Memorial Day

This is my dad, Allen Evertt Stonehocker a.k.a. Al Burke. He died July 8, 2003 at home on his couch while his wife went out to feed the chickens. My ex sister-in-law Cathie called to tell me that he had died. At the time we were living in our camper tailor while building our house. I was able to go to Hayfork, California to his funeral. He was cremated! About a month later his wife, Gail had his ashes spread over Plumber Mt. in Hayfork. He left my mother and I at his parents home in Montana when I was about 1 years old to never return. My mother was pregnant with my brother. My next contact with him was when he called me at my work place, Mesa General, Mesa, Az. I had just gotten married. He says, "This is your Daddy". Crazy! I didn't have a "Dad". Growing up mom would kid around saying, "I wonder if your father is rich and he would give us some money." We thought he was just dead because we never heard from him. Instead of being wealthy my half sister, Cindy told me that he was a thief. He took anything he could get his hands on. The first time I saw him was when he suprised me at my home in Provo, Utah in the winter of 1988. He took all of us to Chuck-a-Rama three times while visiting Rich and I. I was pregnant with Sundi and didn't know it yet and kept getting sick. I was sure it was because of Chuck-a-Rama. I had since met him 6 more times. We have been to two Stonehocker Reunions. Once at a campfire talking he had said that he was sorry that he wasn't there for my brother and I to give us a home and things that go in a home etc... I let him know that my mother gave us more than all of those things, she gave us the gospel. I am grateful that I got to meet him and he was able to know my children. He was proud of my brother and I, our children and my mother.
When my dad was visiting my brother in Deer Park, Washington Sandy, my brother's German Shepherd, jumped into the car. My dad took her home to Hayfork, California. He loved that dog.

This is the only time my family has been together.
It was taken in the summer of 1994 in Deer Park, Washington at Rich's home.