What's in a name?

Sydnee Sue Gardner

Sue is the 4th child of Sid and Deon Bastian. She was referred to as the “conference baby” because her father, a Bishop at the time, was attending general conference in SLC on the day of her birth, October 5, 1945. She looked so much like her father Sidney Bastian that even after three boys he named her “Sydnee” Sue.  She was born in Salina, UT but her home was in a little small farming community called Vermillion. 

    The family moved to “Treasure Valley” in the Nampa/Boise, Idaho area in 1950 where Dad owned a Dairy farm. Sue recalls: "I did not care for the farming life. So, in high school I tried doing a little modeling, but quickly found it was far too “worldly” for me to continue doing.

    Thereafter, I attended Steven Hengar Business School in SLC and then transferred to BYU. While in SLC I started dating Erv, who was 9 yrs older than me (a fact that horrorified my mother); nevertheless, after I moved to LA to work and joined the the LA singles scene, he finally saw the “light” and married me in the Salt Lake Temple on October 22, 1965. We immediately moved to his home town of  Colo. Spgs., CO where we lived and worked for the next 32 years and where we had our seven children.

  Those were wonderful years raising our family. When the first children started going to college and on missions I returned to work and for the last 20 years, I have worked as the manager of a dental office. This has been very fulfilling for me. Because of family and business conditions we picked up and moved to Provo, UT in 1997, where I have thoroughly enjoyed the educational and cultural opportunities of that area. 

      I have been blessed to serve as president as well as counselor and teacher in all of the church auxiliaries and as a stake missionary. My hobbies have been my church callings, but I also love to read, go for long walks and attend all the CES classes I can go to.  My greatest joy is our family and our 21 grandchildren.  This mission (St. George Visitor Center) is something we have looked forward to ever since we were married 45 years ago.  We're thrilled to be able to give back to the Lord.

ERVIN GARDNER

  I was born in Colorado Springs, Co. just after my father had moved to CO from UT to play “pro” basketball in 1936. Later, while visiting relatives in southern UT in 1953, I responded to a “dare”  and registered for high school in Kanab, where I was elected student body president and “had” to stay for 2 yrs. Those were wonderful years for the “city boy” who loved hunting, riding horses and exploring. 

    After serving a mission in Uruguay/Paraguay for 2 ½ years I graduated from BYU with a BA in Pol Sci. in 1962. I worked the next 11 years as a Real Estate developer for a Colo. Spgs. home builder and in 1974 started my own RE brokerage firm, Gardner Realty Investment Co., which totally occupied me for the next 23 years. The family moved to Provo in 1997 where I again became involved in the Land Development business for a SLC home builder. I finally decided to “retire” at age 70. 

   My hobbies are (were) mountain climbing (hiking); I thoroughly enjoy climbing around in Colorado's “Fourteen-er” country. I also enjoy studying and writing about gospel subjects. 

   I have had various calling from Gospel Doctrine teacher to Scoutmaster, and Bishop's Councilor to  the High Council. The most rewarding was in the Seventies as a Stake missionary.  I, too, am excited to serve in the Lord's vineyard in the Utah St. George Visitor Center Mission.

Sydnee Sue at Sid's Funeral

Sue at Barry's Funeral

 Christmas newsletter 2002

 Christmas newsletter 2005 Steven, Matt, Erv, Taylor, Jonathan, Nicole, Sue, Kristie and Sarah
In 2007 Erv retired and Sue finished the remodeling of Grandma and Grandpa's Condo in Provo, UT.  The baby of the family Sarah was married to Dr. Trevor Ellison in the Boston Temple.  ALL of Sue and Erv's children were in the temple for this wedding.

Sue and Erv's posterity keeps growing.  The Gardner family is a wonderful example of a family who lives the gospel and who find humor in the face of trials and joy in the journey.

Name with a meaning

In Webster's dictionary a bastion is a fortified area or a stronghold and synonyms being fortress, castle. 

 One clever Bastian member of the Lewis Bastian family came up with this drawing of our Bastian family nameGerry Banfield Bastian and Lewis Bastian's son rendered this depiction of our family name.  (Photo Lorriane Avila, Gerry, Lewis, Dave, Nina Varela, Linda Johnson, Christian, Matt and Daniel)

I love the modern "coat of arms"  for our family name. We are a tower of strength-- especially when we band together with love and righteousness and have the Savior as a watchmen on the towers. 

In Memory of Sidney Bastian

Sept 12, 1983 marks the day that Sidney Bastian passed away.  His presence is never far away, and he has never been forgotten by his children, grandchildren or great grandchildren.  His memory and his posterity remain ever strong.  This is a picture of Sid with his red Allis Chalmers tractor working the green silage. 

 (His son Barry stands on the silage)

 I was born in 1967, and I was just three when Sid posed for these photos.  Three things I remember about Grandpa Sid.
1) He loved the Harvest:  the smell of the soil and chopped corn, the work of it, and the pleasure of seeing a job well done.

2) He loved his khaki pith helmet. These pith helmets were made from the stem of vascular plants, fitting for a farmer (these were worn originally by British Troops during colonial periods but were adopted by the US Army in the 1880s to protect men in intensely sunny climates)

3) He loved his shovel.  If there is an implement that reminds me of Grandpa Sid it is a shovel.  He would stand as tall and as straight and never bent from labor.  He was as strong as the steel on the broad blade and could move large loads of soil quickly and effectively.  Grandpa Sid said "When it was my time to go,  I want to be found in my field with a shovel."

(Photo; Back row Elaine & Morris Bastian, Sid and DeOn Bastian.  Children: Irene, Lori Bastian Brandt & Shonna Bastian Lappin ; on bike Katherine Bastian Moore)

Sid's Farm on McDermott Street in Nampa could be seen for miles around with the big white upright cement Silo bearing the name BASTIAN.  The farm was a model of cleanliness and beauty.  As a child that silo, holding tons of grain, was part of my identity.   Grandpa Sid like Joseph of old in the Bible "gathered up the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much... before the years of the famine came." Gen 41:48-50  Sid was a farmer with a vision and others followed his lead.  When I squirrel away items for our family food storage, that our prophets have counseled us to do religiously, in my mind I see Grandpa Sid's white silo, and I am deeply grateful for his example and his legacy.

Sid Bastian's Family Tree

Sid Bastian's, 2nd oldest son is MORRIS BASTIAN.

Morris was born December 13, 1937 in Vermillion, Utah, the second son of five children in the DeOn and Sidney Bastian family. Morris wrote: “I was born in my parents’ home. Doctor Noyes of Salina, Utah delivered me. He was our family doctor. Mother had great confidence in him. I was a homely child with big ears. My father said they had to tie me to my mother’s leg to get me to nurse. Because I was so ugly, mother kept trying to run away.”

Morris wrote this about his name. “Mom and Dad couldn’t agree on my name. Mother’s maiden name was Morrison, so she wanted to name me Morris. But when she suggested the name Quinn for my middle name, Dad said, “No!” For some reason he didn’t like the name Quinn. There is a joke in the family that suggests I was so ugly, that Dad took one look at me and said, “I quit!” Hence, they named me Morris Quits Bastian. Later, it was said they shortened my name to Morris “Q” Bastian to avoid the sigma and embarrassment of being named Morris “Quits” Bastian.”

When Morris was in the sixth grade, his parents bought a 120 acre dairy farm and moved their family to Nampa, Idaho. Morris missed leaving best friends/cousins: Art Barron, Alma Bastian, and Lewis Bastian. They called themselves the ETCHO GANG – Artie Etcho, Allie Etcho, Louie Etcho and Marti Etcho.

Morris related: "I played football, basketball and baseball in the 7^th and 8^th grades. I lettered in football, basketball and track in high school. I was president of my freshman, sophomore and junior classes, as well as student body president my senior year. I learned some great lessons while participating in sports, especially track. I ran the mile in high school and at Rick’s College. While in high school I trained hard and found that good, hard, disciplined training could compensate for lack of natural talent. I used to get up at four or five in the morning and run the three-mile section, milk 40 cows and then get ready for school. Then, in the 6^thperiod, athletics I ran another four or five miles and came home and milked the cows again." Morris was successful in school, sports, and church activities. He graduated from Kuna High School. (Incidentally, all four of the Etcho Gang graduated from high school, served missions for the LDS Church, earned college degrees, married in the temple and were stalwarts in their professions and communities.)

Shonna, Morris's oldest daughter observed: “Dad’s work ethic, desire for success and a strong belief in mankind as God’s greatest creation, motivated him and those around him.” He said of himself: “I worked hard during the summers. We always had chores to do – mainly milking cows, but in the summer we spent most of our hours and days in the beet field. From the time were eight, we were expected to thin one-half acre of beets and hoe one acre of beets per day. We didn’t always achieve it, but that was the expectation.”

Morris wrote: “I like to build things and learn how to make things work. I’ve learned how to plumb, wire electrical circuits, tune up cars, etc. I had a desire to create, build and understand how things function. I especially like to work with wood. I get a special feeling of accomplishment and achievement when I build and repair things.

Morris was called to serve an LDS mission following his graduation from high school and attending Ricks College for two years. He wrote: “I was called on an LDS mission to Northern California on January 26, 1958. I was set apart by S. Dilworth Young (general authority and a member of the Council of Seventy). I was released from my mission on April 20, 1960. My mission changed me in many ways. Certainly, I grew spiritually and matured a great deal; but I also gained a great desire to be a teacher and work with people instead of crops and cows. In retrospect, I guess you could say it dramatically altered my life and endowed me with a tremendous desire to teach and serve in leadership capacities. It was a huge turning point in my life.”

Morris and his future wife Elaine met on a blind date after Morris returned from his mission. (See more details below in Marriage Section) Their first home was in Caldwell, Idaho, with Morris working at Blacker’s Furniture and Appliance during the day, teaching early morning seminary and attend Boise Junior College two nights a week. Days started at 6 a.m., some ended at 11 p.m. Elaine worked as a secretary for Kit Manufacturing Company, a mobile home plant. Morris wrote: “We made our first home in Caldwell, Idaho. We lived there a few months and then moved into a home on the hundred and ten acre farm Dad had bought adjoining his property. Shonna was born July 13, 1961, while living there. In April 1962, we bought the Reed and Bell Drive-In in Nampa, Idaho; and this prompted us to move into town so we could be closer to our new business. In the drive-in we fried hamburgers, made milk shakes and dispensed root beer. We did well in this new business venture. In fact, we did so well that we closed it at the end of September and moved to Provo, Utah to attend BYU for the winter months. Irene was born in Nampa, September 29, 1962, two weeks before our move to Provo.

“I had to register late; and so I was at least three weeks behind in every class. I finally finished the fall semester with 14 credits and a desire to graduate. When we returned home for Christmas, Dave Garner looked us up and inquired if we wanted to sell the drive-in. Since I wanted to get a college degree, and because he offered us a good price, we sold it, went back to BYU and graduated in late summer of 1964. Lori was born April 10, 1964 while we were attending BYU."

“After completing four years of teaching seminary in Arizona (1964-1968), we were offered a teaching position at the Boise Institute of Religion at Boise Junior College. We accepted it because it gave us an opportunity to move closer to home and family.” (Rebecca, Brian and Brent were born while living/teaching in Boise.)

Morris and Elaine raised seven children – five girls and two boys, with the oldest (Shonna) graduating from high school the same year the youngest, Megan, was born September 18, 1979. Megan was born in Rapid City, South Dakota when the Bastians were serving as mission president of the South Dakota Rapid City Mission (1979-1982).

Life was busy in the Bastian household with a limited budget and a large family. Morris's motto was “Do more with less.”  Morris and Elaine's commitments to Church and community, as well as support and encouragement to school and sports activities, kept them in constant commotion. Yet, they managed to keep family a priority, using hard work, creativity, music and athletics they used their individual talents and strengths to make a successful team.

Shonna related: "Dad seemed larger than life using nightly stories of Willard and Henrietta Hagatha, playing bull, bear and the great white shark. Sunday nights brought according playing and silly songs."

Morris's niece Katherine related that some of her fondest childhood memories were of Uncle Morris retelling family stories during family get-togethers. "Uncle Morris would get so animated telling about Grandpa Sid chasing the "thieves" who stole gas from the farm or Grandpa Sid getting shocked after repeatedly asking if the 'hot wire fence had been turned off?' All the cousins would sit spellbound, and  laugh their heads off at these funny family stories that Uncle Morris reenacted. We cousins felt so tied to our ancestors, and we loved them. We were so grateful to Uncle Morris for sharing these family antecedents."

Present day: 2011

Back Row L-R: Brent Bastian, Shonna Lappin, Lori Brandt, Brian Bastian, Megan Jones, Irene Maxfield, Rebecca Haight
Front- Elaine & Morris BastianMorris and Elaine's 5o years of marriage has inspired and continues to inspire many. They were highlighted by a marriage counselor in Boise, Idaho Laura M. Brotherson, Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE), Intimacy Educator, Relationship Consultant, and Author of "And They Were Not Ashamed."

http://strengtheningmarriage.com/blog/marriage/celebrating-50-years-of-marriage/

Happy 50th Anniversary! — Morris and Elaine Bastian

It isn’t everyday that a couple reaches that fabulous milestone of 50 years of marriage. My good friends, Morris and Elaine Bastian, have successfully done just that!
Morris and Elaine Bastian have been great supporters of my efforts through the years to help strengthen marriages. In fact, Morris Bastian was one of the editors of my book And They Were Not Ashamed — Strengthening Marriage through Sexual Fulfillment.
The following is a little bit about the Bastians, and some of their suggestions for building a strong and happy marriage to last throughout the years.
About the Bastians
Morris and Elaine Bastian met on a blind date after Morris returned home from a mission to Northern California for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Morris and Elaine attended a dance at the Institute of Religion at Boise Junior College. Morris said it was love at first sight, as she was the “most naturally beautiful” girl he’d ever seen. Elaine said it took her a little longer to be “won over.” Morris said of their courtship:

“We went together for about two months. I was in love, but I tried to forget her because I just couldn’t see how I could marry and do all the things I felt I had to do before marriage…especially graduate from college and get established in a career. So, I phoned her one night and called it off. I told her I was sorry, but it just wasn’t right.

Three days later, I found myself at her door at 11:30 p.m. at night with an engagement ring. I felt like a heel. I didn’t know what to say or do so I just gave her the ring and that was that. Thankfully she accepted! We were engaged on June 28, 1960, and married on September 9, 1960 in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple.”

Morris and Elaine have raised seven wonderful children, and have shared a life of faith and service to others. Elaine is a great woman of faith, and a believer in the promises of God. She often taught her children that, “All things work together for your good when you walk uprightly before God.”
Morris spent most of his professional life teaching at the Boise Institute of Religion at what is now Boise State University. Together Morris and Elaine have served many missions for their church. One of their favorite pastimes is to dance to the oldies in the kitchen!
Thoughts on Building a Strong and Lasting Marriage
The following are some of the Bastian’s thoughts about key things that help build a strong and lasting marriage:

1. Be Committed. Enduring marriages begin with a strong commitment to do whatever it takes to stay together. The commitment has to be stronger than “We’ll see,” or “We’ll try,” or “I’ll do my best.” Just like there are good days and bad days in your life; there are good times and trying times/seasons in your marriage. You have to find a way through the tough times.

2. Fight Fair. If you must fight, fight fair. No hitting below the belt. Don’t issue ultimatums, make threats, get even, etc. Marriage isn’t always easy, but it is still wonderful and worth it.

3. Stay Focused. Always keep your eye on the important things–like being a forever family. Don’t get distracted. Always remember what your marriage is about. It’s easy to be blinded by the craftiness of men.

4. Meet Each Others Needs. Follow the advice given by Martin Luther: “Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.”
5. Be the Best Spouse You Can Be. Charles Shedd wrote: “Marriage isn’t so much about finding the right person as being the right person.” We have found that concept to be foundational in strong and enduring marriages.
Congratulations to Morris and Elaine Bastian for their wonderful life together thus far. They have been a shining example not only of a life of service and love of God, but they also set a great example of a happy and healthy marriage to all! Thank you!

Morris's wife Elaine Glover was born August 2, 1940 in Trenton, Utah, the second daughter of four children born to LaReita and Maurice Glover. She grew up living next door to her mother’s parents (Allreds), and dearly loved them. She felt valued and accepted in their home.

Her family moved to Nyssa, Oregon where her Dad worked for Amalgamated Sugar Company when Elaine was in the fourth grade. She involved herself in sports (especially softball), music and school activities (i.e. cheerleading), graduating from Nyssa High School in 1958. “Go get em Bulldogs, Go get em!”

She states: “For my first five years, I grew up living next door to my mother’s parents, Riley and Alice Allred. At night when Grandpa milked the cows, I would go over with my cup and get a drink of warm milk straight from the cow.” We would not think of doing that now because of the bacteria count. It may explain my many ear aches!

She later observed: “My grandparents were fun friends to me. When I was five, we moved from Trenton, Utah to Apple Valley, Idaho (near Parma, Idaho). When I was in the fourth grade we moved to Nyssa, Oregon to be closer to the sugar factory. My Allred grandparents came to visit us in Nyssa and eventually purchased a home there. After several years, they moved back to Trenton, but they both passed away when they lived in Nyssa. My experience with my grandparents was one of being accepted and loved. In the end, there were lots of things I could do for them. I loved the service I could give back. I remember washing and curling Grandma’s hair and taking a meal my mother fixed for Grandpa. They were good grandparent role models. I lived where grandchildren were valued and loved. I loved that wonderful experience.”

“My Grandpa Allred, my mother’s father, was the second of 11 children born under the covenant. He married outside the Church and raised five daughters, all non-members. My non-member mother, married my father (Maurice Glover), who was inactive, but had a mother, Luella Hortense Pope, who was also born the eleventh of eleven children, under the covenant. One grandparent on each side was born into strong “under the covenant” family. When I came to be, the great Mormon heritage was “inactive.”

“I attended the Mormon Church for the first time when I was five. I was born into a “part-member” family. My father was a member (inactive) but my mother was not. Mother said we should all sit on a church bench and worship together and my Dad could not see going to another religion besides his Mormon faith, so for the first time in my life our family started going to a little Parma. Idaho LDS Ward.”

Elaine remained active and involved in church activities throughout her teens – often attending on her own. Although she had many boys interested in her, she determined to marry in the temple and raise her family actively in the LDS Church

Shonna wrote about her mom Elaine: Mom is woman of faith, a believer in the promises of God. She reiterated often to her children that, “All things work together work together for your good when you walk uprightly before God.” She said: “Some of my favorite things are sport (especially softball) sewing, singing or playing the piano, working part-time as a secretary, full moons, red barns, rain and wind chimes. I love teaching Primary. I love the Church and our opportunity to work in it and help others. I love my Heavenly Father and the good life He has allowed to happen to me. My husband has served in many demanding Church callings and I have appreciated Heavenly Father’s help in doing all that is required doing all at that is required at home so my husband could serve.”

Growing up, money was not plentiful in our family. We did lots of things to earn our own spending money. We picked fruit, hoed sugar beets, babysat, harvested strawberries and lettuce, worked at a fast food restaurant and sorted potatoes and onions. I had to earn the money for my cheerleading costumes. I sewed most of my outfits but I had to purchase the fabric.

Mom could create any fashion form from material, encourage good literature through Newberry Award books and records, loved singing around the piano, playing jacks, Chinese jump rope, Relief Society arts and crafts and the annual gingerbread houses.

Elaine developed a love of music early in her life and later helped develop it in her children. She has said, “Grandma had a parlor she didn’t like us to go into. It was immaculate, shades were pulled and it always seemed dark. She had a player piano I loved to play. We were not allowed in very often, so when she said it was alright, I would put a music roll in, sing at the top of lungs and move my fingers up and down the keys pretending I was playing all of the notes. I loved to hear my Dad sing. I would watch his mouth form the words and listen to his voice. I loved his quiet, gentle nature and wanted to be like him”

Elaine wrote about herself: “Life was good if my hand fit into my mitt.” Much of our summer months were spent following softball games. Dad had been a very good softball player in his youth and manhood and he was a very good coach. I could hear his voice from any position on the field.

I remember inviting Miss Bungum to play on a local women’s softball team, for which my Dad was coaching. She was playing first and I was short stop. When I close my eyes I can still see the ball sailing the ball over her head as I overthrew first. I can’t erase it from my memory.

My daughter Megan and niece, Jodi Simianer, played basketball and volleyball, earning their way through college. Oh, I wish those opportunities had been available in our generation. As a mom, I loved my bleacher seat and I cheered for my children in their sports, even my grand daughters know Go get ‘em bulldogs, go get ‘em. In the next life I want my children to buy me the most expensive tennis shoes and cheer as I play ball.”

Some favorite phrases growing up were: “Roll with the punches,” “Sufficient for your needs,” and “Leave the soil better than you found it.”

There are many that marvel at Morris and Elaine's commitment to God, each other and the world around them. They have truly focused on what matters. An excerpt from a letter Grandma Elaine wrote to a grandchild expresses it best: “Having you and your mother are two of the greatest blessings of my life. I love to see your good life unfold and watch you make good choices. I love our Church, its teachings and lifestyle. I receive a lot of pleasure from sharing those values and lifestyle with you. I think we are all like Adam and Eve as they left the Garden of Eden. We, also, are looking for direction from our Father in Heaven. All the voices are out there presenting the choices. We just have to choose what we think in truth. Hopefully, what is right, uplifting and represents what Christ teaches is what we will choose.”

Morris wrote of himself: I get as much fun from studying the Gospel as many people do from skiing or playing golf. Reading, studying and thinking were never chores, they were fun, stimulating and invigorating opportunities.” This is truly the Bastian family treasure, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which started with Jacob Bastian's conversion, continues to play an integral and central role in the Bastian family history.

Highlighting Jacob Bastian's Posterity

The Bastian Family Reunions are a great way to meet Jacob's Posterity.

For those unable to attend the reunions, this blog is intended to be a mini family reunion. It is a modern way to acquaint all of his posterity to each other.  Each month, different family members from the 3 wives will be highlighted to inspire and link generation to generation. This month we start with Jacob's 2nd wife Johanna and highlight one of their great grandchildren, Sidney Bastian, who was valiant in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Jacob Bastian's 10th child from wife Johanna was Alminda (Alma) Bastian

Alma's 6th child was Sidney (Sid) Bastian    ^

Sid Bastian's family

Richard, Deon Morrison (wife), Morris, Sid (back)

Rochelle, Barry and Sydnee Sue

Sid & Deon's Family (& Spouses)

Barry (& Sheila), Rochelle, Morris (& Elaine), Sue (& Erv), Richard (& Marilyn)

Morris's Family

Back Row L-R: Brent Bastian, Shonna Lappin, Lori Brandt, Brian Bastian, Megan Jones, Irene Maxfield, Rebecca Haight
Front- Elaine & Morris Bastian

Sue's Family

Front: (Darren) & Nicole, (Erv) & Sue, Matthew & (Katie), ?Steven

Middle: ?Sarah

Back: Taylor, Jonathan, (Bryan) & Kristi

Barry's Family

Daniel, Ilene, Katherine, Sid Patrick (& wife Leslie Tobler), Jennifer (Back)

Christiana, Deon (Barry's Mother, Sid's Wife), Barry & Sheila, Ryan & Athlyn 

(missing: Heidi who was on a mission to Philippines)

Rochelle's Family

Mindy, Cara, Sean, Dave & Rochelle, Shally (& Bryce), Jeremy, Cami, Janelle, Brittany, Chelsea

Sid Bastian was born January 15, 1908 in Washington, Utah.

When Sid was 14 months, his father Alminda moved his family to a small town called Vermillion, current day Sigurd, where he purchased a 105 acre farm. Alma, following in the footsteps of Jacob, was a hard worker and taught the principle of work to his sons. Sid at age 7 could milk cows and drive the hay wagon. His spiritual strength was also encouraged, and Sid was baptized at age 8 in a canal by the Vermillion church.  By age 9, Sid fed pigs, helped churn cream into butter, worked in the beets and trapped muskrat and sold the hides for money. Some hides brought $4--a lot during WWI.  One year during the flu epidemic of 1918, Sid helped Alma harvest 25 acres of beets as well as 35 acres for the neighbors.  The beets were all topped and loaded by hand into the wagon.

Sid had a favorite Sunday School teacher, Mrs Jones. Sid found her kind and considerate and even though he could be mischievous, she brought out the good in Sid and he admired her for her patience and goodness.

Sid went to Richfield High, but they moved to Aurora, and he wasn't able to finish school.  He stayed home and worked so his younger sibling could finish school.  A typical day would find Sid irrigating 30 acres, brushing and caring for 8 horses and cleaning their harnesses, plowing, planting and harvesting.  But Sid also found time for recreation, he loved to play baseball and dance or "kick up his heels."  In fact it was at a dance that he met his lifelong wife and sweetheart DeOn Morrison.  DeOn had come to Aurora to teach 3rd and 4th grade. Sid knew DeOn's grandfather Morrison because he used to stop and entertain them with singing, playing the accordion and standing on his head when they lived in Dixie near St. George.  After the dance, Sid knew he would marry DeOn.  Sid said she was a "good dancer, classy dresser and great company."  They were married in February 1934.  The next year Sid bought an acre of land for $300.  He built a home of sawed logs.  His carpenter bill was $105. They were considered well off.  They had 10 acres, 3 horses, a John Deer Wagon, 3 calves, 1 pig and 6 cows.  He purchased a black Ford in 1935 for $250. His days consisted of waking at 4 am and milking 9 cows, and then pitching beets for 8 hours.  It was back breaking work, but he was thankful for the $4.00 an hour and the job.

Sid became the Bishop of the Vermillion Ward, North Sevier Stake in 1942.  Thomas E. McKay of the Quorum of the 12 set him apart. Sid served for 7 years. He felt is was the most rewarding job he ever had. Everything in the ward ran smooth, and his family had no arguments.  Sid decided "that you could do anything you wanted to do if you wanted to do it bad enough." He cut hay for the Stake farm, fed steers for 3 years for the Stake, and plowed, planted and irrigated corn for the Welfare cannery.  His ward members came out to help pick the corn and can 1800 cans, something the former Bishop said couldn't be done. After he was released, he and Deon moved to Nampa, Idaho.

Sid, a faithful member lived to see his children grow up and be married in the temple. He and DeOn served a couple's mission to the Oakland, California Temple.  Before he passed away, Sid was blessed with a posterity of 5 children, and 36 grandchildren. Of those 36 grandchildren, almost all of them were sealed for eternity in the House of God and many served faithful missions in Europe, and North and South America--- a direct result of Sid and DeOn's love of the Savior and valiant service in God's kingdom. Currently, Sid has nearly 50 great grandchildren (a number that keeps growing).  Sid's legacy is much like Jacob's. He worked hard, loved the Lord and received the promise made to Abraham of old to have posterity as the sands of the sea.

(contributed by Katherine Bastian Moore)

Jacob Bastian's Farm

Sherri was able to visit Jacob's farm which is now a museum.  

Pictures behind the Family Stories

In Jacob's history he talks about being a "Barrel King".   In fact, three times Jacob was the Barrel King.  In the Middle Ages, every year the Danish people would celebrate a holiday called Fastelavn. They would raise a barrel 10 feet off the ground, on a tree, and inside they would put a live cat.  The competitors mounted on fast steeds and would ride under the barrel at full speed and strike the barrel with a cudgel. The one who was successful at striking the barrel the hardest and thus letting the cat out of the barrel, was pronounced "Barrel King."  His chosen lady would then advance and place the crown upon his head and decorate him with her colors.  During the rest of the day he would act as master of ceremonies and at night he would lead all the dances.  Jacob was a favorite Barrel King and was selected to dance in front of the crowned Prince of Denmark.

This picture is a copy of what Jacob would have worn and the bat looking object is what he would use to hit the barrel and let the cat out!

Even today in Denmark, a version of the Barrel King is still played out in february and March-- it includes slå katten af tønden ("hit the cat out of the barrel"), which is somewhat similar to using a piñata. The Danes use a wooden barrel, which is full of candy and oranges and has the image of a cat on it. (Historically there was a real black cat in the barrel, and beating the barrel was superstitiously considered a safeguard against evil.) After the candy pours out, the game continues until the entire barrel is broken. The one who knocks down the bottom of the barrel (making all the candy spill out) becomes kattedronning ("queen of cats"); the one who knocks down the last piece of the barrel becomes kattekonge ("king of cats")