Niu, Paul (1945-2015) - Obituary

Paul Niu (1945-2015) – Obituary

Paul Terresco Niu passed away on February 15, 2015 of complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). 

Paul was born on September 29, 1945 in Nukunuku, Tonga to Tevita Maile Niu and Malie Wolfgram Niu. 

Paul is survived by his wife of 38 years, Suzie Niu and his children, Leland (Whitney), Isaac (Kristi), Devin (Taylor), Philip (Melissa), Maikeli (Brynn), Dustin (April), Rachel, Luisa Pear (Buck) Maggie and many loving grandchildren, nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters and extended relatives. Paul was a loving father, grandfather and a friend to all.

Paul's viewing will be held at Meldrum Funeral Home, 52 North McDonald Street, Mesa Arizona 85201 from 6pm to 8pm, Thursday February 26.

A celebration of life will be held at the LDS Stake Center in Scottsdale Arizona, 2202 North 74 Street Scottsdale Arizona, 85257 at 12pm.

Paul will be buried with military honors at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 North Cave Creek Rd. Phoenix Arizona 85024 at 2:30pm.
- See more at: http://www.meldrummortuary.com/obituary/Paul-Terresco-Niu/Pasadena-MD/1483961#sthash.PD88QkW6.dpuf

Coleman, Sarah Francelle (Heywood) 1860-1937

Traveling on Lee’s BackBone

My grandmother drove a covered wagon over Lee’s Backbone.  It wasn’t easy.

When the Mormon Pioneers first came to Arizona from Utah, many of them crossed the Colorado River close to the Grand Canyon at a place called Lee’s Ferry.  They put their wagons and themselves on rafts that carried them across the river.  It was scary.  But worse than Lee’s Ferry was what came next--Lee’s Backbone, a steep, narrow, rocky trail with rocks and drop-offs along the way.  Wilford Woodruff, the fourth president of the Church said, “It was one of the worst hill ridge or mountain that I ever attempted to cross with a team and wagon.”

My grandmother, ‘Lell Coleman, drove a team of “fiery, high-strung horses” and a wagon over Lee’s Backbone.  She had two boys by her side, my Uncle Neal age 4 and his little brother, Spence, age 2.  It wasn’t easy.

She was scared.  Later she said “it was a most shattering experience.  The driving to the Colorado was not so bad, and being ferried across the river was interesting; but the driving over Lee’s Backbone was the most terrifying, grueling experience of my life.  Actually, there was no well-marked road.  It was a trail perilously narrow in places, wider in others, but always steep hills or dangerous dug ways or curves.  Sometimes I wonder how I did it. . . . The road was so narrow and winding, and (a) ribbon-like river below, I hugged so close to the hill side that the hubs of the wheels scraped the sand and rock.  I tried to keep my eyes on the hill but an occasional glance below made me feel that the wagon might go rolling over and over down to the river with me and my two boys.  I stopped the team and waited until Mr. Heywood came up and changed.  I then mounted the horse and drove the cattle and he drove the team.”

                        ‘Lell Heywood drove a wagon something like this.

Look at the steep cliff alongside the trail.

In Arizona she became a teacher 

My grandmother and her class in St. Johns, Arizona.  

My father, Leland Heywood, is on the front row, second from the left.

Richard Neal Heywood

Smurthwaite, Margaret Eleanor (Heywood) (1895) What Can a Grandmother Do?

What Can Grandmothers Do?

Margaret S. Heywood[1] at age 87

As the matriarch of the Leland Heywood family, just what can I do to help that family?

Well, I have written for them and for my brothers and sisters the life stories[2] of my parents, Alfred Smurthwaite and Margaret Ellen Brown, both estimable, talented, wonderful people.

I am planning my life story and that of my husband[3], hoping that our influence with our extended family might prove beneficial and inspirational in their lives.  In fact, I hope that we shall never be forgotten.

As an old woman, lonely and frail in health, I can still do some constructive things if I will to do so; and I so will it!

I can be cheerful, not complaining or bitter, not, as my father would have phrased it “forever belly-aching!”  Yes I can smile and be cheerful.

I desire the approval of my grandchildren.  I can turn on the charm for them.  I can still talk of optimism and courage with a pair of shining eyes and an optimistic giggle.  Over and above that, I can give them assurance of my approval of them, of my acceptance of them as they are, no matter what.  I might find it difficult to refrain from pointing out faults and weaknesses; but always, on closer view, I can find something to praise, to stimulate faith and to awaken courage.

Then we settle down to a discussion of material needs.  Somehow we manage to meet the semester fees and book needs.  We see that those ever-recurring repair problems with the car are paid for when need arises.  Yes, somehow, they must manage to get to and from.  Above all, they must have a scholastic, technical or mechanical education sufficient to insure fair and equal competition in our industrial world.

I can keep my home a pleasant place for my grandchildren to enjoy.  They seem to relax here where they find quiet and order.  I can work in the yards keeping the walks swept, the weeds pulled and flowers planted.  I enjoy work.  “Work”, you know, “is love made visible.”

I can make my small contribution to the Church and the community.  I try to support civic projects such as the Community Chest, the Mesa Symphony and the Mesa Little Theater.  I desire my grandchildren to grow up in a town furnishing much in cultural advantages.  Surely they should know that I do my bit towards making their home city a desirable place in which to live.

I set my example before my family in keeping family records.  I urge them to begin their accurate records keeping now.

---

[1] Margaret Eleanor Smurthwaite Heywood was born 9 Oct 1895 in Ogden, Utah.  She married Leland Heywood 18 Aug 1921 in Salt Lake City, Utah.  She had five children, Margaret Josephine “Jo”, Barbara Lea, Alfred Leland “Al”, Richard Neal, and Carol Jayne.  She has 27 grandchildren many greats and great-greats.  She taught school for over forty years, including about twenty at Mesa High School and five at the Church of College of Hawaii.  She died at age 96 on 7 Feb 1992 in Mesa, Arizona.

[2] These stories are available to the public  via FamilySearch Family Tree https://familysearch.org/tree/#section=pedigree

[3] These were never written.

Margaret Eleanor Smurthwaite Heywood is the mother of the contributor, Richard Neal Heywood.