Happy Birthday to Marvelle

What can I say about Marvelle?? She has been our big sister for many many moons. She is the best role model for the whole family. I have always looked up to Marvelle because she is my big sister and whatever she says is the gospel truth. Even when she told me as a little child (about 5 years old - I think) to go out on the end of the plank and sit on the end of it, while she sawed off the plank. Maybe some of you don't know this story. Daddy took Marvelle, L.A. and the little sister, Shirley out to the north pasteur to build a lean too shed for the cattle to shelter during the cold. He had us all help build the shelter with no power tools. All the tools we used were hand tools, as there was no electricity at the pasteur. We constructed a three sided shed and built a lean too roof over the shelter. Dad was using scrape planks about 10 - 12 feet long to build the roof. Some of the planks were of various lengths, so he told Marvelle to get the hand saw and saw them all off to an even length. So Marvelle always did as Daddy told her to do, just like all of us would do. She got the saw and started to saw off one of the planks. It was quite heavy and it was binding against the saw, which made it very hard to saw. So she decided if she asked Shirley to sit out on the end of the plank then it would saw easier. So being the great helper I was, I went out at the end of the plank and sat on the board. She continued to saw the board off and CRRRASHH!!!! down I went falling off the board as it was cut. I must have fell at least 6 feet down to the solid ground below. I don't remember where Daddy was, but he didn't know what was going on. Well I hit the ground with one heck of a bang and let out one whooping cry. Daddy come running to see what was going on. I was crying and Marvelle got a licken with the saw. We have laughed about this ever since about Shirley falling off the roof of the shed, all the while I just thought I was being a big girl helping out my sisters.

I will always remember Marvelle babysitting Lester Ann and I one New Year's eve. Mom and Dad had gone out to a dance at the Church. At the stroke of midnight, she had the two of us looking out the window to the dark skies above -- watching for the old man going out and the New Years' Eve baby coming in. She said at the stoke of midnight, "See -- look up there -- there goes the old man and look over there -- do you see the new Baby coming in???" Lester Ann and I both, said, "Yeahhhhhhhhhhh look at the old man going, and the new baby coming.........!!!" We would believe anything Marvelle said, it was the gospel truth for sure.

Marvelle has been a role model by marrying the man of her dreams and showing us girls how it was done. Marvelle was honored by her collegues in Lethbridge when she obtained the title of "Mrs. Lethbridge" nominated by her peers at work and the proffessional women of Lethbridge.
She has always treated the staff who have worked for her with dignity and respect. If one did not keep up with the ship mates, then one must ship out. Marvelle has been a dignified business woman in the field of insurance. She has provided for her family by having them all work for her at one time or another. She even had an office for Ralphee, and Opra with their disignated offiice doors with their names on the door. Brad, Scott and Nickee all learned how to work for Marvelle and were taught good work ethics from the beginning of life. Marvelle's children have all been successful because of their mother. They can all be proud of the best Mother.

Marvelle has been unfortunate to lose two of her children and yet her faith in the Lord leads her onward to bigger and better missions in her life. She has served two missions in the wonderful country of Ghana. My trip to Ghana by myself, to a land I knew nothing about and where I was going was the trip of my life. To get off the Dutch airline plane out on the tarmack of the airport, board a bus to get to the airport, get through Customs and Immigrations, and get out of the airport and meet Marvelle and Clifford was hair raising. When I came down the ramp outside the airport doors, I heard Marvelle yell "There she is........... Shirleeeeey" and she was waving her hands at me. I was in tears to be welcomed into their arms. Then to be shown the country of Ghana for two weeks was breathless. The time seemed like only minutes that I had been there, when I had to leave again. Marvelle took me to neighbouring villages, up to Volta Dam, across the Volta River and back again. When the policeman stopped us at the end of the bridge, and that Policeman jumped up from underneath the banyon tree, I thought we were done for. He stopped us and asked us where we were from and what we were doing there. We told him we were from Canada and we were just out touring around. He promptly told me to take my video camera and erase it and prove to him that I had erased it. He was a police and I should have have filmed him. I thought my heart was going to pound out of chest. I didn't even realize I had him on the film. He could have shot us both right then and there. I was shaking so hard, I could hardly erase the tape in the camera. But I showed him where I had erased it and he let us go. We both said a little prayer of thanks for our lives that day. Marvelle introduced me to all the members of the church in their village of Kofforigua. (Not sure if I spelled that right). They all loved me because they all loved Marvelle and Clifford bringing the gospel to them in their land. Marvelle and Clifford taught the gospel to many and they will all be thankful to Marvelle and Clifford for those teachings. The Lord blessed them both for being missionaries and teachers of the gospel to the Africans. After visiting Ghana, I had a real appreciation for the people there and for Marvelle and Clifford, being in my life.

I have lived with Marvelle and she always instilled good morals and work ethics in me. I lived with Marvelle and Clifford in Cardston when they had three small children. She took me under her wing and put up with me many times. Then when they moved to Foremost, Clifford informed me of the Payroll clerk job at the County of Forty Mile and again, I lived with Marvelle and Clifford and their little family and again she put up with my chinanigans of dating and boys.

Marvelle has always been a listening ear when I needed a shoulder to lean on, she was there for me. She, like all of my sisters, were there for me when I decided to divorce Gordon. Their support was unsurpassible during the three years it took for my divorce to become final. Many times I would just have to call my big sister, and she was there to listen to me and give me advice that I needed to hear. I thank her for coming to my rescue and meeting with my lawyer when I needed support from her and the rest of my sisters. Like Gayle said in his toast to the bride at my wedding -- one does not want to reckon with a Hyde Girl, or they will have all four of them to answer to. We are the HYDE GIRLS and our daddy taught us so.

May you have the best BIRTHDAY ever!!! We wish you the Happiest Birthday, and may you have many more to come. I love you dearly, big Sis!!!

Shirley