Meet the Hart Family:
John Hart
John Ross Hart IV was born in Woodland, California on March
29, 1950 but spent most of his childhood in nearby Winters. His father was the Superintendent of the
University of California, Davis Agricultural Facility outside of Winters and was also a teacher at Winters High School.
His mother raised two boys but also worked as a telephone operator and clerk. John has one younger
brother, Rich, who now lives in Rosarito, Baja California. An older brother, William
Everett, died at birth.
Nobody knows where Winters is so John tells people he is
from Sacramento which is the closest city and the place where his family did their shopping and entertainment activities.
John graduated from Winters High School in 1968 and spent two years at
American River College in Sacramento before moving on to Chico State University where he majored in English/Mass Communications.
John's original goal was to be the "voice" of the Seattle Pilots baseball team but they went broke after one year of play
and wound up in Milwaukee. However John did do some broadcasting during his college days in addition
to newspaper and magazine writing. John is still a big fan of baseball and enjoys spending late
February and March weekends talking the game with fans from all over the country who come down to Arizona for Spring Training,
notably Cubs fans from the Midwest. John still spends many hours listening to the radio.
He usually listens to country music on KMLE mainly but likes to listen to oldies on KOOL during the weekends.
He listens to KTAR-FM when he wants the latest news but also catches KTAR-AM when he wants to hear the games of
the Diamondbacks, the Cardinals, and the Suns.
John spent 20 years in hotel sales and management, mainly in the San
Francisco Bay Area. It was during that time when he and Laury met.
They married on October 16, 1993 at the historic Rockefeller Lodge in San Pablo, California.
Liam was born on November 20, 1995. In 1998, John began a lifetime pursuit that had been postponed
many times, going for his teaching credential. John obtained his credential from St. Mary's College
in 2003 where he graduated second in his class.
Because of the changes in California's economy which made getting a job
in teaching almost impossible for new applicants, John found himself making a very radical midlife decision by accepting a
position at little J.O. Combs Middle School in Queen Creek, Arizona where he spent the first two years teaching English language
learners. John has since moved to the larger Mountain Vista Elementary School on the other side of
town where he teaches his specialty, Social Studies. John has always loved history
and has very quickly learned all about Arizona history and government. In fact, moving to Arizona
has proven to be very beneficial for John and the Hart Family who have made many new friends while establishing themselves
in the community. Besides, John loves being able to wear shorts and tee-shirts almost any time of
the year, including the winter months.
John has always been active in the community.
In the Bay Area he went through all the chairs in the Lions Club including President and Zone Chairman.
He is now a member of the Gilbert Optimist Club and is also active in EPIC Christian Church.
John plans to obtain his masters degree in education and was taking
courses at Arizona State University. That is currently on hold until he pays off the student
loan for his teaching credential. No truth to the rumor ASU asked John to leave because of him
being a "jinx." Both his alma maters, Chico State and St. Mary's discontinued football after
he left and the Sun Devils are shooting for Number One in the country. Nonetheless, John will continue
working toward his masters and would like to eventually get his doctorate. John hopes to teach
secondary school until he is 65 then move to a small college or community college where he could teach three days-per-week
(for probably more money). After he becomes Dr. John, he plans to be a public speaker in elementary
schools around Arizona where he would be able to share his years of knowledge. John plans
to work at least into his mid-70's. Grandpa Hart worked on the railroad until he was 72.
More About John:
Hobbies: Photography, travel, music, history, and
trains
Favorite sports: Baseball - favorite teams:
Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs
Favorite getaways: The Grand Canyon, Mogollon
Rim, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Big Sur, Monterey Peninsula, and the Colorado Rockies
What I miss from California: The Redwoods, the
Wine Country, and the beach
What I don't miss from California: Way too many
people and the reality California isn't as good a place as it used to be
Favorite Hangouts: Bookstores and hardware
stores
How I Relax: Read, listen to music, play
my guitar - "three chords and the truth"
Favorite Musicians: Alabama, Kenny Chesney, Sheryl
Crow, The Moody Blues, and U2
Favorite Guitar Licks: "Desire" by U2, "Who Do
You Love" by Bo Diddley and George Thorogood, and "Don't Stand So Close To Me" by The Police (love the bass parts)
Favorite car: A steam-powered train!
Favorite Actors: Clint Eastwood and John Wayne
Favorite Current Radio Personalities: Big Jim
Hall @ KOOL 101.9 in Sacramento, and "Big Shoe" Stu Evans @ KMLE Country 108
Favorite Philosopher: Yogi Berra - "It ain't
over 'til it's over!"
My heroes: My Dad and Chuck Yeager
Greatest Interests: My family and my students
The person I would most like to have dinner with:
Jesus
What would we talk about: The bible and
helping me to better understand it
What I would want to do if I wasn't teaching:
Playing bass and singing back-up in an oldies rock or country band.
What I don't like: "Jerks," "Control Freaks,"
The St. Louis Cardinals
Best thing I ever did: Go back to school,
move to Arizona
Worst thing I ever did: Which one?
Happiest Day: Marrying Laury, the day Liam
was born
Saddest Day: Losing my parents, losing
our second child
Greatest Personal Accomplishments: Rolling a
Triplicate in the Bowling League and nearly duplicating the feat the following week, climbing Mt. Lassen, running Bay-to-Breakers,
going back to college to get my teaching credential
What people don't know about me: I'm actually
quite introverted; very shy, withdrawn, moody and insecure plus I am also a very private person.
I'm no fun at parties because I have trouble keeping up a conversation.
What I don't know about myself: People
tell me I have great charisma!
What people do know about me: I am very
detail oriented and driven to perfection, perhaps too driven
Greatest regret: My parents not being able to
spend time with Liam
My last goal in life: To see my grandchildren
Laury "Elphie" Hart
Laura Ann Ellisen Hart was born in Petaluma, California to
Raleigh and Judith Ellisen on June 17, 1956. Both of her parents were educators.
Most of her young years were spent in Walnut Creek but she graduated from high school in Berkeley.
Her parents divorced during her senior year. It was at Berkeley High School where she picked
up the nickname "Elphie" as in small. She is only 5' 1" tall. The group she
hung out with was called "The Berkeley Bozos" which was always getting into mischief and having fun in the process.
After graduation, Laury went through many experiences which included
painting houses, selling snow skis, and teaching classes at the YMCA but eventually found her niche in the
hotel industry. It was during her time at the Holiday Inn Chinatown in San Francisco that she met
John who was working for American Express at the time. Laury worked in the front office, in
reservations, and also gained experience in both hotel and catering sales during her many years in the hospitality industry.
After Liam was born Laury chose to begin her own home business.
Laury was able to develop a very successful "Weekender" clothing business serving both the Bay Area and Sacramento.
Laury won many awards and honors while consistently being a top 10 seller. The move to Arizona, however, brought
new and more difficult challenges to her business. She now does the home business as a second
job. Today her full-time regular job is being the Administrative Assistant at Mountain Vista Elementary
School which is also where John teaches. She is the smiling face who greets all who walk in the door.
Although Laury is a fourth-generation Bay Area native, she has adjusted
very quickly to Arizona and loves the challenges of meeting new people and seeing new sights.
Laury is one of the backbones of EPIC Christian Church. It was Laury who found the site
for the church's first home. She is still involved with the PTSO at Harmon Elementary School
but also works with the PTO at Mountain Vista.
Laury remains very close to her Mom. They talk
at least once-a-week by phone. Her Dad still lives in Berkeley with her Step-Mom, Jean.
Laury has an older brother, Bruce, who is a lawyer for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington D.C.
He is married to Luz - who is a native of Peru - and they have two girls, Xiamara and Linda.
Laury has a younger step-brother, Jason, who lives in Concord, California and could pass as a lookalike to former Diamondbacks
shortstop Royce Clayton.
More About Laury:
Favorite Hobbies: Gardening, cooking, making
crafts, and being Mommy!
Favorite Activities: Community service, "Core"
volunteer with EPIC Christian Church, helping out Liam's class, playing with the kitties, making new friends
Favorite Hangouts: "Starbucks," home and garden
stores, antique shops
How I Relax: Read, read, read - My favorite
author is Tony Hillerman which is who sparked my interest in moving to Arizona. I would love to meet
him in person.
Favorite Recording Artists: Anything on
KMLE Country 108
Favorite Actor: Paul Newman
Favorite Sports Teams: Oakland Raiders
and the Oakland A's
Favorite Radio Personality: "Big Shoe" Stu Evans
on KMLE Country 108
What I miss about California: Mom, Dad
and Jean, Jason, all my friends, all the great restaurants, everybody at Vista Hills Community Church
What I don't miss about California: Housing is
so darn expensive!
What I like about Arizona: People are nicer
here, the state's beauty and history, our house here in Queen Creek
The one person I would love to have coffee with:
Governor Janet
What I love about my men: John's intelligence,
sweetness and sexiness, Liam's good heart, playfulness, and imagination, our three sweet and lovable black cats
What bugs me: John's spaciness, Liam's
temper, Rancher leaving dead lizards around the house, people not returning calls as promised, having to drive several miles
to the nearest grocery store, pharmacy, doctor, etc. though that will change someday, not being able to use my cell phone
from our house. Have I left anything out??
Happiest Day: Marrying John, the day Liam
was born, being a Christian
Saddest Day: Losing our second child (who
would have been named Ross Raleigh or Mariah Frances)
What people don't know about me: I'm a very emotional
person. I have always aimed to please and it hurts me when my efforts are overlooked or not acknowledged.
In my younger, wilder days I was a big fan of Frank Zappa - especially "Peaches In Regalia."
Now I'm really into country music.
What I don't know about myself: How good
I can be at sales and promotion
What I do know about myself: It bugs me
that people don't take the time to say "please" or "thank you." Plus I personally need to be
reminded how much I am appreciated. That is a big deal to me.
What I hope to accomplish before it's all over:
See my grandchildren
Liam Hart:
Officially, his name is John Liam Hart but has always gone
by Liam. According to the story, Laury was visiting her Dad when he was teaching in Ireland.
She came into this one town and noticed everything was named for Liam; the pub, the petrol station, the grocery store, etc.
She was very intrigued by the name and swore her first son would be Liam which it is. Liam was born
in Berkeley, California on November 20, 1995.
From the beginning, Liam has always loved trains and swears he will be
a railroad engineer one day. He ran his first model train at age two and currently is the proud owner
of an HO railroad that takes up space in the garage. There's also a garden railroad in the backyard.
In addition, his railroad empire expands into the home computer where he runs both freight and passenger, steam and diesel
locomotives over Donner Pass, Tehachapi Loop, and Marias Pass.
Liam has also taken a great interest in pro basketball and NASCAR.
His favorite basketball team is the Phoenix Suns - especially Steve Nash and Raja Bell.
His favorite shirt is his Steve Nash jersey and he loves hearing Al McCoy (Phoenix Suns broadcaster) yell "SHAZZZAAAMMM!"
Liam is also a big NASCAR fan, his favorite driver being Jeff Gordon. He once dressed-up like
Jeff Gordon for Halloween and received extra candy from fans.
As a student, Liam's best subjects are reading, science, and social studies.
Train books are favored reading material but he also likes to read adventure stories. Harry Potter
is a current favorite. He likes Jack London because of all his many adventures.
Liam also enjoys reading Mark Twain and his many stories. He hates math because it is so hard to understand
and has been quite a struggle for him.
Liam loves the time he spends with family. He
keeps a select group of friends and is a very popular student at Harmon Elementary School. Rancher
is his cat but he hopes to get a dog someday, maybe a basset hound. Liam loves going places where
there are trains so San Diego, Flagstaff, and Denver are favorite destinations.
More About Liam:
Hobbies and Interests: Trains, trains, trains!!
Favorite Sports: Basketball, especially
the Phoenix Suns and NASCAR
Favorite places to go: McCormick-Stillman Railroad
Park, Flagstaff, Southern Arizona Transportation Museum and Old Pueblo Trolley in Tucson, San Diego Model Railroad Museum,
Orange Empire Railroad Museum, riding the coast trains in Southern California
Favorite Poetry: "..but there isn't a train I
wouldn't take, no matter where it's going." Edna St. Vincent Millay
Favorite Hangouts: "Roy's Trains" and "An Affair
With Trains"
Favorite Recording Artists: Elvis, The Beatles,
The Beach Boys
Favorite Radio Personalities: Greg "The Frogman"
Kodiak on FROGGY 92.9, Big Jim Hall on Kool 101.9, Dave Pratt and Big Shoe Stu on KMLE Country 108..
and I've met all of them!!
Favorite Railroad Locomotive: Southern Pacific
Daylight 4449 (The Freedom Train)
My Hero: My Dad
What I miss about California: All my relatives
and friends plus Traintown in Sonoma and the California State Railroad Museum
What I like to do in my spare time: Playing with
my trains and playing with my computer games
What I don't like: Bullies, Chinese Food,
Math, and the same stuff my Dad doesn't like!
What I like about myself: I am the undisputed
expert when it comes to trains, being an excellent reader, and knowing more words than most kids my age.
What I don't like about myself: My temper
Favorite Restaurants: Sonic, Peter Piper Pizza,
Cracker Barrel, and Denny's
Favorite Books: Anything "Harry Potter,"
anything train related
Best Movie: "Cars"
Greatest Personal Accomplishments: Making
the Honor Roll, being recognized for my reading and vocabulary accomplishments, teaching myself to put my head underwater,
knowing the words to all the Beatles songs, learning how to play the recorder and the harmonica
Biggest Disappointment: Not having a brother
or sister; having so much trouble understanding math
Biggest Mistake: Cutting my own hair trying
to look like my Dad!
Future Goals: Be a train engineer
Alf, Rancher, and Snowbelle
Alf, Rancher, Snowbelle are the family cats.
Alf is a domestic shorthaired black cat. Rancher is also a domestic black shorthair with a little
bit siamese. Snowbelle is an English Domestic white cat. She's
the only girl. Alf was born in June 11, 1993 and is the brother of Ralph (who passed
away on September 15, 2006). Rancher was born on January 2, 2005. Snowbelle's
birth date is unknown but we figure it was probably somewhere between 1997 and 1999. She was abandoned
by our next door neighbors when they moved away. Alf was once the athlete and hunter of the original
two cats but since moving to Arizona has mellowed-out and gained weight. Rancher is now the hunter
bringing in everything from birds, to lizards, and spiders. Snowbelle is very laidback but
also very loving. Snowbelle also reminds everyone she is a woman.
Laury understands even if John, Liam, Alf, and Rancher do not. For some reason Alf has always been
paranoid. But he has developed some of Ralph's leadership skills. He is very
protective of both Mommy and Daddy but is very uncomfortable with Liam. Rancher likes
to play, explore, and unfortunately likes to bully the two older cats. Rancher also likes
hanging out with Mommy - which makes Alf jealous because Alf was originally "Mommy's Kitty - and has taken Ralph's
place on Daddy's lap. Alf now curls up with Daddy on the bed while he reads or naps.
Snowbelle will curl up next to anybody except Rancher.
More About The Cats:
Favorite Interests: Alf: Eating
and sleeping, Rancher: Hunting birds, lizards, cockroaches, crickets, etc. and bringing them into
the dining room for a snack; playing with Alf, Mommy, or anyone who tries to give him a tummy rub.
Favorite Actor: Garfield
Favorite Recording Artists: Cat Stevens,
The Stray Cats, and Kitty Wells
All-Time Favorite Songs: "The Year of the Cat,""Cat
Scratch Fever," and "There's A Cat In The Window"
All-time Favorite Movie: "Catballou,""What's
New Pussycat?,"and "The Garfield Movie"
What the cats like about Arizona: They
can go outside in the wintertime
What the cats don't like about Arizona: They
can't go out in the summertime
Favorite Hangouts: Alf: Curling
up next to Mommy on the sofa, curling up with Daddy while he reads, or finding sanctuary under Mommy and Daddy's bed
Rancher: Laying on the Love Seat or sofa in the front living room, finding sanctuary in Liam's room
on the top bunk of his bed
Favorite Food: MEAT!!
Alf prefers canned food, Rancher prefers dry food
Favorite Treat: Any type of cheese and
Shamrock Farms "Arizona Snowbowl" Vanilla Ice Cream. "Real Farm! Real Fresh!!"
Favorite Pastime: Walking all over Mommy
at sunrise to get her up, following her into the bathroom, following her into the closet, then following her
into the kitchen making sure they get fed!
The one word in feline linguistics Mommy, Daddy, and Liam can
understand: "Feed me!"
Favorite Trick: Trying to convince Mommy
or Daddy to feed us even though one or the other had already done it earlier. Sometimes
it actually works!
Alf's Hero: Mommy (because she nursed him after
his scrap and injury with another cat many years ago)
Rancher's Hero: Ralph (because he took
care of him after his paw injury and because Rancher learned so much from him)
Happiest Day: Christmas Time, feeding time,
and the time we broke into the big bag of dry food
Saddest Day: Losing Ralph.
Cats really do have emotions
Alf's idea of a good time: Sitting
on Mommy's lap while she drinks her morning coffee and reads the bible, laying next to Daddy while he unwinds in the evening
Rancher's idea of a good time: Hunting
or playing. Did we leave anything out?
More Family Information:
John's Parents: John R. Hart Jr. (1921-1996)
& Frances Birmingham Hart (1925-1993)
John's Brothers: William Everett Hart
(9/14/1946) and Richard Hart
Laury's Parents: John Raleigh Ellisen
and Judith Nelson Ellisen (Divorced); Step-Mother (and Nana): Jean Pullman Ellisen
Laury's Brothers: Bruce Ellisen and Jason Ellisen
Liam's Immediate Cousins: Nicolette Marie
"Nikki" Hart MacDonnell, Dimitrius Dean Ellisen, Xiomara Ellisen, and Linda Ellisen
