By the time I had to meet Greg at his office to head to Emma's volleyball game in Cedar. I had my first draft done of Dad's life sketch.
I read it to Greg as we drove. We cried together. He told me he loved it.
Emma's team won against Canyon View. It was a great game for Emma. We are so proud of her.
A lovely dinner was waiting for us at home. We had french dip, potatoes, salad and cookies. I am so grateful to my ward. The women are amazing.
Here is the life sketch of my dear dad.
Life Sketch of Greg W. Haws
August 20, 1952 ~ September 14, 2017
On September 14, 2017, we said a tearful goodbye to our beloved Dad. Our hearts were broken, but we are comforted by the beautiful knowledge that someday we will see him once again, reunited as a family for eternity. He was everything a father should be, leaving behind a lifetime of treasured memories, fun adventures, and tender moments. He also left behind his own mostly-completed obituary. The accountant in him would never leave this world unprepared! But we also wanted to share our version. So, Dad, when it comes to your life’s ledgers and accounts, we have a few entries of our own. We can never repay you for what you have meant to us, but we will always be grateful that you are our Dad.
On August 20, 1952, a beautiful baby boy came into this world, welcomed home by his loving parents, John Barrett and Marie Widdison Haws. He was such a cute little guy, with a large extended family in Hooper, Utah. As he grew, he was surrounded by his brothers—Kenny, Wayne, and Alan—and numerous close cousins and friends. Together they enjoyed a childhood full of night games at Grandma’s house, bareback rides on his horse, Pint, and swimming holes in the summer. Dad was always so proud and grateful to have been raised in beautiful, little Hooper, Utah.
At his mother’s knee, he memorized many little poems and sayings—which was the beginning of an incredible talent for memorizing everything from quotes, scriptures, and poems, to lists of ancestors, the Presidents of the United States, and the Kings and Queens of England! Dad also spent many hours outdoors with his father, who raised Arabian horses. He learned to be an excellent horseman and an extremely hard worker. He spent many happy moments atop his favorite horses. Dad nearly died as a boy, having been revived by his father, and that story was always very special to him. We are so thankful he was spared. But particularly interesting to us are the many stories he told of the life lessons—both comical and serious—learned as a boy in the barnyard.
As a student at Roy High School, he was voted the Friendliest Boy. He was athletic, handsome, and tall, with a bright smile and a big personality. He loved being a Roy High Royal and always spoke fondly of the adventures of his high school days. He also cherished his time on his church basketball team. He was such a good player, and basketball has continued to be a beloved Haws family tradition. Dad coached us all, never missed a game, and was always our biggest fan. But very best of all, he met Debi Fowler during high school. It was soon unclear whether he was stopping at the Burger Bar because he loved the food or because he loved the cute, brown-eyed girl working behind the counter! Luckily, for all of us, Debi fell in love with him, too. Oh, how he made her laugh, a talent we always cherished! Soon they were inseparable. It was a love affair that would last the rest of his life and forever.
From September 1971-1973, Dad served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Alabama-Florida Mission. This was truly a highlight of his life. He loved sharing stories from his mission. He developed a deep and abiding testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ, with a desire to serve Him to his very last breath. His two mission presidents—Hartman Rector, Jr. and Spencer Osborn—made a huge impact on his life, and he loved them both for it. We have always been grateful for the tender way Dad spoke of his mission.
Upon returning from his mission, his beautiful girl was waiting for him. On November 1, 1973, Greg married Debra Fowler for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. She is the love of his life and his eternal companion, and it was a joyous day. We like to think that we were cheering in heaven—it was the beginning of something beautiful. Together they have eight children and 34 grandchildren. Dad was so proud of every single one of us, naming us each by name, in order, each night in his prayers.
In 1976 Dad graduated Cum Laude from Weber State College with a degree in Accounting. He later earned his master’s degree in Taxation from Weber State University in 2011. He took great pride in his profession as a Certified Public Accountant. He thoroughly loved teaching accounting as an adjunct professor at Weber State University and Brigham Young University. Teaching was one of the joys of his life—he was a dynamic speaker and storyteller, and his students loved him. He has blessed many, many lives with his accounting skills, his wisdom, and his generosity. Mom and Dad have kept a meticulous budget their entire lives, and somehow there was always enough to help anyone in need.
Dad had many professional accomplishments, which are listed in his obituary. But his life was made rich because of all the “other” things he filled it with. We are left with a lifetime of countless fond memories with our dad. We can’t help but remember him on the boat at Lake Powell, tan and muscular, spending hours teaching us all to waterski or giving us a wild ride on the famous water weenie. Dad also loved Disneyland with all of his heart. It was always so fun to be at “The Happiest Place on Earth” with him. He would ride all the rides with us, splurge on chocolate-covered frozen bananas for everyone, and keep running right up until the park closed for the evening. With his annual pass in hand, Dad showed us that you are never too old to have fun, and it’s always a good day to go to Disneyland.
Dad took us snow skiing in Park City, horseback riding in Montana, and snorkeling in the Caribbean. He also loved spending time at the cabin in Island Park, Idaho. We have fond memories of riding the river in the summer, snowmobiling in the winter, and visiting Yellowstone together. Dad loved to camp, and he and our mom traveled across the country, camping along the way. He recently fished with Wayne in Alaska, and toured England and Scotland with Kenny—bucket-list items, for sure. He was always up for any adventure, believing that one should never come home from a vacation without another in the works. And we are grateful for the countless memories of time spent together.
Dad loved being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He held many callings and always served faithfully. From the very beginning, Dad blessed our family immensely with his love of the gospel. We sat close together to study scriptures, knelt around the old kitchen table—built by his loving hands—for family prayer, walked hand-in-hand into church, and felt his love through baptisms and blessings and ordinations. Dad loved being a missionary, and in September 2012, he and our mom left to be missionaries in the Africa West Area. Due to illness, Mom and Dad finished their service in the Missouri Independence Mission, bringing with them many amazing memories and dear friendships. Those were grand adventures for Dad, made even better because of his love for our Savior. Dad has always loved family history, and we would be remiss if we didn’t thank him for the thousands of names he has submitted for temple work. Dad loved watching the older grandchildren assist in the temple work for our ancestors. We imagine there were many sweet reunions in heaven.
Dad was a builder and a worker, and when it comes to our large family home and yard, there’s nothing his hands haven’t touched. We’ve all worked alongside our dad, watching him plow ahead for hours on end. And we can’t forget the hours we all spent by his side at the Burger Bar. When we were young, we loved how after spending an entire Saturday laboring together as a family, Dad would toss us around the swimming pool—never too tired to play—and then surprise us with dinner at Andy’s Chuckwagon. We are so thankful that he taught us both to work hard and to play hard.
Dad was an amazing writer and a deep thinker. As a family, we are so blessed to be left with books he has published, histories he has written, journals he has filled, poems he has penned, lists he has compiled, notebooks he has worn out, letters he has sent, and even a beautiful, heartfelt message in a bottle he left for our mom. There is no question in any of our minds how our dad felt about each of us. He told us often, and just in case, he wrote it all down, too. We are so thankful for the open-book way he lived his life. And now that he’s gone, we can still hear his voice.
This story wouldn’t be complete without mentioning his love for the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii was his happy place, especially with Debi by his side. He took his sweetheart there twenty-five times!! He loved the beach, the music, the food, the luaus, the pools, and the feeling of “Aloha” in his Tommy-Bahama shirts. All of us have been to Hawaii with our Dad, and it was always a bit of heaven on earth.
Dad left behind 34 devoted grandchildren. He considered himself a “professional grandpa,” a career he took very seriously! He was always quick with a treat and a hug. The kids loved to ride on his golf cart, listen to his bedtime stories about “Kentucky and his dog, Lad,” catch a ride in Grandpa’s convertible mustang, go out for a big breakfast, tickle his toes to wake him up (which always turned really wild!), play games in the pool, and sneak out for donuts. Grandpa was always there in the crowd, cheering them on, and we feel certain those cheers continue today.
As a family, we feel an enormous hole where our Dad so recently stood. We will miss his wisdom, his hugs, and his zest for life. But we know that once again, he has been welcomed home by his loving parents, a large extended family, and friends who’ve gone before. Dad always looked forward to his next adventure, and this time it’s no different. We all stand firm in the faith that our close, loving associations continue on beyond the grave. Dad knew it. And we know it. So, our dear Dad, we will see you in Heaven. Just wait for us there…
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