, braces in, And we would have been able to afford the psychiatrist we don't need. I suppose, my dear, we have missed the thought of giving up The life we have now. We have missed the getting and giving of Furs and jewels and trips to Honk Kong. We've missed a villa in France, and sixty dozen opening nights, But we haven't missed love. Although there were times when it seemed so, We really haven't missed love. Not too many couples can say that, not with the present getting and gaining. But I know that our marriage now isn't what our marriage was It's a lot better, like fruitcake, our marriage took ageing. So here's to our vintage marriage. Here's to potato chips on the floor, and children who cough in the night, Here's to dinner out; and dinner in, and I won't be home for dinner. Here's to hot and cold of marriage, cold feet, cold cuts, cold cream. Here's to expanding waistlines and shrinking wallets And the fun of making it all happen. Here's to you and here's to me, and here's to us. Here's to recipes written or a love that still isn't perfect, But between you and me, my love, did you expecti ti to be this good? (written by Deanna Thomas to her husband, Leland Thomas)