GK Memoirs

One day mountain biking in the Payson Lakes area of Utah, George and his friend Phil Anderson were nearly surrounded by a herd of elk grazing.

This story was recorded on March 24, 2023.

George tells the story of skiing at Snowbird around 1996 when an avalanche came into the parking lot of Snowbird and then more avalanches knocked cars off of the Little Cottonwood Canyon road. After that, no one was allowed to leave the ski lodge, so George and two of his sons, Mike and Joe, spent the night on the hard floor of the ski lodge.

This story was recorded on March 24, 2023.

Laurel Dean describes how their friend group from college, particularly the Browns, followed each other around the country.  Because of this, they had several friends come for their baby blessings.  This made it feel like they had family close by even when they were living far away from her family in California.

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

Laurel Dean talks about when George's dad visited them in Utah and couldn't stop kissing baby Michael.

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

Laurel Dean describes their early married life living in a basement in Springville as she taught school there.  

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

Laurel Dean describes their honeymoon, including going to Disneyland, going to Santa's Village, and staying in a cabin at Bear Lake in the Sierras.

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

Laurel Dean describes their wedding day at the Los Angeles Temple and how their friends, the Browns, got married that same day in the same temple.

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.  

When George met Laurel Dean's family, he fell asleep while they were showing him their family home movies.  Laurel Dean also mentions first meeting George's parents and grandmother.  

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.  

Laurel Dean shares about getting pulled over and the police officer telling her not to cuddle with George as he drives.

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

Laurel Dean shares the story of an earlier engagement she had that she had broken off after that man met her family and it didn't go so well.  

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

Laurel Dean describes their second date which was to the Salt Lake Genealogy Library.  On the bus to go there, George pulled out a yellow legal pad and began asking her about her finances.  Later, Laurel Dean's good credit helped them rent a car.

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

Laurel Dean describes making the choice to accept George's marriage proposal.  She prays in her closet and receives a quick answer.

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

Laurel Dean describes how she was going on dates with two guys, George and Brad, having lunch with Brad and dinner with George every day.  George found out and gave Laurel Dean an ultimatum to choose one of them.  Laurel Dean knew she was going to choose George, and they started dating exclusively.  

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

Laurel Dean says one thing she wanted in her future husband was that he would be an Eagle Scout.  Her friends then asked George if he was an Eagle Scout and he immediately pulled out his Eagle Scout card as proof that he was.

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

Laurel Dean describes how she met George at Alta Apartments when they were students at BYU.  She talks about flirting with George after her friend Jodie told her that George liked her.  She describes their first date at Lagoon, and how she was horrified by the scary rides but George loved them.  

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

George describes living with Laurel Dean in a basement in a widow's home in Springville after getting married.

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

George describes meeting Laurel Dean's family and experiencing their Christmas traditions like spending Christmas Eve making home movies of them hanging their stockings, and giving breakfast cereal as gifts to the children.

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

George describes his honeymoon with Laurel Dean where they stayed in a cabin, went to Santa Barbara and Disneyland, and then spent Christmas with Laurel Dean's family in Culver City, California.

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.

George tells about getting married to Laurel Dean in the Los Angeles Temple and how they decided not to have a wedding reception, but instead they had a dinner with her family before going on their honeymoon.

This story was recorded on February 26, 2023.