Tag Archives: memoir

Date Published: July 29, 2025

Publisher: Elite Online Publishing

You Make My Heart Giggle: Dadisms, The Wisdom and Wit of Dad is the perfect
book for anyone who cherishes the timeless wisdom of fathers and the lessons
they impart, often disguised as quirky sayings. Whether you’re seeking
inspiration, laughter, or a heartfelt reminder of life’s most cherished
values, this book is for you.

Inside, you’ll discover:

● Time-tested Dadisms, each packed with wisdom to inspire courage,
persistence, and optimism—so you can tackle life’s challenges with
confidence.

● Historical insights and personal stories, showing how these simple sayings
align with some of history’s greatest moments, giving you a new
appreciation for their deeper meanings.

● A heartfelt tribute to fatherhood, reminding you of the love, humor, and
guidance that shape our lives, so you can cherish and pass these lessons down
to generations.

This book is authentic, inspiring, and proven to make you laugh, reflect, and
appreciate the impact of a father’s words in ways you never imagined.

Don’t wait, grab your copy today and relive the wisdom, laughter, and love
that only a dad can provide!

A little about my dad

Little Johnny as my father was known spent his early childhood in cache
valley a beautiful mountain setting in northern Utah. The valley was lush and
green in summer with horses and cows grazing peacefully in fields framed by
homemade log and wire fences. The severe winters were in stark contrast to the
mild summers. bitterly cold but beautiful. Each morning the sun would stream
through the trees causing the hoar frost (which had settled on the branches
during the night) to sparkle like a thousand little gems. Against a cobalt
blue sky, the contrast was stunning. cache valley was a wonderful place for an
active young boy to grow up in. pine covered mountains to climb, clear running
rivers to fish and plenty of places to explore. cache valley got its name from
the mountain men and trappers who traveled the Rockies in search of valuable
furs, fox, beaver and bear, beaver pelts were in high demand in the east
because top hats were all the rage and a beaver top hat signaled wealth and
class. Jim Bridger, and Jedediah Smith were a few of those who roamed the high
mountains in the 1820’s. Jedediah was born and raised in Boston, Jim
hailed from Chicago These young men had left the comforts of eastern cities
for the lonely and rugged life in the west. it was a solitary existence always
working the trap lines by themselves. Each spring around the first week in
May, these intrepid young men would assemble together (to retrieve their
hidden furs “caches” that they had created during the winter
months,) in what was for them the high social event of the year It was called
the rendezvous.

Dads father Rube was slight of build. He had come from humble circumstances.
raised on a small farm that managed to put food on the table but little else.
Rube would spend his entire life raising livestock and living off the land the
same as his father and his grandfather before him had done. Dads mother
Charlotte was the daughter of John Anderson. A tall man, and rather quiet and
soft spoken. He was impeccable in appearance. altogether a rather handsome
man. He had amassed a small fortune in real estate, as president of the Logan
First National Bank and the proprietor of the ZCMI Mercantile Store on main
street. in 1864 as a young boy He had walked from St Louis to the Rocky
Mountains to homestead with his family in the northern Utah Territory. it was
said of charlotte that she could have any man in the valley but settled on a
quiet country boy. As a cattleman Rube was hardly ever home. He was demanding
of his children but in a kind sort of way.

My father (little Johnny) was a very active and outgoing young boy with little
fear of anything, always towering over his fellow schoolmates. Despite his
size, he was a kind and gentle child. As an adult, he was larger than life not
only physically, but he was also large intellectually, emotionally, and
spiritually. At 6’ 6” 320 pounds, size 16 shoes, coat size 56,
everyone quit calling him little Johnny and he simply became known as Big
John.

He had an unwavering love for his country. He was part of what Tom Brokaw
called “the Greatest Generation“ serving in world war II in the
south pacific. He was involved in the battles at Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima,
Leyte, Philippines, and Okinawa. along with being part of one of the first
contingencies to enter Hiroshima after the Atomic Bomb was dropped.

He loved golf, he loved to travel, he never held public office but was deeply
involved in local caucuses, state conventions, and campaigning for candidates
he believed in. As far as singing, he could not carry a tune, but he loved
music and the arts and saw to it that we often attended the Utah Symphony,
plays at the Promised Valley Play House, and excursions to the local galleries
so we could appreciate fine art. We could decide for ourselves as to whether
or not we wanted to play sports, but we had no such freedom when it came to
learning how to play a musical instrument. To dad it was non-negotiable, He
said simply. “You will”

I knew he loved me not only by what he said but by what he actually did. One
night in late August of1968, my father came home from work and asked me if I
could visit with him for a few minutes. My first though was “Oh no what
have I done now. I soon realized that his tone was very different from past
visits. He said, “Son I have been offered the job to be the principle of
your high school, and I need to know if that would bother you in any
way”? I then asked him “what he would do if the answer was
yes”, His response surprised me, he said “Son, you are far more
important than any job could ever be, and if it would cause you even the
slightest worry or concern, I will turn the job down” I knew that he
really wanted that job but I also knew he really meant what he said. My answer
to him was that it would be fine and for the next 3 years we had what many
would call a rather unique experience together.

I hope the stories I tell here will be of some interest, but more importantly
I hope it will awaken in each reader the realization of the lessons that each
has learned from those who have been their source of inspiration and learning.
Those who have truly made a difference in their lives.

About the Author

Brent was a product of the fascinating and turbulent decades of the 60’s
and 70’s. He came from a very average middle-class family. Growing up,
he would be labeled by society’s standards as almost invisible. He was
surrounded by incredible role models that greatly influenced his life,
including teachers, friends, and most importantly, family. Brent was an Eagle
Scout and served a two-year mission for his church in Northern England.

He met his future bride in a geology class at the University of Utah and
graduated with a BS degree in History. Putting himself through school, he
worked for First Security State Bank. Brent taught students with reading
disabilities at Union Jr High School and History at Alta High School before
leaving education to work for Pfizer Pharmaceutical. Eventually, he started
his own highly successful construction company, which now includes three of
his sons as part of the family business. He also owns 3 companies involved in
real estate development and acquisition.

Brent’s greatest joy comes from his family. He is a proud father to 2
daughters and 5 sons, and a contented grandpa to 30 grandchildren, with one
great-grandchild on the way. He loves sports, photography, travel, especially
in France, England, Holland, and the inside passage of Alaska and being in the
outdoors; he cherishes time at their cabin in the Manti Lasal mountains or
their condo in the red rock country of southern Utah. He enjoys hiking and
rappelling slot canyons in the southwest and river running, especially the
mighty Colorado River. Brent also started the Metra Learning Center and
On-line productions. He played the clarinet in the University of Utah marching
and pep bands and remarkably built his first home with no prior construction
experience, which still stands 45 years later.

Throughout his life, Brent has been driven by the undeniable influence one
person can have on generations untold and the profound lessons taught by a
father to his sons and daughters. His life reflects the deep and enduring
relationship between a father and his children.

Contact Link

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