Ruth was the oldest of 7 children. She grew up in pretty humble circumstances. She grew up on an old farm and had to work really hard. She was always painfully shy. She was a worker, she could not sit still. She always wanted to be working and wanted everyone around her working too. She was very talented and loved to garden and make quilts. Grandma was very industrious and supportive to her husband and family. “When I was little, maybe 9 or 10 I had a worm business. There was a refrigerator we buried in the ground and filled it with coffee grounds. Worms really liked them [coffee grounds]. Mom and I would go out at night and catch these night crawlers and sell them at a penny a piece.” She was always very kind to me. One time on Christmas Eve my stinkin older sisters came up and emptied out my stocking and put coal in it. When I got up, I was only 7 and still a believer. I went to find my stocking and all the other kids had stockings clear full of good stuff and mine was clear full of coal. I started balling and my parents went ballistic! The girls were laughing at first, but they sure got in trouble!
Spouse: Glen Ellis Anderson
Joseph Eugene Barrus was the last of eight children. The first five kids were born before their Dad left on his mission, Joseph came after he came back from his mission in 1908. Joseph’s mother took over the farm when her husband left and managed the farm just as well, if not better. Joseph’s Mom was a school teacher in Afton, Wyoming and started many programs at the school, such as the lunch program. She got sick and died when Joseph was only 11years old. From that age on he was bounced around and never had a place to stay. In his teenager years he was known somewhat as a hooligan. Joseph was also known for his amazing strength. One time, some people from the track team asked him to throw the shot put. Joseph casually bent down and tossed it and threw it farther than any of the guys on the team when they were trying.
He married his sweetheart Ruth Tolman, who was extremely shy. Ruth was the oldest child of seven. When Joseph and Ruth got married, he and Cy Balls, his brother-in-law (married to Joseph’s sister Luella) went to work together and farmed. They had one of the very first tractors (steam tractor) in the area StarValley.
Joseph during the 1940s changed his focus from farming to raising turkeys. The Afton, Wyoming weather was not good for raising turkey’s so in 1946 Joseph and his family moved to Wendell, Idaho. Out of his seven children, only Alfred and LeAnn were born in Idaho. On the day they moved it was in the middle of the winter, he was driving one truck and Ruth and his kids were in the other. Joseph was in the lead. Joseph stopped and waited for his family to catch up. He soon found out that the truck Ruth was driving had flipped and that it was a horrible accident. Luckily, no one got hurt.
Once they moved to Wendell they began to build their own house. They first built it as a basement house. They lived in basement for many years then later built the top on. They raised turkeys in Wendell and then changed to raising chickens. Joseph had many nicknames, he was known as ‘Joe’ in Afton and as ‘Gene’ in Wendell, Idaho.
He was always so kind and loving, very sweet. Unless you did something to disrespect his wife then he could get really tough.
“I was probably about 12 or so. I thought I was pretty smart. Dad had just left the house, or I thought he had. I had my foot on the chair and was tying my shoe. My mom wanted me to take my foot off the chair. I said something snotty back to her. My Dad was there and kicked me in the butt clear across the room. He picked me up and said “Don’t you ever talk to my sweetheart like that. You get to your room.” I went down to my room and my Dad came down to me about an hour later and said “My wife is the most precious thing to me. Don’t ever treat her like that.” It just always stuck with me how important it is to love and take care of my wife. -Alfred Barrus, son
Spouse:
Ruth Tolman (Hopkin) Barrus
Children: Beverly Barrus Marilyn Barrus Brent Barrus LeAnn Barrus Carolyn Ruth Barrus Patsy Lavoy Barrus Alfred Emery Barrus
Parents:
Emery Freeman Barrus
Martha Ann (Tolman) Barrus
Siblings:
Emery Milton Barrus
Benjamin Marriner Barrus
Orlando Tolman Barrus
Foster Junius Barrus
Osmond Wendell Barrus
Margaret Lovina Barrus
Leulla Barrus
Joseph Eugene Barrus
Served for a police officer for Alameda County, California. After that, he served as a judge in Nevada. His dad and granddad were police officers. He was a 3rd generation police officer and felt very passionate about it. He won a lot of rewards and recognition being a police officer and judge. When he retired from Nevada, he was recognized by the Supreme Court Justices for excellent service. As a judge he established many new programs which eventually became law in Nevada. He was always kind. His children never heard him raise his voice ever. His favorite saying was “don’t tense up.” He was a very thoughtful, non-judgmental man. He loved his wife very much. – Kathy Barrus, daughter “What a wonderful man!” He was very patient and loved his wife dearly. – Al Barrus, son-in-law
Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011. Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.
Ancestry.com. U.S. Public Records Index, Volume 1 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Voter Registration Lists, Public Record Filings, Historical Residential Records, and Other Household Database Listings
Ancestry.com. U.S. Public Records Index, Volume 2 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Voter Registration Lists, Public Record Filings, Historical Residential Records, and Other Household Database Listings
1920 US Census
Burial: Parkview Cemetery New Plymouth Payette County Idaho, USA Plot: Section 1
When Helen was 11 years old her parents divorced. She grew up with her Dad, Wilbur Lewis Shook. She did a lot of cooking and cleaning for him. She had a hard childhood. She was married at the tender age of 16. She was very organized, a wonderful housekeep, and cook. She was very loyal to her family. She was literally like a “mother bear” ,she could smack her kids around but if anyone else mess with her children, they better beware. She really loved her husband. Her pet name by her daughters Glenda and Kathy and her husband Glen was “little banty rooster” because she could really peck on you and get mad. Her husband would also call her “Ms. Helen.” She loved clothes and shoes. She was very stylish. Her weekly schedule was: Monday – washday, Tuesday – ironing day, Wednesday – deep clean the house day, Thursday – get hair done and shopping day, Friday – more shopping. She enjoyed going to casinos and gambling with her husband, especially Jackpot. – Kathy Barrus, daughter
Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011. Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.
My son has asked me to express my beliefs and feelings about some very important things: Family, Life, and the meaning of Life. To me I think the later two are very similar or the same. They are all inter-related very closely.
I would dare say that my family is my life, the people I love the most, the reason I work each day, why I continue to try to improve myself, perfect myself. My family is who I hope to spend Eternity with. They are my motivation to be the Son of God I have been taught to be. I picture my Father in Heaven as part of my Eternal family along with my earthly wife and five children, as well as my earthly Mother and Father and all my ancestors. It has been through my family that I have been able to learn so much in this life to be more like my Heavenly Father. As I have grown up with loving parents, and with my own wife and children, I have been shown: patience, love, kindness, faith, hope, responsibility, and many other positive qualities I need to be like my Eternal Father.
This brings me to Life as well as the meaning of life. This time in which we live is a time to learn and to improve. To me the best way to learn in this life is in the Family unit. Our Father and His Son are perfect beings. The family is the best way to help me to be like the Father and the Son. I have so much to learn and I have a good wife and good children to show me the way and to give me determination to continue to improve and to endure to the end. That too is the meaning of life as far as I am concerned; To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. The family is the tool to help us learn the necessary qualities we need. It is also the very eternal unit we will enjoy when we reach the Celestial Kingdom. As far as I am concerned, the family unit is the most important unit we have in this life and the eternal world.
Thought's by Michael Bair
I love my father and appreciate all that he has taught me. It is impossible to simple list or state what I have been taught and the love that I have received.
My father has taught me how to work hard. I care that I am a good worker and it has come through my father not necessarily his words, but through his actions. He has worked hard for his family. He would do anything for us. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to make wise decisions.
I love my dads personality. I thought it was awesome when my mom would tell me that I had my dad's sense of humor. Dad makes me laugh. He relies on God and doesn't worry. He knows that if he is doing his best and living right that God will take care of him.
I appreciate my father being there to support me. I appreciate the talks that we had and still have. I appreciate his advice and encouragement. I appreciate him supporting me. It was so nice to look into the stands for my parents at all of my games. They traveled far sometimes to support me. My dad would go in extra early so that he could make it in time for my games. He was there when I went to scout camp. Depending on who had to work the next day depended on who would stay up for me on weekends to make sure I made it home safely.
I admire my dad for the selfless way he lives his life. He takes care of my mom and my family. He serves faithfully in the church and goes out of his way to help others. My dad is my hero. I will love him forever.
Well you wanted to know what I think is the meaning of life. I think the meaning of life is to come to this world and become a part of a family. And to grow and learn while we are here. Hopefully the goal in life is to return to live with our family again. It's a time of learning and growing and trying to do the things that are right. In my life the most important thing is the family that I have. I would do anything to try and protect my family and to help my kids to become the best that they can be. I think in this life we learn from our parents and then we try to become better parents for our children and hopefully our children will be better parents then we our. I hope if nothing else that my kids will realize how important there family's are and learn to appreciate the importance of family. One thing I learn in life is friends come and go but if your a lucky person your family will be there for you no matter what. When things go wrong as they sometimes do I could always count on my family. It's a real comfort also to me to know that my husband no matter what will be there for me. I know that there have be a lot of times in my life when I have been sick. The one person I could count on was my husband. So I think it's very important to marry someone that you can count on to help in times of need. I know that I could count of my husband with helping me to raise my family.
I love my mom. She is a great example for me. I appreciate how she has raised me and how she still teaches me.
I am thankful that my mom cares so much for her family. She works so hard for them in and out of the house. I know that she would do anything for us. My parents have sacrificed a lot to give their kids the best life they could give. I am thankful for how my mom had taught me to work in and out of the house.
My mom takes after Grandpa Dawson with her carpenter skills. I have learned to do a lot of home repairs because my mom got me involved with tearing up the carpet when my dad was gone and putting in new tile. We also ripped apart the downstairs bathroom and someday will probably finish putting that project back together. I love that my mom doesn't mind getting her hands dirty.
I'll never forget my mom coming out and playing horse with me. She would cheat and shoot the ball really hard against the backboard and the ball would fall in every time. I'm grateful that she came out to my games. If I ever did something right on the baseball field my mom was the loudest fan in the crowd. That is not an exaggeration either.
I appreciate my mom working hard to keep our family strong and happy. I love her for wanting to be home with us to raise us. I am forever grateful for all that she has done for me and will forever love her. Chart
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