Comments on: Guest Post: Early Days of the Anchorage, Alaska Branch http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/09/22/guest-post-early-days-of-the-anchorage-branch/ Where our past is never very long ago Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:21:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John Tippets http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/09/22/guest-post-early-days-of-the-anchorage-branch/comment-page-1/#comment-18755 John Tippets Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:00:04 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=3455#comment-18755 I was in Salt Lake City this past friday and saturday and had two very wonderful "Anchorage" related experiences. 1) I was interviewed on friday about "Hearts of Courage" by Carole Mikita for her KSL Radio program "People of Faith". It was a wonderful opportunity to talk about my Dad and Mother, their faith and their uniquely, Alaska and LDS, survival story of Joseph (Dad and three others survived an airplane crash in the mountain wilderness about 30 miles SE of Ketchikan). Carole's interview aired today and I was very pleased. Then on saturday, 2) I had a very special two hours with Lucile Johnson (now 90 but still extremely sharp). Her husband was Dad's first counselor in the Anchorage Branch Presidency. She shared memories of my parents (she was a new bride at the time and was especially close to my Mother). She talked about her Baptism (early '41, I think) in a very cold (Very Cold) Lake Spenard. She also described how the whole branch was praying for Dad, in that January '43 that he was lost, and how strong Alta (mother) was and how firm her conviction was that Dad was still alive and would be found. John I was in Salt Lake City this past friday and saturday and had two very wonderful “Anchorage” related experiences.
1) I was interviewed on friday about “Hearts of Courage” by Carole Mikita for her KSL Radio program “People of Faith”. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk about my Dad and Mother, their faith and their uniquely, Alaska and LDS, survival story of Joseph (Dad and three others survived an airplane crash in the mountain wilderness about 30 miles SE of Ketchikan). Carole’s interview aired today and I was very pleased. Then on saturday,
2) I had a very special two hours with Lucile Johnson (now 90 but still extremely sharp). Her husband was Dad’s first counselor in the Anchorage Branch Presidency. She shared memories of my parents (she was a new bride at the time and was especially close to my Mother). She talked about her Baptism (early ’41, I think) in a very cold (Very Cold) Lake Spenard. She also described how the whole branch was praying for Dad, in that January ’43 that he was lost, and how strong Alta (mother) was and how firm her conviction was that Dad was still alive and would be found. John

]]> By: John Tippets http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/09/22/guest-post-early-days-of-the-anchorage-branch/comment-page-1/#comment-18170 John Tippets Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:26:30 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=3455#comment-18170 Almost exactly to this date, Dad left Anchorage headed to Ogden to see his dying Mother over the 1942 Christmas season. While in Utah he also visited with my Mother's family in Heber, made contact and visited with the families of many of the LDS Servicemen in the Anchorage Branch and visited with several General Authorites (who were very much interested in the progress of the Church in Alaska and of the welfare of the Saints there). It was on his return from this trip that his plane crashed and he was lost for a Month in the mountains of SE Alaska (the Hearts of Courage story). The prayers of many were answered, Dad survived, continued as the Anchorage Branch President until 1947, and had a life of great service to his Father-in-Heaven and to his Country. Almost exactly to this date, Dad left Anchorage headed to Ogden to see his dying Mother over the 1942 Christmas season. While in Utah he also visited with my Mother’s family in Heber, made contact and visited with the families of many of the LDS Servicemen in the Anchorage Branch and visited with several General Authorites (who were very much interested in the progress of the Church in Alaska and of the welfare of the Saints there).
It was on his return from this trip that his plane crashed and he was lost for a Month in the mountains of SE Alaska (the Hearts of Courage story). The prayers of many were answered, Dad survived, continued as the Anchorage Branch President until 1947, and had a life of great service to his Father-in-Heaven and to his Country.

]]> By: John Tippets http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/09/22/guest-post-early-days-of-the-anchorage-branch/comment-page-1/#comment-16868 John Tippets Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:27:36 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=3455#comment-16868 I had an email yesterday from one of the Sainsbury girls (Donna Webbe), who was 8 or 10 in 1943 when Dad was lost. "I remember this as if it were yesterday. Our little branch of the Church in Anchorage was totally TRAUMATIZED as this miracle took a month to unfold. Thanks for the memories, John. God Keeps Blessing!! Donna" The BYU TV production of 'Hearts of Courage' (The story of Joseph and Alta Tippets)for their LDS Lives series, will air again the evening of 11/16 (and three other times over that next week). John Tippets I had an email yesterday from one of the Sainsbury girls (Donna Webbe), who was 8 or 10 in 1943 when Dad was lost.
“I remember this as if it were yesterday. Our little branch of the Church in Anchorage was totally TRAUMATIZED as this miracle took a month to unfold.
Thanks for the memories, John. God Keeps Blessing!! Donna”

The BYU TV production of ‘Hearts of Courage’ (The story of Joseph and Alta Tippets)for their LDS Lives series, will air again the evening of 11/16 (and three other times over that next week). John Tippets

]]> By: John Tippets http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/09/22/guest-post-early-days-of-the-anchorage-branch/comment-page-1/#comment-15050 John Tippets Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:26:41 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=3455#comment-15050 The Sainsbury house has been added onto and is still standing in Anchorage today. The Sainsbury house has been added onto and is still standing in Anchorage today.

]]> By: John Tippets http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/09/22/guest-post-early-days-of-the-anchorage-branch/comment-page-1/#comment-15049 John Tippets Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:23:32 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=3455#comment-15049 My wife Bonnie and I are in the Colleyville, Tx. Stake. Your comment reminds me to write something about one of the earliest LDS families in Anchorage, that of Willard and Edna Sainsbury with their daughters Beverly and Donna (and Patricia born in Anchorage in 1941). The family arrived in Alaska in 1938 with no job, the two girls and $20. But Willard hustled, found sporatic work and then a better job on the McKinley Park Hotel. Subsequently he did carpentry at Fort Richardson and at Elmendorf Airfield. Willard built his family a small home(24'x30') close by the Tippets house (he likely also helped with the building of ours). The two girls were early LDS baptisms in Lake Spenard. Before the branch, the family and one or two others would hold a Sunday School with someone giving a talk, then they would sing a hymn and have a lesson from the Bible. After the branch was formed Church meetings and activities would be held in their home as they were in ours. The Sainsbury family left Alaska in 1943. John My wife Bonnie and I are in the Colleyville, Tx. Stake.
Your comment reminds me to write something about one of the earliest LDS families in Anchorage, that of Willard and Edna Sainsbury with their daughters Beverly and Donna (and Patricia born in Anchorage in 1941). The family arrived in Alaska in 1938 with no job, the two girls and $20. But Willard hustled, found sporatic work and then a better job on the McKinley Park Hotel. Subsequently he did carpentry at Fort Richardson and at Elmendorf Airfield.
Willard built his family a small home(24′x30′) close by the Tippets house (he likely also helped with the building of ours).
The two girls were early LDS baptisms in Lake Spenard. Before the branch, the family and one or two others would hold a Sunday School with someone giving a talk, then they would sing a hymn and have a lesson from the Bible. After the branch was formed Church meetings and activities would be held in their home as they were in ours. The Sainsbury family left Alaska in 1943.
John

]]> By: queuno http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/09/22/guest-post-early-days-of-the-anchorage-branch/comment-page-1/#comment-14988 queuno Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:18:23 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=3455#comment-14988 I really meant to comment on this when it was posted, but I've been fighting some nasty cold, which has really diminished my reading of anything except the posting of mean comments at Mormon Mentality. I found this post fascinating, not only because I'm pretty sure the author lives in my stake, but because my brother married into a family who has lived in Anchorage for a couple of generations (his FIL was recently a stake president). I'm very partial to the "pioneer stories" of other places. Thanks for the post! I really meant to comment on this when it was posted, but I’ve been fighting some nasty cold, which has really diminished my reading of anything except the posting of mean comments at Mormon Mentality.

I found this post fascinating, not only because I’m pretty sure the author lives in my stake, but because my brother married into a family who has lived in Anchorage for a couple of generations (his FIL was recently a stake president). I’m very partial to the “pioneer stories” of other places.

Thanks for the post!

]]> By: John Tippets http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/09/22/guest-post-early-days-of-the-anchorage-branch/comment-page-1/#comment-14924 John Tippets Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:30:00 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=3455#comment-14924 I am truly enjoying the writing of my parents' life histories. It is closing the gap of the 40 years since they have been gone from this mortal existence and it is allowing their children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren to know them. Those experiences of Joseph and Alta in Alaska, with the their little Branch of the Church were central in their lives. Hearts of Courage captures those times. This whole project is a wonderful calling, I am sure very much directed by Joseph and Alta. John I am truly enjoying the writing of my parents’ life histories. It is closing the gap of the 40 years since they have been gone from this mortal existence and it is allowing their children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren to know them.
Those experiences of Joseph and Alta in Alaska, with the their little Branch of the Church were central in their lives. Hearts of Courage captures those times.
This whole project is a wonderful calling, I am sure very much directed by Joseph and Alta.
John

]]> By: Laurie Lewis http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/09/22/guest-post-early-days-of-the-anchorage-branch/comment-page-1/#comment-14892 Laurie Lewis Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:08:55 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=3455#comment-14892 It was my pleasure to read and review "Hearts of Courage," John Tippet's account of his parents' unfailing courage during Joseph's survival ordeal. It is the stuff of movies--real heroes who put others before self, faith in God that deepens under adversity, and unwavering family devotion--three themes sorely needed and sadly scarce in our day. "Hearts of Courage' is a story families would do well to read together. http://laurielclewis.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-review.html It was my pleasure to read and review “Hearts of Courage,” John Tippet’s account of his parents’ unfailing courage during Joseph’s survival ordeal. It is the stuff of movies–real heroes who put others before self, faith in God that deepens under adversity, and unwavering family devotion–three themes sorely needed and sadly scarce in our day. “Hearts of Courage’ is a story families would do well to read together.

http://laurielclewis.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-review.html

]]> By: Chris H http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/09/22/guest-post-early-days-of-the-anchorage-branch/comment-page-1/#comment-14842 Chris H Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:40:18 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=3455#comment-14842 That should read: "the story of your father’s crash" That should read: “the story of your father’s crash”

]]> By: Chris H http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/09/22/guest-post-early-days-of-the-anchorage-branch/comment-page-1/#comment-14841 Chris H Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:39:02 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=3455#comment-14841 John, I first heard the story of your father's when I was young (I must have been 7 or 8). I was tagging along at a youth fireside. The speaker was David Tippets, our bishop at the time. Later as a priest, I arranged for him to give a similar fireside to a different generation of youth. It is a story that has always stood out to me. Your nephew Matt has one of my "church" friends growing up in Maryland. He is one of my favorite people, though I have not been in touch in a long time. Thanks for sharing more of your father's story. John,

I first heard the story of your father’s when I was young (I must have been 7 or 8). I was tagging along at a youth fireside. The speaker was David Tippets, our bishop at the time. Later as a priest, I arranged for him to give a similar fireside to a different generation of youth. It is a story that has always stood out to me.

Your nephew Matt has one of my “church” friends growing up in Maryland. He is one of my favorite people, though I have not been in touch in a long time.

Thanks for sharing more of your father’s story.

]]>