George's thoughts on the event:
The unearthing of a 145 million-year-old dinosaur was the reason for a gathering of some surprised descendents of Niels Peter and Mary Ameilia Robison Paulson in Lehi, Utah, July 6, 2001.
Former Pleasant Grove resident George Wilson was still recovering from shock over his sudden rise to notoriety in the paleontology world when he flew into his Olympic-crazed home state of Utah on July 5, 2001 to attend the grand opening of the North American Museum of Ancient Life in Lehi.
Family and friends gathered at the Lehi home of Pat and Ray Bone to celebrate the event before the Grand Opening and try to figure out why a 14-foot, long-legged, recently discovered dinosaur was named after George. The naming ceremony for the creature, dug up in a Wyoming bone quarry, was staged when the world's largest dinosaur museum opened its doors later that day.
At the Dinosaur Party, Wilson stumbled through the improbable explanation of why he was selected for the unusual accolade, then joined family members in a typical Utah picnic feast. Almost all the celebrants had a hand in the planning and execution of the surprise "naming party."
Ray and Pat Bone, and Pleasant Grove's Lewis and Karen Church provided the impetus, planning and leadership for the festivities. Those two families teamed up to concoct the dinosaur décor to go along with food fit for the gods, so claimed Wilson as he smacked his dino lips.
As usual, when the Bones throw a party their extended family was there in force to serve up their special creations, provide scintillating conversation and clean up after the celebrants scoffed up the scraps, doused the barbecue coals and headed for the museum at Thanksgiving Point.
The family gathering was a special treat for George as well as other out of town guests. While most of the guests lived in that Utah Valley paradise lying at the foot of Mt. Timpanogus, the Californians in attendance had the opportunity to reminisce about their memories and experiences in our old hometown of Pleasant Grove.
"There is no place like home," George and "Dorothy" concluded. Toto agreed.
See more photos of the event at the Family Celebration Photo Gallery.
Copyright © 2002 Gary Bobzien. All rights reserved.