Seth Crompton of Bemidji, Minnesota

By Janet Kruckenberg

How would you like to live in the same town as some giant statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox? Four-year-old Seth Crompton of Bemidji, Minnesota, likes it because he and his family can go to see the statues often. He and his seven brothers and sisters and his parents, Don and Wiltse Crompton, also like to go on picnics and visits to the Mississippi River headwaters in Itasca State Park, which is only thirty miles south of Seth’s home.

Seth was born in Texas, where Wiltse Crompton signed the adoption papers that let her and her husband take their new baby home. He was excited recently when he learned that some of his ancestors were from Africa, some were American Indians, and some were Hispanic.

While still a baby, Seth would sit on his mother’s lap and grin at the women she served with in the stake Relief Society presidency. He caught the eye of members with his winning smile as his tall father, who served as Bemidji Ward bishop until just recently, carried Seth on his arm.

Seth loves music and likes to dance. He also loves sports. Peter (17) is a good wrestler, and he has taught Seth wrestling holds. Nicholas (8), Joe (10), and Patrick (12) have shown Seth how to kick, pass, catch, and run with a football so that he could be included in the boys’ games on the Cromptons’ front lawn. His brothers have also taught him to play baseball. Seth cheered with his family when the Minnesota Twins won the world championship in 1987.

The Cromptons are avid Scouters. Seth gets right into the swing of things when his brothers are preparing and working at achievements, arrow points, skill awards, and merit badges. One major accomplishment was building a tree fort in the Cromptons’ backyard. The shade provides a cool spot to stretch out in on a hot summer day if the family isn’t out on a pontoon on the Mississippi River or one of Minnesota’s ten thousand lakes.

When the Crompton children raked the leaves in their yard this past autumn, Seth found that work can be fun. Before the leaves were bagged for the garbage, Seth and his brothers had a good time running and diving into the piles.

Cuddling up to older sisters for a story has always been a favorite pastime for Seth. His sisters—Wiltse (16), Sarah (19), and Amy (21)—used to read to him while he looked at the pictures. Now Wiltse does most of the reading because the older sisters are away at college.

Even though Amy and Sarah are gone most of the year, Seth can still see their pictures on the wall next to the wooden indoor slide that was once theirs.

Seth likes to do many things with his family—working, playing, going places, and attending church. He is an example of joyous living, and all who know him can learn from him.

Photos by Wiltse Crompton

Patrick and Seth looking at a book on Scouting before going to a Court of Honor

Seth and brothers

Statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox

Seth and his mom hugging

Seth practicing the swing his brothers taught him

Seth cuddling up with Wiltse for a story