1983 Memories of Susan Stapley

Photos courtesy of Susan Stapley

The year 1983 was one of interesting events for the Michael and Susan Stapley family. and for the Bountiful 9th Ward and Bountiful Utah Stake.  Forty years ago today (February 27, 1983), Michael was sustained as president of the Bountiful Utah Stake.  It was a shock to Michael and Susan.  Michael had only been serving as a bishop in the Bountiful Ninth Ward for 10 months.  He continued in his calling as bishop until he was able to submit and get approval from the First Presidency to call his replacement who was Byron Horne.

On the early morning of Tuesday, February 15, 1983, a week and a half before Michael was called as stake president, the Bountiful Tabernacle ceiling collapsed. The damage was discovered by three little boys who peeked in the chapel door and told Rupert Gandy, the custodian. The Tabernacle had recently been remodeled with efforts to preserve the integrity of the pioneer building along with a major addition.  The greatest damage was done to the podium with the grand piano being flattened.  It was sobering to think what might have happened had the ceiling come down when people were attending a meeting in that space.

The chapel was not functional, but we did have a stake honored guest dinner in the cultural hall on February 26 that was attended by Mark E. Petersen. It was at that luncheon that he informed Michael and me that he wanted to meet with us in the stake president's office after the meeting. Michael's legs were in constant nervous motion the rest of the luncheon.

A couple of months later the stake was dealing with the flood of 1983, with Barton Creek running the breadth of the stake causing lots of damage.  Michael spent countless hours with other stake members helping protect those affected by the flood waters with no thought of about Stone Creek which ran east of our home.  

The afternoon of May 31, a city truck came around telling our neighborhood to evacuate because there was a threat of a mudslide.  Michael was at work and I was without a car.  With five small children, I didn't know what to do.  I had no way to leave.  I packed a bag with some essentials and before long, they came around again telling us we were OK.  When Michael arrived home from work, he immediately took the car and headed over to Barton Creek arriving home a little after 10:00 p.m.   We opened the east window to listen to the flood waters which sounded louder than ever.  A couple of minutes later we heard a big boom and all the electricity went out.  We decided to get out.  We roused the kids and put them in the car along with the bag I packed earlier and headed down 350 North as a truck came around telling us to evacuate.  We were the first ones out and many of our neighbors followed us down the street.  When we got to 400 North, it was a raging river, with tree branches and boulders being swept down the street.  We felt in grave danger.  We had to wait for everyone behind us to turn around and head up the street.  We exited by way of 600 East to 250 North where it was calm as ever.  We then headed over and spent the night at my parents home only coming back the next morning to assess the damage.  I enclose a couple of pictures of Michael and a cleanup crew over on Carmack's curb and one of the children and me sitting on sandbags on our east parking strip.  I began to have a lot of empathy for people who don't feel safe in their own home, something I had never experienced.  Home had always been a refuge and it took quite awhile to feel that feeling of safety again.