Friendships

In a recent comment on this blog a question was asked as to the relationship between members of our family and Chester (Chet) Asay of Wyoming. So I asked dad - Maurice Earl Asay - what that relationship might be. It turns out that the familial relationship is limited but there was a bond of friendship that was stronger.

Chet's dad, whom Maurice called an Uncle, was probably a second cousin. Chet's family lived about 5 miles east of Lovell and he was a year older than Maurice.

Chet and Maurice were best friends in high school and played football together. In a practice scrimmage on one occasion Maurice ran head on into Chet's helmet. It knocked Maurice out and broke his nose.

Chet got his mission call & about 4 months later Maurice got his to the same mission -- The Spanish-American Mission. The mission covered Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and California. About one year later when Maurice was transferred from Tucson, AZ to Corpus Christi, TX where Chet was stationed they talked their mission president into making them companions. Their companionship was for about 4 months.

Chet went into the Army before Maurice left the mission field. They both ended up in Japan at the end of the war. Maurice was stationed in Sendai at the Quarter Master's Laundry. Chet was stationed about 200 miles away in Tokyo. At that time Maurice did not have a superior officer so he wrote himself a pass to Tokyo and Chet planned a trip to a ski resort outside of Tokyo. On the way up the mountain they were hit by a Japanese man in a farm truck - and that was the end of that trip.

The last time Maurice and Chet got together was shortly after returning from Japan. Chet's father had a ranch outside of Meeteetse, WY. They went big game hunting there.

Mary Maud Wilson (Asay)'s best friends in High School were Norma and Carma Asay -- known locally as the Asay Twins. One summer when the twins' Mother was away for the summer the twins, Mary M., and her sister Betty almost lived together.

A favorite outing was to go together on long bike rides. Mary M. remembers calling out 'Car coming' as vehicles approached on the road where they were riding, then 'Car gone' as they were passed.

Mary M. remembers that the twins' father didn't think that boys should have to do any work around the house (not even empty the garbage) so the twins were responsible for any housework that needed to be done.

An old acquaintance from Lovell mentioned recently to Mary M. that she had a strong memory of the day that Betty was burned in a fire at the family home in Lovell. Sister Doerr remembers that when she was in High School she heard the local siren give the signal that meant there was a fire. She was afraid that it was her home.

Following the fire - after treatment for her burns Betty and their Mother Nan Wilson went on a trip to Scotland. While they were on a tour during their trip Betty met Sandy Gilmour whom she later married.

Mary M. remembers the 1st death that affected her when at the age of between 6 and 7 a friend who lived about a mile away died. It was a shock at that age to have someone her own age - someone she actually knew -- die.