Picto Diary - 11 to 21 April 2026 - Nora Johnson Taylor
Above: Old US 91, Utah/Arizona state line. 11 April 2026.
Out and about on the 'Wing.
Image looks south towards Littlefield, AZ. Another 7 miles beyond is Mesquite, NV. I returned via I-15 and Virgin River Canyon, one of the most spectacular Interstate highway segments in the US. The trip is a 70-mile loop.
Above: Ivins, UT. 11 April 2026.
Walking through the 'hood. Ocotillo in bloom.
Above: Park City, UT. Iron Canyon. 14 April 2026.
Deer. Beyond is Margaret's Wall, constructed in 2014.
Above: Members of Weldon J. Taylor Autobiography Project (WJTAP) team. 14 April 2026
I've been talking about, and doing nothing about, getting Dad's memoirs published for twenty-seven years... a serious level of procrastination. I took possession of the Weldon J. Taylor ...he called it his "history"...Word file in 1998 after ascertaining that Dad had no formal plan to get his manuscript to the finish line. He willingly conveyed the manuscript to me after I requested it.
A serendipitous, out of the blue call in 2023, from a former Citibank LDS employee, Mark Gasser, who I hired thirty years ago, when I headed the Citibank Mid-Atlantic Mortgage business based in Washington D.C., got the project started.
Mark Gasser had since relocated to Salt Lake City where he formed a successful debt collection business. He was a co property owner in Weber Canyon, with Robert E. Wells, an emeritus General Authority of the LDS Church and a former senior Citibanker who was based in Argentina. After leaving Citibank, and before becoming an LDS general authority member, Wells held senior positions with the LDS Church in Argentina and Mexico.
Considering our Citibank and LDS connections, and proximity to one another in central Utah, Mark wanted to arrange a luncheon in the summer of 2023 to include himself, myself, Robert Wells, and Frank Richards, an LDS Parkite neighbor of ours who was a friend of Wells. I agreed to join. Mark noted, in setting up the luncheon, that Bill Farnsworth, who had recently passed away, as a former LDS senior Citibanker, and known to all the lunch attendees, including non-Citibanker, Richards, would be at the luncheon "in spirit."
I knew Bill Farnsworth, but not well. Our paths rarely crossed at Citibank since I worked on the consumer side of the bank, and he on the corporate side. Yet, Bill Farnsworth was a key figure in getting my international banking career at Citibank launched. Dad and Bill were good friends. Through Dad's intervention, in January of 1968, at the end of my LDS mission in France, Bill Farnsworth set up an interview for me with the then senior officer in the Champs Elysees, Paris branch of Citibank, Fonde de Pouvoirs, John Fogarty.
After graduating from BYU in 1969 and Harvard Business School in 1971, I interviewed with Citibank hoping to join their international cadre. I mentioned to the Citibank interviewer, John Buss, that I had had a visit with Fogarty in Paris, four years earlier. Whether that mention, which at least showed my earlier interest in international banking, had any effect or not, I got the job. Margaret and I started with Citibank in early 1972, assigned to the Citibank Executive Training Center in Beirut, Lebanon.
While living in Miami in 1988 as Citibank's senior officer in Florida, I ran into John Fogarty at a social event. He had earlier left Citibank and was then serving as head of the US Tennis Association. I recalled to Fogarty's mind our meeting in Paris twenty-six years earlier. At that1968 meeting in Paris, I asked him what I had to do to get his job. I reminded Fogarty of his reply: "Go to law school," he said. I'm not sure whether Fogarty remembered the 1968 Paris meeting, but he was very gracious in our conversation. I didn't go to law school, I went to business school, and spent a twenty-year career, fifteen years of which, outside of the United States, with Citibank.
At that late 2023 luncheon, organized by Mark Gasser... it was held at Szechwan Chinese Kitchen, at Kimball Junction, Summit County, UT... also attending was David Wells, son of Robert E. Wells and his first wife, Meryl Leavitt Wells. Elder Wells, in his upper mid 90's was peppy and clear eyed, seeming in possession of all his faculties. I learned from him about the death of his first wife Meryl, David's mother. Meryl died on December 11, 1960, in a plane crash in Argentina. She was piloting the aircraft (a small plane) in bad weather, along with two friends/passengers; none survived. Elder Wells was flying a separate plane nearby at the time and had to land after losing contact with her.
After pursuing many other subjects where we had linkages, I asked Elder Wells about his children. I knew that his daughter Sharlene was Miss America in 1985, but then we got to Elayne, Wells' daughter by his second wife, Helen, and Sharlene's younger sister.
Elayne was a high achiever. Her undergraduate school was Stanford, and she had a law degree from the University of Utah. Currently she owned The Elements of Editing, a freelance writing and editing service. She had edited and contributed to numerous books across genres including business, adventure, religion, psychology, military history, corporate history, and memoirs.
Wow, I thought as I heard about Elayne. She'd be perfect as an editor for Dad's memoirs. A skilled, experienced editor (among others) and familiar with the milieu (LDS Church hierarchy and BYU) where Dad worked... what's not to hear a loud bell ringing here? I asked David and Mark if they could make an intro between me and Elayne. Elayne and I connected shortly after the luncheon.
In early 2025, Elayne moved forward on editing Dad's memoir, held by me as a Word file since 1998. The process was amazing. Elayne would edit a chapter and email her edit to me. She used editing tools to ask me questions or to make clarifications and I would respond to her prompts. Then, the next chapter, and so on. Finally, year-end, 2025, we had a completed memoir edit. Our next steps would be to have people who knew Dad read and feedback on the manuscript; I would write a preface and epilogue; together we would search for images germane to the narrative.
As I look back on the process so far, it's hard not to think that something providential is going on here. While I made two or three halfhearted attempts to get the Weldon J. Taylor memoirs project going over the years, any objective viewer of my efforts would be well within his/her rights to label me as a serial procrastinator. Meeting Elayne under the heretofore cited circumstances now seems to me to have elements of the Providential.
Yesterday, Dan Jorgensen and I visited Paul Thompson, one of Dad's hires from Harvard Business School to join the BYU business school faculty, to deliver to him the completed draft of Dad's biography. Paul later became Dean at the BYU School of Business completing his career as President of Weber State University. In conveying to Paul the names of the people that had signed on so far to review the WJT Autobiography Project (WJTAP), I mentioned that Jim Calder was one of the reviewers.
"I know Jim Calder," said Paul. "I'm a cousin to his wife, Ann."
WJTAP gets curiouser (sic) and curiouser (sic).
WJTAP reviewer Jim Calder's wife, Ann Calder, served a mission in Argentina and Elayne's father, Robert Wells, was the South America area LDS general authority based in Mexico City. And Ann Calder is also a cousin to WJTAP reviewer Paul Thompson.
Are there more Ann Calder connections to WJTAP, or is this it? And what other curiosities will surface as we review WJTAP together?
I was happy to hear Elayne's report about Elder Wells' enthusiasm as he read the WJT history draft. I was also pleased to note that Elayne will deliver a highlighted WJTAP draft to President Dallin H. Oaks (mentioned more than cursorily in Dad's account) via Sister Oaks.... also, that Elder Matthew S. Holland, member of the Seventy, whose recently deceased father is also mentioned in Dad's account had received a copy of the WJTAP draft.
My personal connections to Jeff Holland and Dallin Oaks are fleeting, ephemeral, and hardly worth noting... still, for the record...
Jeffery R. Holland. From 1986 to 1997 our family lived on the east coast of the US: Metro DC, Miami, and New York City. We would, once or twice a year during that period visit Mom and Dad (Gayle and Weldon) in Provo. On one of those visits in the late '80's we attended the Oak Hills Fourth Ward Sunday meetings with Mom and Dad. In the chapel foyer, before the meeting started, I watched Elder Holland, Oak Hills Fourth Ward member (then BYU President) and Mom enthusiastically greet one another on a first name (Gayle and Jeff) basis. I knew about Mom's likability and propensity to make lots of friends. But I was impressed by the apex enthusiasm greeting between the two ward members, and, clearly, friends. And, yes, Mom introduced me to Elder Holland (who would have hardly remembered me).
Dallin H. Oaks. I lived my latter grade school, Jr. High, and High School years (class of '63, Provo High School) on 500 East, just north of Center Street, in Provo. Mom was Relief Society President in the 8th Ward for much of that period. Accordingly, she knew Stella Oaks, 8th Ward member, and Dallin Oak's mom. Stella lived just through the block to the east, 600 East. Though I remember visiting Stella Oaks' home more than once, accompanying Mom, I don't have a specific recollection of ever seeing Dallin Oaks. I might have met him. But I just don't have a specific memory of meeting him. Dallin was thirteen years my senior. I was in first grade at Maeser School in Provo when Dallin married at age twenty in 1952. Still, my awareness of Dallin Oaks over the years has seemed disproportionate as Mom would always talk about his life and progress as relayed by his mom Stella.
Note: Dad had frequent interaction with the LDS bigs... I didn't. One exception... circa 1977, I was the director of a three hundred voice choir for an LDS Regional Conference held at the architecturally famous Sydney, OZ opera house. LDS President Spencer Kimball presided at that conference. After the meeting, my Sydney Stake President, Ian Mackie, introduced me to President Kimball. Sadly, I don't remember the exchange, but I recall vividly standing face to face with President Kimball. President Kimball is 5'6" and I was a foot taller at 6'6". President Kimball didn't seem to be bothered by our height difference. He didn't say anything about it. I remember looking into his eyes and feeling that wearing the mantle of a prophet, he could discern every event of my life. Did I measure up, I wondered at the time?
Sometimes men of less than average height are averse to being in the presence of tall guys. A few times at Citibank corporate functions, where there were photographers present, I had the impression that 5'11" Citi CEO, John Reed, was trying to avoid me. Silly, insecure me! One of the two most influential people in my banking career was Ed Harshfield was well under six feet tall. Unlike Reed, Ed never showed any indication of unease around me due to his shorter height. Ed was not a prophet like Spencer Kimball. Still, Ed was a force of nature type. Comparing Ed with Napoleon, also shorter than average, would be apt.
Current signed up reviewers (more expected to be added):
Jim Calder, Sunday Night Group scion. Provo, UT businessman.
John Paxman, Sunday Night Group scion. Former International Development Professional. Poet. Writer, living in Montreal.
Dan Jorgensen, Cattle Rancher, International businessman, LDS Mission President in Italy at age 31, Personal friend. Has known Dad since the '70's. Living in Ephraim, UT
Paul Thompson, Recruited to faculty BYU business school from Harvard Business school by Dad in early '70's. Former President Weber State University. Lives in Orem, UT.
As noted earlier, uber editor Elayne has also provided review copies to President Dallin H. Oaks, Elder Robert E. Wells, and Elder Matthew S. Holland.
Dan Jorgensen, who knows Brigitte Madrion, current BYU business school dean, has agreed to organize a luncheon for the three of us, which can afford an opportunity to pass along a manuscript copy to her.
I am going to ask two cousins, one from Mom's side of the family (Sara Gilman), and one from Dad's side of the family (Patricia Worthington) to read the draft.
More to come as the project advances.
Above: Image of John Johnson and Inger Sward Johnson family. Nora Johnson, top row, second from right, is my paternal grandmother. I never met her. She died in 1935, at the age of 48, ten years before I was born. Nora was born in 1987. Dad, her first born, was born in 1908. I remember meeting Uncle August in the early 1950's. Uncle August is seated in the middle of the image. As of now, I have no clear date on the image, likely before the turn of the century, though.
I insert this picture because it has turned up in the search for images to include with Dad's memoir.
Click the following link which chronicles my 2010 motorcycle journeys to visit the grave sites of my eight great grandparents. Scroll about one third of the document to find blurbs on Nora's parents, John Johnson and Inger Sward Johnson.
Above: Obituary of Nora Johnson Taylor, my paternal grandmother. Obit was surfaced while doing research for items germane to Dad's autobiography which is nearing publication.
Above: Original milk can from Cherry Hill Farm, Lake View, UT. 14 April 2026
The milk can is covered with an artistic rendition and was presented to my cousin, Patricia Worthington, daughter of Dad's eldest sister Virginia (and husband Vernald). Image captured at Pat's home in Salt Lake City on a visit to request Pat to assist with a pre-publication review of Dad's memoirs.
Above: B1b, FeeBee and Mynduveroan. Sarasota, FL. 15 April 2026
Spring Break. Visiting the other grandparents, Gerry and Mary. Mynduveroan contemplating college destination. Acceptances to date include SMU, Clemson and University of Wisconsin. She's interested in veterinary science.
Above: American Fork, UT. 18 April 2026.
Freddie at American Fork Dog Park.
Above: Union Station, Ogden, UT. 19 April 2026. The Mwah (sic) and TIMDT.
Excursion to see Big Boy, Union Pacific Locomotive 4014, on national tour, stopping in Ogden for two days in commemoration of America's 250th birthday. 25 Big Boy locomotives were built to haul freight over the Wasatch Range between Ogden, Utah, and Green River, Wyoming. In the late 1940s, they were reassigned to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where they hauled freight over Sherman Hill to Laramie, Wyoming. They were the only locomotives to use a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement: four-wheel leading truck for stability entering curves, two sets of eight driving wheels and a four-wheel trailing truck to support the large firebox. Big Boy 4014 is the last working copy of the Big Boy series of locomotives.
Above: Slackwater, Ogden, UT. 19 April 2026.
Slackwaters (there are four Slackwater restaurants in Utah) are always packed. Good chance, though, that you can avoid the wait and find a seat at the bar, which was the case today. Image is our view from the bar. Mwah (sic): Eggs Benedict from the brunch menu. TIMDT: Margarita pizza.
Above: Notification for Celebration of Life Service for Seth Gordon. 15 April 2026
I hired Seth to work at Citicorp Savings of Florida (CSF), where I was CEO and State Citicorp Corporate Officer, in 1986. Seth did a great job of heading External Relations for Citicorp in Florida. Among others, he arranged to have CSF sponsor the Miami Leukemia Society Ball for two years running. The function raised $250 thousand both years. I was inducted into The Florida Council of 100 through Seth's intervention. Seth was a true Miami insider. I am grateful for his positive contribution to my own life experience as well as to many others in Miami. May he rest in peace.
Above: Iron Canyon, Park City, UT 21 April 2026.
Moose in the 'hood. From my home office window.
Above: Four of five Wilson Brothers and three spouses. 21 April 2026.
TIMDT babysat the boys in return for room and board when she was at BYU from 1965 to 1968.
Addendum:
Dear Steve:
Wonderful musings about your childhood, I loved hearing your recollections! Beautifully expressed. We loved Train Dreams also.... What a haunting story.
My 90-year-old mother, who lives with us, had a couple of trips/falls about 18 months ago.
We were very worried, and spoke to her doctor, who prescribed physical therapy for her balance....
After several sessions of PT, she signed up for a personal trainer at the wellness center. Ever since then she's been going 3 times a week to the wellness center (PC Hospital) with her trainer and does weights and balance exercises. It has made an amazing difference!
Didn't know about the sunlight trick, will incorporate it into my routine...
Glad to hear you're doing so well... all the Best! S and S
S and S,
Park City, UT
Good to hear from you guys! Any sailing trips recently?
SDT