Uncle John
Originally Posted Monday, March 17, 2014
John T Stoker 1942-2014
My uncle, my dad's brother. A man that knew everything about anything. Period. He passed away last week on March 10, 2014.
http://www.myers-mortuary.com/obituary/John-T-Stoker/Ogden-UT/1353256
One of my first memories about my Uncle John was back in 1969. I was only 2 years old. In fact I was 2 years and 2 months old on July 20, 1969 when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. We were in Sterling, Utah at my Great Grandma Thomas's house. Now, of course, this was before mainstream color TV or Cable. She had an old black and white TV in the corner of the living room and it was wired to a TV antenna on the roof of the house. Sterling is about 130 miles and a few mountain ranges south of Salt Lake City (where the TV stations broadcast from) but I don't know how far from any repeater towers. But this is the part that I remember...Uncle John on the roof fiddling with the antenna and my dad fiddling with the TV. I also remember walking out the old screen door to see Uncle John on the roof and going back in to see the snowy image pop in and out on the TV.
Another time I remember was late 1971 or early 1972. My parents just bought this new import car that not many people had heard of before. It was a Toyota...a White 1971 Toyota Corona. I was 4 years old and remember watching my dad and uncle drilling a hole in the top of the fender to install a radio antenna. In those days, a radio was an option I guess.
I remember that Uncle John and Aunt Florence were the family of firsts. They were the first people I know that had an Atari and my first video games were Pong, Breakout and Haunted House. They were the first to have cable TV. I remember hearing Uncle talk about Home Box Office (now known as HBO) and how you could watch full length, unedited, commercial free movies! Oh and don't forget my first experience with MTV!
We spent a lot of time and their house and while my parents chatted, etc. I would watch a lot of TV, play video games or pool on their pool table. In the summer, there was a lot of time spent outside on the tire swing or hanging with the neighbor kids or cousins. I also remember learning all of the Crayola Crayon colors in the box of 64. You know, the one with the sharpener built into the back?
Uncle was always innovating. I was there when Uncle and Dad converted Uncle's house from a standard rambler with a basement to a split entry - jack hammering the foundation to create a new entryway. Saw the duct system that he created to move hot air from the wood burning stove to the rest of the house. There when he built a large deck with benches that had convertible backrests that changed into tables. There to watch the building of a garage. Watched as a 1964 Mustang was restored in that said garage. Got to drive the old 1968(?) Chevy truck that he put a governor in and converted it from a 4 speed to an 8 speed. Drove the MG TD kit car that he made out of an old Pinto.
Learned a little about guns, electronics, fishing, you name it...I do remember that the orange band on a resistor meant "3" because, as he drew a sketch of a 3 on its side with 'straps' and holding oranges in its 'cups' ala brassier. Leave it to a teenager to remember something like that.
The greatest memory I have of Uncle John and one of the greatest times in my life was when he, my Uncle Bob, Dad and I backpacked 15 miles in the Uinta Mountains of Utah in 1985. My cousin drove us up to the top of Gardners Fork near the Weber River. Proceeded to our first lake - I believe Rhodes Lake. This is where Uncle John surprised me by walking to a pile of rocks and pulling out a large cast iron griddle! This griddle we used to make some flapjacks the next morning then it was greased up and stashed for the next trip. I asked about that griddle many times over the years and only got bits of information about it. My Uncle Bob recently told me how Uncle John found it while exploring the area. It was a bit rusty but after a few trips to that lake and some butter and grease, they got it back to working condition. They suspect someone on a horse originally brought it to the lake. After leaving the area of Rhodes and Olsen lakes, it was off to Anchor Lake, Jerry Lake and many others as we wound around the headwaters of the Weber River. This was back when there was no GPS and we used a map and compass to lead the way. I remember a couple things Uncle John taught me on this trip. Its easier to walk around an object (such as a downed log) with a pack on than to step over it. Another was to follow a contour line around a hill so you don't waste energy climbing up and down. This trek took us to the headwaters of the Weber, Provo and Bear Rivers all at once. Although Uncle's John and Bob hiked into Rhodes and Olsen lakes many times, I think this was the first time they traveled to Anchor Lake and then around to Trial Lake. This is where my cousin picked us up again several days later.
John Stoker, Jerry Stoker, Bob Dalton standing next to a benchmark resting in a cairn; Uinta Mts 1985
Aunt Florence and Uncle John, You were both taken away from us too soon and I miss you both. Aunt Florence, you are in my thoughts every time we make a wedding cake or just about any craft item. Uncle, I think of you every time I am backpacking, thinking of electronics or pool. We lived so close but seemed so far away with our busy lives.
My uncle, my dad's brother. A man that knew everything about anything. Period. He passed away last week on March 10, 2014.
http://www.myers-mortuary.com/obituary/John-T-Stoker/Ogden-UT/1353256
One of my first memories about my Uncle John was back in 1969. I was only 2 years old. In fact I was 2 years and 2 months old on July 20, 1969 when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. We were in Sterling, Utah at my Great Grandma Thomas's house. Now, of course, this was before mainstream color TV or Cable. She had an old black and white TV in the corner of the living room and it was wired to a TV antenna on the roof of the house. Sterling is about 130 miles and a few mountain ranges south of Salt Lake City (where the TV stations broadcast from) but I don't know how far from any repeater towers. But this is the part that I remember...Uncle John on the roof fiddling with the antenna and my dad fiddling with the TV. I also remember walking out the old screen door to see Uncle John on the roof and going back in to see the snowy image pop in and out on the TV.
Another time I remember was late 1971 or early 1972. My parents just bought this new import car that not many people had heard of before. It was a Toyota...a White 1971 Toyota Corona. I was 4 years old and remember watching my dad and uncle drilling a hole in the top of the fender to install a radio antenna. In those days, a radio was an option I guess.
I remember that Uncle John and Aunt Florence were the family of firsts. They were the first people I know that had an Atari and my first video games were Pong, Breakout and Haunted House. They were the first to have cable TV. I remember hearing Uncle talk about Home Box Office (now known as HBO) and how you could watch full length, unedited, commercial free movies! Oh and don't forget my first experience with MTV!
We spent a lot of time and their house and while my parents chatted, etc. I would watch a lot of TV, play video games or pool on their pool table. In the summer, there was a lot of time spent outside on the tire swing or hanging with the neighbor kids or cousins. I also remember learning all of the Crayola Crayon colors in the box of 64. You know, the one with the sharpener built into the back?
Uncle was always innovating. I was there when Uncle and Dad converted Uncle's house from a standard rambler with a basement to a split entry - jack hammering the foundation to create a new entryway. Saw the duct system that he created to move hot air from the wood burning stove to the rest of the house. There when he built a large deck with benches that had convertible backrests that changed into tables. There to watch the building of a garage. Watched as a 1964 Mustang was restored in that said garage. Got to drive the old 1968(?) Chevy truck that he put a governor in and converted it from a 4 speed to an 8 speed. Drove the MG TD kit car that he made out of an old Pinto.
Learned a little about guns, electronics, fishing, you name it...I do remember that the orange band on a resistor meant "3" because, as he drew a sketch of a 3 on its side with 'straps' and holding oranges in its 'cups' ala brassier. Leave it to a teenager to remember something like that.
The greatest memory I have of Uncle John and one of the greatest times in my life was when he, my Uncle Bob, Dad and I backpacked 15 miles in the Uinta Mountains of Utah in 1985. My cousin drove us up to the top of Gardners Fork near the Weber River. Proceeded to our first lake - I believe Rhodes Lake. This is where Uncle John surprised me by walking to a pile of rocks and pulling out a large cast iron griddle! This griddle we used to make some flapjacks the next morning then it was greased up and stashed for the next trip. I asked about that griddle many times over the years and only got bits of information about it. My Uncle Bob recently told me how Uncle John found it while exploring the area. It was a bit rusty but after a few trips to that lake and some butter and grease, they got it back to working condition. They suspect someone on a horse originally brought it to the lake. After leaving the area of Rhodes and Olsen lakes, it was off to Anchor Lake, Jerry Lake and many others as we wound around the headwaters of the Weber River. This was back when there was no GPS and we used a map and compass to lead the way. I remember a couple things Uncle John taught me on this trip. Its easier to walk around an object (such as a downed log) with a pack on than to step over it. Another was to follow a contour line around a hill so you don't waste energy climbing up and down. This trek took us to the headwaters of the Weber, Provo and Bear Rivers all at once. Although Uncle's John and Bob hiked into Rhodes and Olsen lakes many times, I think this was the first time they traveled to Anchor Lake and then around to Trial Lake. This is where my cousin picked us up again several days later.
Aunt Florence and Uncle John, You were both taken away from us too soon and I miss you both. Aunt Florence, you are in my thoughts every time we make a wedding cake or just about any craft item. Uncle, I think of you every time I am backpacking, thinking of electronics or pool. We lived so close but seemed so far away with our busy lives.
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