Grandad is 80!

So, I wanted to share a little about my Grandad, because that's really all I know is a little. Grandad is what my younger brother Tori has called him for as long as I can remember. Anyway, this weekend he is turning 80 years young! How amazing is that? We have to miss his birthday celebration, so I am going to put up a little tribute to him here.

Jack D. Sheffer

The "D" doesn't stand for anything on his birth certificate, but his father was a huge fan of the boxer Jack Dempsey, so that's who he is named after. Then we named our daughter Dempsey after Grandad.

Jack is #5 out of 8 brothers.
He lived in Hurricane, Utah for much of his schooling, because his mother was ill and they thought the warmer climate might help her. Ultimately they moved back to the Uintah Basin and he graduated from Alterra High school in 1949. I love the photo on the right, very James Dean.


Unfortunately, a couple months after his graduation his mother passed away.
All eight brothers are pictured below, dressed for her funeral. She was only 44.

(L-R) Rulon, Dan, Gene, Jack, Don, Bert, Ivan, & Klin

Grandad went on to marry Betty Elizabeth Powell and start a family. They have 4 children: Marilynn, Scott(my dad), Mark, & Jean.




He worked for many years blasting dynamite in the Gilsonite mines. The Uintah Basin is the only place in the country where this mineral(a type of natural asphalt) is found.



In 1985 they moved to Salt Lake City to manage some condos in the avenues. We loved going there to visit them as children, because 1) it was the "big" city and 2) they had a swimming pool on the roof of a 7-story building! holla! We always had family photos taken on that roof...





Vernal was always his hometown, so as soon as they could retire and move back, they did.
He's a huge baseball fan and loves University of Utah basketball, so he doesn't often go without wearing Utah or Cincinnati Red.


My grandad and my grandma are both very avid horseshoe pitchers.
They have gone to the Senior games in St. George and won gold, silver, & bronze medals.


This photo is from their first cruise together in Alaska. For this 80th birthday, all his kids sprung for a another cruise in the Caribbean.

Grandad is always good for a story. One of my favorites is when he talks about his dogs named "Stoopid" and "Dummy"--my husband does a killer impression of his gruff voice.
We love you Grandad! Happy Birthday! You are definitely one of a kind!