In the Beginning...

Sarah Elida Prisbey Robertson

 Diane Robertson Hiatt🠊Victor Robertson🠊Sarah Elida Prisbey Robertson

1868-1951

    The wind had an eerie whistle that night as I stoked the fire hoping to speed up

the cornbread cooking in the pot. Charlie wasn’t going to be home tonight as work so

often kept him from home. My five children were equal parts bickering and playing often

getting under my feet. I gathered everyone around our oak table and asked Gerrald to

ask our Father’s blessing on the food. His little voice filled the room when heavy boot

steps and incoherent yelling came from the porch. Our little house had no door locks

and instantly my heart was filled with dread. We heard the knob jiggling and the door

creak open.

    “Children go upstairs and hide behind the bed. Mary, I need you to hold baby

Victor and do your best to keep him quiet. Here! Take this.” I handed her a chunk of

cornbread and shewed them out of the back door of the kitchen.

No sooner had they left then a large man, with sour eyes and the smell of neglect

loomed in our kitchen. I had never seen him before. My heart almost of it’s own accord

made a silent but hasty plea to the Lord. From past experience I knew a man no matter

where he’s from is more amenable with a full stomach.

    “Hello sir, please would you sit down and have some supper?” I eked out. He

grunted and looked down to the table for the first time. He raked the chair away and

flopped down. He drained his soup bowl three times and had half the cornbread before

he finally sat back and rested his hands on his belly. I kept Grandma Caroline’s wooden

ladle in my hand to refill his soup and as a weapon if necessary. The food almost spent

and the uninvited guest now satiated, my mind turned to evacuation for me and the

children. But how? He was too strong and all I had were prayers and a ladle. 

    Well, God knew that too and in a breath that old door was brought to its knees once more as two

armed men flew through it. One looked at me before eyeing my guest. “That’s him!” He

spat. Before the man could get in a good punch they had his arms tied behind his back

and into their waiting wagon. I later learned he had escaped from the asylum nearby.

Those men were God’s answer to my prayers and my children and I were safe that day.

Duane Evan Hiatt 

June 16, 1937 - May 24, 2020

Duane Hiatt lived his life for riches. Not the riches of this earth, but those of eternity. His full life consisted of honing his talents, serving others and blessing his large posterity. Duane was born in Payson, Utah to Ferron and Gladys Hiatt, where he played basketball and football for the Lions and served as student body president. 

He went on to serve a mission in the Tongan Islands and returned to Brigham Young University on scholarship to play basketball. While at BYU, he formed the popular singing group with Dick Davis and Denis Sorenson named The Three D’s. For sixteen years they entertained audiences with their unique style of music and humor throughout the United States and Canada, as well as a USO tour to Asia. During this time he met and married Diane Robertson. They went on to have fifteen children, ten boys and five girls. 

After the days of The Three D’s, Duane was a radio announcer, then Director of Communications for the Division of Continuing Education at Brigham Young University. He was a writer of “The Spoken Word” for broadcasts of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, author of the book Overcoming Personal Loss and composer of the Primary song “Follow the Prophet.” He is listed in Who’s Who in American Writers and Poets, Who’s Who in Entertainment, Who’s Who in the West, and Personalities of the West and Midwest. He was president of America’s Freedom Festival at Provo, Utah, and under his direction the city received the George Washington Medal of Honor from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. 

Duane’s wife, Diane, passed away after a battle with cancer in 1987. He counted himself twice blessed when he met and married Sharon Johnson of Burley, Idaho, who not only consented to marry him and accompany him as he continued to perform and sing, but also to be mother and grandmother to 15 children, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served twice as a bishop and twice as a high councilor. Duane and Sharon went on to serve a mission to the Caribbean Islands. Duane passed away after his own battle with cancer on May 24, 2020. 

    Hiatt Crew Rap 

                              Originally written by Tom & Josh (updated by Lucy (sorry guys))

   

           The Hiatt Clan is back again

     We meet once a year in multiples of ten

So clear us some room, make all the beds

                        You better have room for 100+ heads

Lose your chairs and get on your feet

  I’m gonna set this story to a funky beat 

                                                            It all starts back with some hicks in Payson

        Where the main attraction was the gas station 

  3 d’s party met a smarty

             From a city that’s really arty             

          Got to talkin and contemplatin

                      How they’re gonna populate this great nation

Duane almost split his spleen

       When she told him she wanted 17

        

        The next thing they knew 

        They began to create the Hiatt Crew

                        Hiatt Crew

The first addition was Beth and Sharon

Much to the excitement of George and Farron

                    Don't believe what Bob has told ya

                 It got a little hot in Arizona

                                       His red cheeks he couldn't hide

    When he rolled up with his hottie bride

   

Joe and Bill, climb every hill,

Chasing dreams with iron will.

            How'd it go down at Office Essentials

    Where Dave was sharpening more than his pencils

          Jumpy Flighty kiss good nighty

  Dave stole Tish right from Steve Whitey

                                     

  Hold your breath till your black and blue

    But don't tune out the Hiatt Crew

      Hiatt Crew

    The next four couples ain't no turds

 They all married thunderbirds         John and Lisa nice to meet ya

  Here's a lesson he'd like to teach ya

                              Guilty not for drugs or slaughter

        He just stole the judges' daughter.

Matt and Brenda, party splendour,

Laughs that spark and cheers that render.          With Don and Ang it got too hot

     Kissin' and lovin' and smoochin' lots

                                    Peach to Lime to Tangerango

            Cool them off with flavored snow

  Bruce got Callie just like that

       Look we doubled our democrats

Just over half but there's still a few

 Don't tune out the Hiatt crew.

    Hiatt crew

       

       Sam fell in love and it went way well

When he saw Jeanette toss her first hay bail     Michelle gave Ben the run around

His feet still never touched the ground

Like Runners on the beach in a pair of thongs

        Kate and Bri won the love marathon

"Study Buddy" found abroad

     Tom found Alma on her mother's sod

 

 Josh and Annie didn't like to date

Just the opposite of Brian and Kate         Are Lucy and Cory cousins or sibs

Guess we'll find out when they have their kids

Hello Hola Hola Hello

All Maren knew when she met Marcello