Twinkle and Binkle, The Starr News: Lanny turned the big 70 Thursday, January 26, 2012

Can you believe it. Lanny is 70 years old, how cool is that. Course he would like to feel like a 30 year old, but no such luck. He has experienced many things and accomplished many things in his short 70 years. I have included some pictures of his beginnings, his middle years and his early senior years. He is striving towards his golden years now. Saturday, January 28, 2012 Brent and Stefanie came to town and we met them at Shari's for breakfast. Had a great time. Later in the afternoon Gary, Hiromi, Elica, and Shogo came from Cheney and celebrated our birthday. Later that evening Larry and Richelle picked us up in their Navigator and took us to Soap Lake to Don's Restaurant for a nice dinner. Thanks kids, we have been treated quite royally.
I am writing a little bit about Lanny and he is of me. I haven't yet read his of me! Nor has he read mine of his. I have tried to show some of his character and attributes in relating a vacation we
took in 1987. Everyone knows he is a character, but enveloped in that character are some good attributes which he inherited from his mom and dad, grandma and grandpa.
Our 1987 vacation to Utah:
We (Lanny, Richelle, Gary, Stefanie, Angie and I) arrived at Dad and Mom Starr (Carl and Nola) about 3:30 PM. Nola was recovering from a heart attack and was taking it a little easy. Monday July 27 we had a pleasant suprise while with Dad and Mom. Lanny's youngest sister Karen brought Craig's child Angela by. This was the first time the kids have had a chance to play aunts and uncle to her, so they were excited. Lanny had the opportunty to have some grandpa time with her.
Later we visited Uncle John's but he wasn't there, so we waited. Soon the wind began to blow and lightning flashed. We got inside John's enclosed porch and waited. Before the wind had come up Lanny and his dad had seen a skunk run into the grarage, and they made a mental note to remind John there was a skunk in his garage. He had already been skunked once before.
When we got back to Dad's house, the kids went downstairs to go to bed. They were back in a flash. There was a Bettle Invasion since the storm, so they all slept upstairs on the livingroom floor, despite the fact that Lanny went downstairs and killed six, seven or more of the crunchy critters.
We stopped in Pleasant View and visited with Frank and Carol, my sister. Frank was very ill and we were surprised to see him looking as well as he did. He was a special individual and loved by the family as well as many others. We stopped at Temple Square and walked around and enjoyed the sights. Angie's legs were hurting badly so Lanny carried her on his back. We went from there to visit with my mother, Irene Smith. While there Lanny hot packed Angie's legs, and from a pair of his stockings cut out the toes and wrapped her legs with the stockings..
Afterwards he worked on my mother's car. Lanny has always been good about helping mom. When we lived in American Fork he would disappear but I would know where he was. He would be helping mom with getting the apples ready to grind and help grind them. Afterwards they would wash the peelings off the applecider grinder and surrounding area. He helped her do whatever farm chore she was working on or whatever needed to be repaired.
He never sat around but was always finding something to do.
On the way back we stopped at Plymouth to say goodbye to Mom and Dad Starr. Val Gibb needed some help with the hay wagon so Lanny went to help. When he returned he called and invited Craig and Trudy and their two kids to dinner. Nola fixed a roast, mash potatoes and much more. They arrived and we had a pleasant visit. This was our first visit with Trudy because we had missed her the year before. The kids played with Angela and enjoyed seeing her again. They stayed for the afternoon then Craig and Trudy went to work.
We took the long way home and stopped at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. After leaving Jackson Hole, we followed Cache Street toward the Tetan National Forest. When Lanny saw the Tetans he was breathless. He was totally awed by them. He could easily have been a mountain man and lived in the mountains, fished in the rivers, hunted and been very happy.
He occasionally tries to convince me that we should move to Alaska and live along the river where he could hunt and fish at his leisure. If it were to be an ideal situation, he would want a small plane sitting in the river outback for quick trips.
We zipped through Yellowstone Park only stopping at Old Faithful and Upper Falls. We stopped at Mammoth and viewed the elk grazing. We stopped at Livingston, Montana for the night. The kids enjoyed staying at the motels and cooling off in the swimming pools.
During our time in the car while traveling, Lanny and Angie were kind enough to serenade us with their favorite songs. Lanny would begin and Angie would echo or harmonize. She had learned some of Lanny's old time favorites; some that Uncle John and Aunt Lois use to sing, "Fertiliza," and "You Are My Sunshine."
Lanny loved his parents very much, he never allowed anyone to speak disrespectfully of them. He is a man of many talents. Where he got his love for western music I'm not sure. John Wayne was his idol. Lanny can be blunt at times but has a kind heart. He has always been good about helping with the kids when they are sick Actually his compassion is what endeared me to him after we first met and started dating. I had gotten the stomach flu while living at Esther Hall. He came and got me and took me to Frank and Carol's and cared for me. He loves his kids, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren very much.. Hats off to dear ol' Lanny aka Pete aka
Twinkle aka Dad aka Grandpa, aka Great-Grandpa. Happy Birthday dear. Luv ya, Arlene

Lanny H Starr

Angela, Brian and Stefanie

Sandra, Curtis, Lanny
Chad, Karen and Kim

Grandma and Grandpa Starr leisurely enjoying themselves

Uncle John Starr and Lanny

Dad and Son

Lanny and Angie near Temple Square

Giddiup Go

Dr. Starr

Hanging out; Lanny, Stefanie and Richelle

Lanny with Bunny, Dough Estep with Tiny

Grandpa/Great-Grandpa

Grandchildren: Zack, Ryan, Grandpa, Angela and Brian

Time out

Look alikes

Angie, Pa and Ma

Lanny's favorite ice-cream place, that's our reason for going to Utah!

Arlene Smith Starr turns 68 January 27, 2012
My Wife Arlene, by Lanny H Starr

Arlene, my wife, your mother, and your grandma, has twisted my arm and insists that I write a page about her for her birthday to be entered in the Twinkle & Binkle family Blog. Well here goes! I think you all know that we first met on a blind date. I was blind and I don't know what her excuse was!
OK time to get serious! Arlene was a blond when I first met her. She wore a pair of blue and white striped pants which really fit nice. I learned later that they were a pair of "Community" pants, as they got passed around to be worn by most of the girls at Esther Hall, which was where she was living in Ogden, Utah.
She was very easy to talk to on our first date. This made it easier to ask her out again. I didn't want her to know it but I was hooked very early in our relationship. I don't remember how long it took but I finally got up the nerve to ask her to marry me and she said yes. Not too long after we were engaged our plans were interrupted by Uncle Sam who sent me a letter telling me I had been drafted. The Viet Nam war was in full swing and I had no doubt where I would end up. I told Arlene I didn't feel I could hold her to her promise to marry me under the circumstances. I said she could keep the ring and if she waited for me that would be great, but if she found someone else I would understand. I didn't want her to end up a young widow. I left for Fort Lewis Washington for basic training. We wrote letters to each other and I called her when I could. They told us we would be going home for Christmas for two weeks so I told Arlene I would be coming home. She told me we were going to get married. That's when I first learned to say "Yes Dear, Whatever You Say Dear". These words have served me well throughout our 44 years of marriage. We were married December 20, 1967 in the Logan Temple. We have been blessed with four great children and a lot of grandchildren. We have had a good life together. Yes children we have had our fights and disagreements also but through it all we have loved each other and still do. I love you Babe and I'm thankful you have been willing to share life with me all these years. Happy Birthday.