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Marilee We Roll Along Burgess Side Blog
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William Burgess Family Protected Thanks to Chance Meeting with Joseph Smith
In 1833 Joseph Smith encouraged the Saints to go to Missouri to help build up the church. William and Violate, being new converts, were anxious to do all that the Prophet asked so they joined with other converts in the area and started to Missouri with the Jared Carter group. An entry found in the Journal History of the Church for 5 September 1833 reveals that William’s family left on Thursday, September 5, [1833] with John Carter, P. Ripley and Clements and their families. The group consisted of 20 people.13
William had to stay behind and finish up some business transactions, so Harrison started out with the family1 It is unclear if William had caught up to his family by the time they passed through Springfield, Pennsylvania. Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon were on a mission to Upper Canada at the time and happened to be in Springfield
“In October 1833 Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon traveled to Canada on a proselyting mission, accompanied by Freeman Nickerson.”2. Joseph kept a record of the mission in his journal, verifying that he was in Springfield, Pennsylvania. The prophet wrote the following:
Pennsylvania: Springfield, Erie County
1833 Oct 6. ‘arrived at Springfield on the Sabbath found the Brotheren in meeting Brother Sidney spoke to the people &c. and in the Evening held a meeting at Brother Ruds had a great congregation paid good attention Oh God Seal our te[s]timony-to their hearts Amen-‘
Pennsylvania: Elk Creek, Erie County
1833 Oct 8. ‘Continued at springfield untill tuesday the 8th Journeyed that day to br. Roundays at Elk creek taried there over night’”3
So William’s family met the prophet for the first time in Springfield, Pennsylvania. This was the beginning of a lifelong friendship with the prophet. Later, two of William’s sons – Horace and William Jr. lived with Joseph and Emma. When the prophet spoke, the Burgesses listened. At this first meeting, “Joseph advised them to stop in Kirtland and help build the Kirtland Temple, before going on to Missouri.”4 Obediently, the family changed their course to Kirtland, Ohio.
This advice was providential for the Burgesses as trouble was arising in Missouri. In November [1833], the Saints were driven out of Jackson County, Missouri, by angry mobs. They suffered death, privation, loss of property and other hardships.5 The William Burgess family avoided possible harm, thanks to obedience to the words of a prophet.
Once in Kirtland, William and his sons worked on the temple. William Jr. recorded that when they arrived at Kirtland, the walls of the temple were “about four feet above the ground.”6
“William, Sr., being an industrious man working successfully as a carpenter, and setting up and operating saw mills, always had plenty of work to do, and he worked faithfully with others on the temple. In later years William, Jr. had in his possession a square used by his father in laying out the roofing timbers of the temple.”7
1Burgess, Harrison, A SHORT SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF HARRISON BURGESS THE SON OF WILLIAM AND VIOLATY BURGESS, http://burgess.forefamilies.com/harrison.html
2Dean C. Jessee, Joseph Smith Jr.in His Own Words, Part 2, Ensign, January 1985
3Ibid.
4Roach, Delbert E. and Barbara B, The Heritage of Faith and Courage: William and Violate Burgess and Their Family, ( Family Heritage Publishers, Copyright 2006), [Page] 1.
5Church History In The Fulness Of Times Student Manual, (2003), 127–139,
6Burgess, William (Jr.), William Burgess, 1822-1904, Autobiography in Kenneth Glyn Hales, ed. and comp.,Windows: A Mormon Family, Tucson, Arizona, Skyline Printing, 1985.
7Roach p. 17.
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Charles Ivan and Marilee Burgess Cook Family
Front Row: Daniel, Megan, Erin holding Elliott, Ariel holding Gemma and Austin
Back Row: Carly, Steven, Charles, Marilee, Ben and Nathaniel Cook
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Top Orson Pratt, Next Simeon Carter, Next Standing WIlliam Burgess Jr. Sitting Left Harrison Burgess, Right his father William Burgess Sr.
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Baptism of William and Violate Burgess, Children Horace, Harrison, and Rosina
“Simeon Carter was born in June 1794 in Connecticut. In 1830, Elder Parley P. Pratt left a Book of Mormon at Simeon Carter’s house in Amherst, Ohio, and, as he read, it wrought deeply upon Simeon’s mind. He went fifty miles to Kirtland to inquire more about the Church and was there baptized and ordained an Elder. He then returned to his home and commenced to preach and baptize. A church of about sixty members was soon organized at Amherst.”1 In 1831, he served a mission in Missouri and returned to Ohio in September of that same year.
Orson Pratt was baptized in 1830 by his brother, Parley P. Pratt. He served two missions and moved to Hiram, Portage County, Ohio. in December 1831, Simeon and Orson both attended a conference about three weeks later on January 25, 1832. Some of the elders asked for divine guidance and the Prophet, Joseph Smith, received a revelation which eventually became the 75th section of the Doctrine and Covenants. Both Orson Pratt and Simeon Carter were mentioned in the following verses.
D&C 75:14 And again, verily I say unto my servant Lyman Johnson, and unto my servant Orson Pratt, they shall also take their journey into the eastern countries; and behold, and lo, I am with them also, even unto the end.
D&C 75:30 Wherefore, let my servant Simeon Carter and my servant Emer Harris be united in the ministry;
Orson Pratt was ordained a high priest by Sidney Rigdon on 2 February 1832. He then left on a mission with Lyman Johnson and William Snow to eastern United States.
Emer Harris, along with Simeon Carter, and his brothers Jared Carter and John S Carter left on a mission to Vermont. They established branches of the church at North West Bay and Bolton, in Chittenden Co., Vermont, in the summer 1832. Sometime in their travels they must have made their way through upstate New York, because Harrison wrote the following:
“I lived with my parents until I was upwards of fourteen years of age, and a part of the time afterwards, and being the oldest of my father's family I was kept constantly at work and had but little opportunity in acquiring an education. My father made no profession of Religion but led a moral and virtuous life. My childhood was not marked with any crime although I paid but little or no attention to religion until the seventeenth year of my age, in July 1832, when I first heard the fullness of the Gospel proclaimed by Elder Simeon Carter. At this time, I was convinced that the scriptures were true and that the Book of Mormon was a Divine Revelation from Heaven. I was baptized by Elder Simeon Carter and confirmed a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints by Orson Pratt. (1 Oct 1832) I spent the following winter in going to school, working for my board, and in meeting with the Saints.”2
Great-great-great-grandfather, Horace Burgess, who is Harrison’ brother, heard Simeon’s brother John Carter, preach. He wrote the following:
“In my 16 year I was chosen to educate for a minister of Sectarianism. But I went to hear Elder John Carter a preacher of the Gospel of Christ and I soon was baptized by Elder Orson Pratt in Lake George 1832 and on the same day bore testimony to the truth.
I know the Book of Mormon to be true and also that Joseph was sent of God to bring in the last dispensation and to set up the kingdom of God in the last days.”
Elder William Snow, who was also there preaching, wrote in his journal about the baptism. According to Elder Snow’s diary, Horace, Horace’s sister Rosina, and their parents were baptized on the same day.3 “William Burgess, Jr. later wrote that ‘most of his family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This was Dec. 2nd, 1832.’”4
NOTES:. Orson Pratt was Marilee’s 5th cousin 6 times removed through the Atkinson side and Charles’ 6th cousin 5 times removed on the Crismon side. Marilee is related to his father, Charles is related to his mother.
1Who's Who in the Doctrine & Covenants by Susan Easton Black, https://www.latterdaylight.com/question-of-the-day/2018/8/24/simeon-carter
2Burgess, Harrison, A SHORT SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF HARRISON BURGESS THE SON OF WILLIAM AND VIOLATY BURGESS, http://burgess.forefamilies.com/harrison.html
3William Snow record of mission - Journal History of Oct. 26, 1832, Jan. 23, 1833.
4Roach, Delbert E. and Barbara B, The Heritage of Faith and Courage: William and Violate Burgess and Their Family, ( Family Heritage Publishers, Copyright 2006), [Page] 1.
#spirit#William Burgess Sr.#Violate Burgess#Harrison Burgess#Horace Burgess#Orson Pratt#Simeon Carter#John Carter#Baptism
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Harrison Burgess–Miracles on the Ship Argo
Many Saints from the British Isles chose to join their fellow Saints in Utah. Their first leg of the journey was to board a ship. One such ship, the Argo set sail from Liverpool to New Orleans on January 10, 1850. Among the passengers were 402 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Jeter Clinton was their captain and he appointed five counselors to assist him. Of the five counselors, two of them were our ancestors: John Banks and Harrison Burgess. John was the great-great grandfather of Merril Burgess. He and his wife Ellen, and two living children – a daughter named Merab and a son named Franklin - and were immigrating to the States. Harrison Burgess was finishing a mission to the British Isles and was returning home. We are indebted to him as he swung by Winter Quarters and picked up his young nephew George Martin Burgess, another of Merril’s great-great grandfathers, and took him to Utah. The Banks and the Burgess lines finally joined many years later when Merril’s parents, Myron Herbert Burgess and Margaret Banks married.
Like most voyages, the journey was wrought with difficulties and blessings. Passengers ranged from an infant who was born the night before the voyage to elderly men and women. During the voyage babies were born, sickness and seasickness abounded, and a few passengers passed away. However, this particular passage was also blessed with miracles.
Harrison Burgess, one of the counselors, recorded one such miracle. “We sailed along quite comfortably until the twenty-sixth of the month [January] when a terrible storm arose. About two o'clock in the afternoon the sea began to swell and show its power, and the vessel lay first on one side and then on the other. Water came in upon us on both sides of our ship. We lost our sails and yard-arms, and the chains in the rigging of the ship broke. In the evening, when everything looked most dismal, our president called together his counselors and all joined in prayer to the Lord to cause the winds to cease. Scarcely had the brethren ceased their supplications when there was a calm, so sudden in fact that the captain and the officers of the ship were greatly surprised, and they came and inquired of us how it was that we felt so happy and gay amid the great danger through which we had just passed. They could not realize that the Lord removed all fear from the hearts of his faithful Saints when they were endeavoring to do their duty.”1
The storm was just a minor incident compared to what happened on the evening of Saturday, March 2nd. The day had been beautiful as the ship sailed towards the Gulf of Mexico. “The sun set at 7 o’clock, the night dark, though by times the stars shone in their countless numbers in the heavens, about 9 o’clock the wind arose, and blew us 9 knots.”2
Since the weather was hot, “the Saints were on the captain’s deck, or poop, for cool air.”3 The captain was “spinning yarns”4 and thus entertaining the passengers.
“At past 9 o'clock…it seemed as if the Lord had respect for his people, for the heavens seemed to open, and a chain of fire descended on to the earth, as some sort of a token. It took the attention of the Saints and as they stood gazing on the heavens Lo! another star shot forth…”5
Other passengers described the light as “ something like a large ball of fire [that] seemed to fall from the clouds”6 “a flash of lightning bright as day,” 7“a heavenly light, which for few seconds illuminated the surroundings”8 and “a most remarkable phenomena that was a light shining in the air.”9
Three passengers recorded that this miraculous light caused the captain to become aware of the fact that they were on a collision course with land.
Thanks to this light the captain’s “attention was drawn to notice land which lay directly before the ship & in less than 10 minutes the [ship] would have dashed to pieces.”10
“Some of our passengers eyes followed the ball of fire until it fell and that ball of fire showed the our passengers the land; Had it not been for that circumstance we must have ran onto the shore as the ship was standing head on to the land... I then thought I could have thrown a stone from off the ship onto shore and I could plainly see the terrible white breakers on the shore although it was a dark night.”11
Lo! another star shot forth To the surprise of all, we found ourselves running aground against the Rocks of the Pine Isles.”12
Note: The Isle of Pines, as it was called in 1850, was a Cuban Island just south of Cuba.13
Upon seeing the land the captain took immediate control of the situation.
“He ran to the wheel, turned the ship long side, & then called the seamen from their berths. With great perseverance they managed to clear the land but only to find out that he was again deceived for instead of our having cleared the Cape, we found ourselves about (12 o'clock) running into another point of land which struck into the sea. The ship had immediately turned round and it was found that we were in 27 feet of water & ship taking 17 feet, found it very difficult to keep out from the land as the wind blew directly onto the shore. When we turned ship the storm appeared to be but a short stone throw from land the moon shining we could see the breakers dashing against the shore many yards high which formed a snow white ridge as for as the eye could trace. They turned the ship several times to clear the point, but could not succeed till towards day break when we cleared & sailed gaily around. (Thanks be to our God) it was a most miraculous escape.
Most of the brethren were on deck & found plenty to do in turning the sails & getting the anchor ready. Several sisters came up but was soon ordered down again. About 9 a.m. Sunday morning, we lost sight of land that part of Cuba to be very low which accounts for their not seeing it before dark.”14
Harrison Burgess described the event as following:
“All hands were called on deck and soon the Saints like brave sailors, hauled at the ropes &c to get ourselves clear from this awful situation, soon was the yardarms squared and on we rode, …but, we found ourselves running into the Cape St. Antonio, on the Isle of Cuba, and the danger was so great that we were obliged to haul out our cable, ready for the last extremity but through the prayers of the Saints, mixed with their works, we once more rode through the waters of the Lord.”15
Just 4 days before their arrival on March 8th, Harrison Burgess wrote a couple of interesting tidbits in his journal.
“Tues. 4th Elder John Banks withdrew himself from the office of counselor, but did not give any particular reason for so doing, and Elder John Haliday was elected in his place. At night the ship hailed us take back a stowed away nigger age 21 a fine young man, run away from the Saxon, a steam packet New Orleans.”16
In a few days more we landed at the mouth of the Mississippi River, where we had a busy time in fishing up buckets of fresh water…The tug steamers came down the Mississippi to look for vessels that wanted to be tugged up to New Orleans. One came along and took us in tow. We got along for sometime until we came to a place I think they call the bar. The old ship Argo went aground and all the steaming and tugging she could do had no effect. There we stuck and had to wait until the tide came in. When it came in, we got off the bar amidst the cheering of all hands.17
1Burgess, Harrison, Sketch of a Well-Spent Life. http://forefamilies.blogspot.com/p/of-well-spent-life-by-harrison-burgess.html
2Burgess, Harrison, A SHORT SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF HARRISON BURGESS, THE SON OF WILLIAM AND VIOLATY BURGESS, http://burgess.forefamilies.com/harrison.html
3Ibid.
4McKell, Robert, Autobiography of Robert McKell, https://mormonmigration.lib.byu.edu/mii/account/71
5Burgess, Harrison, A Short Sketch.
6Dunford, George, Reminiscences and Journal of George Dunford, https://mormonmigration.lib.byu.edu/mii/account/70?scandinavia=on&europe=on&keywords=george+dunford&sweden=on&netherlands=on&mii=on
7McKell, Robert, Autobiography.
8Sister Jackson, quoted by Junius F. Wells, The Contributor: Representing the Young Men's and Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations of the Latter-day Saints, Volume 13
9Margetts, Richard Bishop, Diary of Richard Bishop Margetts, https://mormonmigration.lib.byu.edu/mii/account/73
10Ibid.
11Dunford, George, Reminiscences.
12Burgess, Harrison, A Short Sketch.
13Isla de la Juventud, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isla_de_la_Juventud Wikipedia
This island’s name was changed to Isla de la Juventud in 1978.
14Margetts, Richard Bishop, Diary.
15Burgess, Harrison, A Short Sketch.
16Ibid.
17McKell, Robert, Autobiography
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Charles and Marilee Cook Family May 13, 2017
Back Row L to R; Daniel Myron Cook, Nathaniel Matthew Cook, Benjamin Ivan Cook
Front Row L to R; Steven Charles Cook, Marilee Burgess (Cook), Charles Ivan Cook
Missing: Matthew Merril Cook deceased
#Charles Ivan Cook#Marilee Burgess#Steven Charles Cook#Benjamin Ivan Cook#Daniel Myron Cook#Nathaniel Matthew Cook#Photo#Family
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Charles and Marilee Cook Family on May 13, 2017
Back Row L to R: Marilee Burgess (Cook), Charles Ivan Cook
Third Row L to R: Jessica “Carly” Grant (Cook) Daniel’s wife, Daniel Myron Cook
Second Row L to R: Steven Charles Cook, Nathaniel Matthew Cook, Benjamin Cook
Front Row L to R: Erin Catherine Elliott (Cook) Steven’s wife, holding daughter Gemma Catherine Cook, Megan Rose Cook (Steven’s daughter), Ariel Joy Anderson (Cook) Ben’s wife
#Charles Ivan Cook#Marilee Burgess#Steven Charles Cook#Benjamin Ivan Cook#Daniel Myron Cook#Nathaniel Matthew Cook#Family#Photo
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Charles and Marilee Cook Family at Ben and Ariel’s House on November 26, 2016
Back Row L to R: Steven Charles Cook, Nathaniel Matthew Cook, Benjamin Ivan COok, Daniel Myron Cook, Charles Ivan Cook
Front Row: Megan Rose Cook (Steven’s daughter), Erin Catherine Elliott (Cook) Steven’s wife, Ariel Joy Anderson (Cook) Ben’s wife, Jessica “Carly” Grant (Cook) Daniel’s wife, Marilee Burgess (Cook)
#Charles Ivan Cook#Marilee Burgess#Steven Charles Cook#Benjamin Ivan Cook#Daniel Myron Cook#Nathaniel Matthew Cook#Family#Photo
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Charles and Marilee Cook Family on Daniel and Carly’s Wedding Day July 16, 2016
L to R: Erin Catherine Elliott (Cook) Steven’s wife holding daughter Megan Rose Cook, Steven Charles Cook, Marilee Burgess (Cook), Daniel Myron Cook, Jessica “Carly” Grant (Cook) Daniel’s wife, Charles Ivan Cook, Benjamin Ivan Cook, Ariel Joy Anderson (Cook) Ben’s wife, Kneeling in front Nathaniel Matthew Cook
#Chalres Ivan Cook#Marilee Burgess#Daniel Myron Cook#Nathaniel Matthew Cook#Benjamin Ivan Cook#Steven Charles Cook#Wedding#Family#Photo
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Charles and Marilee Cook Famiily December 27, 2015
L to R: Charles Ivan Cook, Marilee Burgess (Cook), Nathaniel Matthew Cook, Daniel Myron Cook, Steven Charles Cook, Erin Catherine Elliott (Cook) Steven’s wife, holding daughter Megan Rose Cook, Benjamin Ivan Cook, Ariel Joy Anderson (Cook) Ben’s wife
#Charles Ivan Cook#Marilee Burgess#Steven Charles Cook#Benjamin Ivan Cook#Daniel Myron Cook#Nathaniel Matthew Cook#Photo#family
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Charles and Marilee Cook Family December 27, 2013
Back Row: L to R: Ariel Joy Anderson (Cook) Ben’s wife, Benjamin Ivan Cook, Daniel Myron Cook, Erin Catherine Elliott (Cook) Steven’s wife
Front Row L to R; Nathaniel Matthew Cook, Charles Ivan Cook, Marilee Burgess (Cook)
#Charles Ivan Cook#Marilee Burgess#Steven Charles Cook#Benjamin Ivan Cook#Daniel Myron Cook#Nathaniel Matthew Cook#Photo#Family
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Charles and Marilee Cook Family November 1993
Back Row Boys L to R: Benjamin Ivan Cook, Steven Charles Cook
Middle Row: Charles Ivan Cook, Marilee Burgess (Cook)
Front Row: Matthew Merril Cook, Daniel Myron Cook
Missing: Nathaniel Matthew Cook as he was born in 1995
#Charles Ivan Cook#Marilee Burgess#Steven Charles Cook#Benjamin Ivan Cook#Matthew Merril Cook#Daniel Myron Cook#Photo#Family
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Merril and Sandy Burgess and Family Members at their 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration March 24, 2012
L to R: Stacie Burgess (Jensen), Ryan Spencer Burgess, Heather Wallantine (Burgess) Ryan’s wife, Aleesa Ann Coulson (Burgess) Mark’s wife, Mark Merril Burgess, Sandra Kay Russell (Burgess) Merril Myron Burgess, Jennifer Mary Lloyd (Burgess) Kent’s wife, Kent David Burgess, Tonya Lynn Iverson (Burgess) Scott’s wife, Scott Russell Burgess, Kristine Burgess (Farr), Marilee Burgess (Cook)
#Merril Myron Burgess#Sandra Kay Russell#Marilee Burgess#Mark Merril Burgess#Scott Russell Burgess#Kent David Burgess#Stacie Rebecca Burgess#Ryan Spencer Burgess#Kristine Burgess#Photo#Family
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The Merril and Sandy Burgess Family at their 50th Wedding Celebration March 24, 20
Back Row L to R: Ryan Spencer Burgess, Mark Merril Burgess, Merril Myron Burgess, Scott Russell Burgess, Kent David Burgess
Front Row L to R; Stacie Rebecca Burgess (Jensen), Sandra Kay Russell (Burgess), Kristine Burgess (Farr), Marilee Burgess (Cook)
Missing: Michael Wade Burgess
#Merril Myron Burgess#Sandra Kay Russell#Marilee Burgess#Mark Merril Burgess#Scott Russell Burgss#Kent David Burgess#Stacie Burgess#Ryan Spencer Burgess#Kristine Burgess#Photo
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Sandra Kay Russell
My Tribute to Sandra Kay Russell Burgess
By her oldest daughter Marilee Burgess (Cook)
When I think of Mom, many adjectives come to mind. She’s fun, energetic, spiritual, multi-talented, loving, has a good sense of humor, and spends her time serving those around her. She is a very Christlike person and I don’t know why I was blessed with such a wonderful mother, but I am very glad that I was.
Mom has always been there for her children. When we were young she would lay on our beds and tell us stories at night. Ifwe had a bad dream or we felt sick we could wake her up, knowing that she would immediately be sympathetic to our plight. I don’t know how old I was but one time I had a bad dream and Mom rocked me in an old pink rocking chair. I remember thinking that I was too old to be rocked but it felt so nice that Ijust snuggled up and enjoyed it.
We are more than just kids to Mom. We have been her friends. Mom has always been my best friend and I can tell her anything. When I came home from school the first thing that I would do was look for Mom. Many times I found her in her room on the floor doing some church project or another. I would lie on her bed and tell her about my day. She was and is always ready to listen.
Mom doesn’t like to go places alone and food often became attached to certain activities. She used to take at least one of us grocery shopping and we were allowed to pick out a candy bar if we went. I also remember sometimes going to Snelgrove’s for an ice cream cone after surviving a trip to Dr. Newton’s office. She had the tradition of taking us to lunch after spending hours school shopping. And of course, we would get malts after a choir concert or school program. We would sit in the car together eating malts and end up laughing until we cried.
Mom has a sweet tooth and loves to bake. She doesn’t like taking things out of the oven though. She would very often yell down the stairs, “Somebody take the brownies (or cookies or whatever) out of the oven for me!” Mom has a particular fondness for cream cheese. Her favorite dessert is cherry cheesecake and she also enjoys chicken pillows which are rolls filled with chicken and cream cheese. She and Dad had their special nights every once in a while and Dad would bring home Chinese food from the Pagoda. She enjoyed the dinner even though it usually made her sick. She has a sensitive stomach and has to be careful about what she eats.
Mom has certain sayings that she often repeats. If she is trying to turn left in the car and there is a lot of traffic she will say, “The whole town is coming!” If she has lost something, usually her car keys or glasses, she will say, “I’ll give you 50 cents if you find such-and-such for me.” If we asked permission for something more often than not she would say, “I don’t care.” If she’s giving a baby or toddler a bath she will say, “Swim, Swim.” She’ll also put a baby’s foot up to her nose and say, “Stinky feet.” “Spit in your shoe and blame it on you!” is another one of her sayings. She also likes to say, “Whatever!”
Being raised mostly with girls, Mom was very surprised to find herself with five sons. She was always very supportive of their ball games. She would sometimes become a little too involved at the church basketball games. I recall her yelling loudly, “You’re blind ref!” at a game or two.
She taught us how to be good at finding things by saying, “Go get me the scissors, they are somewhere upstairs.” If we couldn’t find something and she had told us exactly where it was she used to say, “If I have to go upstairs and find it myself then you owe me a dollar!”
Mom likes the house to be alive with noise. She loved it when she could walk through the house and hear the TV on in one room, the piano played in another, the radio on in another, etc. It meant that the kids were home with her. I recall that the teenagers sometimes had to tell HER to turn down the boombox.
Mom loves the mountains. I think that she and Dad would live in the mountains if they could. She likes to go camping. She and Dad love having a trailer and being able to use it. When we were young sometimes Dad would just park us up in the mountains and leave us there for a week or so while he went to work. Mom went camping even when she was 9 months pregnant. I recall having to go home because she was having labor pains. She camped with new babies also.
Whenever Mom visits my house there are two things that she must do. First, she has to make chocolate chip cookies with milk chocolate chips. Second, she has to do laundry. One time she came to my house and I had all of the laundry in the house done. So she pulled sheets off of the beds and created laundry so that she could do it. I remember her doing laundry in the middle of the night when I lived at home. Often we would see her lying on the couch waiting for something to wash so that she could put it in the dryer. Whenever I put something in the dryer at 2:00 a.m. I think of her.
Mom has had to work out of the home for several years now, although everyone knows that she would rather be home. She started out as Dad’s secretary for his plumbing business. Then she went on to cutting hair at a home, working in an elementary school and doing various secretarial jobs. When she started working she didn’t know anything about computers and now she is computer savvy. She enjoys increasing her skills and knowledge in that area. Mom also has a thirst for gospel knowledge. She loves to read and study. She has such a strong testimony and a deep respect for the General Authorities of the Church. She really enjoys rubbing shoulders with these leaders as a secretary to one of the Quorum of the Seventy.
Mom is a worrier. She worries about everything and everybody. And if she didn’t have anything to worry about then she would worry that there wasn’t anything to worry about. She has a strong testimony in the power of prayer and has kept many ofus safe by praying for us. She has a strong relationship with the Lord and more faith than anyone I know. She has done many frightening but growing things in her life because the Lord has told her to. She has had many spiritual experiences and is quick to give the Lord credit for anything that she accomplishes. She really appreciates the power of the priesthood and seeks for blessings often.
Mom has spent many years of her life serving the Lord. She is excellent at every calling that she has been given. But l think that she is especially good at teaching. She has taught her children by her example to really go the second mile to do a good job. I don’t know how many times she has had me or one of the other kids help her color handouts, or roll them up or fold them and put stickers on them. I recall setting up rooms, serving refreshments, cleaning up or playing the piano for one of Mom’s various
meetings.
Mom has served in all areas of the church, both on stake and ward levels. She was called to be a primary teacher to Ashley Call who was both autistic and deaf. She learned sign language so that she could teach her and did a wonderful job. She was also a great Young Women’s leader. Once Dad had to ground her because she was out late, taking the girls toilet papering.
Mom has many, many talents. I believe that because she has been so willing to share the talents that the Lord has given her, that he just continues to bless her with more and more. Her greatest talent is probably her capacity to love, care about, and serve others.
Mom likes to be involved in things. She has written plays, skits, and songs. She has spent hours directing stake plays which she somehow dragged most of kids into. She has written many poems and stories, sometimes giving the kids a special story for Christmas. She likes to paint, both crafts and watercolors. She has been in more than one singing group and loves to play the piano when she has a chance. One of the fondest memories that I have with Mom is singing around the piano. We spent many evenings, usually Sundays, with me at the piano and Mom singing her lungs out. I can’t think of anything more enjoyable than singing with Mom.
Mom is willing to do just about anything for her children. Who knows how many haircuts she has given when she has been so dead tired that she can hardly stand? Family is very important to her. Mom loves her grandchildren. She tries to have a good relationship with every one of them. She especially likes it if one of the babies will only go to her Mom has always cared very much about her appearance. She has a lot of energy and used to be a Jazzercise teacher. Having nice clothes is important to her. She is very picky in many ways, especially when it comes to cleanliness. Some of her most common sayings about her appearance are, “I look so fat!” and “l’ve always thought that I had my dad’s skin. I didn’t think that Iwould wrinkle!” Hair color is an issue with her and who can forget the time that she bleached her hair and it turned green.
Mom likes to tell the story about how she was in the musical South Pacific in high school. She had to walk across the stage and she was sucking in her stomach when her teacher told her to stop sucking it in and breathe.
Mom has supported me, loved me, and helped me throughout my life. I love her dearly.I know that she has been there for me more times than I can count. She has done anything from sewing prom dresses and making chicken costumes to daring to fly across the country to be there for a baby’s birth. I will never, never forget that when Matthew died, the first thing I did was call Mom and within hours she was there with me. She just took over the other kids and the household which was a good thing because I was in such shock that I was truly incapacitated. She listened to me when I needed to talk and tried to be strong for me, even though she was grieving herself. Just like the 3 boys who carried the handcart company across the Sweetwater River, I feel that this one act that she did for me should qualify her for the celestial kingdom.
She’s the best Mom in the world and I am so blessed to have her in my life. Love, Marilee
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Merril Myron Burgess
My Tribute to Dad (Merril Myron Burgess)
Written by his oldest daughter, Marilee Burgess Cook
Written maybe in 2009 and possibly earlier than that
I would like to start off by writing a poem for you, Dad, in commemoration of all of the great poems that you have written, especially for missionary farewells and homecomings over the years. Here it is
I am glad
You are my dad.
You can keep that poem in your scrapbook and read it often in the upcoming years.
Now, I would like to mention “Twenty-five Reasons Why I Love Dad.
1. Dad likes to embarrass me. I remember going on my very first date and Dad asking the boy if he was a democrat or a republican and scaring him to death. I remember Dad tossing rolls across the table when Charles came to dinner at our house for the first time.
2. Dad is very competitive. I remember Dad drawing “the line” across the table during a game and saying “This is it. I’m going to win from now on.”
3. Dad is a basketball nut. I remember Dad teaching me how to be a stake basketball scorekeeper when I was only a Beehive and watching countless basketball games that he refereed or played in.
4. Dad took us camping. I remember Dad fishing with me at China Meadows.
I remember Dad taking us to the sand dunes for the second day in a row instead of exploring because all of us kids begged him to. I remember Dad falling out of a tree when we were camping and playing hide-and-seek. I remember playing Becka with him.
5. Dad enjoys danger. I remember riding on the back of Dad’s motorcycle with him. I also remember that Dad always took steep, very scary dirt roads in the mountains or made his own road just for fun. Then he somehow always needed to turn around at a very narrow part next to a steep cliff.
6. Dad is brave. I remember Dad taking me to the Sizzler and talking to me about the facts of life before I got married.
7. Dad is compassionate. I remember Dad coming and getting me in Colorado and taking me home when I became so sick with my stomach problems. He entertained me and watched movies with me and gave me a great blessing in the car.
8. Dad is wise. I remember going to Dad when I had important decisions to make and always respecting his opinion and advice.
9. Dad is spiritual. I remember standing in the prayer circle with Dad when I got my endowments. I remember Dad baptizing me, confirming me, speaking at my mission farewell, being the witness at my wedding, and giving me countless priesthood blessings over the years. Dad has had many important callings and is a great bishop. He really cares about his ward members. He has had many great spiritual experiences throughout his life and most recently saved my life during a camping trip last summer.
10. Dad is scary. I remember Dad being in the bishopric when I was a teenager. Once he scared me half to death when he and Bishop Steve Cook followed me home at 2 a.m. I was coming home from working at McDonalds and they were coming back from some ward problem. I parked in front of the house and he parked behind me. I thought that some weirdo was stalking me and started honking the horn. Dad got out of the truck and came up to my window and I jumped a foot. He also always seemed to scare our cousins. He purposely thought of mean things to do to our dates to scare them and enjoyed it greatly.
11. Dad is fun. I remember Dad taking us to drive-in movies when I was very little.
I remember Dad hitching up the trailer and meeting Charles and I at a rest stop for a surprise dinner for a girl’s choice dance. I remember working with Dad at the Wheel-In- Market and how he would by me a sandwich, chips, drink and a treat and we would go home very late at night and watch TV in his bedroom and eat. (Of course, I also remember getting locked in the ice machine while working there with him.) I remember working for Dad at Burgess Plumbing on occasion. I always liked it when we had to stop off at Plumber’s Supply and we got free donuts..
I remember playing many card games with Dad. We used to play Crazy Eights when we were camping and Mom was making breakfast. We also went through a Flinch phase and played game after game. He doesn’t ever let any of us win on purpose. We knew that if we happened to win a game then we were “GOOD”.. I remember Dad taking us on many, many camping trips and to Disneyland and to a hotel in Idaho.
Dad used to say “Goodnight, sleeptight, don’t let the bedbugs bite.” Also, “I’ll tell you a story of George McGory and now my story’s begun. I’ll tell you another about his brother and now my story’s done.” He also told stories of Giant Scroogum and Billy.
Dad is a good sport and has dressed up various times. I especially remember when he dressed up as a New Year’s baby on New Year’s Eve and worked at the Wheel-In Market.
Dad loves to watch TV and he watched many shows with us when we were kids. For some reason I especially remember watching Perry Mason with him. I remember the many times that Dad pulled out the slides and we watched slides, ate popcorn, and laughed.
12. Dad is smart. I remember that Dad could always tell what each of his Christmas presents were just by feeling the wrapping paper. One time I cracked some nuts and wrapped up the nuts and the nut shells separately and he didn’t know what his presents were. I thought that I was very clever. I remember that hiding Dad’s Easter basket was always a challenge because he was so good at finding it. Once, Mark and I took some peaches Mom had canned off of the food storage shelf and hid his basket behind the bottles. He couldn’t find it. Dad seemed to be able to read the newspaper and watch TV at the same time and be able to always figure out the murder mysteries on TV before I could.
13. Dad is accident-prone. I remember Dad injuring himself in many ways: motorcycle accidents, electrocution, falling off of the roof, playing basketball, etc. I was the most scared when he got hit by our vehicle and a big truck which had hit our vehicle. When Dad dies, it will be the right time because Heavenly Father has worked so hard to keep him alive.
14. Dad is strong. I remember Dad coming to Matthew’s funeral and being a strength to me.
15. Dad is hard-working. I remember Dad working late many times so that we could have enough to eat, and clothes to wear and a house to live in.
16. Dad loves surprises.. I remember Dad always shopping for Mom on Christmas Eve and letting me wrap some of her presents. But I never knew about her “big” present. He was very creative and loved to surprise Mom. He always told us that if your present wasn’t a surprise then he’ll take it back.
17. Dad thinks like a lawyer. I remember Dad teaching me to question some of the things I was taught in seminary. He made me look up things and verify who taught them and when. I still do that today. I remember that if there was a big fight among us children he would get out the tape recorder and question us and tape our answers. Then he would play them back to us and make a judgment.
18. Dad is a fun grandpa. Dad pretends that my kids are his pillow when he visits. They always look forward to that. They also look forward to playing video games with Dad.
19. Dad used us kids for his own pleasure. I remember Dad having contests to see who could scratch his back the best.
20 Dad can’t cook. I remember that Dad could basically cook two things when I was growing up - hot dogs and fried eggs.
21. Dad is spontaneous. One of the things that I love about Dad is that he is spontaneous. Sometimes he would come home from work and announce that we were going on a trip or doing something fun that we didn’t expect.
22. Dad likes to sing only when we are driving. I used to love it when he sang “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” and “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More.” And “Yes, We Have No Bananas, We Have No Bananas Today.”
23. Dad was generally the discipliner. I remember Dad pulling into the driveway and always thinking, “Am I doing anything that I could get in trouble for?” He used to spank us with his belt if we wet the bed or did something else wrong. . He didn’t hit us very hard but I made sure I cried loudly so that I wouldn’t get hit harder.
24. Dad is a perfect bus driver. He loves to talk to people, he loves to drive, and he hasn’t slept well for years anyway so he’s used to not getting a lot of sleep.
25. Dad is the greatest dad that anyone could ever have. I am very lucky to have his love and influence in my life. I love him with all my heart.
Love, Marilee
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