Leah Amacher Holmstead
Niece
to Emma Hollenweger Haltiner
Daughter
to Amelie (Molly) Hollenweger Amacher
Talk
given by Teresa (Terri) Holmstead Weidman at her funeral, Oct. 28, 2011
Leah Amacher Holmstead was born
October 29th, 1924 in Logan, UT to Swiss immigrant parents, Adolph and Amalia
Amacher. She was the youngest child of four. Her oldest brother,
Enoch , died at the age of 7 from leukemia. Leah had a happy childhood
and although her family was poor, she didn't remember many hardships. She
told often told us of walking to school and town because her family never had a
car. She was surrounded with love and learned early about service from
the example of her parents. Mom's dad, Adolph passed away when she was 18
years old. None of her children were able to know him personally, but what we
did hear was of his love of music and genealogy. He brought books
with historical records back from Switzerland with names of ancestors and did a
great deal of temple work for them. Mom started helping with this early
in life. starting at age 12 she would go with him to be baptized
for family members in the temple sometimes doing 70 or 80 names at a
time. Mom inherited his passion for genealogy and until her death,
pursued new names and family lines. One year she extracted 500 names to
do temple work for and kept us all busy, at many temples completing them.
Leah had many talents and
abilities. She was the "queen of the May" at age 12. She
played the flute and performed in school orchestras, bands and chorales. She
had perfect pitch and played the piano by ear. many times when we were
young, she would play rousing marches and have the kids marching around the
front room. She won many awards and often performed at funerals and events with
her beloved sister, Winnie.
Mom attended Utah State Agricultural
College at the start of World War II. She regaled us with stories of the
boys she sent "off to war" with the promise she would be waiting.
She said she didn't want to make them feel bad. During her first year of
college she met Earl "Hap" Holmstead and fell in love for
real. They married in the Logan Temple on March 31, 1944,
raised nine children, 7 girls and 2 boys, and spent 67 happy years
together.
Hap and Leah moved to Lehi shortly
after their marriage where dad coached and taught at Lehi High School for five
years. This move put them in close proximity to Dad's family and mom
developed close and lasting relationships with dad's parents and his 5 sisters
and their families.
Some of Mom's most enjoyable
memories involved camping in Yellowstone, hiking, hunting and fishing with the
Holmstead clan. They moved to Logan in 1951 where Dad taught at Logan
High.
Leah was an excellent wife and
mother. She was a great homemaker and could seemingly "do
anything" She sewed dresses, costumes, baby blankets, sleepers, and
countless doll clothes. She baked and cooked excellent meals. She
started "scrap booking" before it was popular cutting out cute
embellishments from cards and wrapping paper.
She attended recitals,
musicals, ball games and school assemblies. She was our biggest fan and
supporter. She worked with the State and Local PTA from 1955-1972.
When Evan, her youngest child graduated from Adams Elementary school, she took
a cake to the Principal, Alma Watterson, because she had a child in that
elementary school for 25 straight years.
Mom and her sister, Winnie, lived
across the road from each other and were the best of friends. Winnie also
had a large family, 6 boys and 2 girls and the families were raised together
and celebrated holidays, birthdays and daily events as one. Mom loved her
neighbors and had many life-long friends that were treated as family. My
younger siblings didn't know that Dawn and Bud were not really "blood
relations."
Leah held many callings in the
church. She was a natural Leader and teacher. She was in the
primary president, stake primary president, stake and ward young women's
president and ward and Stake Relief Society president. It is here that
maybe her star shined the brightest. The motto "Charity Never
Faileth" was true about mom. One of her nieces wrote " Her acts
of goodness are monumental. She lived a shining life of Charity.
She calmed storms, fed multitudes, watched over the sick, cheered the weary,
showered love on us all and taught us how to live."
When my younger sister got married,
mom bought her a beautiful quilt top and hand quilted it for her. Mom
liked it so well that she decided to quilt one for her own bed. The hand
quilting took months. When it was finally finished we were excited to be
able to see it on her bed. As we walked into mom's bedroom, we were surprised
to see the bed covered with her old quilt. we quickly went and asked mom where
the new quilt was. Mom replied "you know I finished it and gave it
to an elderly friend. She has had a hard life and has never had a new
quilt and I thought she deserved one." This kind of action was
common.
Mom never waited for someone
to "tell her what they needed" She acted. I recall when a large
family in the neighborhood had a child who died. Mom immediately set to
work making dresses for the girls and mom, then she bought new shirts and ties
for the sons and the father so that they would look nice at the funeral.
If someone in the ward needed church
shoes for their son, she immediately and without asking gave them some
money. She fed many, visited many sick, took care of elderly widows and
widowers and sent countless notes and flowers. One year she decided
to make a lap sized quilt a week for the homeless. Another year when
asked what she wanted for Christmas she said "money to buy a headstone for
an ancestor that did not have one" She was a champion of the
underdog. and was never idle.
For 16 years mom and dad
served in the hospital branch. They held church services on Sunday,
visited patients on Wednesdays and made sure that names were put on temple
roles, and the sacrament was taken to those unable to leave their rooms.
They continued in this calling until last year.
In the 25th chapter of
Matthew we read "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was
thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and
ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto
me. then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee
an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a
stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee
sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto
them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least
of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Mom truly embodied
the essence of this scripture. Her example in living these principals has
had an impact on all of us.
Mom had a great sense of humor and
loved laughing and a good joke. She could laugh at herself and find humor
in most situations. One thing mom would never do was fly in an
airplane. She had gone with a cousin in small plane once in her teens and
it had made her sick and scared her to death. We could never get her to
fly after that.
Several members of our
family had gone to Switzerland and visited the house where her father had
grown up. Because of her interest in genealogy, they would all bring her
a photo of the house and try and persuade her to go and visit. Mom would
be known to say things like "if God wanted me in Switzerland, I would have
been born in Switzerland. " and " Everyone brings me a picture of
that house. It looks the same as it did when my dad lived there."
and" when I die I will fly over the house and see it for myself."
A few years ago, after
several more "house" pictures had been given to her, we decided to
throw her a surprise birthday party. The gifts were all centered on the
picture of the house. She got calendars, pot holders, cookbooks, mugs,
aprons, clocks and bumper-stickers. Many of the kids and grand kids
showed up in T-shirts with the house on them. Even the cake had a picture
of the house on it. Mom laughed and laughed at the gifts. Everyone
there laughed. We still laugh about it. It was a great party.
I remember that she always
encouraged us to gain new experiences. She signed us up for skiing
lessons every Saturday at Beaver mountain, let us swim and skate on the canal
and try other activities that we thought we wanted to do.
I was there on the momentous moment
when she and Aunt Winnie went out to try out Dad's skating rink in the
backyard. They were laughing so hard and hanging on to each other.
Mom's ankles went out and Aunt Winnie's went in, but they were having a ball
out there. We wish someone would have taken a picture of them.
I remember when I was at Holy Cross
School of Nursing that I was invited to go to San Francisco on the train with
the nun. We were going to a convention of nurses. I asked Mom and
she said who are you going with, I said the nuns. "Well go then, you
will be safe and in good company."
As the kids grew up and Dad retired,
He and mom took up fishing. Together they fished most of the lakes and
streams in northern Utah and parts of Idaho and Wyoming. They also taught
many of their grand kids how to fish. It was fun to go with
grandma. She would spend most of the time trying to let them catch
something. She would tie and retie different flies, use power-bait,
worms, salmon eggs, and anything else she thought would get a fish.
She brought snacks and pop and told funny stories. She made memories and
let each grandchild feel loved and important.
I picked up a few of the notes to
Grandma Leah that were on her table.
"Dear Grandma Leah, thanks for
the cute card and 5 dollars:) Hope we see you at Christmas :) I
miss you!) Love you too :0 Love Brenna PS have a stupendous
day!!
Grandma was always happy to see
me--and anyone I dragged in with me. She was always very welcoming to anyone.
My friend Amy said she felt like grandma treated her like one of her own grand
kids. Amy wants grandma to know that she is thinking of her and loves her.
She let me and Jill come every
summer and stay with her. She took us camping and to stay at Bear Lake. She
played volleyball on the beach with us and made us call her Leah - cuz when we
yelled "get it grandma" she was afraid people would come over and
gawk at an old lady playing volleyball.
She always thought of others-
always. You should never call her during a Jazz game , One of the best
things ever was her surprise party theme of the house in Wilderswil. I've never
laughed so hard!!
She made me take her fishing once.
She had trimming shears and saws in the back of the car. Also some rope. Turns
out I was there to cut branches back or to throw a rope over an overhanging
limb and tie it back so she could properly cast her fishing line. There
is so much she taught me by the way she lived. love you Grandma!
Jodi
Grandma Leah, I thank you for
funding me and my friends trip to Lava. I would also like to let you know
we had a safe and enjoyable trip down the river. Thank you for being the
best Grandma there ever was, Tyson
i love you, Grandma! Thank you for
being so amazing. I love you! Love Adrie Lia
To Grandma Leah, I love you.
I know that you are sad that Grandpa died. I'm too. Thanks for being a
great Grandma. from Emilie
I love you grandma oh yes I do, I
don't love anyone as much as you, When your not around me I'm blue, oh grandma
I love U, love Lauren Guthrie
Dear grandma Leah,
I have so enjoyed having you in my
life. you always have the funniest stories and the cleanest house
:) For your information your shoes are in style and I have 4 pairs, we're
twinzies! Haha I also want you to know I keep you in my prayer and in my
heart I hope to grow up to be like you, much love Isabelle
Guthrie
Dear Grandma, I hope you feel
better, i want to grow up just like you. I love you. you are so
awesome,xoxoxoxoxoxoxox from Annika you are a star.
Grandma ~ There are so man FABULOUS
memories I have of you and coming to your house ever since I was little.
Whenever I think of Christmas, your house is first to come to mind. it
was filled with love, people, food, bread, and FUN!! Everyone felt loved
by you and Grandpa!
I loved being at Utah State because
I knew you were close and a little bit of "HOME" helped me. I
loved hearing the stories you told me of coming and taking care of me when I
was a little baby and my mom was in the hospital. I will always think of
you when I see 'BLUEBERRY BUCKLE'.
You are such a service oriented
person and I never saw you not helping someone in need. I admire you and
hope to be as good of a mother, grandma, mother-in-law, aunt, sister, and etc.
as you have been! I love you! Jana
I wish I could read all the rest of the things that were
written about Mom and to Mom and Dad.
Mom lived life fully to the
end. She was always busy, had a list of things to do and birthday and
well wishes to send. She wrote to all of her missionary grandchildren
once a week. She crocheted around the edges of baby blankets for all her
grand kids, great-grandkids, nieces, nephews and their children. She
was still working on them last week. Her table held 10 or 15 thank
yous that she had recently received. When we heard she was ill, her
hospital room and home were filled with worried family and friends.
One of her grandsons wrote
"Grandma's life was like a very good book. The many chapters left you at
times both speechless and humbled, fulfilled and thoughtful. As the pages
turned, you'd find yourself wanting for more and at the same time, hoping it
would never end. As we turned the final pages, we learned so much about her
love and sacrifice as she sat by her husband through his final trials, making
him comfortable and bringing him home again. It is a book that we'll return to
often, searching for favored quotes and stories, looking for guidance and
solace. It's well-thumbed pages will never be re-written, and no sequel would
ever do it justice. It is a classic; within its tomes a heartwarming tale of a
life well-lived, a love story, and a touching memoir. We'll miss her dearly,
and as the years pass and the pages unfold, we'll gain a greater understanding
of the lives she not only touched, but changed in immeasurable ways."
I love you Mom
Other things to add if I have the
time.
I was always so excited to go to
Grandma's house. Sneaking creamies from the freezer, frozen burritos,
homemade bread. i remember getting out the coloring books in the drawer
by the phone, playing Strawberry rummy, making "potions" in the
bathroom with various toiletries. I remember a Christmas when she made me
a sleeping bag with my name on it. i remember when Nikki and I were
sitting on a hammock and she called us "2-ton hee-vies"
On a recent visit with her, I learned that you don't always have to give the
sister you visit teach a gift of some sort. They'll probably just throw it away
anyway. In her words "What am I going to do with this
junk??" I've also learned the importance of remembering the little things
like a birthday. I can't tell you how excited my kids get when they get a
letter in the mail from Grandma Leah. If anything, the thing I'll maybe
remember most is that she loved her family...those who are dead and alive...but
she sure did spend a lot of time getting to know the dead ones! I know
there's always more work to be done but Grandma made just doing simple family
history impossible for me! I love you Grandma!!
Jamie
Hi
Grandma Leah, This is from Justin. Thanks for being such a great grandma. You
have always been such a great example to me. The love that you give to all your
family is great. I always have felt the love you have had for me and each time
I have visited you I have felt welcome and cared about. I loved that there was
always fat boys or creamies in the freezer and bread and treats in the
cupboards. We were always well fed and cared for in your home. I was also
always glad to receive your letters on my mission as they helped me to keep on
going knowing I had the faith of family supporting me. I still have a tie that
you sent me on my mission and I always think of you when I wear it. I never
heard you speak ill of anyone (well at least anyone not on the Jazz). We wish
we could be there to see you. The little girls remember you in their prayers
and Heidi was so excited yesterday to use the birthday money you sent her to
buy a book at the book fair at school. They have fond memories of you and
Grandpa Hap.
One
time I was up there with one of my friends and she said "I'm glad at least
some of my grand kids wear matching socks, those Thomas' kids wear mismatched
socks, they say it's their trademark. I say it's their nerd mark." I
always laugh when I think of that.
Thanks
for everything you have done for me and my family. We miss you and love you!
Justin
Terri,
I am sorry to hear that Grandma is
not getting better, but I do know that she is a feisty woman so she may have
some fighting left in her. I didn't get to spend a whole lot of time with her,
but my first impression of her was that she was an amazing grandma and
great-grandma (and mom of course raising all of you kids), because she had lots
of good food and treats, toys and games, hugs and kisses, smiles and advice,
everything grandparents should have! She even greeted me with a hug and I
didn't even know her. I am glad that she taught me how to play strawberry rummy
and although frustrating, it was really fun, because I always played cards with
my grandparents, so I felt right at home. Going on hospice is not usually the
best of signs, but if anyone can recover from this it would be Lea.
My parents also continue to pray for
her and the family and even they spoke great things of her the one time that
they got to meet her. We all thought she was entertaining, energetic and
talkative, but all in a very good way.
I am glad you made it safely home
and are able to be with her.
Love, Cassandra
If you get a chance, and maybe you
have talked to Jason lately, but try to get him to write something or talk to
someone about what he remembers of Grandma Lea would be good for him, after all
she did write to him very often, which was another thing that really impressed
me about her.
I like how Grandma is the same to
every grand kid or anybody else that comes to the house. She does not
judge them on anything going on in their life but just loves them for who they
are. If anybody ever needs a confidence or morale booster all they have
to do is talk to Leah. And I like how she is the only one that can affect
dad by talking trash to him in any competitive thing Jason
Here are a few memories that we wanted to share.
Emilie's memories of grandma are that she is really nice and fun to be
with. She liked going to her house. She always had toys to play
with or things to do. She remembers making a dolphin with her colored
beads. She sure loves her Grandma
I looked forward to visiting Grandma when we came up to Utah for
Christmas. I always felt very comfortable at her house and enjoyed being
with her. There was always Swiss Bread in the cupboard Fat Boys in the
freezer. We were welcome to it all. She would say "if
you go hungry it is your own fault." She always sent birthday cards
and thoughtful Christmas presents every year. I know she cared about each
one of her grandchildren.
Love you,
Janette
Thoughts
about Grandma:
-She was always glad to see us when
we came to visit
-Always remembers birthdays
-Wonderful homemade bread
-Gives good advice
-Tells good stories
-Is interested about how are doing
in life, jobs, family etc...
Jeff
Hope everyone is holding up--
Here's our family memories of Leah
Chelsea--Christmas time at
Grandma Leah's..making snowmen and eating homemade bread. Never got mad.
Zach--playing with toys, snowball
fights, Leah always let us do what we wanted
Logan--root beer and bead
making..climbing the tree was fun
Austin--the beads and toys
Jill--Grandma Leah--excepted
everyone and always could find the good in people. Eating homemade bread, Leah
singing, matching nightgowns, watching basketball on her bed, Christmas quilts,
and washing the dishes are memories from the Holmstead house. Leah is a
great example of service. She always put others before herself. Jill
