Van Leeuwen

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Drops of Water

Little drops of water,

Little grains of sand,

Make the mighty ocean

And the pleasant land.

Thus the little minutes,

Humble though they be,

Make the mighty ages

Of eternity.

Julia A Fletcher

That poem seemed to fit as I work through more photos that belonged to my Great Grandparents. These photos found their way to my (Great) Uncle Dave and (Great) Aunt Betty. I scanned and worked through these photos, in some cases over 100 years later. I wonder what thoughts or emotions my own family’s photos might evoke in 100 years. The little minutes add up.

Young David Delos Donaldson

David Donaldson was born in 1894. If this photo were taken at 18 years old, then it would be 1912.

David Donaldson
Delos Donaldson and unknown woman
Unknown woman and Delos Donaldson
These are the two same women from the separate photos above, probably the same day. No clue if related or some other occasion.

David certainly appears older in this photo than the prior one. His 20s or 30s?

“Delas, Dena, Ms. Berry, Alvin, and g”

I can recognize Dena and David on the left, along with David’s mother Mary. I would have been guessing on Alvin, but his age and size appear to match. Who is Ms. Berry? There are so many Berry/Barry/Beery ladies in Ogden in 1920, even within a mile and half of the house, that I cannot make any identification. The Donaldson family in 1920 were living at 2270 Ogden Ave, Ogden, Utah. I have written a biography about my Great Grandparents, David Delos Donaldson and Berendena Van Leeuwen.

David Delos Donaldson holding little girl

This photo has a couple of interesting pieces. I don’t immediately recognize the little girl as one of David’s children. The family lived in Ogden. The mountains seem to line up. But I generally think it is early 1920s. Interesting note, I appreciate that the baby clothing between boys and girls were somewhat interchangeable. Perhaps this is actually David William Donaldson and the same day as this photo:

Donaldson Children about 1930
Berendena Van Leeuwen Donaldson holding child

This photo is interesting to me as I don’t see Dena as quite as young as when her first kids were born in 1920. I cannot tell if it is a boy or girl she is holding, but if it is David/Dave, then this could be around 1929-1930. Dena was born in 1898, so 1930 would put her at 32 years old.

Milo Ross and unknown girl
Berendena Van Leeuwen Donaldson with the three Ross grandchildren, Milo, Caroline, and Judy

Milo was born in 1943, Judy in 1946, and Caroline in 1948. This photo seems it could have taken place in 1950 to 1951.

Milo Ross

I don’t know whose car it is, or the make and model. The plate says 1949. I don’t know if plates had to be replaced every year, or if they were longer time increments. If they are only one year, then this would appear to place the photo and the one above in 1949 or 1950.

Dena and Gladys Donaldson – 1940

This photo is interesting. It had 1940 written on it, so my Grandma turned 19 that year. She married in 1942. Doing an AI search, it showed one of the locations near Grotto Geyser. The small piece of the sign to the right appears to begin with the letter G. Here is a modern shot from Google Maps from 2013. It really does not look like the Grotto Geyser features have changed much in 85 years.

2013 picture of Grotto Geyser
Gladys Maxine Donaldson Ross

This photo was a fun photo of Grandma. Her teeth in the picture are different than I remember. Going back through all the photos I have of her and Grandpa, I don’t have many pictures of her full-toothed smile. Having her tongue in her teeth distorts how her teeth look.

28 June 1939 – Napa, California

This photo is interesting in that the back says it was taken 28 June 1939 in Napa, California. The only explanation for the photo must be while they were in California for the 1939 World Fair. Here is a photo from that occasion.

Dave, Delos, and Dena Donaldson
Kate Collins and Dena Donaldson

Here is another fun photo. Berendena Van Leeuwen Donaldson and Catharina Johanna Van Leeuwen Collins are sisters. Dena was born in 1898, Kate in 1902. Dena passed away in 1959 and spent the last 4 years of her life in a wheelchair, so this is before that. You can see she is standing on the right and holding on to the side of the image. Guessing, this is probably early to middle 1950s.

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Berendena Pocket Album

I continue to work through the massive box/crate of photos and documents that were given to Dad after Aunt Betty Donaldson passed away. Much of it was garbage, some of it was interesting, but I have been getting to some really good stuff lately. One little such item was hit pocket album that belonged to my Great Grandmother, Berendena Van Leeuwen Donaldson. I pulled all the photos out and scanned them. But first, here is the pocket album.

The first photo in the album was that of her grandchildren. This photo was taken in 1951. The names and dates are on the back.

Back (l-r): Ed Telford, Jan Birch, John Telford, Richard Michaelson, Milo Ross; Front: Caroline Ross, Mary Telford, Judy Ross

Berendena went by Dena her whole life. But since her daughter was also named Dena, I usually go with her full name. The next picture is of her and the two Ross girl grandchildren.

Caroline Ross, Berendena Donaldson, Judy Ross

Then a picture of her and her husband, David Delos Donaldson.

Dena and David Donaldson

Then a picture of her daughter Dora.

Dora Mary Donaldson Michaelson

Then her son David “Dave” Donaldson.

David William Donaldson

Last picture was of her and all give of her children.

Dena Dorothy Birch, David William Donaldson, Dora Mary Michaelson, Maxine Telford, Dena Donaldson, Gladys Maxine Ross

Several of these photos were taken at 639 Wall Avenue in Ogden, Weber, Utah. This photo was not in her pocket album.

David Donaldson on porch of their home on Wall Ave
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Leaving Leiden

Our time in The Netherlands is coming to a close.  Today was our last day in Amsterdam.  Tomorrow we begin the trek across Germany to Dresden.  We have to be on the train about 7 AM and will find ourselves winding to Berlin.  From Berlin, after some quick touring, we will make the final leg to Dresden.  It should be an interesting day.

Morning flowers in Amsterdam

Today was fascinating. 

Dutch countryside, flowers!

We made our way to Den Haag or as we know it, The Hague. 

Dutch windmill in the wild!

What a pretty little city. 

Ridderzaal, Den Haag (The Hague)

We walked around the Dutch Parliament Buildings.

Voormalige hofkapel, Den Haag

We got some pictures with the UN Justice Building.

Internationaal Hof van Justitie, Den Haag

We went to see the Prison Gate Prison. 

There we got to see the old ways of torture. 

This was more Amanda’s bag than anything else. 

I was along for the ride. 

Walking through Den Haag, I saw this store front. My Great Grandmother was a van Leeuwen, Berendena van Leeuwen Donaldson (1898 – 1959).

I really didn’t mind.

We are on our way out. 

Canal back in Amsterdam

Have a great day! 

Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

Look forward to Dresden.

Pretty little house in Amsterdam

Exhausted. Time to climb the narrow stairs to our hostel.

A funny story about our hostel. The bathroom was small, we were on the top floor. The entire bathroom was a shower. When taking a shower, it would fully douse the sink, toilet, etc. Nothing was protected. You could relieve yourself and shower and bidet all at the same time. And no lock on the door! Amanda was horrified. I had to stand guard so nobody dared enter while she was in there!

Voormalige hofkapel, Den Haag
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Memorial Day 2025

Time continues to march forward. It does not care what we think about it. Some want it faster, others want it slower, others want it to stop.

In preparation for Memorial Day, I was trying to think of something that would show that I truly hold in memory those who served in the military and especially those who died in that service. Hopefully here are a few things that show a more human side. I am not aware that I have any ancestor who has died in a war, especially in the service of the United States of America. I guess for that I am lucky and honored. But I have many who have served in the military.

Portrait of David Delos Donaldson after WWI

David Delos Donaldson is my paternal grandmother’s father. I tried to get a copy of his military records many years ago, but they were destroyed in a St. Louis, Missouri, fire long ago. I only know a few things. He worked in California as a pipe fitter/plumber at some point, but I believe that was for WWII. He went through basic training and ended up learning signaling. At some point he was allegedly in France and was exposed to the dreaded mustard gas, which injured his lungs. He smoked to settle his lungs as prescribed by doctors. He ended up dying from complications due to his lungs.

Here are some notes I have from 2006.

“I stumbled upon a registration form for my great grandfather, David Delos Donaldson, and WWI.  He was working in Twin Falls, Idaho.  The best part is, we never knew he went to Idaho, ever.  Not only that, he was working there, and was exempted because he was working to support his younger siblings and mother.  He did later enter the war, we don’t know when or how, but went to France in the Argonne and was gassed there.  He suffered his whole life and eventually died from the mustard.

“With this information, I went to visit my Uncle Dave Donaldson because my Dad did not know anything.  I picked his brain.  We know little about my Great Grandfather before he married.  Now we know he was working for Ballantyne Plumbing in Twin Falls in roughly April 1917.  He served in WWI with two brothers.  As mentioned, he was hit with mustard, spent some time in hospital, and he wasn’t getting better, so they sent him home.  He married my Great Grandmother in 1919, Berendena Van Leeuwen.  They had 5 children.  During the great depression he worked down south as a plumber.  Dave did not know where, but there was a possibility it was at the Hoover.  When they went on a trip to Los Angeles, he insisted on stopping at Boulder City and the dam on the way home.  Oh, we do know that before they got married, he worked as a plumber in Phoenix.  How long we don’t know, but he could not bear the heat down there.  During the depression when he worked down south, the family stayed in Ogden.  Dave was young enough that he did remember his father coming home, but not where from.  Again during WWII, the whole family moved to Napa, California and Great Grandpa was a plumber at the naval yard there, he made it sound like Oceanside.  I do not know if there were any other naval bases down there.  Then they moved back.  The family must not have stayed down there, or he did not work the entire war, as my Grandpa and Grandma met in 1941-1942 at the Berthana on 24th street Ogden at a dance.  They were married in April 1942, shortly before he left for war.  Great Grandpa was a plumber by trade.  He worked up until the 1950’s when his health failed him.  He picked up smoking because it soothed his lungs.  It sounds like the mustard burned his lungs the rest of his life.  He would smoke to deaden the nerves.  Dave told me this increased until he died.  Even the last few years of his life, he had oxygen when he went places and when he slept.  But he kept smoking.  Dad told me of one of the few memories he had of his Grandpa.  He went to visit him in Ogden, Grant Ave if I remember right, and he was laying in bed.  There were newspapers all over the floor.  He got into a coughing fit and coughed a big thing of phlegm up and it went on the floor.  It was the combination of the irritation to the lungs from mustard and the smoking.  It was what eventually killed him.

David Delos Donaldson (back), John Edmund Donaldson (left), and William George Donaldson

Here are some postcards David sent home to his mother. His father, William Scott Donaldson, died of cancer in 1913.

“Part of Carlin, Nev.”

I am not sure why the writing on the left is crossed out. But you can see Miss W. S. Donaldson 2270 Moffett Ave Ogden Utah. It says Carlin and Delos Donaldson. It might say “Yours” above it. The postmark is dated 1914, but I cannot make out the rest of it.

Retail Business District, Tacoma, Washington 1918

Dated 2 April 1918. “Dear mother got here all ok like it fine Write me as Private David D Donaldson 20th Co., 5th Bn., 166th Dep Brig. Camp Lewis, America Lake, Wn. Mrs. W.S. Donaldson 2270 Moffett Ave Ogden Utah”

Front and back

“Signal Corps It does not look much like me Do you think so. Mother I am at the Signal School here.”

Front and back

Dated 28 June 1918. “Dear Mother just a line to say I am well and fair when I got in New York all for this time your son DDD. Written to Mrs. W. S. Donaldson 2270 Moffett Ave Ogden Utah

Harry Korb Cigars & Tobacco, known location with David standing in front of the store. Other three are unknown.

We might think it, but none of us are truly bullet-proof. This boy’s health was affected for the rest of his life by war. He did live to be 59 years old.

He did marry and had five children.

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Newspaper’s Hello Gal Will Retire Wednesday

Another photo clipping from those of my grandmother, Gladys Maxine Donaldson Ross. This one is more apparent to me why it was clipped. Minnie Wallace is Glady’s first cousin. Minnie’s mother is Johanna Hermina Van Leeuwen Edsinga (1884-1958), sister to my Grandmother’s mother, Berendena Van Leeuwen Donaldson (1898-1959). Johanna Hermina also went by Minnie.

“The voice of Mrs. Minnie Wallace will be missing from the Ogden Standard-Examiner after the veteran PBX operator retires Wednesday. The date at the top shows 8 March 1976.

Minnie Van Leeuwen Edsinga

“One of the best known voices in Ogden retires next Wednesday.

“Mrs. Minnie Wallace is hanging up her headphones after almost 29 years as the switchboard operator for the Ogden Standard-Examiner.

“She becamse the “telephone girl” for the newspaper in September 1947 after she and her late husband returned to their native Ogden from Sacramento, Calif.

“While in Sacramento, Mrs. Wallace had worked as a bench chemist in a sugar factory.

“Before her marriage she had worked as an operator for the telephone company in Ogden and still was intrigued by the work.

“So when she heard of the opening for a PBX operator at the newspaper, she applied for and got the job.

DIM LOVE

“”And I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” Mrs. Wallace said with her almost perpetual infectious grin as she looked back over those 29 years.

“She hasn’t let the frustrating aspects of the switchboard operator dim her love for people.

“And it can become somewhat frustrating when an irate reader wants to pour a complaint into her ears or an impatient reporter can’t understand why his long distance call isn’t completed immediately.

“It can also be humorous when a caller wants to talk to a reporter he’s seen at a meeting but can’t remember his name and tries to describe him. Sometimes Mrs. Wallace passes the description on to the report – and sometimes she doesn’t.

“And there are times when her ingenuity in completing a seemingly impossible long distance calls brings a rewarding glow of satisfaction and a compliment from an amazed reporter.

“Like the time two buffalo showed up in the local railroads en route from Great Falls, Mont., to the West Coast.

NAME OF RANCH

“The name of the ranch that shipped the buffalo was on the bill of lading but not the address and there were indications it might be some distance from Great Falls.

“A confident reporter asked her to find the ranch and get the foreman on the phone. Twenty minutes later, she had located the ranch in North Dakota and had the reporter connected with the foreman.

“This is not an unusual example of the resourcefulness of a switchboard operator who has won the admiration and affection of countless Standard-Examiner employes and readers.

“An outstanding mother herself, Mrs. Wallace has shown a genuine interest in the children of numerous newspaper employes – keeping up an acquaintance with many even after they are grown and their parents gone elsewhere.

WON RESPECT

“The respect of her fellow PBX operators is just as great as that of her fellow Standard-Examiner employes.

“Mrs. Wallace has served as president of the Ogden PBX Club and represented it at meetings in Mexico and Canada. She has been an active member of the Atoka chapter of the American Business Women.

“After hanging up her headphones, Mrs. Wallace plans to do a bit of travelling, play some golf and tend her grandchildren from time to time.

“She has five grandchildren.

“She has a son, Robert Wallace of Bountiful, and daughter Mrs. Harold (Gloria) Hegstrom of South Ogden.

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Can’t Loan Equipment for Cleanup

Another article clipped by my Grandmother, Gladys Donaldson Ross. This references a fire of a home that belonged to Harold and Jennie Ross. Jennie is a Van Leeuwen cousin of my Grandma, Harold is the brother to my Grandpa. Jennie told me at one point, she may have thought the fire was intentionally set to get back at her by Harold. She lost some of her prized Charlie Russell paintings in the fire.

“Pleasant View – Although they would have liked to, city officials here voted against loaning city equipment to help clean up after a recent house fire.

“City councilman and Mayor Richard Diamond said they feared such an act would set a precedent that may be difficult to live with as the years come and go.

“In addition, a group of citizens appearing before them on other matters felt the same way.

“Voiced Sympathy

“Mayor Diamond asked the group how they felt about granting such a request involving the home of Harold Ross at 975 W. 3800 N., that was gutted by fire.

“Several of the people responded. They also expressed sympathy for the cause, but said it would not be wise for the city to loan the front-end loader.

“A couple cited other examples in which such requests could have been made and said there would be no place to “draw the line.”

“Debris left over by the fire was being cleared by volunteers, mostly neighbors and friends.

“The front-end loader, it was explained, would have come in handy to scoop up the debris and load it into waiting trucks.

“In further illustrating the problem such an act would create, Councilman Leonard Cevering mentioned an experience at his own home.

“He said he came home at 10:30 one evening to find his basement half full of water.

“”I would have been great if I could have called the city and had them bring over a piece of equipment to dig down and drain the water out,” he said.

“As it was, he added, the task involved considerable time and expense on his part. He said there could be a number of such problems in the future.

“City officials, however, did not rule out the use of city equipment during emergency situations when lives or property might be threatened.

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Van Leeuwen Occasion

Hermiena (Minnie), Berendina (Dena), Jantjen (Jane), Catharina (Kate), Maria (Mary), Hermanus (Herman), and Harmina (Minnie) Van Leeuwen

Working through and scanning more of the Bremer photos, this photo and two others matched up and caught my attention. I don’t have many photos of my Great Great Grandma Van Leeuwen so this one was a great find. I have written previously of the Van Leeuwen family.

Harmina was born in 1860 in Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands. She married Gerhardus Hendrik (George Henry) Van Leeuwen in 1880 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Netherlands. He was born in 1856 in Oldenzaal, Overijssel, Netherlands. Minnie passed away in 1921 in Ogden, 102 years ago. This photo obviously predates her passing. George isn’t in the photo, so it may be after his commitment.

Dena was born in 1898, Kate in 1902, so four years between them. I am guessing Kate is somewhere around 12 and Dena somewhere around 16. That would put Herman at 18, Mary at 21, Jane at 23, and Minnie at 24. George isn’t in the picture and had married in 1908. Jane married in 1913, Minnie and Mary married in 1915, and Herman married in 1916.

So, if Kate is 11 or 12, this photo would be about 1913 to 1914. They appear to be dressed up, but no clues to the occasion, whether church or a wedding.

Minnie, Jane, Mary Van Leeuwen

Here is the second of the three photos. This one captures the three sisters together with Jane and Mary smiling. Then the last photo adds some additional context.

Jane Van Leeuwen and Fred Bremer

This photo seems to help pin it down a little bit more. Fred and Jane married 10 December 1913 in Ogden. There is grass on the ground and leaves on the trees. The tree on the left behind appears to have leaves coming out, as well as the bush or whatever is in front of the individuals. So, this appears to be a springtime photo. Since these photos came from photos passed down to the Bremer children, I am going to suggest this after Fred and Jane had married and they were visiting the family. If this is 1914, none of Jane’s siblings were married and may have been living at home still.

This house located at 3282 Wall Ave, Ogden, Utah was built by Gerhardus Hendrik Van Leeuwen. His wife, Hermiena Jansen Van Leeuwen, is standing on the front porch. This was their home.

In each of the photos, you can see the round pillars of the house next door. But in the first picture, you can see the square column of the house in which the family stands in front of. You can also see the brick, or concrete work, under the porch column. That square column also matches this photo of their home from the front.

As such, I believe this photo was taken at the Van Leeuwen home at 3282 Wall Avenue, Ogden, Utah in the spring of 1914. Minnie passed away in 1921, so the photo with her home is before 1921.

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Myler Girls

Sarah Myler, Mary Mylder, Ruby Myler, and Leila Myler

I came upon a stack of Van Leeuwen and Bremer photos from my cousin Jennie Bremer Britzman’s estate.

I worked through all the photos, sorted and scanned them. The ones I recognized I uploaded to FamilySearch. The ones I did not, I shared with other Van Leeuwen family online. Nearly all of the photos were named. This one above was one that nobody seemed to recognize.

The back of it only said the following in four rows:

“top Sarah

“Mary

“bottom Ruby right

“Leila left

I presumably had 4 sisters, or closely related girls, with the names of Sarah, Mary, Ruby, and Leila.

Since these were of some relationship or linkage to the Bremer/Van Leeuwen families, I posted on an Ogden website. Almost immediately I had an obituary that was shared with me.

I started researching Mary Myler Standing and everything seemed to fall into place. Reviewed their profiles on FamilySearch confirmed it. They looked like these girls and were the right age. One of them even had a similar photo of the same age, probably the same dress and same day. Not only had I found the family, these four sisters are relatives of Amanda and my kids through the Buttar/Keep line.

I am still not clear on how or why the photo might have been in with the stack of photos. My only hunch is that these girls grew up in Clarkston, Utah and somehow knew the Bremer family of Richmond, Utah.

Here is the obituary:

WASHINGTON TERRACE – Our precious, courageous mother, Mary Myler Standing died at home, Thursday morning, October 31, 2002 of cancer, with her testimony of her Savior, Jesus Christ, and her membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints still strong. She was generous to those in need, the Church Missionary Program, Humanitarian Aid and Perpetual Education Fund. Mary Standing was born January 7, 1912, in Clarkston, UT to George Joseph Myler and Rachel Buttars Myler, the third of six children. She grew up in Clarkston, UT and graduated from North Cache High School. She worked on the family farm with her dad. She was a good horse rider and loved to race her horse with anyone willing. She always loved music. In her youth she would play the organ to accompany her dad playing the violin. She married Joseph Rulon Standing of Fielding, UT on January 21, 1933 and sealed in the Logan Temple December 16, 1937. They were blessed with six daughters. Mary always sewed for her daughters through the years, even though many of those years she had to use a treadle sewing machine late into the night. She provided an atmosphere of music in her home for her daughters. This required her working outside of the home part-time so that she could afford to have a piano and have them take music lessons. Later, when living in Denver, she gave free piano lessons to young people in her ward who could not afford lessons. She was famous for her wonderful home-made fudge and Boston Crème candy. Kids came from all over the Terrace on Halloween and asked, “Is this the place where you get the home-made candy?” (She also made “melt-in-your-mouth” pie crusts.) Mary always welcomed everyone, expected or not, into her home for meals or for just a place to spend the night. Everyone always felt welcome. During World War II, Mary and Rulon moved from Fielding, UT to Ogden so he could work at the Ogden Arsenal. Mary worked at the Washington Terrace Drug Store, Ballard & Carter Electronics, and eventually became a professional seamstress, both in the Ogden area and Denver, CO, for 11 years. Mary retired as a professional seamstress in Denver in 1974. When her husband retired from Chevron in 1975, they returned to Washington Terrace to live. Mary and her husband celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in Ogden in 1983; they were one month short of their 66th anniversary at his death on December 15, 1998. Mary has served in numerous teaching and executive positions in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She and her husband served as ordinance workers in the Ogden Temple for a number of years. Mary always made the Savior and His Church her number one priority in her life. Her teachings and example of honesty, integrity, and testimony have been unwavering throughout her life. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren loved her and visited her often. They felt the love and interest she had for each of them. She is survived by a sister, Vendalyn Apgood of Clarkston, UT and brother, George Blaine Myler of Mesa, AZ. She is also survived by five daughters: Lois Howell (Don), Centerville, UT; Doris Hancock (Harlen), St. George, UT; Linda Anderson Lucas (Gary), North Ogden, UT; Susan Rideout (Mack) and Retta James (Rick), both of Salt Lake City, UT, and 20 grandchildren and 46 great-grandchildren, numerous step-grandchildren and step great-grandchildren whom she loved with great devotion. She was preceded in death by her husband; daughter, Kathleen Standing; parents; and three sisters, Leila Thompson, Sarah Godfrey, Ruby Godfrey. The family wishes to thank Dr. Frank Haglund, McKay Dee Hospital Staff, and CNS Hospice staff, especially Michelle Miller, Doris Valentine, and Queenie Aydelott. Viewings will be held Sunday evening, Nov. 3rd, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Leavitt’s Mortuary, 836 36th St., in Ogden, UT, and Monday morning, from 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at Washington Terrace Third Ward, 4900 S. 300 W. The services follow in the chapel at 12 noon. Burial will be at the Fielding, UT Cemetery.