Dave

My first best friend was David Fawson. When my family moved to Grantsville in 1983, his cousins, the Johansens, lived next door to us on Eastmoor. (Deana Johansen is Big Dave Fawson's twin sister). Our friendship, like I assume many other male friendships, started with a fight. While I don't have any memory of what the fight was about, I do remember wrestling with Dave on the lawn in front of his cousins' house. I don't remember if Dave's dog at the time (Big Zack, I believe) was present on that occasion, but if he was, it's a wonder that I wasn't bitten.

I don't remember how that initial fight transitioned into friendship, but I do know that through Elementary School and into Middle School we were always together.

Building hay forts in Grandpa Vern's haystacks behind their house, exploring Grandpa Vern's fields and catching minnows and leeches in the ponds, investigating some beehives in the fields a little too closely and both being stung a few times, playing basketball on a mini hoop down in the dance room while watching Jazz playoff games, making elaborate "Turkey Delight" sandwiches (I don't remember all of the ingredients, but do remember that they included sauteed onions), helping Grandpa Vern deliver a baby calf, helping Grandpa Vern reshingle the roof of the barn (I remember Grandma Ina writing us each a check for our help on that occasion, paying Dave $15 since he had helped more and me getting $10. We were both thrilled), roller-skating at the Elementary school, Nintendo and spending hours playing Super Mario Bros, sleep-overs, Little Zack, Sunshine Generation, being in the same class at school (at least for 1st and 2nd Grade, when we had Mrs. Baird and Mrs. Syndergaard, respectively), watching BYU football games together, and many, many more.

As we grew older and new friendships entered the picture, we didn't always stay as close. I remember at some point in Middle School he had brought some new friends over. I was there as well, but was feeling left out. I remember crying and being consoled by Barb (Dave's mom).

In High School, we continued to play sports together, but also dated the same girl (yes, Jeanell. Dave dated her first. In what now is hilarious, on New Year's Eve 1992, the three of us ended up together, with me driving them around Grantsville as midnight struck. Of the three of us, I was the one who did not get a kiss at midnight). That put a strain on the friendship for a while, at least. But time went on, and we became friends again.

Dave was always the life of the party. He was the Student-body President and did such a great job. He had so many ideas for how to make school better and led many assemblies and other activities. His humor and enthusiasm always leaves you feeling better about things.

These days, he is my one classmate who I can always count on to show up at the Alumni Basketball Tournament. And even though we aren't quite as good as we once were, there's nothing quite like playing basketball together with good friends.

Last summer, Dave and I along with some other friends (George and Kimi and Kimberly) hiked to Deseret Peak and that was a great chance to be able have some great conversations and catch-up in a way we hadn't been able to in many years.

Finally, just a couple of weeks ago, I reached out to Dave because I needed some carpet stretched in some rooms. Dave showed up, helped me move furniture, stretched the carpet, fixed the carpet on our stairs that the cats ruined, and provided great conversation. And then when we realized our closet also needed the carpet stretched, he came back and took care of that as well.

Dave has been a great friend throughout my life and I'm so glad we're still in touch and see each other.