Torleif Knaphus, Sculptor Saint William G. Hartley, Torleif Knaphus, Sculptor Saint, Ensign, July 1980, 11 Reprinted with permission from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints *To view article, click on title (Don &) Rowena (Torleif's youngest daughter) Family Spotlight: Don & Rowena Aina are the parents of six children - five boys and one girl.  "Big" Don continues his family painting business that has become known far and wide for its quality work.  He also serves in the Stake Young Men's Presidency.  Rowena is in her seventh year of Early Morning Seminary and enjoys preparing and sharing important lessons of life as learned and taught in the scriptures.  She is an involved mother to all in the family. Nathan (son-29), Tricia, and Joshua (2) live in Valencia, CA.  Nathan is a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice working in downtown L.A. and enjoys serving as a Sunday School teacher for the youth ages 14-18.  Tricia has some great friends in the ward and is excited to have a second boy toward the end of March.  She serves in Young Women's with the 12-13 year-olds. Stephen (son-26), Kara, and Gabriel (2) live in Provo, UT.  Stephen and Kara are graduating from BYU - Stephen in Psychology and Kara in Fine Arts.  They are expecting a baby boy in late May or early June.  Stephen is working on potential graduate school plans in Dentistry or Law and serves in the Elder's Quorum Presidency (w/his brother Sam).  Kara currently serves in the ward library and actively uses her creativeness sewing, quilting, and painting. Sam (son-24) and Melissa live in Provo, UT (about four houses from Steve & Kara).  Sam and Melissa are graduating from BYU - Sam in Accounting and Melissa in Computer Science.  They are expecting a baby boy in May.  Sam has already accepted a job with Ernst & Young's Internal Audit Department in Los Angeles, CA and will be working only a few blocks from his brother Nathan.  Melissa is a cute little soon-to-be mother with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.  Sam serves in the Elder's Quorum Presidency and Melissa in the Relief Society Presidency of their ward. Paul (son-would be 21) passed from this life nearly 10 years ago having inspired and touched the lives of many.  He faithfully serves his own mission sharing the gospel on the other side of the veil. Don (son-19) has completed his freshman year at BYU and is currently serving in the Rochester, NY Mission.  He thought there was a lot of snow in Utah - well he's already served in Buffalo over the past winter and had a wonderful opportunity to be in Palmyra for awhile.  He has had many great experiences and loves any letters or if you send him your email you can be included on his weekly email updates.  Rachel (daughter-16) is a sophomore at Forest Grove High School, and the athlete all her brothers wish they were.  She has started on the girls varsity teams of soccer, basketball, and track since her freshman year, continues to excel at the violin, maintains straight-A grades on top it, and even endures her early morning seminary teacher (Rowena). Our family spotlight this month is on Nathan Aina and his family.  Nathan is the oldest son of Rowena.  He and his wife Tricia have a two-year-old son Joshua and are expecting another son at the end of this month.  They recently moved from Orem, Utah to Valencia, California. Jordan Reid, son of Bruce and Carrie Reid, grandson of Jack and Joyce, is serving a mission in California, Ventura. Spencer Knaphus,  Mark and Julie's son, another grandson of Jack and Joyce, is serving a mission in the Houston Texas mission. Cameron Taylor, son of Mary and Lenn Taylor and grandson to Buck and Naomi Clifford of Andrew's side, just returned from serving a mission in Guam on March 3rd. Bryan and Becky Gerritsen's son, Greg, grandson of Marie Knaphus James, is serving in the England, Manchester Mission, currently in Runcorn, England.  He's loving every minute of it with his first baptism on Christmas Day Don Aina serving in the Rochester, NY Mission just finished a term of service in Palmyra - a "special area" as you all know. Andrew Family News: Daisy Chalk, Andrew and Myrtle's oldest child,  celebrated her 90th birthday on 19th Jan. Most of her family and many friends were there with her for the big day. Daisy is such a lovely person and a joy to be with. Her mind is still as sharp as ever. She has 22 grand children, 58 great grandchildren and15 great, great grandchildren with 3 more on the way. Torleif Family News: Tim Knaphus: Tim's daughter, Nanette is still working at UCSD after 22 years.  Nanette's daughter, Cari, is cancer free and still working as the manager and vet tech at a vet hospital. Cari's children, Jake, 12, and Savannah, 8, are doing well in school.  Nanette's other daughter, Heather, graduates in May with her Masters in Psychology and will be  married in Feb, 2004 to her long time beau. Bart and JoAnn Knaphus' daughter, Elizabeth (Liz) had three years of drama in high school and was accepted into a four year Actors' Training Program at the University of Utah. Marie James: Also in Bryan and Becky Gerritsen's family, Ben and Jen are expecting their first baby the end of September.  Steve graduated from the University of Utah in December 2002.  Amy will graduate from BYU on April 24, 2003, and Lynar Young, Jenny's husband is graduating from SUU in Cedar City on May 3, 2003. Travis received his Master's Degree from Utah State last May, 2002.  Paul (age 16) just finished basketball season at Weber High, and was the only sophomore to play on the Varsity team.  Bryan was called to serve in the North Ogden Utah Stake Presidency August 24th, 2002. He also received the 2002 Ambassador Award from the Utah Travel Council and Convention Bureau on March 5th, for efforts to bring an international conference of workers for the blind and visually impaired to Utah in 2006.  The rest of us are all working towards goals and filling callings. Allen & Juli Gerritsen's oldest daughter, Amber (husband Del) is graduating this year from the University of Utah with a double major in psychology and human development & family studies. Norman (& Charlotte) Knaphus: Erick (son) and Teri Knaphus were blessed with a 4 lb 13 oz baby girl, Alyssa, on February 13, 2003 Becky Beddoes: Ken, Ann (daughter), Joshua, and Caleb are soon moving back to the United States (Chicago) after several years in Germany Joseph and Martha (daughter) will both be graduating from BYU in April:  Joseph with his Bachelor's degree in Linguistics and Martha wit her Master's degree in Art History - Martha's primary efforts were focused upon Torleif Knaphus' work between 1928-39. (Don &) Rowena Aina: Stephen (son) and Kara will both be graduating in April:  Stephen with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Kara with a Bachelor's of Fine Arts Samuel (son) and Melissa will also both be graduating from BYU in April:  Samuel with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and Melissa with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science All three daughters-in-law (Tricia, Kara, & Melissa) are expecting baby boys in March, May, and June. Rachel (daughter) just finished a stellar sophomore year as a starter on the varsity basketball team for Forest Grove High School as the second leading scorer in the league.

 

The following photos were contributed by Brett Humphrey, Torlief's descendant, through Grace.  My parents, David and Maxine Humphrey, standing in the back yard of the owner of the gas station who, I believe is your 2nd cousin. The picture is a lovely view of a valley with a pond of which I believe Grandpa Knaphus drew many paintings containing the valley and pond. My wife and I standing in about the same place as my parents, but facing the opposite direction. Looking at that picture, you can see a partial view of the home which replaced the older home of where Grandpa Knaphus grew up (although the location of the home has been changed by a hundred or so yards), as well as a view of the mountain that appears in many of his paintings. My parents and Bill Humphrey. In the background of the picture you can see the service station and hamburger/hot dog stand that appears to be a thriving family enterprise. The Handcart Pioneer Monument Above:  The Handcart Monument located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, UT, sculpted by Grandpa Torleif Knaphus. Below:  Grandpa Torleif Knaphus sculpting the monument. Painting of Bryce Canyon by Torleif Knaphus, in the possession of John and Janice Gerritsen Painting of a Canyon Stream by Torleif Knaphus, in the possession of Bill and Sharla Humphrey. Knaphus Memorial in Norway Today in Norway stands a gas station/convenience store on the site where the old Knaphus family farm was located.  Jarl Sjarneik now owns the property and lives in a nice home where the old farmhouse once stood. He is a friend of our second cousin Bjarne Strand who also lives in Norway.  Jarl is impressed with the history of the Knaphus family and the Handcart Monument which was done by Torleif.  He has set aside a public park on his property to erect a memorial to the Knaphus family.  He is providing the land and the stone monument and has asked the Knaphus family to donate the memorial.  A bas-relief of the "Handcart Pioneers" was done by Torleif that is 39 inches wide by 26 inches tall.  Marie James originally purchased the piece and was put in the stone fireplace at her home on Wander Lane in Holladay.  Though it had been in the home for over 45 years, the current owner allowed the family to obtain it.  It has since been cast into bronze for the memorial in Norway. This bronze piece, along with a written history in Norwegian, will be placed on the stone memorial.  Click here to see the draft wording of the history. Roughly, an additional $3,500 is needed for completion of the memorial.  We hope to raise enough money to complete the monument this summer.  Your contributions to the Knaphus Family Organization are appreciated. Contribution Funds Are Needed Besides the needed funds for the Knaphus Memorial in Norway, the KFO needs your financial contributions for the continued work with the family history which Torleif and Andrew started.  Please send your checks to: Knaphus Family Organization C/o Becky Beddoes, Secretary/Treasurer 8805 South 1595 East Sandy, UT  84093 NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTIONS: We need YOUR help...especially from Andrew's descendants: To continue a meaningful newsletter which also represents Andrew's family's news items, family spotlight, histories, photos, and artwork, we need someone to step forward to help in this effort. If any of you are interested in having Andrew's family included in future newsletters or other Knaphus Family Organization efforts and activities, we need some representation from Andrew's family! Additional interested family members from Torleif's family would be welcomed, too. Thanks. If you have something to contribute to the newsletter, please contact Allen Gerritsen or Brooke Bowen.