By his daughter, Melva Cottle

     During my childhood and youth my dad was very busy with his work and his church 
and, as anyone will tell you, was very seldom at home for very long.  You would think, 
therefore, that he would not have had too great an influence on my life.  That 
certainly was not the case.  Dad was very much there when he was at home and his 
influence was never absent from our home.  My testimony and knowledge of the gospel 
are directly related to the time and patience of my father in teaching me the things 
of the gospel.  To this day, my husband will occasionally, remark, "If your Dad would 
tell you it was so, you would believe it."
     One of the earliest things I can remember was him sitting at the bottom of our 
bed telling us tales from his own childhood and stories that he made up about "Indian 
Pete".
     I remember helping dad to milk the cows, or getting in the way while he milked 
the cows.  We had a nitch dug into the hay at chest level where we could settle down 
out of the way and watch him milk the cows by kerosene lantern.  Dad soon decided to 
make use of this wasted energy, however, and we all learned to milk cows at a very 
tender age.
     Not only did dad's work take him away from home a great deal, but it was a little 
difficult for him to stay at home for any length of time.  I remember being snowed 
into Clarkston with him for two weeks and I believe he walked all over Clarkston each 
day.
     One of dad's jobs was to see that we got to piano lessons.  Week after week he 
picked up Yvonne and I at school and took us to Logan for lessons.  I wonder sometimes 
if he realized the importance of this for us.  We then spent the rest of the time in 
Logan and came with dad after work.
     There are a couple of thing that I especially remember about dad in connection 
with the farming.  One was the rock farm he acquired above town.  Every 4th of July and 
probably at other time it was our job to pick up rocks and then dad would take us 
swimming.  I don't know if dad ever grew anything else on that farm, but it sure grew 
rocks.  
     Another was haying time.  Dad was noted for his patience with people who were 
otherwise somewhat shunned in our community.  When hay hauling time came around dad 
would round up all those who for various reasons seldom had a job and start hauling 
hay.  I've tromped hay often as a child for people I was scared to death of.
     Dad was nearly always required to sit on the stand in church.  I was often 
stricken with a fit of giggles and it was difficult for dad to correct me, as I was 
fairly well beyond his reach.  Once he left the stand and came down and sat by me.  I 
was pretty well humiliated and it seldom took more than a glance from him after that 
to calm the most aggravating case of the giggles.
     When I was a teenager and began to think about dating, dad was in the Smithfield 
Stake Presidency.  He said to me once, "Remember, Melva, people judge me far more by 
the things you do than by the things I say."  I remember that always and I know many 
decisions in my youth were effected by that belief.
     Dad was also a good grandfather.  His car or pocket always had some gum for his 
grandchildren.
     The most important things I believe my dad gave me were: a strong testimony of 
the gospel.  From the time I was small to the time he died, there was never a question 
I had about the church that he couldn't answer and tell me where he got his answer 
from.  I was never satisfied with just the answer, but wanted to know how he knew and 
he could tell me.  I have always had lots of questions.
     The other thing was the conviction that everything would be all right.  Dad never 
seemed to get rattled of down and I don't think I've ever seen him afraid.  He always 
seemed to be in control of his life and he gave the feeling to others that whatever 
the problem, if we put our trust in God things would work out.
     I am grateful to him for the good name he left me so that I could be proud to say 
that I am his daughter.