April 2011

The funeral is over, and yesterday was the first chance I’ve had to catch my breath and reflect a little.   I’m very proud mom made me and robyn executors of her will.   I hope we do her proud.   I’m going to make one more post about mom, but not today.   I had the honor to write her obituary and plan her funeral and it was an honor to work with my family.

Anyway, here’s her obituary.

Mary Dunn Olsen

1934 ~ 2011

Mary Dunn Olsen unexpectedly passed away Wednesday, April 20, 2011 in Heber City, Utah.

Mary was born March 29, 1934 to Linden and Ethel Belmont Tregeagle. After graduating from Provo High in 1953, Mary met Joseph Vern Dunn, and they were married in 1954 and later sealed in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Mary spent most of her life in Provo, Utah where she raised 5 children and was very active in the LDS church and supported her husband in several businesses and church callings.

Mary had deep faith in her Savior Jesus Christ and accepted many callings ranging from Relief Society president to Sunday School Teacher. She put her heart into her faith which sustained her through many trials and magnified the joys in her life. If you knew Mary, you knew where she stood and her faith was a part of her daily life.

After Vern died in 1993, Mary threw herself into her passion for weaving. For 25 years, you would find her dedicated to weaving her “Persnikity Rugs, made from proud rags.”

In 2003, Mary reunited with her high school sweetheart Gilbert C Olsen and they were married that same year. They made their home in Heber City, Utah and enjoyed their life together.

Mary was one of a kind. You were always greeted with an enthusiastic smile, a funny story, and a warm conversation.

Mary always joked about a headstone she once saw, and said it was how she wanted to be remembered: “Here lies one tough old dame.” Mary, you were. We’ll miss you.

Mary is preceded in death by her husband Joseph Vern Dunn, her father Linden S Tregeagle, and her brother Thomas E Tregeagle.

She is survived by her husband Gilbert C Olsen, 5 children Michael Steven Dunn, Patrick Vern Dunn, David Scott “Skip” Dunn, Susan Kristine Dunn, Alan Trent Dunn, twenty-six grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon, Monday, April 25, 2011 at the Cobblestone Heber Ward, 1661 East 980 South, Heber City, Utah. Friends may call at the Berg Mortuary of Provo, 185 East Center Street, Sunday evening from 6 until 8 and at the church Monday from 10:30-11:45 a.m. prior to services. Interment, Heber City Cemetery.

Today, I got the call that my mother passed away. Sad day for me.

The writer in me has been thinking all of something poignant to write about her. As I sit here on my couch after a day of phone calls and initial arrangements, I am at a loss. She was a complex woman. She was my mother. She was a helluva good gal. Tomorrow I will meet with my family and make funeral arrangements and execute her will.

I will remember the good times. The times where she corrected and supported and listened to me as a youth, and the times we struggled together as a teen both good and bad (mostly good, Mom was the shit!) and for me to do the same for her as she got older, I got wiser and maybe I could give back by offering some encouragement to her and take care of her, as she took care of me when I was young. It hasn’t totally hit me yet. All I know is I’ll miss her.

She was alive till the day she died. Strong, proud and principled. She had her weaknesses, as we all do, but never made it your burden, even though you could see the weight in her eyes at some place that you knew she had to carry it alone. Time and experience told you she would. She was quick to laugh at your witticism, would carry your conversation if needed, and would act shocked when you told a dirty joke. I loved her. I feel I understood her.

Through that weight that maybe only family knew, she was a free spirit. She appreciated people with some character, and loved those that were interesting. Her heart was gold.

I moved to St George with her when I was 16 and had some really good times with her. She was there when I needed her.

Mar-bear, I’ll miss you. Thank god some of those genes passed on. I see em in my kids too. I love ya mom.

This is an old Statler brothers remake. Not a huge country guy, but this is a great song:

Its full on spring here. Weather is gorgeous. Looking forward to riding again hard soon. Still waiting for some things to line up that have been in motion for over a year now, and they’re really really close. I should know something next week. When they do, I’m moving the family to phoenix. For a lot of reasons. First, to be honest…. is to ride year round. 2nd, I’ve ridden everything, and I mean everything within 200 miles of here, and everything within interest of 500 miles of here. I need new roads. 3rd, to start over. I’m ready to rebuild and start some new things elsewhere. I like the challenge, and i’ve been here a long time. I think like the allman brothers song, I was born a ramblin man. It’s why my dad named me mr zip. I get bored pretty easy. 4th, I’m sick of utah. It’s great if you’re a mormon, but I’m not and its offered all its going to offer me.

I reflect on the last couple of years. Its been tough. Definitely a refiners fire. Everything has changed, and to be honest, the long continuous pressure of an entrepreneur got to me. I burned a few bridges, got a bit crazy and drank too much. I finally hit bottom and had to get my head right. I mention this, to be done with it, because I am done with it. I am poorer than I’ve been in years right now, but I have a helluva good life. I have some crazy ideas, a family that is behind me and is healthy, and my soul is strong. All i know, is I can handle a lot of shit…. shit that noone will ever fully understand but me. Thats how it should be.

I will tell you one thing i’ve been pretty proud of as of late…

This past year my 16 year old daughter has struggled with Anorexia. Its a pretty complex and scary disorder that had MrsZip and I up long nights. After all the doctors, therapists, school councilors and nutritionists, she pulled HERSELF out of it. She’s got the Dunn toughness, of which I’m very proud of. Its a mind fuck of a disorder. If you think you can force your teenager to eat, you’re a better man than me, because you cant. She was down to 70 pounds and was passing out several times a day. Scary shit to see happening to the little girl you love.

Anyway, she’s gained her weight back, turned full vegan on me, and exercising daily, doing yoga and ive never seen her so happy.

bla bla bla, back to motorcycling. Hopefully my next post is from the road.