Dad was my Mother’s Number 1 Supporter! www.workwithjacklater.com /my-father-ralph-w-bud-later-dies-today-phenomenal-legacyremembered/ Jack Later At about 9am this morning I heard the news that my Father Bud Later (left), died just 30 minutes earlier. Ralph W. and Colleen Later Have… 7 children 26 Grandchildren 41 Great Grandchildren When the above photo was taken (about 54 years ago), I almost died as an infant. This photo is very special to me because at the time (about 1959) I had just gone through a condition that could have taken my life. I had an operation that should have been very simple. The purpose was to remove an weak out-pocket of tissue between the umbilical cord and the small intestines, a Meckel’s Diverticulum. Complication arose from excessive internal scaring and bleeding. A second surgery was needed. Without the second surgery, my intestines would have been tied in knots by the excessive scar adhesions. To make a long story short, when I was 12 years old, my dad told me I reached a milestone. My doctor once told my parents, if I reached the age of 12 it would be a miracle. My Dad was the first to point out to me that I was a miracle. When I hit 12 years old, Dad was anxious to share the news with me that I reached the 12 year old milestone! Dad was like that. He had a way of letting me know I was special. Because of this and other challenges in my life, Mom and Dad decided that they would give me an extra measure of their love. I was Dad’s favorite! But… if you talk to every one of my 6 other brothers and sister, they will tell you that they were Dad’s favorite. Grand children and great grandchildren, could all claim to be Grandpa’s favorite! Dad played “favorites”, but he got away with it because we were all his favorite! Jack Later, age 20, with Father Ralph (Bud) Later and Mother Colleen. On this day I left to go on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (Jun 1979)
I loved my mission. There is nothing that can replace it! My Dad never put pressure on me to serve this mission. But he made it clear to me that he would support my decision. Dad supported me financially, emotionally and spiritually! Every week without fail, Mom and Dad wrote me. One week it would be Mom who wrote, the next week it was Dad. They never failed in their letter writing. (this was in the days long before email)
Mom and Dad were BIG believers in Education!
Dad put my Mom through college and most of us kids. This is a photo of my wife Patti and me on the day we graduated from Utah State University in June 1987. There was a time when they had 4 or 5 of us in college at the same time (this included my Mother). When my mom graduated from Utah State, the University gave Dad a “P.H.T” (Putting Her Through) When Mom and Dad got married, Mom was 17 years old. Therefore she never finished high school. But Dad promised my Mom’s Mom that he would make sure that mom finished school one way or another. After my youngest brother, Don started school, Mom was able to go back to school herself. Mom persisted! In the same year, I graduated from High school, Mom got her B.A. degree in Art. Shortly after that, Dad made it possible for Mom to earn an MFA Degree in art. The MFA is the highest degree in art from a University. It is an equivalent to a PHD in other fields of study! To this day, at the age of 80, Mom is a Professional artist. Her art work was been spotlighted in local and national publications. Here is some of Mom’s Art work. This was all made possible in large part because of Dad’s never ending support to help her follow her passion:
Ralph Later was a gifted public speaker and Real Estate trainer. As a real estate broker, he taught others how to successfully list and sale real estate. He had a captivating presence in front of an audience! He also had an off the cuff sense of humor. Dad was a national award winner with Century 21 Real Estate in the early 1980’s. This award was the leverage Dad needed to be a professional speaker and trainer. Here is a photo of Dad and Mom on one the their speaking tours.
What mattered most to Dad was his family. His life was never about himself. It was all about his family! The last month of Dad’s life was a tremendous highlight! In the last month of his life Dad was able to do the LDS ordinance work for his brother Roger who died two years previous to Dad. My youngest son Eli and I did the baptism and confirmation for Roger. I officiated in the baptism and my brother Tim officiated in the confirmation. Dad was not able to attend the baptism because his health wouldn’t allow it. After the baptism I returned to Dad’s home from the temple to report to Dad, he was in tears when I detailed the story to him of Eli doing the baptism for his brother Roger. Dad was finally able to give back to his brother. His brother Roger took care of him when Dad was a little boy. Dad’s parents were divorced and his mom was a working single mom. So Roger took the role of Father for Ralph. Also when Dad had financial time, Roger came through for Dad, and helped out our family. Doing this temple work for Roger was one way that Dad was able to give back to his brother in a BIG way! One week after the baptism, summing up all of his courage, Dad was determined to attend the Sealing of his brother Roger to his Parents. The next week Dad woke up early in the morning. Got himself ready, took a shower and went to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple in Daybreak Utah to do the sealing work for his brother. In the sealing room, Dad could not hold in his emotions. He was in tears most of the time!
These were emotional days for Dad! Never to be forgotten! I have seldom seen Dad in tears, but he was in tears on these two special days. Here are some awesome pictures of Dad, Mom, Stacy and Laura at the Temple after we finished Uncle Roger’s temple work! Notice the awesome smile on Dad’s Face! He looked angelic that day. I commented that Dad looked ten years younger. At the time of this photo, dad had serious terminal cancer. He would only live a few more weeks after this!
Dad and Mom in front of a beautiful flower bed at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. This was taken after sealing Dad’s Brother Roger to his parents.
In all of the months of paid and agony of cancer, I have never seen him more at peace than on this day, one month before his death! Four weeks later, Dad had the privilege of personally witnessing the baptism of his Great Grandson Jonathan Ferreira, the Son of Rilla (Later) and Jonathan Ferreira: Here are a few photos of the baptism: What a beautiful family!
Here is a photo of the family at Jonathan’s Baptism!
To see more photos of the baptism, check out Jonathan’s Ferriera’s Baptism on my other post. The next highlight of Dad’s life occurred just a few days before he died. It was the baby blessing of Zaiden Ralph Later. Dad was so very proud that my daughter Briauna and her husband Jose’ named their baby after Dad. Dad was so looking forward to that baby blessing. He really did not want to miss the blessing! Unfortunately it just wasn’t possible. Dad was much too week. Two Days later on Tuesday Oct 13, 2015 Ralph Wilford Later Died. Here are some awesome pictures of the Baby Blessing: Check out the baby’s Face! Dad would get a kick out of it!
Here is Briauna’s Family at the baby blessing. Dad was so proud to have Zayden Ralph named after him!
At the baby blessing. The photo above is Briauna Later Herrera (Granddaughter of Ralph), Jose Herrera, and Great Grandsons Aabel (left), Anthony (Center) and Baby Zayden Ralph. What a wonderful legacy our father Ralph Wilford Later has left us! Thank you Dad for your wisdom, your example, and your awesome sense of humor!
Dad, Thanks for the Utah State Games! Thanks for the Utah Jazz Games! Thanks for the Tennis Matches! Thank you for helping me catch my first BIG fish at Headquarters Farm! Thanks for the Ping Pong Matches (you have a sneaky serve) Thanks for taking the “scenic route” in my Jeep with me! And even though you were in a lot of pain… Thanks for going swimming with me the last few months! If you are reading this post… Dad’s favorite question to ask everyone was “How is your family?” So… How is your family?
Let me know in the comments below! Jack Later PS: For those who are attending Ralph Later’s funeral: Viewing: Monday Oct. 19th, 2015 Time: 9am – 11am Harvest Hills LDS 10th Ward 368 W. Aspen Hills Blvd Saratoga Springs, Ut 84045 Funeral Service: Monday Oct. 19th, 2015 Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm Same location as above Interment: Logan City Cemetery Logan, Utah Approx: 2pm – 4pm
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