Life Story of Ruth Elizabeth Proctor-Part Thirteen

Written by

Ruth Elizabeth Proctor Cook

Frank, Joyce, Lois, Kay, Theron
Seated Mother (Ruth)

I could see the temple from my hospital bed on the fifth floor and it brought back many beautiful memories of the temple for me.  Before I turned eighteen, I was asked who I wanted to be sealed to my own father and mother or the father and mother who raised me.  That was quite a thing for me to decide.  On the morning 26 October 1936, I went to Salt Lake City with the father and mother who raised me.  There we were met by my Daddy Frank.  Atha and Opal were there also as was Annie.  Annie wasn't going to be sealed at this time as she was too old to do so and she wasn't going to take out her endowments until she was married in the temple.  Mom Proctor was going to stand in proxy for my real mother as she and my real father were going to be sealed.  While I was waiting in a room all dressed in white, I just didn't know what to do, for the ones who had raised me I loved dearly.  They had been so special to me, letting me be their own daughter.  In that room it was so peaceful and quite.  I said a silent prayer asking my Heavenly Father to help me make the right choice.  When I opened my eyes and look up, there stood the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.  She was standing by the door smiling at me.  I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was my mother even though I couldn't remember her as I was a small baby when she passed away.  It seemed I had the most peaceful feeling come over me and I knew what my choice would be.  She was still standing there smiling at me when one of the matrons of the temple came to get me and take me to the sealing room.  The matron looked at me and said that it looked like I had seen someone very special to me.  If she only knew.

Kay, Theron, Cindy, Mark, Lois, Frank, Ilene, Darrell
Seated Mother (Ruth) Joyce, Max, Dad (Cleo) holding Craig

When I got to the sealing room, it was so beautiful and the spirit was surely there.  You could just feel it.  The mom that raised me was knelling across the altar from my Daddy Frank.  They asked me who I wanted to be sealed to.  I told them I wanted to be sealed to my own parents.  Mom Proctor started to cry.  After the sealing I put my arms around her and we both cried.  Them I told them about seeing this beautiful lady in the door way after I had said a prater and asked my Heavenly Father to help me make the right choice for he knew I loved the mom and dad who had raised me dearly.  I looked at my Daddy Frank and he was crying and he told me that was my mother.  I told the mom that had raised me that I would always be their daughter if they wanted me to be.  She told me that I would always be one of their daughters and they would always love me with all their hearts.  I promised her if they ever needed me, I would be there for them, and that I would always honor them both.  They gave me council when I needed it which I am sure was quite often.  Their counseling was very good.  I also told them I helped that I could live worthy enough to be with them when we all meet in heaven.  When we got outside of the temple, my sister Annie was waiting.  She asked who I was sealed to and Mom told her to my own Father and Mother.  Annie was very happy. 

Mother (Ruth) holding Shellie Marie Cook

My mom and I became much closer after this experience.  I started getting up early in the mornings especially in the summer time and would go out and help her weed her garden.  We had such beautiful talks and she made it fun for me to be there with her. 

Lois, Joyce, Jeremy, Mother (Ruth) Theron and Kay

After I got married and lived in Idaho, Cleo would put me on the bus that left Rigby to go to Salt Lake on Friday nights or any time I felt like I needed to go to Tooele.  My brother Max would come to Salt Lake and pick me up and take me to Tooele.  Then when it was time for me to catch the bus back to Idaho, he would take me to Salt Lake.  Sometimes I would take Joyce and Lois with me and sometimes Cleo, Franklin and Theron would watch them if it was on a Friday night.  Mom would always ask her daughter Ethel if this was the day that Ruth was coming to Tooele.  She lived with Ethel and Walt Formo after Rozella, their daughter and Dad were called to their Heavenly home.  She would be asleep when I got to Ethel's.  I would go into her bedroom and kiss her on her soft cheek.  She would open her eyes and say, "I knew you would come.  I love you, Ruth."  And I surely loved that Mom.  What special people they were and how blessed I was that I was able to be part of their family.  They all treated me like I was part of it and their sons and daughters treated me as a sister.  It is still that way.

Jayson, Jeremy, Mother (Ruth) and Justin

Here is another wonderful thing that happened to me in the temple after Cleo passed away.  Darrell made me a promise that he would always be near to help me if I ever needed it.  Then he was called to his Heavenly Home in February 1979.  Before this happened he would stop in and check on me when he got off work to see if anything needed done.  Before he left he would always tell me that he loved me.  I would tell him that I loved him too and thank him for checking on me and being here for me.  One day I was in the Provo Temple with my two sisters, Annie and Atha.  I have always been afraid to ride an escalator since I had back surgery, but the blessed elevator wasn't working that day so we had to use the other thing.  They both said for me to come on that they would help me.  Annie said she would take my arm and that Atha would be a step behind me.  All of a sudden I heard Darrell's voice telling me, "Come on, Mom you can do it.  Step now."  We did.  I even go off ok.  I turned to thank Atha for her help for I was sure I could fell her arm around me by my back.  She look kind of funny and said that she didn't have her arm on my back.  She said when she reached up to do so it seemed like something was there so she just came up behind me.  Then we all knew that it was Darrell there for he knew that I was frightened and needed help.  We all three had tears in our eyes.

Kay at Darrell's viewing

At the cemetery

Mother (Ruth) Mark and Lois at cemetery

Darrell's headstone

When Craig and Debbie Staker Worthington went to the Temple in Provo to be sealed to one another, I had another choice experience.  Darrell and Debbie had always been close to one another.  They had made a pack that when each one of them went to the temple to be sealed to their partners, the other would be there if possible.  One of the brethren in the sealing room said he was sure that there were friends and family who were there from beyond the veil.  He said he could not see them then he looked at me and said, "Sister you can, can't you?"  I nodded my head yes, for over near the door was Vergil, Cleo and Darrell.  Then I started to cry.  Barbara said she saw them also.  I have felt many times that Vergil, Cleo and Darrell have been very close to me.  I only hope and pray that I can live worthy enough to have them all meet me when my Heavenly Father calls me home.  I have got to go to the temple and see my wonderful grandkids be married for time and all eternity too.  Shannon Berrett married James Scott Youngstrom in the Idaho Falls Temple; Brian Mark Berrett married Christine Bell in the Idaho Falls Temple; Nancy Jo Berrett married Matthew Irvin Hancock in the Idaho Falls Temple; Diana Lois Berrett married George Raymond Wilson in the Idaho Falls Temple; Ryan Max Wilson married Nichole Clough in the Idaho Falls Temple; David Vergil Cook married Monica Dilworth in the Idaho Falls Temple; Shellie Marie Cook married Ron Eliason in the Idaho Falls Temple; Cari Cook married Travis Angel in the Idaho Falls Temple and Elizabeth Cook married Grant Schiess in the Salt Lake Temple.  Isn't it neat that all of these young kids and grandkids of mine have chosen the right way to be married.

Mother (Ruth) with Kay and Carla at Liz's reception

Gee it was good to get out of the hospital though I was treated good in many ways.  It was hard on Darrell also as he was going to Ricks College.  He would come in to see me and check on things at our home, though I think he stayed most of the time at Theron and Cindy's or Lois and Mark's.  I loved and appreciated them doing that for him.

Kay, Liz and Mother

 

We spent Christmas at the Berrett's.  Darrell slept in a sleeping bag on the floor by my bed.  I had given Darrell money that year to buy Christmas for all.  I can remember he got a Raggedy Ann doll for Lynette Wilson, which she still has.

Jeremy and Mother

Bob Martin let me bring some parallel bars home with me and I had a wheelchair that Gale Walker, Becky's dad, got for me.  Lois and Mark would put the parallel bars on their kitchen floor.  I stayed there for awhile and so many days a week I would have to go to the Idaho Falls hospital for therapy in the pool.  Bishop Lyle Cottle and his son, Jay, would come and carry me and the wheelchair down the steps and help me into the car.  Then they would help me back into the house when we would get home.  All of the Berretts were so good to me.  Mark and Lois would take me and walk with me across their kitchen.  One time I can remember I told Lois I didn't want to walk that night.  She said, "OK then you can just set in that wheelchair," and she walked out of the kitchen.  I was about ready to cry.  I asked her to come back and that I was sorry.  I did want to learn to walk.  They came back in and I believe I almost walked everyone's legs off that night.  I was so tired when I got into bed.  Then I heard her tell Mark she was sorry she said that to me but she had to make me angry so I would show her that I was going to learn how to walk.  She also said I love my mother very much.  That night I cried myself to sleep for being so thoughtless of their feelings and how thankful I was they let me come there and was helping me in so many ways. 

4 Generations
Shellie, Mother holding Braxton Eliason, and Cindy

From the Berrett's I went to stay with Joyce and her family.  They put a bed in the front room for me.  After everyone had gone to bed I would lay and watch the fire in the fire place.  Max had fixed it for the night and had a screen around it.  While here I also walked the parallel bars for where I went they went.  Joyce now would take me to therapy so many days a week so I could get into the pool.

Mother with her children and their spouses