Melissa Jensen Warren

Memories provided by Melissa Warren
*My earliest memories with Nana are at her house in Ogden. She would let us dress up in her clothes and jewelry and then we would put on plays in the backyard. I am not sure how long we made everyone sit and watch but she was always very kind and told us how much she loved to watch.
*I spent a summer with Nana when I was about 12 years old. We had a great time together, Nana went out of her way to entertain me. She took me to Lagoon and we spent time crocheting and sewing. I even sewed my own swim suit that summer. However, when I wore it to the pool I noticed a couple of good sized holes in some not so great places. I guess my stitches did not hold very great. Everytime I think of that I remeber Nana and the good time we had working on it together. We also loved to eat ice cream from the creamery in Logan. Also at this time Nana was living in Harrisville near the Crowther family. I was very lucky to get to know the Crowthers and spent the summer with many of the cousins that were my age. Nana loved the Crowthers and they always showed so much kindness and concern for her.
*I also remember everytime we came to Nana's house after a long drive from Nebraska she had corn chowder for all of us to eat. I remember how good that always tasted. A few years ago I called Nana and asked her for the recipe. She was very reluctant to give it to me but finally relented. I wondered why she would be so hesitant and realized after she gave me all of the ingredients and the secret tricks that she didn't want me to know how much fat was in it. Now everytime I make it I laugh about that.
*Nana always loved to be to the special events in our lives. Baptisms, blessings, marriages, etc. She always told me how much she loved to be there even as it got harder for her to go.
*Playing cards with Nana was always a fun experience. Nana took her card games very seriously.
*Nana also loved music and cultural experiences. While I was in college I had the opportunity to go with Mom and Nana to the Shakespearean festival in Cedar City. We had the best time going from one show to the other.
*My kids fondest memories are going up to the condo and swimming during the summer. She always loved us to come and afterwards she had hot dogs, or ice cream, or smoothies for us. They also remember the $2.00 bills that Nana would always send on everyone's birthdays. We also had the opportunity to put up Nana's Christmas decorations for a few years. As we would do this she would tell us the history behind specific ornaments or decorations and the kids loved to look at her Christmas tree made from her jewelry.
*Nana always made sure the kids had things to play with whenever they visited. Even the week before she passed away when we were visiting her she made sure the kids got the toys out and that they had a treat when they left.
*I am so grateful for the wonderful influence she has been in my life. She truly valued the relationships that she had with others and I always felt loved by her. I will always treasure her poetry and histories that she has written and am grateful for the life that she lived.