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Here, gathered in our beloved South Dakota, are a few members of our Williamson / Mattson Clan. Charles and Luella are to be blamed (be kind, they didn't know what they were doing). We're generally a happy bunch and somewhat intelligent (notwithstanding our tenuous grasp on reality). I'm also proud to say that most of us still have our teeth.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Pictures from Victor's Albums 1970's and 80's South Dakota, Utah.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
What's a Sunday without a few pictures from my old photo albums? Hold on, the Way Back Machine is about to whisk you 30 odd years back in time to simpler days. These pictures are entirely random and presented as they appear in the albums.

The Backyard Gathering

Forrest DelGrosso, Annette Williamson, Brandon DelGrosso and Lisa Williamson in the backyard of our humble abode at 2214 38th Street, Rapid City. This picture was taken in the late 1970's. Brandon is always happy. I could never figure out why? At first we thought there was something wrong with him. Turned out he was just pure boy - mischievous to a fault. That smile hide something devilish he had planned for someone unsuspecting.

Lisa is in the throws of another attitude attack. She had quite a few of them in those days.
Rest assured I was saying "Smile!". She chose not to comply.


And another of happy Brandon DelGrosso with innocent Annette. I love the missing tooth. Perhaps he was overexcited for the prospect of another visit from the tooth fairy and a bright new shiny dime to add to his collection (hey, those were the days when a dime could by 10 red vines!).

What can one say about Annette? Her mother would say "perfect child". I would tend to agree.

Lisa granted the photographer a smile. While not her best, it was the best I could get. Forrest - what a handsome young man. For years we wondered if his mother ever fed him. He was a all skin stretched over bone and sinew. Of course, there was the theory that Brandon ate for two in those days - leaving Forrest the table scraps.

The Williamson Family Reunion. Late 1970's

I'm sure I have more pictures of this reunion, but I'm not taking the time to organize my albums. If I did nothing would get posted.

In this picture we have Charles Williamson's half sister Kriss with her family at the Williamson family reunion. Today Aunt Kriss lives in Montana.

On the way back from Spearfish we stopped along the interstate so Charles could show us his latest project, a railroad tunnel under I90. Luella wasn't the least bit interested and stayed in the car to read. Don't know why the baked beans sat on the top of the car. Perhaps we forgot to put them in twenty miles back.

This was our yellow Rambler Station wagon. It is a true Williamson car and I can prove it. Look closely at the windshield wipers. Notice anything? The wiper on the passenger's side is missing. That alone qualifies it as a Williamson vehicle. Rest assured, no matter what happened to be missing from any of our cars (windshield wiper, floorboard, window roller upper, gear shifter, muffler etc) Charles kept them immaculately clean through and through. We were proud to be seen driving in the cleanest junker in Rapid City!


Charles, Annette, Janice and Lisa standing under I90 in Charles' new railroad bridge.

A rare picture indeed. Jilane sitting behind the wheel of our yellow Rambler Stationwagon. This was taken around the time of the family reunion. I say that because Charles never let anyone drive when he was in the car. He drove and that was that.

Jilane may have been learning to drive in this picture. It makes sense because I'm in the back seat snapping the photo. No one in their right mind would be in the front seat with Jilane. Remember, we didn't have air bags in those days and Jilane had a fascination with her appearance in the rear view mirror (to the horror of many a driver coming towards us in the opposite lane of traffic). The safest place to be was in the back seat, belted in with the St. Christoper medallion in hand. I kept it in the glove compartment.

This picture is a mystery. Jilane Williamson is on the far right with a few high school friends I'm guessing. It looks like they are at a park.


The Mattson California Adventure. Early 1980's

I don't remember exactly when we went on our California Vacation. It was the early 1980's for sure. Cousin Shane (Uncle Marvin and Aunt Pam's oldest boy) and I went with John and Bev and the kids. In this picture - Joseph, Kirk, Jake and Shane. Seat belts? Who needs them. Uncle John was driving.

They played a trick on me during the long drive through Nevada.
"Hey, did you know you can honk the horn just by pushing on the van's roof?" John said from the driver's seat.
"That's ridiculous," I answered. "Why would a car let you honk the horn by pushing on the roof?" I shot back.
"Try it." Everyone watched. I reached overhead and pushed the van's roof with my index finger.
Sure enough, the horn sounded. I was amazed at the technology and tried it several times until everyone's laughter made me suspect I was the brunt of a well played joke. Uncle John was watching me in the rear view mirror and honked the horn every time I pushed on the roof.

The California Vacationers. Left to Right. Shane Mattson, Uncle John, Joseph, Angie, Camille,
Aunt Bev, Gina, Jake and finally Kirk.

Here we are at Knott's Berry Farm. We needed a break. I was sicker than a dog from some ride.


Joseph Mattson waiting patiently for me to feel better so we could get on the next ride.

With Grandma Mattson in American Fork

Grandma Mattson was visiting so I took a couple pictures. Grandma and her eldest son Uncle John sitting on John and Bev's couch in their living room in American Fork.

Grandma Mattson with grandchildren. Joseph, Camille and Kirk.

And a rare picture of yours truly with my Grandma Mattson. I was at BYU at the time and living in Provo. Those glasses were styling in their day. The larger the frames the better.

A Day Out with the Seminary Class

These pictures were taken in the spring of 1980. I returned from an LDS mission to England in September 1979. My first calling back in Rapid City was to teach early morning seminary. The class started every morning at 6:30 A.M. (if I could get the girls out of the church's bathroom).
In this picture you see Don Christensen, Jilane Williamson, Paula Thomas and John Christensen..

And finally, twins Don and Jon Christensen in front of my yellow 1972 Buick Skylark.


Thanks for stopping by,
Victor

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