Once upon A Time

I came across this poem this week. It made me smile. I wish I had known more of this side of Maydene. She made me laugh. She always asked me to pinch her in Relief Society if she fell asleep. I always felt bad when I did, but she would turn to me and smile. I cherish this poem. It's fairly acurate, she read it at our wedding.

At the end her toast to us was:
To the Groom-Congratulations!
You have a lovely bride.
May you long protect her
And keep her near your side.

To the bride and groom: God bless you!
May you lovers be
Throughout the time you spend on earth
And through eternity!

What a romantic.

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time, way out in the west,
A wise, good, young man,
Chose whathis future life would be,
And then he devised a plan.

First, he would go on a mission
To preach the gospel to others,
And spread the hope of eternal life
To worthy sisters and brothers.

Second, he’d go on to college,
To get an education,
That he could be a stalwart leader
Of family, home, and nation.

Third, and most important of all
He’d choose a worthy bride,
To love, protect and cherish,
And keep nearby his side.

He went on his mission to Florida,
In Spanish he learned to teach.
He taught discussions and then inspired,
All that he could reach.

When he returned to loved ones,
He started on project two.
He started advanced education
To learn what he could do.

When summer came he traveled south,
His future fortune to seek.
When he met the Johnson sisters,
He could hardly speak.

Seven there were, all in a row,
And looking like each other,
Choosing one was impossible
He couldn’t tell on from another.

He worked as a recreational guide
On a mountain top in June,
Where blue skies were and he could see
The twinkling stars and the moon.

One day a Johnson girl
Visited the place.
When he found out she was looking for him
He grew red in the face.

He found her to be exciting and fun
And the summer went by too fast.
They climbed ropes up a mountain
And hiking and swimming were a blast.

They swam and they danced and they sang
Around the campfire songs.
And before the end of the summer
Their friendship was warm and strong.

Horseback riding and picnics
And by the summers end.
He knew she was a wonderful girl
And he had an eternal friend.

Come with me to Salt Lake City
Let’s go to school together.
Let’s find out if this is love
And not just the balmy weather.

She lived at Ben’s grandmother’s house
And worked to save some money.
She needed to pay for tuition,
And also to buy bread and honey.

By the end of the year he knew that she
Was humble and grateful and kind.
And it was not difficult for our Ben
To decide to make up his mind.

There is no end to this story
There’ll be love and joy and laughter.
And may Ben and Katherine live
Happily ever after.

Maydene Bodell

REMEMBERING GRANDMA

Please share your memories of Grandma here.

Plan of Salvation (Kriss Gates Daughter)

I  have been asked to be the spiritual speaker today.  I know we have some in the audience that are not members of our church and we want to welcome you and thank you for being our family’s special friends.  I would like to take this opportunity to explain to you our concept of the Plan of Salvation.  This includes where we were before we were born and what will happen to us after we die.

I would like to help Grandma’s young grandchildren and great-grandchildren understand the Plan, so some of my talk is directed to them.

Once there was a little boy, named Bobby, whose grandma had just died.  He was very sad.  His mother sat him on the sofa and gave him a stack of brightly-colored books to read to cheer him up.  Soon, tears ran down his cheeks.  His mommy sat down beside him and pressed her cheek against his.  “I understand,” she said.  “I’ve been doing some crying myself.”

Bobby dug his fists into his eyes.  “Books are better!” 

Mommy stroked his hair.  “Books are better?”

“Book stories have good endings.” 

“Oh, I see.  And Grandma’s story…?”

“Had a terrible ending!  What is the use of being good if you just have a sad ending, anyway?”

Mommy sighed.  “Bobby, we haven’t seen the ending of Grandma’s story.”

“She’s dead!”

Mommy picked up one of Bobby’s favorite books,  “Bobby, is every page of this book happy?”

Bobby took the book and opened it.  “No” he said, this page is really sad, but it isn’t the last page.”

Mommy smiled.  “And we both know that Grandma’s death isn’t the last page of her story, either.”  Let’s pretend that we’re reading a book with Grandma’s story in it.  We’ve just read the sad page about her dying and it made us both cry.  Now, close your eyes, and imagine let’s turn to the next page.  Is it a dark, sad page or a bright, happy page?

Bobby closed his eyes.  “I can’t see it very well,” he said.  “I hope it’s a bright, happy page.”

“Look at the picture.  Is Grandma alone?”

“No, she’s with Heavenly Father.  And Grandpa!”

“Are they smiling or frowning?”

“They’re smiling.”  Tears still ran down Bobby’s face, but he was smiling too.

Is that the last page in the book?”  Mommy asked, “Or are there more?”

“More.  Someday we’ll be with Grandma and Grandpa too.”

“And will that be a sad page or a happy one?”

Bobby thought about it.  “Both, I guess.  Happy for us, but sad for the people we leave behind.”

Mommy nodded.  “Keep turning pages, and you’ll see that the story never ends.  But there will come a page when all the dying is finished , and our spirits are reunited with our bodies forever.  Can you see the picture of the One who made that possible?”

“Yes, it was Jesus.”

Mommy gave Bobby a tight hug.  “Yes it was, sweeheart, and if we follow Him, our stories may have sad pages, but no sad endings-OK?

Our mother’s story is a long story book.  It is going to take up at least 3 volumes.  




This book was written all about Mom and Dad and the family they created. It is the 2^nd volume.  This 1st book tells about what happened before we came to earth. Let’s talk what is in it.

Long before we were born, we attended a council in heaven and learned of Heavenly Father’s plan.  An important part of His plan was for the earth to be created, to which we could come and have physical bodies.  We could not become like Him if we didn’t.  Heavenly Father placed a veil (something that covers) across our minds so we couldn’t remember our pre-earth life.  That way, we could learn to have faith in Him and Jesus Christ, to control our minds and our bodies, and to obey the commandments and choose the right. 

Knowing that we would sin and make mistakes, Heavenly Father asked for a savior – someone to atone for us.  Jesus Christ said that He would be our Savior, and he was chosen.  He followed Heavenly Father’s plan:  He created the earth  for us.  He organized His church.  He suffered in Gethsemane and on the cross for our sins.  Then he overcame death so that we can overcome death, too.

Louine Shields, was Mom’s closest cousin.  Several years ago her husband, Gus spoke at a funeral for his daughter-in-law.  After the services, Dad called me in California and said that Gus’s talk on the Plan of Salvation was wonderful, and that he wanted me to try to get a copy of it, so we could use it someday at his funeral and at Moms.  

I now quote from that talk:

It is obvious that each of us is going to die.  Have you ever pictured yourself at your own funeral, seeing yourself lying in your casket?  Wondering what things will be said about you at your funeral? I have!  We all ought to; for as sure as the sun comes up, it will happen.  I don’t know if you realize it or not, but THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO PREPARE TO DIE.  Let me say it again.  THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO PREPARE TO DIE.  Alma, in the Book of Mormon, states the purpose of our life as follows:  “therefore this life became of probationary state, A TIME TO PREPARE TO MEET GOD, a time to prepare for that endless state, … which is after the resurrection of the dead.”  Alma 12:24. 

Death is a very important part of God’s plan.  If we couldn’t die, we would be damned in our eternal progression.  

What is most, most important is the SPIRITUAL condition we are in when we die, and the spiritual “direction” we are traveling when we die; that we are READY to meet God. 

Our Father’s chief objective is to make it possible for us, His children, to be happy forever.   We have lived with our Heavenly Parents on some other world for eons of time; millions and millions of years.   We were nurtured, trained, tutored and watched over by our Heavenly Parents.  BUT WE HAVE OUR FREE AGENCY!  We used it  wisely in that former existence when we voted to accept the Fathers plan to send Christ, his Only Begotten to this earth to make it possible for us to obtain the happiness he seeks for his children.  Christ, our elder spirit brother, made this possible by his atoning sacrifice; his suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross.  Because of Christ, no matter how much we sin, (let me repeat that) no matter what gross sins we commit, if we do not murder, we can repent and be forgiven of all sin and it will be with God just as though they never happened. 

The plan of our Father for our eternal happiness was to create an earth and send us away from Him and those in heaven, for a short period of time; take our memory of the past existence away temporarily, and give us an opportunity to show how much we love the Father and the Son as we EXERCISE OUR AGENCY AGAIN.

This is the 3^rd volume.  

OUR GOAL IS TO BECOME JUST LIKE OUR HEAVENLY PARENTS. 

Now, we know that perfection in this life is impossible, but it’s not impossible to “start” on the path that leads to perfection.  If we are ON THAT PATH when we die, we will then have the opportunity to continue on that path after death until  “EVENTUALLY” we will gain perfection.  If we die and are not on the right path, having had an opportunity to enter into the right path, that chance may be lost forever.   

It’s quite a simple plan the Father instituted.  We come to this earth for two reasons.  One, to obtain a body of flesh and bone to house our spirit body.  A very important reason for a body of flesh and bone is that you have to have a body of flesh and bone in order to “procreate”, or have children or have sex.  As long as we lived as spirits, not one of us ever had the opportunity to create life (procreation) or participate in sex until we came to this earth.  And after we die NO one, including you and I, will never participate in that God-like power of creating life, unless we reach, through worthiness, the highest degree of the Celestial kingdom. 

The second reason for earth life is to be “TESTED”; to see which of two great powers on this earth we will follow; Christ or Satan.  Here again, we have our free agency.  Our test is to see if we will follow Christ or Satan;  it's that simple.  This earth life is our FINAL test for eternity.  If we pass it, we will go on to our perfection. 

Let me tell you you what happens to people when they die, as I understand it.  Of course, our body goes into the grave, but our spiritis, the real “you” goes into the spirit world, or into the “room across the hall.”  Life goes on there similar to how it goes on here; we just don’t have our physical bodies; we have spirit bodies.

We have a partial judgement at that time.   There are three places, or different conditions, all people are assigned to when they die;  Hell, Spirit Prison or Paradise.   Hopefully, most of us will go to Paradise.  We are taught that there are 3 different degrees of glory, or places, we can be put in after the resurrection and the final judgement… telestial, terrestrial and celestial.  Our placement is determined by the choices we make here on earth.

Do you want to repent?  To repent is STOP DOING THE BAD THINGS (BREAKING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS) AND START DOING THE GOOD THINGS (KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS.)

How do we do this?  NONE of us can do it on our own.  The help we all need is called the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost is a man; the third member of the Godhead.  His body is not composed of flesh and bones like the Father and Son.  He has a body of “Spirit”.  He is made of matter too sacred for us to comprehend.  He, the man, can only be in one place at a time.  However, there is a great power that radiates from this spirit man, the Holy Ghost, and can dwell in our bodies of flesh & bones, if we qualify for it.  If we listen to our promptings from the Holy Ghost, we will know how to Stop doing the bad things Start doing the good things. 

Thanks again to Gus for putting these profound concepts into sentences we can understand.

One of the best things we can ever do is be sealed in the temple for time and all eternity.  This means that a family can be together for ever.  My Mom and Dad were sealed about 68 Years ago.  I am glad to know that I can be with Mom and Dad and my brothers and sisters forever.  Just picture us up in heaven, having one of our Bodell Reunions.  Just think how we will be able to invite all our ancestors to join us in visiting, and playing games, and having barn dances.  One of our  family’s favorite parts of our barn dances is the Chicken Dance when we get to hook arms at the elbows and swing around from one beloved relative to another.  Perhaps we will not only swing around with Grandma Jim, Grandpa Bodell, and Grandma and Grandpa Brown, but we will get to party and study and visit with our brave pioneer ancestors who traveled from Europe, and eventually crossed the plains to get to a place that they could worship God, the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

I have a little great niece named Jasmine who always arrives at her Grandma Jimae’s home and throws open the door and excitedly hollers “I’m here, I’m here everybody, I am here!” Three months ago we lost her father, David Kenney, in a tragic car accident.  A couple of weeks ago his little, barely 3 year old daughter, Jasmine, told her Grandma Jimae upon seeing a picture of her father, said that when she goes up to heaven she is going to say, “I’m here, I’m here, Daddy, I’m here!” 

Mom loved family reunions.  Can you imagine what it was like on Monday as she peacefully slipped from this earthly life and her earthly body, and her spirit went to heaven?  I’ll bet she went through the veil and said… “I’m here, I’m here Heavenly Father and Jesus!  I’m here, Mom, Dad, Nora, Ray, Ruth, Maurine, Louise, Albert, and Ronald.  I’m here Grandma Jim and all the Bodells!  I’m here, my beloved grandsons, John David, James and David.  I’m here and Jim will be joining us as soon as he finishes his mission on Earth.”  Oh, what a family reunion they must have had the past few days!  I’ll bet she even tapped Dance to “On the Good Ship Lollipop” in the family talent show. 

I know that Christ atoned for us to be able to live again.  I know that it is possible for us to all be together again.  I know that I will die some day, and I hope and pray that I can live the kind of life that I will be able to be with Mom and celebrate  in a great family reunion, not only with my ancestors, but my descendents.  Probably at least 3/4s of the people here are related to us.  We get to be with you.

I bear my testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am grateful that we have the concept of the Plan of Salvation and that we know that Families are Forever.

Kind Hearted Woman Lives Here (By Jimae Kenney Daughter)

In the earlier part of the last century, Hobos traveled the land using a system of pictures to communicate with each other. These pictures would be carved on trees, fence posts or buildings or chalked on pavement. One of those symbol pictures was of a smiling cat. That particular picture meant "a kind hearted woman lives here." That meant someone lived here that would likely extend kindness and hospitality. If you had this picture somewhere on or near your property it was called a "marked house".

I grew up in a "marked house" in downtown Salt Lake near the railroad station. We didn't ever see the mark or know where it was, or even know that such a language of symbols and signs was a part of our lives, but it was. I remember many, many times there would be a timid knock at our front door and my mother would answer it and then go to our kitchen and make a sandwich. She would gather up anything else she might have, such as an apple, some graham crackers or some raisins and then take it to the door and give it to the man that was standing there. I was taught that these were men that didn't have a home, or family, like we had and that they traveled from city to city on the trains and were called Hobos.

And so, the first time I ever heard of "a marked house" and the Hobo language, it brought back many memories and then when I saw and heard what the smiling cat sign meant, I knew that was my mother.

My mother was a kind-hearted woman and I got to live with her for most of my life.

My early memories were of her "ironing" all afternoon on Wednesdays. In those days there was no such thing was wash and wear....everything had to be ironed - and there wasn't a TV to watch while you did it either. So, for "our" entertainment we would sing songs from her never ending repretois of war songs and show songs. She also taught me to do a couple of readings that were basically long "totally memorized" funny stories. My first one was about a spoiled little girl that was bored and kept bugging her mother for things. I not only had to memorize it, but get the actions & the facial expressions and the tone of voice "just right"! (I want a piece of calico to make my doll a dress...it needn't be a big one - a yard will do a guess....and so on.)

As mentioned previously she always had a song in her heart! She was always singing or humming. I actually started learning the facts of life when I was at a young age because she kept singing this song and I demanded to know what it was about. (If you see, my darling, in some rendezvous, painting the town the a girl he once knew. Pay no attention and just let it be...but keep it, a secret, from me.)

My Mom loved to read, anything she could get a hold of. The only magazine she ever subscribed to other than the Church publications, was the Ladies Home Journal. Oh, she would be so excited when it came and hurried a little faster with her work so that she could enjoy the evening with her magazine.

And this begins the great dichotomy of my Mother's life.

In the New Testament we learn of Jesus Christ's two good friends that were sisters: Mary and Martha. Now Martha was very efficient. She had the "good housekeeping and how to get things done down pat." Mary, on the other hand loved learning and listening. She wanted to listen to every word the Lord had to say. My mother was born to a Martha (literally), her Mother-in-law was a Martha, all of her sisters were way, way Marthas, and even all of her sister-in-laws were Marthas. They had clean, organized houses. They could zip a dance costume in an afternoon. They could cook a fabulous meal for 20 people that just stopped by to visit with a few items they just happened to have in the house. Need I go on?

Oh, how she admired them all and wanted to be like them. But, her true spirit was a Mary. She craved knowledge of all types. And so began her great hobby of reading it all and then "saving" it all in her files, so that it might be of help to her or others in the future. She loved Encyclopedias. She dreamed that someday when her family was raised, she was going to read them all...from A-Z. Oh, if her beautiful mind could only have kept going a few more years so that she could reap the benefits of learning in today's world of the internet.

My Mom also was a great writer, and in those days writing was either written out by hand or done on an amazing little machine called a typewriter. This is my mother's typewriter. It was her prized physical possession. Oh, how her fingers could fly across the keyboard, never making a mistake. I loved to watch her and couldn't figure out how she could just type the right letters without ever looking down.

Very early my Mom started writing poetry. She was often asked to give one of her famous readings at church or family events and one day led to her writing about her day and then presented it that evening to her audience. (You may read that rendition on page 33.)

She would always write personalized poems to welcome new babies to the family or for a wedding or anniversary of a loved one.

Speaking of loved ones, when growing up the absolute, most exciting thing in our lives, was when our relatives came to visit. Sometimes it was a Sunday afternoon and sometimes it was for several days. Oh, how she loved it when her sisters or her nieces and nephews would come to visit and they would talk and talk and she would listen and just love to have them there in our home.

As I grew a little older and started to make friends outside our family unit, she always pointed out that I needed to be kind to all of the children at school. When we had a birthday party, everyone in the primary class was invited, so that no one would feel left out.

Her compassion for others and her love of learning led to her loving others from other cultures and she just wanted to learn everything about them that she could. When they lived in Hawaii, she became a part of them and their culture, leaving many friendships behind when she returned to the Mainland. The same when they served their mission in Liberia, Africa. She learned about their beliefs as she shared her testimony. She made many friends and it broke her heart when after they left she learned of the many Saints that lost their lives in that civil-war ravaged country.

My mother taught us through her example. She read good books. She studied the gospel. She attended to her church responsibilities and she loved her neighbor as herself.

I would like to end by sharing two of her poems. The first one that shows the intensity of her love for her children. 

You and I
As surely as I live I feel
That life can be so good
For those who know the blessings
And joys of motherhood.


When first I held you in my arms
And felt your baby skin,
I loved the way your fuzzy head
Fit underneath my chin.


I knew there must be more to this
Than just the toil and strife
When I tucked my finger in your fist
And you held on for life!


Your first time in the big bathtub
You looked so round and fat!
You kicked and splashed and swam away.
I couldn’t have missed that!


All during that first year with you
I really passed a test.
Of all the people in the world
You seemed to like me best.


You tried to walk, your hand in mine.
Your eyes with glory shone.
Then one day you let go of me
And tottered off alone.


Much later, when we took our walks,
You had so much to say.
You asked me all about the things
We saw along the way.


I still remember those bouquets
Of dandelions you brought.
“Which hand?” you’d ask, then hold them out,
(A proud and precious tot.)


One Sunday you stood up in church
To say a poem aloud.
I sat there in the audience,
And my, but I was proud!


Remember when you ran away?
I couldn’t reprimand!
You looked so small and helpless
With your suitcase in your hand,


As just inside the door you stood,
A haughty little elf;
So stubborn, and so willful, too,
And, oh, so like myself!


And when I tucked you in each night
And touched your tousled head,
I always was surprised to find
An angel in your bed!


That first day you went off to school
As if you hadn’t cared.
But that same day you sneaked right back.
“I’m homesick,” you declared.


How many things you seemed to learn!
How very fast you grew!
And just as surely as you did
Your world grew bigger, too.


It will be just as well
If you never know
How very, very hard it was
For me to let you go.


I haven’t been an opera star,
But memories I keep
Of times I sang you lullabies
Until you fell asleep.


If I said I was an artist,
The truth would be quite tainted,
But think of all the lovely pictures
You and I have painted.


I’ve made no contribution here
That man will eulogize.
I haven’t written any book;
But you’re my Nobel prize!


Inside me, ‘til the end of time
A special wish there’ll be:
That I can give you back the joy
That you have given me.

The second one is her thoughts about her life and her heaven, and how poignant it is, that she has passed on, just before another April.

"April"

Another April gone!

My years do not go

From January to January

As they do for some,

But rather from April to April.

For April is my favorite month,

When ice and snow give way

To lilacs and apricot blossoms.

Other months I make long lists

On a calendar on the wall:

“My turn to drive for the car pool”

“Make costumes”

“A birthday cake”

But I draw a line though April.

I save that month for myself,

For sitting in the sun—

Reading, writing, thinking—

And watching the robins return.

But each year interruptions seem

To steal my April away.

“May day” people call today

And go for nature walks.

I stood and watched from our window

As people walked past our house:

An old couple, side by side;

A lively family of redheads,

Laughing—enjoying the sun!

I heard, as I turned from the window,

“Did you have a bad day, Dear?”

And, “What’s the matter, Mother?”

“Another April gone,” I said;

But they did not understand.

Only twenty—maybe thirty—Aprils left.

But this morning I was inspired

By this thrilling thought:

When the thirty Aprils have passed,

And I am in another sphere,

Can it be possible—do you suppose—

That it’s always April there?

I hope you all realize that I am speaking today in representation of all eight of her children. As the eldest, I have known for a long time that this day would come. I hope that you all know that each and everyone of us was just as important in her eyes and in her heart.


Every day I thank my Heavenly Father, that I was sent to live and grow up in the home of one of the greatest, kind-hearted women in the world. I love you, too, Mom.

Saying Goodbye

A BEAUTIFUL DAY - Read by Michael Bodell Written by Chuck Gates

Our mother, Maydene Brown Bodell returned to her Heavenly Father on March 19, 2012 after 86 years of joy and happiness as a writer, poet, dancer, singer, and seeker of knowledge.  She left this earthly state while holding the hand of her loving husband of 68 years, James Huggard Bodell.

She was born to Martha Whiting and Francis Wiley Brown in Mesa, Arizona on June 9, 1925. As a child, her family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, which she would always claim as her hometown. 

While attending Granite High School, she developed a passion for the performing arts as a member of the drama and dance clubs.  At 15, she was cast in her school’s production of Pride and Prejudice, where she met a member of the stage crew, who became the love of her life. She helped Jim Bodell develop patience through two years of dating before she finally kissed him, ensuring a lifelong friendship and love. 

They married in the Salt Lake Temple on January 26, 1944 while Jim 

was on a short leave from serving as a Corporal in the Army Air Corps during World War II. 

Mom was an amazing wife who adored her husband. As a mother, she taught her children to find joy in everyday life.  Her ability to listen intently and empathize made her the perfect wife, mother, and friend. Her ability to put herself in another’s shoes demonstrated her compassion for others, but it also taught her children to be accountable and look inward instead of judging others.

Mom and Dad’s  life together sent them to live in various states throughout the west. Maydene’s support enabled Jim to start Bodell Construction, for which they moved over 20  times to oversee the construction of about 75 LDS church buildings.  Whether it was in Utah, California, Arizona, or Hawaii, Maydene prided herself on maintaining a home that was open to others.  Her children knew that friends were welcome for playing, visiting, or attending big parties. Her nieces and nephews could rely on their adopted home to stay when visiting Salt Lake. 

We always knew mom was nearby because she was always singing or humming a happy tune. 

It was common to find her tap dancing her way through her chores. She always had a song going in her mind and heart and the uncanny ability to recall the lyrics to almost any song, especially those from musicals, movies, or church. She knew almost every hymn and primary song.   Her grandchildren loved to come sing and dance with Grandma. 

She absolutely loved family reunions, especially going to see her cousins at the Brown and Whiting reunions. She especially enjoyed seeing her nieces and making each feel like they were her favorite. 
At the age of 70, she and Jim developed Clear Creek Family Ranch, where they welcomed hundreds of family reunions, youth conferences, scout groups, and church groups into their ranch homes near Zion’s National Park.

An avid reader and writer, Mom continually pursued greater knowledge. Words were magic to her and she was always reading about ways to improve herself, whether to cook better meals, keep a better budget, be more spiritual, be the perfect wife, or strengthen relationships.  
She knew how to spell any word and developed expertise in grammar and editing. She was an accomplished songwriter, poet, playwright and children’s author, but she was most proud of the biographical volumes she authored about her family.

She strived to live her life remembering her heritage as a daughter of God by exemplifying the gospel of Jesus Christ. Her ardent testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was evident in her support of her husband twice being called as bishop. As retirees, Jim and Maydene served as missionaries in Liberia, Africa for 18 months.

In addition to her husband, Mom  is survived by her eight children – Jimae, Kristine, Michael, Mark, Pamela, Timothy, Daniel, and Dixie. 

Her posterity includes 34 grandchildren and 53 great grandchildren.

She found great joy as a grandmother. “Grandma” had the cutest little smile and laugh. When she realized her young grandsons thought it hilarious to jump from a hidden corner to scare her, she embraced the role of the frightened old lady. She perfected a loving look where she pretended to be mad, but you knew she wanted to just give you a big hug and kiss.

Though her memory faded in recent years, Maydene Brown Bodell always clung to her two dearest pieces of knowledge – her testimony of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and her love for Jim.

Starring Maydene Brown Bodell

You can watch the slideshow here.