This document provides an overview of the author's family history and upbringing. It discusses her ancestors on both her mother and father's side who were farmers, ranchers, and pioneers. It then describes her parents meeting and marriage, her birth and childhood in Colorado and New Mexico, and her father joining the LDS church when she was eight years old. The summary focuses on the key events and people discussed.

1. MY PERSONAL HISTORY My mother’s father, Mark Willden, was a potato farmer,
and he also raised sheep. I didn’t ever know my maternal
Written 1979 and Updated 1996 grandmother, Gladys Melvina Mikel, as she died when
my mother was a young child. The Grandmother Willden I
Ruth Ann Everett Jespersen have always known was Grandpa’s second wife, Mae
Sederholm.
Mark Franklin Everett, my father, was born at the ranch
The heritage that is mine is truly rich, and I am grateful house north of Mancos, Colorado, where his parents had
for this special gift. My ancestors came to America homesteaded. He was born the day after Christmas,
primarily from England but also from Wales, Ireland and December 26, 1914, during a very heavy snowstorm.
Denmark. I have been told that I am a descendant of one While growing up, he shared in the responsibilities of the
of the Pilgrims of the Mayflower. Also among my ranch and after graduating from high school, attended Ft.
ancestors were several patriots of the American Lewis and then Colorado State College from which he
Revolution and the War of 1812. Their love for America graduated with a degree in Forestry. He then worked as a
and their willingness to make it free and united for me is a forest ranger until his service in the army during World
treasured gift. In addition, some of my ancestors were War II.
early converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints. Their legacy to me is their pioneer history. Mother, Esther Corilla Willden, was born in the house her
father had built on the ranch he had homesteaded—also
The more I know about my ancestors and my heritage, in the Mancos community. She was born on Monday
the greater appreciation I have for them, and I gain morning the 11th of October, 1915. Mom and Dad met
strength in knowing that I am descended from truly great when in the third grade together; and from then until
people—people that were great because they were graduation from high school, they were in the same
honest, loyal, hardworking, skilled, compassionate and classes. Mom’s parents were not members of the L.D.S.
God-fearing. Church, but she knew that her heritage included Mormon
pioneers. While attending Western State College in
My father’s father, Claude Walter Everett, was a rancher, Gunnison, Colorado, mother began her investigation of
an iron molder and a leader in his community. My the L.D.S. Church to find out what her relatives had really
Grandmother Everett, Lillie Myrtle Sellers, was believed. Through her study of their religion, she became
industrious and helped with many of the chores on the convinced of its truthfulness and was baptized a member
ranch—working hard in the field as well as in the home. of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
When I was little, she was a special favorite of mine.

2. My birth certificate (#6608) registers my birth on Sunday, Uncle Leonard and Aunt Muriel and their daughter, Estel
May 24, 1942 at 2:40 a.m. at Mancos, Montezuma, Louise, were so special to us. They were the only
Colorado. I was born at Mrs. Coppinger’s Maternity Home relatives we had in Albuquerque, and we all went on
with a healthy body—weighing eight pounds and four many picnics as well as celebrating most holidays
ounces and measuring nineteen and a half inches long. I together; and we became very close. Uncle Leonard
had just barely enough hair to tell it was light brown and worked for the Railroad and occasionally we would have
my eyes were blue—although they have never been a the great privilege of going after him when he was
true color of blue. finished at work. Estel, as Louise was called then, was
four years older than me, but we were good friends and
The name I was given was Ruth Ann Everett—a name spent many hours together playing. Mother made
that I have always been happy to have. Ruth Fox was a complete doll wardrobes of beautiful clothes for our dolls.
special friend of the Everett family, and I was named Many years later, Lee and her clothes were lovingly
Ruth after her. The middle name, Ann, was given to me packed away to be saved for the little girls I hoped to
from the names of my Aunt Joan Ann and my have someday. Estel also helped me to learn how to ride
grandmother, Anna Guymon. I have always used both her bicycle.
names as one—Ruth Ann—except as a young child
when I was called Ruthie by my dad and some of my My love of dolls must have started back then. Daddy
relatives. On June 14, 1942, I was blessed by Bishop brought me a doll when he returned from the war and I
Lewis A. Hancock in the Mancos Ward. In the blessing I played many, many hours with her. I like all kinds of dolls
was promised health, strength and wisdom. but especially the soft, handmade ones such as Raggedy
Anns. Collecting and making dolls and doll clothes is still
I will always be grateful to my mother for her acceptance a hobby I enjoy.
of this religion, for her faith, and for the beautiful example,
as a member of the Church, that she has always been to After we had moved into the apartment, Mother and I
me. rode the bus to Sunday School. One morning our
neighbor across the hall, Klea Towery, and her children,
For several years, Mom taught school in the one-room Eileen and Kenny, were also on the same bus, and it
school houses and one summer served a short-term turned out that their destination was the same as ours. I
mission for the Church. For many years, my parents had don’t remember that experience, but later when Mother
been sweethearts and on July 3, 1941, they were married told me about it, I thought it was a special thing that had
—when Daddy was twenty-six and Mother was twenty- happened to us. Eileen was about my first friend in our
five years old. new town and our friendship has continued to the
present.

3. Our apartment was upstairs and had only one bedroom Towerys. When Daddy called to tell me I had a sister, I
and the bathroom was down the hall and was shared with didn’t believe him and was sure he was teasing me as I
the other families. The clothes were hung on a line that was expecting a baby brother. My little youth bed was
was pulled up to a window. Our one window faced the moved into the living area as the crib went in the
street, and we would run to it whenever we heard a siren bedroom where I had been. Mother made it seem really
or any other unusual commotion. The garbage was special and made me a beautiful bedspread.
dropped down a chute, and it was great fun to send our
teddy bears down that slide. There was a porch to play I went to a music kindergarten when I was four and then
on at the back of the apartments, and one day I got my took a dancing class when I was five. I also began
leg stuck between the boards of the fence. After trying attending Primary. Grandma Everett wrote to me
unsuccessfully to get it out, Mom called Daddy at work, occasionally, and I loved getting my own mail.
and he rushed right home. When I saw him coming
towards me with a saw, I was certain he was going to cut In April,1947, we moved into a home at 1103 Delamar
my leg off; and I gave it a good jerk and out it came. So, where we lived for the next ten years. We were so proud
much to my relief, the saw was not needed! Next to our of our new home. It had two bedrooms and seemed so
apartment was a little house where two old ladies lived. big after living in our small apartment. We had good
They were very gruff and must have been ugly as we neighbors next door, and the school was right behind our
were very frightened of them and called them the yard. Daddy fenced the back yard to separate it from the
witches. school yard.
Mother likes to tell the story of the day that I kept asking In September, 1948, I started school there—at MacArthur
for a cracker—“you know, the kind that is white and flat Elementary—as a first grader. I loved going to school! At
like a beaver’s tail.” What I wanted was a soda cracker. the end of the first year, my teacher’s comments were,
“Ruth Ann has been a pleasure with which to work. If she
That first year in Albuquerque, I had lots of trouble with can put her personal interests and feelings aside, she
ear aches. After two short hospital stays, I had to have can be a good leader. She is original and a great asset to
daily visits to the Dr.’s office for ear examinations and the group.”
treatment, and for a long time I had to use ear drops. The
receipts from the hospital show the hospital room and Many times I have served in positions where this same
care charge was $4.00 per day. critique could have been given. I have taught many
classes both within and out of the church. I have taught
On November 11, 1946, my sister, Nancy Kay, was born. children, teens and adults and have also served in many
While Mother was at the hospital, I stayed with the leadership positions. Currently I am teaching as a tutor

4. for Literacy Volunteers of America and am serving as When I was seven, I still enjoyed school and my second
Stake Relief Society President. I am also the supervisor grade teacher wrote to my parents, “Ruth Ann’s reading
for the Saturday morning shift at the Chicago Temple— is satisfactory. She does nice seatwork. She is a very
something I enjoy more than any other church position I conscientious little girl. She works and plays well with the
have ever held. group. She is a very well-adjusted child.”
During that year I got to take dancing lessons which I I had some really special toys—many made by my
always enjoyed. I dreamed of having my own bicycle but parents—such as the little table, doll clothes and a
had to be content riding my friends’ bikes. completely furnished doll house.
The next Christmas Santa Claus gave me twin dolls and We got our piano when I was seven and I started taking
Mother made several matching outfits for them. Mom was lessons. Music is vital to me! I don’t feel like I am as
expecting a baby near my birthday in 1949 so I had a accomplished as I would like to be but I am so grateful
party early and instead of having a birthday party, I had a that I learned to play as well as I did. I played the clarinet
doll party. Mother made miniature cookies and we sat in the school band, and have also taken organ lessons. In
with our dolls at the little white table that Daddy had church I have played or led the singing for many years.
made for me. Then we made necklaces for our dolls by
stringing together small beads. That same year Daddy When I became eight years old, I wanted to be baptized
made me a twin bed for my birthday. The youth bed was but Daddy was against it. He thought I should be a little
then for Nancy Kay and the crib were for our new baby older. During that time, Daddy would encourage Mother
sister, Alice Myrtle. I was certain she would be born on to go to Sunday School, Primary and Relief Society.
my birthday, but she arrived two days earlier. Her birth- Many times we would all get up early and take Daddy to
date is May 22, 1949. work so Mother could have the car—and Daddy always
made sure it was filled with gas so Mom could get to her
Daddy had started working at Standard Oil for $7.00 a church meetings. Occasionally Dad would go if I had a
day as a dock worker unloading barrels of oil, but he was part in a program or if it were a special meeting or party,
a valuable employee and soon was working in the office but he loved to work around the house—and he didn’t
and continued to be promoted within the company. want to give up his Sundays so he would keep the baby
Occasionally, after Daddy started driving the gasoline and stay home and work. The missionaries frequently
trucks and delivering gas to the stations, he would come came to our house. Many sets came. They always
home for lunch and then let me have a short ride in the wanted to convince Daddy that he should join the
truck before he went back to work—and a couple of times Church, but he was still taking his time about it. He knew
I even got to go with him. that if he ever committed himself, it would have to be

5. whole-hearted. He did stop smoking though. He wasn’t the new Chapel on Spruce Street. His day off was Friday,
supposed to smoke at the plant so he just stopped. About and he would work at the church every Friday and
that time, the Albuquerque Chapel was being enlarged, organize and outline the work that would be done on
and Daddy would go on work parties to help with the Saturday when most of the work by the members was
construction. He also was asked to work in the Scouting done. In less than a year from the time Dad was
program. It wasn’t long after that when he gave baptized, he was ordained an Elder in the church and
permission for me to be baptized. The special day was called to be a counselor in the bishopric. Grandpa Everett
January 7, 1951. He said he would go to the baptism died. It was a very sad time; but the next year when
which I was thrilled about. The baptism was held prior to Grandma Everett died, I was a little older and went to her
Sunday School. One of the classrooms had a floor funeral (my first.) It was very difficult for me to understand
partition that could be removed to expose the baptismal about death, and I remember crying and crying when I
font. My hair was braided, and I had on my white dress. realized she was really ‘gone.’
When I walked down the hall after getting ready, I saw
my father walking down the hall in white clothes. At first I In Primary that year I was in the Zion class; and finally,
was stunned. It turned out to be a beautiful day for all of that Christmas I got my own bicycle which I spent
us. Mother must have known before that morning that hundreds of hours riding.
Daddy was going to be baptized, but it was certainly a
surprise for me. For many years my mother had prayed In the fourth grade I had my first male teacher, Mr. Laird,
and hoped and wished for my father to become a and I thought he was great! We learned to give group oral
member of her church and her dream had come true. recitations. We also had frequent spelling bees and since
Later that morning, in Fast and Testimony Meeting, we I was a good speller, they were always fun.
were confirmed members of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. Halloween was always exciting. Each year we had a
carnival at school and all the children would come
In the third grade our class was quite large but there were dressed in costumes. We also had Christmas parties the
no other rooms so we were all in one room but had two last day before the Christmas holidays. We usually had a
teachers. The teachers" note from that year stated that I program and then a gift exchange. On Valentine’s Day,
was improving in reading but was still reading too slow. we would also have a party and would exchange
(This is a problem I still have so it appears I haven’t made Valentines with each one in our class. At Easter time we
too much progress here.) would have an Easter Egg Hunt. One year at Easter I had
the chicken pox so didn’t get to go but could see all the
That was a full year for our family. Daddy was called to excitement from our back bedroom window. During May
work in the Sunday School and continued to help build we would have a school program outside and then would

6. have a picnic. Each year one of the classes would get to ever excited! The first program we watched on it was
wind the streamers around the May Pole. Amos and Andy. We went to very few movies but did go
to a drive-in occasionally.
Every spring Mrs. LaRouche would have a piano recital.
In Primary I entered the Home Builder program and Daddy was a great tease and often called me Joe. He
became a Lark followed by a Bluebird and a Seagull the would play with me in the back yard—swinging me
next two years. We began learning to knit, crochet, around, doing tricks with me or letting me stand on his
embroider and sew. We learned the Virginia Reel and a shoulders. I imagined myself a great dancer and would
few other dances. In the summer our classes were often dance around my room. I was also very interested in
held in the park across the street from the chapel. It was acrobatics and worked-up several tumbling routines.
a big beautiful park with hills and trees. And then on our Mother made me some cute outfits to wear, and I would
way home from Primary, we would stop at the library. I tumble in talent shows at church or school. I also took
loved to read! baton twirling lessons a couple of summers. In our back
yard we had a high swing set. I think I spent more time on
During different times, we had some relatives live in the bar at the top—hanging by my knees or turning over it
Albuquerque for a while—Uncle Leonard and Aunt Nella, than I did on the swings. Also out in the school ground
Uncle Johnie and Aunt Helen, Uncle Bish and Aunt Betty was a swing set. We would put a long board through
and Uncle Elmer and Aunt Geneva, and even for a while, three of the swings and then stand on the board and
Grandpa and Grandma Willden and Lorraine. I learned swing. We would go quite high and were never afraid.
my times tables by repeating them over and over for Aunt Another make-believe game I often played was that of
Helen while drying her dishes. Uncle Elmer and Aunt being a trapeze star, and I would hang from branches of
Geneva lived on Sandia base, and we’d get together any tree and put on a show for my family or anyone that
occasionally for an evening. Their daughter, Sherell and I would watch. The school ground had huge cottonwood
were good friends, and it was fun to visit with her. My trees that were great for climbing. A tether-ball pole was
other cousins, Linda and Janet Cash, and I also played out our back gate, and I enjoyed that game very much—
many hours together. and was very good at it too. I worked for the money to
buy my own ball so we could play after school hours too.
In the fifth grade, we began art lessons in school but The end of the school building had no windows and was
somehow artistic ability is not one of my talents. Some of a high wall that was a great place to throw a ball against
my friends had televisions before we did, and I liked to go and play jump ball. I also played many, many hours of
visit just about the time the Lone Ranger or other favorite hopscotch, jacks and jump-rope—with one rope or two
programs would come on. Then one night, Daddy which we called double-dutch.
surprised us and brought home our own T.V. Were we

7. We got some chickens and it was my job to take care of Each summer I took swimming lessons at the YMCA
them. I didn’t like to eat eggs—and I didn’t like to feed downtown. I would ride my bike to the end of the street
them or gather the eggs; finally, we got rid of them. and leave it at the gas station and ride the bus to town.
When I was through, I would often go to the library and
I loved having slumber parties and my parents were would also like to stop in at Woolworth’s and buy a candy
always willing to have my friends visit. We started writing bar to eat on the bus trip home - one for a nickel or I
secret codes and also about that time I began writing could get three for a dime.
letters. I loved different kinds of stationery and also had
all colors of ink. I missed my cousins and grandparents Mother took us regularly to the library and I have always
that lived in Colorado and usually wrote them. I also enjoyed reading. I am still a slow reader but enjoy
wrote Sherell after they moved to Germany—and day- reading many types of books—usually one or two a
dreamed of my trip to visit her. When they lived by us, month.
Sherell and I spent many days making paper doll clothes
—we were such good designers. I also had a friend move Chocolate is very high on my list of favorites. I absolutely
to Farmington, and I wrote to her too. One summer I even LOVE chocolate—or for that matter, any kind of sweets.
got to stay with her for a few days. I’m not much for cooking meals but I am terrific with
desserts. For many years I was very thin and it didn’t
On April 24, 1953, Lyman Mark was born. How excited seem to matter but it has now caught up with me. I have
we were to have a brother. We thought he was terrific! the Everett thick-waist and now I try to be a little more
The Albuquerque Branch was divided and Daddy was frugal in the dessert department—but am not too
called as Branch President of the Third Branch. Once successful.
Daddy had joined the Church, he was in it all the way,
and we were all so proud of him in his new calling. That I was in a 4-H Club for a couple of years and took
summer our family went to Arizona for our vacation. It sewing, cooking and jewelry making. During that time I
was really a change from our usual visits to Colorado. We entered a few items in the state fair and one year gave a
went to the temple in Mesa on June 17, 1953 and our demonstration in making tortillas.
family was sealed. It was a wonderful experience and
one we will always cherish. While we were there I had my In the sixth grade I had another male teacher. His note on
first opportunity to act as proxy for fifteen baptisms for the my report card was, “As usual Ruth’s work is neat and
dead and that too was a special spiritual-growing complete. She does her work in a thorough and
experience. The temple grounds were beautiful, and we painstaking manner; however, she should develop more
enjoyed seeing the oranges and grapefruit trees. confidence in her own judgment.” I missed very few days

8. of school and a couple of years I even had 100% Each year at Christmas, the Primary would present a
attendance. program. I was an angel when we did the “Christmas
Carol” and my last year in Primary, we did a musical, and
Square dances were held one night a month at school, I was the main character in it.
and we really had fun at them. Crinoline petticoats were
starting to be fashionable and the fuller they were, the Always I have loved Christmas with the excitement and
more I liked it. Mother made me some beautiful fiesta beauty of that time of year. A favorite time was when our
dresses to wear. They had rows and rows of rick-rack family would make vinegar taffy and popcorn.
and braid.
Daddy added a bedroom onto the back of the house. He
We always had the most wonderful vacations and did most of the work himself. It was really great to have
outings. All those summers we went to Colorado are another room. We used it for a family room but my bed
brilliant reminders to me of a happy childhood. Those are was also in it. He also built a little room onto the side of
the memories of a city girl out on the ranch for a couple of the garage for a work-shop. When we moved a roll-a-way
weeks each summer. We did have a couple of other trips bed in there, it was a great place to sleep when I had
—one to Arizona, one to Utah and one to California. friends spend the night. We could play games—usually
Other outings were taken when Dad had a few days off. Parchesi, Monopoly or Clue—and could be away from
We would go tobogganing, to Carlsbad Caverns, to the the little ones.
sand dunes, picnics in the Sandia Mountains and
camping at Battleship Rock. I didn’t always treat my sisters very nicely. I thought I was
much better than they were and have since learned that
Grandpa and Grandma Willden lived in Albuquerque for a they both have many talents and are very special—and
while and had a big family reunion once, and we were all that just because they weren’t good at what I was good at
there. At that time, there were about twenty Willden and felt was important— they each had their own
cousins. interests and abilities. This has been the one thing I
remember of my childhood that I am not very proud of. I
While in the sixth grade, I began taking clarinet lessons do love both of my sisters very much and hope they have
and joined the band. Mother had bought a bond for me forgiven me for the ugly way I sometimes treated them.
during the war, and I cashed it to help buy my instrument. Another thing I feel badly about is the way I sometimes
I also continued taking piano lessons. During that treated my mother. I would ‘sass’ and talk back to her;
summer I took summer band at the high school. and I must have really tried her patience (which she has
more of than anyone else I have ever known) and for
those times I am truly sorry.

9. We had the most wonderful vacations and outings. could eat as many as we dared. I will always remember
Almost every summer we went to visit our relatives in Aunt Edna’s bacon each morning for breakfast. She
Colorado. We would spend a little time with each of the always cooked enough so everyone could have all they
grandparents and then visit the aunts, uncles and wanted—and it was always done just right.
cousins. At the Willdens we would draw on Grandma’s
chalkboard, play in the barn attic, feed the new lambs, When we would visit in Mancos, there were always
ride in the pick-up, go out in the potato fields and put jig- horses to ride, barns and barnyards to play in, animals to
saw puzzles together on her big kitchen table. At the learn about and cousins to enjoy.
Everett grandparents, we would white-wash the front yard
fence and play in the yard. When I would have the great David and Larry had a hide-away in the garage attic. It
opportunity of sleeping there, I always got the bed in the was kind of hard to get into but was a super-good place
dining room. Their old-fashioned telephone was different to play. I was also very interested in helping them with
from ours, as were so many things she had, and it was their chores and liked to be at the barn when they were
such a treat to visit at their house. And always when we milking the cows. One day Larry and I were riding Aunt
went to Mancos, we would go visit with Mrs. Plumlee. I Serena’s old horse, Bean-O, and when we rode by the
don’t remember too much about what fascinated me pond, old Bean-O just waded right in and sat down. We
about her house except that it was quaint and had went back to the house soaking wet, and that was the
beautiful flowers, a pencil sharpener and an old- end of riding horses that day. When I was older, David
fashioned kitchen—that, like both of my grandmothers’, and Larry would take me square dancing.
seemed to have a special feeling of love built right in.
Uncle Clarence and Aunt Lucile lived in the next house
Uncle Matt’s and Aunt Edna’s had many interesting up the road. I just loved their horses and Linda and I
things too. We had to use the out-house for a bathroom, would ride way up in the fields. When my uncles were
pump the water and then to do the dishes, we had to heat haying, Daddy would help them, and I would be allowed
the water. The bedrooms were upstairs and not only were to go along too. I would ride on the hay on the wagon and
the stairs a new adventure but they had the softest beds I a couple of times they even let me “drive” the tractor. One
had ever slept on. They had a string attached to the bed time when I was there, they butchered a cow—and
that went to the light chain, and you could lay in bed and watching that was a new and very interesting experience.
turn out the light. When we were there in the winter we
would ride sleds in the snow and a couple of times I even When I was at Uncle Roy’s and Aunt Eileen’s, Judy and I
got to go to school with Edith and Esther. It was really fun would usually get to sleep out in the bunkhouse. One day
to play with them. When we were there in the summer, when they were all branding, I got to watch and feel a
we would go out in the orchard and pick cherries and part of that too.

10. Of all of those visits, there are memories of a city girl out Besides our trip to Arizona, we also had one other
on the farm for a couple of weeks each summer, but I’m different vacation. We went o Utah and stayed a few days
sure the time I thought was one of the highlights was the with Uncle Verle and Aunt Joan Ann. Then both families
year I got to go on the cattle drive. We were up early in drove up to Yellowstone National Park. We camped out,
the morning and ‘drove’ the cows to the mountains. I was saw all the sights and took turns going fishing in a small
on a horse all day long and was really in “high heaven” rubber boat. One day when I got to go out, it started
for that never-to-be-forgotten experience. All of my Dad’s raining and we had difficulty getting back to shore. When
brothers, and my Dad, teased me constantly. I don’t think we did reach land again, we were quite a distance from
anyone was ever teased more than I was. our camp so we had to hike back. It was a little bit scary
but very exciting too.
Those were such wonderful vacations—and I truly miss
going to the ranches. The year I turned twelve I got to Other outings were taken when Daddy had a few days
stay in Colorado by myself for a couple of weeks after the off. We went tobogganing one time and one summer we
folks had gone home, and then I rode the bus home. I went to Carlsbad Caverns which was very interesting.
had been lectured quite sternly that I was to eat Occasionally we would go to the sand hills and play in the
everything—but when they served potato soup, it was sand—usually ending with watermelon for a treat. We
asking a little too much. Breakfast was always different also had some picnics in the Sandia Mountains. We did
from what we had at home. They would have meat, some camping and our favorite place for that was
biscuits and gravy. I always thought that was unusual— Battleship Rock. We enjoyed climbing to the top point
especially when they had cereal for supper, the opposite and looking down on our ‘little’ camp.
of the way we did it at home.
Junior High was a great adventure. We had a strict dress
One year for vacation I got to go to Colorado with Uncle code and could not wear pants to school which was very
Leonard and Aunt Muriel and Estel. It was an exciting distressing to me. I rode the school bus and took my
trip. I stayed in my first motels, visited new relatives and lunch. It was fun going to different classes and having
saw some beautiful sights—such as Royal Gorge. different teachers for each subject. I enjoyed band, had
difficulty with math but made especially good grades in
Other interesting things our family did in Colorado were English. I attended Garfield Jr. High for the seventh and
the trip we took to Silverton on the narrow-gauge railroad eighth grades. In P.E. we had to change to gym clothes
—which was through beautiful country—and a visit to and that was always an ordeal for me as I was very
Mesa Verde to explore the ancient Indian ruins. modest. We wore bobby socks—fat and bulky around the
ankles—and saddle oxfords; and I started wearing
lipstick.

11. That was the year I began attending Mutual—or the along. The three of us joined a unicycle club and then we
Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association. I was rode in parades together. One time we were dressed as
in the Beehive Class and really loved it. We must have clowns; one Christmas parade we had a ‘band’ and I was
been a very difficult class as we had quite a few teachers. the majorette twirling my baton as I rode; one time we
One of them tried to teach us modeling, and I know it were in old-fashioned costumes riding with a medicine
helped us become more poised, but really we were much man; and one time we were hunters chasing a ‘fox.’
more interested in playing basketball. One year the M.I.A. Another exciting thing we did as a club was learning a
put on a three-act play and Daddy and I were both in it. square dance routine that we performed for a T.V.
telethon.
Shortly after I had graduated from Primary, I received my
first Church calling—pianist for the Primary. Looking Since I was old enough to be in Mutual, that summer I
back, I know I was a real trial to the director, but I had the privilege of going to Girls’ Camp. I remember
certainly benefited from the calling. Also, Daddy usually getting fussed at for not eating everything, but other than
had me play for the baptismal services. that, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Mother’s youngest sister, Lorraine, lived with us for a Randy Willden Everett, my youngest brother, was born
while when she was in high school. I would often ‘pump’ on June 16, 1956. We welcomed him into our family and
her to the bus stop or shopping on my bicycle. since I was the oldest, I was frequently given the
responsibility of caring for him. It gave me lots of
The summer that I turned twelve, the three of us learned experience for the babysitting that I was just beginning to
to ride unicycles. I wanted my own unicycle so badly, but do. Also at that time, I had a part-time job cleaning house
they were expensive and Daddy said I would have to pay for a family. It was great to have the extra money that I
for it myself. Finally we worked out a ‘deal.’ Daddy loaned earned.
me the money, and I bought an old one. Dad was all-
business about it and wrote up a contract and even For my freshman year of school, I attended Valley High
charged me interest. It took a lot of babysitting and School. Again I rode the school bus which stopped right
mopping of kitchen floors to get the loan paid back, but of in front of our house. I was in the band and had the same
course, it helped me learn the value of money. After we trouble with the same classes and did well in the others.
learned to ride and each had our own unicycles, we In many ways that was a very difficult year for me, and
started in on the fancy things—rocking, riding backwards, now I can understand a little better why—because as a
going down steps and doing tricks while riding. We had fourteen year old, I just wasn’t ready to be in a high
so much fun together. Sometimes we would take long school setting. I did have my own friends though, so I
rides together. We really got the attention as we rode was happy.

12. At Church I was especially happy. In Mutual I was in the friends and memories. Yet, it was exciting too because
Mia Maid program. We were given Treasures of Truth we were going to be in a brand new home that was much
books to keep, but mine really turned into more of a larger and so many new adventures awaited us.
scrapbook. Mom made my first party dress, and I started
going to the youth dances. I remember wanting to dance Our new address was 3404 West Louisiana. It was a new
every dance but sitting-out most of them. The bop and subdivision, and I got a summer job doing yard work.
jitterbug were the “in” dances at that time. Edith moved with us, and it was nice to have her there
since I didn’t know anyone else. The first few weeks
This was the only year of seminary that I had. Dad drove there, we attended church in the upstairs of a bank.
a car-load of us to the chapel every morning before There weren’t too many members, and they seemed
school, and we studied the New Testament. It was a very delighted to have our family move in. Daddy helped finish
good experience! One of the memorable things our the small chapel, and we were soon meeting in our new
seminary class did was to travel to Mesa, Arizona, to the building. I held several church callings in the Midland
temple and perform baptisms for the dead. It was the Branch—teaching Junior Sunday School and Primary,
second time I had enjoyed that privilege, and it really typing the Sunday program, Sunday School secretary
helped me become closer to my Heavenly Father. and music. My music ability was really developed while
living in Midland. I took organ lessons and was taught
My cousin, Edith Wolff, came to live with us. We shared a how to lead congregational singing; and at every meeting
twin bed and really got along well. While she was living I either played or directed. Daddy was called as a
with us, she studied with the missionaries and was counselor in the Branch Presidency and later in the
converted to the gospel. Daddy baptized her, and it was a District Presidency, and Mom served in many positions.
great occasion. She is the only one of his family that has Since I was usually the only girl in high school in the
joined the church, and it has given us a special bond. branch, we didn’t have a regular Mutual, but I did have a
teacher and I went to her home each week. Many
Dad was promoted again in his company, but this time it opportunities to serve, give talks and develop talents
meant a transfer. It was a surprise that really took some were offered by living in an area with few members of the
getting used to. Daddy had to go to a training course in church.
California and Mother sold the house; and then the day
school was out, we left Albuquerque and drove to our We had a great association with the missionaries there.
new home in Midland, Texas. That was a difficult day! It Dad cut their hair and Mom fed them and mended their
seemed so strange to be moving out of our home and clothes so they would frequently come by our house.
going to a place we had never been before; and it was
ever so sad. We all cried as we left behind so many

13. Edith and I decided to have our own seminary so we I worked for the city in their summer recreation program,
started getting up early and studied A Marvelous Work in the parks’ program, teaching trampoline and also
And A Wonder together. One time we planned a ward teaching swimming lessons. The swimming class I
talent show; we organized it, made and sold the tickets enjoyed the most was an evening class of adult women.
and performed most of the acts. With the money, we It was a very different experience teaching women, all
bought a large, framed picture of Christ for the chapel. older than me, but they were there because they wanted
to learn, and it was fun to instruct them.
I attended Midland High School. For my extra classes I
took Home Economics, Speech and Typing. I had a While in high school, I went bowling for the first time—
horrible time trying to understand chemistry and algebra. also miniature golfing. I took a Driver’s Education class
My favorite class and extra-curricular activity was band; and got my restricted driver’s license. Daddy helped me
and my senior year I was the band secretary. I played with the actual driving practice. To help me learn to
alto clarinet. One year I played in a mixed quartet at parallel park, he put a couple of oil barrels out by the front
contest and one year I entered a twirling contest. They curb, and I backed in and out until I could successfully
were frightening but valuable experiences. Our band park. I got the restriction removed shortly after my
director was terrific and our band was known as the sixteenth birthday.
outstanding high school band in the state. We did
elaborate marching routines for football games and one Edith married, and I sang a solo at her wedding. It was
year went to Dallas to march in the Cottonbowl Parade. very frightening, and I decided at that time that I did not
While in Dallas, we saw the musical My Fair Lady which have a solo voice and that I would never sing alone
was the first stage show I had seen. again.
My teeth were quite crooked, and I wore braces for The family went to California for vacation, and we had a
several years—including a neck brace at night. They great time. We got to see ships in the harbor, visit
improved tremendously but still are not completely relatives, go to Catalina Island, Knotts’ Berry Farm,
straight. Disneyland, the Los Angeles Temple, cross the Golden
Gate Bride, eat at Fisherman’s Wharf, see the ocean and
Daddy dug out and built a bomb shelter in our back yard. many other sights. It was really a terrific trip!
It was quite a project. I usually mowed the yard but
developed some allergies so was relieved of that I had a couple of good friends my high school years.
responsibility. I often babysat—saving most of the When one of them moved, I got to go visit her for a week.
money. I didn’t have a lot of dates but did go to some of the
school dances. They were usually held in the Youth

14. Center which was across the street from the school. For published, but I did receive a ten dollar check in the mail
the formal dances, I would get beautiful corsages. Our for it.
ward had a Gold and Green Ball one time, and a friend
and I worked very hard at choreographing a dance to the In 1959 the Midland Chapel was dedicated by Elder
music of Autumn Leaves which we danced in the floor George Q. Morris of the Quorum of the Twelve. We all
show. Another year, I did a dance by myself for a floor felt so grateful and privileged to have an Apostle visit with
show. us; and we were also thrilled to have our chapel
dedicated.
Although I had several boy friends during this time, at one
time I did “go steady.” Daddy came into my bedroom and My senior year in high school, I was on the Honor Roll. I
talked to me about it and told me he didn’t really approve began making college preparations and decided on
but for me to keep my standards high. As I think back Brigham Young University. For several years I had been
about most of the boys I did date, I have bad feelings doing my own sewing—with help from Mom now and
about them and am so grateful that my testimony was then. For graduation, I made a lovely white dress.
strong enough that the Holy Ghost could help me when I
did make wrong decisions, and I could pull myself back That summer I worked for Superior Oil Co. as a
into line with the teachings of the gospel. secretary. I worked in several offices—rotating when
different ones went on vacation—so I learned new skills
I especially remember one night when I came in very late. such as the PBX and duplicating machines.
The next morning when Daddy asked me what time I got
home, I was tempted to make it a little earlier but Also that summer, I had another real testimony-building
answered the right time; and I was glad I had because he experience. A girl from school that I had only slightly
said he had been up and knew I wasn’t home any earlier. known came over one day and asked questions about
It was a good reinforcement lesson in honesty. My the church. A family they had known had become
parents really trusted me, and I can not remember a members of the church, and she really wanted to know
single instance when I was given a certain time to be more. We developed a friendship and through the
home or told where I could or couldn’t go. I was given the summer we studied the gospel together, and she was
opportunity of making those choices myself. baptized a member of the church. Her family was
opposed to her decision but did give their consent and
At a church District Conference I was given an several months later, they were also baptized.
assignment to give a ten minute talk. The mission
president asked for a copy of it which he submitted to At the end of the summer, the family drove to Utah where
The Improvement Era magazine. It wasn’t ever I would be going to school in Provo at Brigham Young

15. University. We located the dorm I would be living in (218 understand what I was supposed to be doing and I felt
Knight-Mangum) and drove around the beautiful campus. terribly alone so I gave up and went back to the dorm. I
I had never seen a more beautiful college campus—and I wanted to take a shower but it was a ‘common’ shower,
still feel that way. I was thrilled with the privilege I would and I wouldn’t take one when anyone else was around so
have of being a student there. We drove on up to Salt waited until everyone else had gone to bed, and then I
Lake City and did some sight-seeing there, visited with slipped down and took it in the middle of the night. In the
Uncle Verle and Aunt Joan Ann and then Uncle Leonard meantime I had a good cry and had called home for more
and Aunt Nella where I stayed for a couple of days until money.
freshman orientation began.
Gradually, I made friends, got my schedule worked out
I was so excited about my new freedom and can vividly and became absorbed in a routine schedule. I dated very
remember how independent I felt. I do not even recall little that year but after I overcame the initial adjustment, I
kissing my family good-bye when they left for home. Now was very happy and thoroughly loved the school. I was
I cry if I even think of having to say good-bye to them. finally registered in the Department of Human
Development and Family Relationships but felt that
Aunt Nella took me to school and got me settled in my Elementary Education was more practical so also took
room. The dorm was over-loaded and there were four of some education classes. In history I had a blind teacher
us in a small room. It took a great deal of sharing and and that was interesting to see how he had overcome his
adjusting, and I don’t think I did a very good job of it. Two handicap.
of the girls moved into other rooms at mid-term which
really helped. The other room-mate was Cookie Johnson. One of the things I especially enjoyed about B.Y.U. was
We became friends the first day we met and even though going to the Devotionals held weekly in the Fieldhouse. A
we were totally different from each other, we developed a General Authority would come and speak to us, and I
very close friendship. always felt uplifted and thankful for my membership in the
church after listening to these great men.
The first week of school was very traumatic for me. We
had to take tests for placement in classes, and I made a I attended Relief Society on Sunday mornings and
rather low grade on an English skills test so had to take a directed the music for Sunday School. I was also active in
daily remedial class in English. The thing I scored highest Mutual. Our Bishop was Truman Madsen. When I first
on was visual perception. Then I had to register. It was in saw him, I thought he was really funny looking, but I
the gym and there were thousands of people there, and I learned to truly love and admire him. When I went in for
was literally lost. I botched up my registration so badly an interview for my Patriarchal Blessing, he set-up an
that at the end of the day I still had conflicts, still didn’t

16. appointment for me to receive it from the Church harmony with the teachings of the gospel. My testimony
Patriarch, Eldred G. Smith. has been something that has developed through the
years and has continued to become stronger and deeper,
When the day came, I fasted and went up to Salt Lake. I and I do not remember a time when it has faltered or a
felt very special going into the Church Office Building and time when I ever questioned; rather, it has always been a
very privileged to receive my blessing from the Church part of me and has become more intense each year.
Patriarch. He talked to me for a short time and then gave
me a beautiful blessing. He told me that I had been given For Thanksgiving Aunt Lorraine and I drove to Aunt Joan
a special mission to perform upon this earth and that I Ann’s. While I was driving, I got my first speeding ticket. It
was to be diligent in living the commandments. He really upset me; but after I got over it, we had a nice visit.
promised me that I would be sealed to a choice I also enjoyed spending occasional week-ends with Aunt
companion and that I would enjoy the blessings of Nella. She would come down to Provo and get me, and
motherhood. I was also told that I had been blessed with we always had a good time together.
special talents and abilities and would be given more as I
assisted in advancing the work of the Lord on the earth, I joined two clubs while I was at the “Y.” The Lone Star
and as I served my family and fellowman. He really Club was made-up of students from Texas so I knew
emphasized the talents that were given to me. I was some of them and met others, but it wasn’t organized
counseled to cultivate patience, cheerfulness and very well and didn’t have too many activities. The other
consideration for others, to seek guidance in prayer and group I was in was the Kia Ora Club. I had seen them
to be diligent in searching the scriptures. I was also told perform many years before, and I fell in love with the
that I would hold positions of responsibility and trust in Maori music and dance so determined that I would
the church—especially among those of my own sex. I someday learn it and that was my opportunity. It was fun,
was promised wisdom, knowledge and understanding but and as I learned, I was able to participate in several tours
was also counseled to be diligent in teaching others. and also in some school assemblies.
These things and others mentioned in my blessing have
been a guide to me and many times have helped keep Going home for Christmas was something I especially
me going the right direction and have assured me that I anticipated—and it was so good to be home when I
do have a Heavenly Father and that he loves me and arrived there. I took the kids B.Y.U. sweatshirts, and we
cares for me and wants me to return to his presence. I really had a nice holiday together. Daddy and I discussed
cannot remember a particular event or time that I realized a better way of handling finances, and he worked out an
that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was arrangement for me to write checks on his account. It
true, but I have always felt that it was right and that I really helped me when I was in need of money. I always
should try to do the things that would keep me in tried to live within my budget, and with the money I had

17. saved, I was able to pay most of my expenses that first From there I drove up with the Towerys. Eileen and I
year. During the time I was home, I worked in a nice were room-mates that semester. We lived off-campus in
department sore—wrapping packages and marking a small and very old house. We got along well together
prices on merchandise. I was given a discount on my and enjoyed school. Cookie and I had heard glowing
purchases, and I spent most of what I made on lingerie— reports from some girls who had gone to the Church
in almost every color. College of Hawaii so we started talking about transferring
at the end of the semester and going there ourselves.
When I returned to school, I started writing to a
missionary I had met when I was home. After he was When I was home for Christmas, I discussed it with the
released, he came by to see me, and I was sure I was in folks. I’m sure they were hesitant about me going, but I
love. Later he sent me a bus ticket to St. Anthony, Idaho, was allowed to make the decision, and of course, I went.
and I went up for a long week-end. It was an exciting trip I had my eyes examined and had to get glasses for
but later he found another girlfriend and our love affair reading.
was over.
The trip to Hawaii was an unforgettable experience.
Our ward had an assignment to do temple baptisms at Cookie had gone home first, and we were to meet at the
the Manti Temple, and I gladly participated. The Manti airport in Los Angeles. When the time came for my flight
Temple was truly beautiful, and I was grateful to have the to leave Salt Lake, it was snowing and we were delayed
experience of going there. several hours. I finally got to Los Angeles but then that
airport was closed so we landed at Van Nuys. There was
That summer when I went home, Mom drove up, and we no way to contact Cookie, but I was told that the plane I
went back together. The car had a flat tire in the middle of was to take to Hawaii would leave from Van Nuys so I
no-where and with no one around to help, we emptied the stayed there. Much to my surprise and relief, the airlines
trunk, and I changed the tire. It was the first one I had sent a bus of passengers to Van Nuys to leave from that
ever changed but managed all right. airport and among them was Cookie. We were really
happy to see each other again.
I worked for Superior Oil again and in the evening taught
women’s swimming classes. I stayed busy all summer Our plane started to take-off but had engine trouble so
even though the friends I had in high school didn’t seem we were detained through the night. We sat in the
to be the same anymore. crowded coffee shop but at least we were together.
Finally we were on our way. It was a long trip over the
When I went back to school in the fall, I got to take my ocean. For hours all we could see were white clouds.
first airplane trip. I flew from Midland to Albuquerque. When we did arrive, we were greeted with leis of flowers

18. and taken to a hotel in Honolulu where we stayed for the The Polynesian people are very spiritual and humble, and
night. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves for a day and I thoroughly enjoyed my association with them. One of
then we were taken to Laie on the other side of the the boys I dated was of pure Hawaiian descent, but more
island. often, the students there were of very mixed nationalities.
We were assigned a dorm room that was divided into six A school bus went into Honolulu on Saturdays, and we
small cubicals, one for each girl—with a bathroom at one had such fun going in and shopping, sunning on Waikiki
end and a study room with desks at the other end. I had Beach or sight-seeing. Occasionally we would stay
decided that this was my semester to take exactly what overnight at the military base, and that was always
classes I wanted to take so I ended up with only a couple exciting. We also went to the beach near the school as
of required classes, three religion classes, swimming, often as we could fit it into our schedules. I never did
Polynesian music, hula dancing, band and organ. My have the opportunity to try board surfing, but I did learn to
schedule was full, I made good grades and I became body surf, and I always enjoyed swimming in the ocean.
totally involved in the school and really loved C.C.H. It was so clear and beautiful and the beaches were
gorgeous too.
One of the special things about Church College was the
feeling of closeness that was there. The Aloha In Church I played the organ for Sunday School. I
expression was used with sincerity and whenever it was attended Relief Society and my testimony was
said, the response was always returned—whether in a strengthened—especially through the religion classes I
church meeting, a classroom or across campus. was taking. I’m still not sure why I enrolled in a mission
preparation class, but as I attended that class and began
In band I was occasionally given the opportunity to direct, learning the lessons and memorizing the scriptures, the
and for the final concert, I was privileged to direct one of desire to go on a mission began and started growing. I
the numbers. That was a special occasion for me. talked to my Bishop and got a recommend to do baptisms
in the Hawaiian Temple. It is a very beautiful temple in a
At the end of the school year I was on the Honor Roll and very beautiful setting. When standing at the temple door,
at a closing assembly was given special recognition in you can look forward and see the blue ocean and lovely
two categories. For one, I was given the book, Glory of beach, and to one side you see the village of Laie and to
the Sun, and for the other I was recognized as an the other side, the Church College campus with a
outstanding student in the religion department and was background of lush green mountains. It was a special
awarded a large print Triple Combination with my name experience getting to go into that temple, and I strongly
imprinted on the cover. Of course I felt very honored. felt the desire of wanting to go someday for my
endowments and other temple ordinances.

19. It was difficult sometimes trying to keep myself worthy of the answer I had been waiting for, and I immediately
a temple recommend but many times the desire I had for began making preparations for entering the mission field.
those blessings helped me overcome situations that I have since learned that prayers are answered for me
could have really messed up my life. more often by the way things work out and the way
everything falls into place than by any other means.
As the desire to serve a mission became stronger, I was
more confused than ever because I did not know where I The last Sunday I was in Hawaii, all the students that had
was headed next. I knew I should probably go back to received mission calls participated in the Sacrament
B.Y.U. and I had thoroughly enjoyed attending C.C.H. but Meeting. After the meeting, I broke into tears and sobbed
felt that I shouldn’t consider it, and yet I didn’t really want for several hours. I knew the gospel was true and I was
to quit school and go to work either. The more I thought overjoyed at the privilege I was going to have of teaching
about a mission, the more that seemed to be my answer. it to others but compounded with the joy was the unhappy
However, that didn’t seem to be the answer either as I feeling I had that I was leaving C.C.H. and all my new
was only going to be twenty that spring, and the church friends. Cookie and I were also going to be separated,
requirement for lady missionaries was twenty-one years but I was so grateful for the opportunity we had of
old. I discussed these ideas with my friends, my Bishop attending school there together; and I have many happy
and the Lord. Still, I wasn’t coming to a solution. I fasted memories of that semester. If someone were to ask me if
one day and really tried to sincerely pray about it. This I would recommend going to school at C.C.H., I would
was a new kind of prayer for me as all of my other have to say no, but for me, and for that time in my life, it
decisions had seemed so simple. The next morning I got was a wonderful experience.
up before sunrise and walked out to the beach and sat
there watching the sun come up and meditated about my I was home for about two weeks. There were so many
life. No answer came, and I went back to the dorm. I things to do—preparing myself and shopping for clothes.
decided to write the folks about it and also Ralph Hill, the I had weighed the same 98 pounds for about six years,
Texas Mission President. Mom and Dad wrote back that
they would support me if I were called to serve a mission
so that was settled, but I’m sure they expected it would
be way in the future. Then I received a letter from
President Hill. He said that if I were really serious, I could
serve in the Texas Mission—that I would not go to Salt
Lake or through the mission home there and that I would
not go to the temple but that after I was set apart, I would
be considered as any of the other missionaries. That was

23. but while I was in Hawaii I gained to 105 pounds (which I
continued to weigh for about the next six years.)
The first two missionaries to represent the Midland
Branch both entered the mission field in the summer of
1962 and I was one of them. The Branch President asked
our family to prepare the program for Sacrament Meeting
and everyone in the family participated. It was really a
special evening. Alice led the singing and she also sang
a solo. I accompanied her on the organ and later played
a Bach prelude on the organ. Nancy and Lyman both
spoke as well as Mom, Dad and me and Randy gave the
closing prayer. I talked on the scripture,”Seek not for
riches but for wisdom…” Afterwards a fireside was held
on our back patio. The Branch presented me with a
missionary Bible.
The next day I attended a Development Meeting with the
missionaries. President Hill, of the Texas Mission,
interviewed me, and then he and Daddy set me apart as
a missionary. The following day I traveled by train to
Houston where my first assignment was to work in the
mission office as President Hill’s secretary. I worked in
the mission office for six months—the first third of my
mission.
Prior to my arrival as a member of the mission office staff,
there had been great discord among the Elders and
Sisters, and I determined that I was going to get along
with all of the staff. The end result was that I became very
good friends with all the Elders—and especially the ones
in “the home,” and that we did have harmony.

24. For several months there were an uneven number of that I had a special message, and I tried to do my best at
Elders and also of Sisters. On one wall of the office, there expressing it.
was a display board of pictures of all the missionaries—
organized by districts and also by companions. Since I During the time I didn’t have a companion, when I had
was in the office, I was the sister without a companion teaching appointments, I would take a young adult from
and so on the picture board, I was positioned as the one of the wards with me. The Chudleigh family was
junior companion of Elder Jespersen (or Elder “J” as he taught this way. Brother Chudleigh is now a Bishop, and
was called.) He was serving as the public relations it has been a choice experience having the friendship of
director for the mission at that time and also was without this family through the years.
a companion.
It was a wonderful experience working in the mission
During my stay in Houston, I did very little proselyting, but office and living in the home. The missionaries would
I did do some teaching in the evenings. The first teaching meet together in the morning for study time, we had our
experiences I had helped me to feel the missionary spirit, meals together and in the evening, we would have a
and when baptisms resulted, the feeling of being a part of devotional, ending with singing, “Now the Day is Over”
a great work was very rewarding. During high school, my and family prayer. We truly were a family too. I felt a part
friends knew that I was “Mormon” and we occasionally of the Hill family as well as having a close relationship
talked about the Church, with some of them occasionally with the Elders I worked with.
attending meetings with me, but I had not had the
privilege of actually helping them to understand the I had been teased from time to time that I had become a
gospel—except for the experience with Jenny Grief. I did missionary to find a husband. That always made me mad
have one special experience during that time when I was because it wasn’t at all what had motivated me to
given an invitation to talk to a high school group at a become a missionary, and I was really determined to be
Protestant Church one evening. I spent hours preparing a true servant of the Lord. I think part of the reason that I
my presentation and felt I’d done quite well with the was especially teased in this way was because I was
exception of one question that I gave a crazy answer for; very tanned—having just spent the previous months in
but it was a good missionary experience for me and was Hawaii and because I was younger than most of the other
another event that helped me to know more certainly that sisters. I first met Elder “J” in the kitchen. He had been on
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was true. a tour of the mission when I arrived, and his first words to
Now that I was set-apart as a missionary, it was even me were something like, “What are you doing here? Go
easier to share the gospel and although sometimes I was back to your beach.” However, as I have stated, I was
not as open as I could have been at declaring it, I still felt determined to win the Elders over and convince them that

25. lady missionaries could be valuable and not always a it made me quite nervous. I know I didn’t talk long and
nuisance. after I was seated again, I thought of all kinds of things I
could have said. At the noon break, someone took our
When it was time for Elders Bates and Jespersen to go picture together, and I have appreciated having it as a
home, it was an emotional time for me. I had decided I memory of that special experience.
had a “crush” on Elder Bates—no matter how hard I tried
to blot it out of my mind. For a while I fought it, and then I On the way back to Houston that evening, we had very
talked to Elder “J” about it and finally discussed my foggy weather, and I had to drive slowly. On a couple of
feelings with President Hill. He was very understanding occasions I had to stop completely and each time Elder
and told me to exchange pictures with Elder Bates and Hunter got out of the car and cleaned the windshield with
that we could write after he had returned home and that if his handkerchief. How blessed I felt getting to enjoy that
anything were to come of it, we could find that out after I time together with one of our General Authorities. Then
had been released. I felt much better about it after that, later I received a letter from him thanking me for taking
but it was still hard to say good-bye to them as I knew I him to Beaumont.
would miss both of them very much. I cried while I was
typing their release letters and then cried some more at In January I was transferred to the Dallas area. I cried as
our devotional that evening before they left. We said I drove—partly from leaving the mission home where I felt
good-bye and then it was back to missionary work for me. secure in my responsibilities and partly from
apprehension of what was awaiting me in areas I had not
During that time the Broadway Chapel was nearing had experience in. I had been assigned a new mission
completion, and I usually attended that ward. When the car and worked with a successful sister for a couple of
chapel was to be dedicated in Beaumont, President Hill weeks until a new sister arrived that I was to train. We
and the Elders in the home were in West Texas for a taught a very special family—the Clements—and their
Zone Conference. Elder Howard W. Hunter, one of the baptism was a faith-promoting experience that I needed
apostles, was to be met at the airport and driven to the to boost my spirits and prepare me to be a senior
Beaumont area for a stake conference and the chapel companion and a full-time proselyting missionary. The
dedication. Since the sister that cooked for the new sister was eager to work, and we learned what it was
missionaries in the home and I were the only ones left, I like to go tracting in rain, cold and wind. She was very
was given the privilege of chauffeuring Elder Hunter. homesick, and we had some frustrating days but there
What an exciting thing for me! I couldn’t sleep that night I were the good ones too.
was so afraid I would be late, and we had to leave early.
During the conference, Elder Hunter asked me to speak. Daddy had a business appointment in Dallas while I was
With only a few moments to pull some thoughts together, there and we were able to meet him at the airport and

26. spend the evening together on our day off. It was ever so challenge too. Those two months were the most difficult
nice getting to see him at that time. of my eighteen month mission, but the last three were
delightful. I was transferred to Denton and Sister Kay was
For a while the sisters working in the Dallas-Ft. Worth my companion again. Denton was a small town with a
area were grouped into a sisters’ district, and we had a new branch—and a new chapel just nearing completion
good association together. At the beginning of the when we arrived. There were two colleges in the town
summer I was transferred to Ft. Worth. While there I had and most of our teaching was with students; and we had
two ‘outside’ visitors. My college friend, Cookie, had some very uplifting, thrilling experiences together.
married and she and her husband stopped there one
evening on their way back east. We had a nice visit and it Elder Henry D. Moyle, a General Authority, had come to
was good to see her, yet her visit helped me to realize Dallas to dedicate the new mission home and the sisters
that I still had a work to do before my mission ended. prepared and served the dinner and had an opportunity
to talk to him which we all thoroughly enjoyed.
The other visitor I had was Elder “J.” He had been
released six months earlier, and I had talked to him by At the end of my mission, we had a sisters’ conference
phone at Christmas when he had called the mission and we met together in the new home. It was a good
home, and I had received a couple of letters from him. feeling to know I had completed my mission faithfully. As
We had become good friends while working in the I look back, there were times I could have used my time
mission home so it seemed logical to me that we should more wisely and been more diligent, but I’m appreciative
visit with each other when he returned to Texas to visit of the growth that I made, of the experiences I had and
the Hills. He asked President Hill if he could come by our the things I learned and of the trust and confidence that
apartment and was told he could stop by for a short visit, President and Sister Hill had in me. During the year-and-
and that I was to call President Hill when he left. He a-half that I served, I was a part of twenty-four people
wasn’t Elder “J” anymore, but it seemed funny calling him joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—
Earl, so I dropped the Elder and just called him “J.” It the true church. Altogether I had eleven companions and
really was good to see him again, but after his visit, I served in five areas. My parents gave me constant
realized there was a different feeling between us but just encouragement as well as financial support. My
thought it was because he had been released as a understanding of the gospel became deeper, my love for
missionary and I was still serving. the Lord grew stronger and my testimony expanded. I
shall always be grateful for the opportunity I had of
For two months I was sent to Waco, Texas with an older serving my Heavenly Father as a missionary.
lady as my companion. She had been a problem sister,
and I was given the challenge to work with her. It was a

27. My last day in the Texas Mission was December 12, After the first of the year, I started back to B.Y.U. I rode
1963. In my final interview with President Hill, I was given the bus to Utah—with a couple of days visiting in
praise for some of my accomplishments and counsel for Albuquerque. I spent a few days with Aunt Joan and
the future. He specifically talked to me about both Elder Uncle Verle and while visiting with them, they took me to
Bates and Elder Jespersen and told me to be careful in the Logan Temple where I received my endowments on
my decisions and not to rule out the idea of Elder “J” as a January 24, 1964. It was a beautiful experience, and I will
possible marriage partner until I had given it thorough always be grateful for this special privilege and blessing.
consideration. I was then issued a temple recommend for
the receiving of my endowment ordinances—which Aunt Nella and Uncle Leonard were living in Kamas and I
thrilled me as I knew I would soon be fulfilling a dream I’d next visited with them. While I was there, Aunt Nella
had for several years. broke her leg so I stayed with Wendall until it was time for
me to register at school.
During my mission, Dad had been transferred to El Paso.
We decided to meet in Midland so they drove there and That semester I lived with the Britsch family. Their
met me. We were there for a Sunday and I was asked to daughter had been in the mission field with me. Also
give a report of my mission in Sacrament Meeting. It was living with them that semester was Bonita Honea—who
good to be among friends again, but we were soon on had also been a Texas missionary. We shared a room
our way to our new home. For my formal mission release, and were good friends. We attended our campus ward,
I visited with the stake leadership in El Paso. but coming into it in the middle of the year, neither of us
felt we were really a part of it. It seemed like a very cold
I started making plans to return to B.Y.U. for the second winter to me. I was always ‘frozen’ and hoped I would
semester term and started working in the alteration someday live where it was not so cold.
department at Penney’s to earn some money. It was a
wonderful Christmas after having spent the previous one During the time I was away from B.Y.U., some of the
away from home—which had been my first away from the requirements for elementary education had changed so I
family. The folks gave me a sewing machine which I was found I was taking two classes I hadn’t expected
delighted to have. I can remember that Randy was very —“modern” math and Spanish. I had a very difficult time
concerned about how much everything had cost. I began understanding the math but did quite well with the
getting acquainted with the Young Adults and dated language class—which was a real surprise to me. I also
Gordon Romney. Cookie and her husband were in El took piano that semester and really increased my ability
Paso for the holidays and she arranged for me to meet to play. My other classes were education classes.
him.

28. I didn’t date too much that semester. Gordon Romney great building and see the General Authorities and feel of
wrote to me several times a week and then he also the special spirit that was there.
invited me to fly to Princeton for the junior-senior prom. I
was quite excited about going and started making plans. After conference we drove out to Earl’s grandparents’
When I realized that I was going to have several hours home, and I met them. (I was trying to call him by his first
between flights in Chicago, I wrote to “J” and asked if he name, but it still didn’t feel natural.) Then we visited some
could meet me at the airport for a visit. Then things got of his friends that were living in Salt Lake.
messed up. Gordy got ‘mono’ and we had to postpone
my trip. Since that meant that I wouldn’t be in Chicago, I That night we went to a movie with Dick and Bobbie and
had to write “J” and tell him that I wasn’t going. When he afterwards went to Dick’s apartment for a snack. When
got my letter, he called and asked me to go to the he took me home, Earl asked if I would go to Salt Lake
mission reunion with him the week-end of General with him again the next day, which, of course, I did.
Conference. That took the disappointment out of not
getting to go to Princeton—at least for that week-end. He Again we listened to conference on the radio on the way,
wrote that we would double-date with Dick Bates and his and then we went to his grandparents’. His grandmother
girl-friend but that was O.K. with me because Dick and I fixed us lunch and then we watched the afternoon
had dated and talked—and we knew we weren’t right for session of conference on T.V. with them. I still hadn’t met
each other and that we could still be friends. Earl’s Dad. He was serving as Stake President and had
some church business to attend to as well as the
The afternoon “J” was to arrive, I received a call from his conference sessions. We waited for him to come, and
aunt saying he and his dad had been stranded in a then he took Earl and me out to eat. We had a seafood
snowstorm and would be delayed in coming and for me dinner which is my very favorite, and I thoroughly enjoyed
to go on to the reunion. Later that night they arrived on getting acquainted with Earl’s father.
the train—they had abandoned their car as the roads
were closed. We did get to enjoy a short time at the We had enjoyed such a nice day together but we had a
reunion, and then we went out to eat. When he took me prolonged silence on the way back to Provo after
back to Provo, he asked if I would go to the afternoon something was said about Dick Bates. Earl said, “I
session of conference with him the next day—which was thought everything was over between you two,” and I said
Saturday. We drove up to Salt Lake listening to the that it was, but he wouldn’t believe me, and when I tried
morning session on the radio, and then we waited outside to talk to him, he just said it bothered him to talk when he
the Tabernacle until we were allowed to enter for the next was driving.
session. What a thrill it was to sit in the balcony of that

29. When we got back to Provo, we stopped at an A&W and coming, and then she told me Earl’s father was on his
got a cold Root Beer and started talking again. This time way—and just about then, he arrived. We went down to
we really talked. Then he took me home, and we were the den and talked for several hours. He really didn’t
friends again, but before I went in we were more than know me, but I guess he liked the things about me that
friends. he did know—that I had served a mission and loved the
Lord, that I had musical abilities, that I could sew, and
Earl finally opened up and told me how upset he had that I was a possible daughter-in-law. He asked me how
been to find out I liked someone well enough to fly across much I knew about Earl’s physical problems, and I told
the country to see. He said he knew it was not the him that we had talked some about them, but that I didn’t
romantic way to approach the subject but told me that he know any details—so he told me the details. He told me
loved me, and that he had prayed about me as his wife how surprised he had been when Earl told him about our
and that he had received a strong answer that it was three-day courtship, and then he told me that he and his
right. This really caught me off-guard! He hadn’t even wife had been concerned and prayed earnestly that
held my hand before that day and had never kissed me. someday Earl would meet someone who could look
He told me that he realized I would need to have time to beyond the physical and see the person inside. We
think but that he had to talk to me before he went back talked about the past, present and future, and the more I
home—and that was supposed to be the next day. He talked to him, the more I knew that Earl would be the one
decided to stay another day, and I skipped my classes. I would marry.
When I said good-bye to him that afternoon, I didn’t know
how I felt. I thought it would help to talk to Gordy, so I In hopes that I would accept it, Earl had sent his ring to
called him, but I was even more confused after our me. His dad had stopped and bought a chain so I could
conversation. I tried to pray about it but no answer came. wear it around my neck. The ring was one Earl had worn
I had always thought of Earl as a friend, but the things and was a plain sterling silver band. I took it with a
President Hill had expressed to me kept coming to mind, mixture of feelings—willing to have it and still with a little
and the more I thought of the good times we had enjoyed hesitancy. This decision was one I knew I had to make
together, and the way I had come to know and respect without help from anyone and one that was so important I
Earl, the more comfortable I felt with thinking of him as absolutely had to make the right choice. The scales were
my husband. being tipped in favor of Earl but I still didn’t have the
complete assurance I wanted.
During the flight back to Chicago, Earl told his father that
he had proposed to me. Two days later his dad flew back It was dinner time and Sister Britsch invited Brother
to Utah to come talk to me. When I came in from class, Jespersen to dinner. After we were through eating, he
Bonnie told me to get freshened up that I had a visitor told me he loved me because Earl loved me and that he

30. thought I was a very special girl and then he left. I have May, and he and his mother came out for a week. It was
thought of that “interview” since and have had feelings of nice to meet her, and I was glad she had come so we
gratitude for “Dad Jespersen caring enough to come and could get acquainted; and Earl and I had a wonderful
talk to me. time just being together and planning for our future.
When he left to go back to Chicago, it was hard to say
That night I wrote a last letter to Gordy. I had reached the good-bye because we knew we wouldn’t see each other
conclusion that he wasn’t the right one—even though I again until just before we were married.
wasn’t positive who was. Then I decided to fast and pray
about my future. By the end of the week I felt that I My Dad was then transferred to Denver, Colorado, and
should marry Earl, and I talked to him by phone and he was in Denver when Earl’s train went through so they
afterwards called my parents. briefly met each other. As soon as school was out, the
family moved to their new home just north of Denver.
I’m sure there were several reasons why I had to sort out Bonnie, my room mate, was going to spend the summer
my feelings and thoughts so completely—for one, our with us, and so she and I met them in Denver.
love hadn’t really had time to evolve, but we were good
friends so I felt that could be developed; for another, I I was busy the next six weeks helping Mom choose
really wanted Earl to ‘fit’ into my family and for me to be a drapes, etc. for the new house and getting ready for the
part of his and with all the miles between all of us that wedding—choosing wedding invitations, sewing, etc.
was very frustrating to perceive; for another, I was Since we had only been in Denver a few weeks, I didn’t
concerned about Earl’s health. I had no qualms about his have a bridal shower and there was no reason to have a
physical appearance but was concerned about his reception there so all of our plans were made for Utah.
physical health—such as his back problems. However,
the thing that really bothered me was that Earl was not Earl had moved to Houston and started school at the
what I had ever pictured in my mind or dreamed my University of Houston—continuing his studies in
husband would be like—in fact, he was quite opposite. architecture. Never did we think then that we would
That was the issue I really had to cope with, and I had to remain in Houston for the next twenty-nine years! He
decide whether my “dream man” was really somewhere found a garage apartment for us to live in and then when
looking for me or if those dreams were simply lofty ideals. his session of summer school was over, he flew to
Denver to get acquainted with my family and so we could
It was very difficult concentrating on school the last two be together again. A few days later we drove to Salt Lake
months of that semester, but somehow between phone to make final preparations for our wedding.
calls, letters and another visit from Earl, I made it
through. Earl was finished with his classes the first part of

32. Earl’s family had a nice back-yard party for us and his
parents and my parents to meet each other. We were
given some lovely presents and had a nice evening. As
should have been expected, some of the family painted
on the car and decorated it, but I was so embarrassed
with everyone looking at us as Earl was driving me back
to my aunt and uncle’s, that I started crying and Earl
stopped and washed the car before we went any further.
The morning of our wedding, Friday, July 17, 1964, Earl
came after me and we drove to the Salt Lake Temple
together. My hair had been done, and I wore a blue dress
that I had made, and I felt glorious!
It was the first temple wedding I had ever attended and
consisted of only the sealing ceremony. Since, I have
wished that we had participated in the complete temple
ceremony with all of our wedding party. I think it would
have been more of a spiritual experience, but I didn’t
know any different at that time, so to me, it was lovely.
Earl and I changed into our white temple clothes. I had
made my dress of a lacy knit, and I thought it was
beautiful. It was especially wonderful having our families
with us in that sacred place. Earl’s parents, grandparents,
aunt and uncle and my parents, grandparents, an aunt
and uncle and a few others were there, and we really felt
that it was special that we could all share that time
together. Our witnesses were Earl’s father and my father.
We were given some counsel by the temple sealer, and
then we knelt at the altar and our marriage was
solemnized for eternity—and I became Mrs. Earl Thomas
Jespersen.

33. We exchanged rings—white gold bands with Florentine When we finally arrived at our little apartment, we were
etching on them, and then we all went to a hotel across happy to have the excitement over and were ready to
the street from temple square for a luncheon with all of settle down as a happily married couple. I had planned to
our relatives. Earl’s cousin had made two wedding cakes attend the University of Houston but after several
for us—so we still had a wedding cake even though we appointments, I realized I still had four years ahead of me
didn’t have a formal reception. Earl had taken care to because of the difference in the curriculums of the two
park the car where no one would find it so this time it schools so I gave up my plans of finishing.
wasn’t marked up, but we didn’t escape the rice throwing.
Earl had a part-time job designing homes, and he just
For our honeymoon we stayed in a cabin, owned by the loved what he was doing and learning. With him also
Britsch family, in the mountains near Heber, Utah. It was going to school, we decided I should get a job. That was
a perfect place for a honeymoon, and we thoroughly a trial for me. I didn’t mind working at all, but I hated
enjoyed spending a few days there. Then we drove to having to go job hunting and the interviews. I worked at a
Chicago so I could meet Earl’s family and friends there, couple of places but they didn’t work out so kept looking
and we had a wonderful time. I got to meet Earl’s sister and through an employment agency finally got a job as a
and her husband and little girl and another brother. His secretary at Methodist Hospital.
brother Roy was serving a mission in England so I didn’t
meet him until later. I only worked there for a couple of months when Earl and
I were invited to dinner at the home of some friends. The
One evening while we were there, Sister Edmunds, a girl’s father was a doctor, and he just happened to be
dear family friend (and the mother of Earl’s old girlfriend, looking for a secretary. He called me several days later
Janet) had a couples party for us in the back yard. We and asked if I would be interested in changing jobs—so I
were given some lovely gifts—and even more the next had an interview with him and subsequently turned in my
evening when Earl’s parents had an Open House for us notice at the hospital. When they found out I was leaving,
in their home. Mom “J” had made all the goodies and I was immediately offered more money, but I was glad to
done the floral arrangements and everything was lovely. be changing.
The evening that we left to drive to Houston we had I ended up working for Dr. Viehweg for about nine years
dinner with Earl’s old girlfriend and her husband. I was a —although a couple of those were only part-time. My
little nervous about that at first, but I liked her, and we responsibilities included being the receptionist, secretary,
became friends. file clerk, insurance clerk and bookkeeper plus anything
else that needed done. The job was a challenge and I

34. was always busy. I enjoyed the work even though at Earl’s sister had a baby boy and my girlfriend had a baby
times it was very demanding and frustrating. girl, and we started talking about how special it would be
for us to have a baby. When I finally realized I was
pregnant, I was thrilled beyond words. I didn’t have any
sickness and worked right up until my due date. What a
delight it was to feel movement of the baby for the first
time. At first it felt like “butterflies” like I have occasionally
when I’m nervous, but they grew more intense and
towards the end, it felt like the little babe was in a race.
We didn’t tell anyone at Church for quite a while and then
one night at Sacrament Meeting after Earl had finished
giving a talk, he made the announcement.
Knowing that we would need more room, we moved to a
two bedroom apartment (#2106) in the same apartment
complex. The year before, we had gone to Chicago for
Christmas but that year we stayed home. We didn’t have
a tree because our money was tight, and we were saving
for furniture. I found out that Earl really wanted a Leroy
lettering set so I found out how much they were and
where to buy one and started saving my nickels and
dimes. I finally had enough saved to get it. I brought it
home, wrapped it and hid it in a suitcase. Then I wrapped
We moved from our garage apartment at 3222 Milburn up a box with a note inside telling where the real gift was.
into an apartment at 7035 E. Bellfort, Apt. 111. We were I didn’t want to take any chances Earl would guess what
still in the Broadway Ward where we had many friends it was by its size. A few days before Christmas, I was
among the Young Marrieds’ group. standing at the sink washing dishes and Earl came in all
excited and told me his boss had just bought him a Leroy
My first Church calling after moving to Houston was set. Needless to say, that news totally shattered me.
secretary in the Stake Sunday School. I held that position
for two years—traveling from Bay City to Bryan visiting As I neared the end of my pregnancy, Dr. Viehweg told
the different Sunday Schools. The monthly reports were a me that I would go past my due date which really
nightmare to me as so few of the secretaries understood disappointed me, but I stayed busy with projects and
their callings and the need to submit their reports.

35. reading as I continued to wait. My friends gave me a in the hospital, let alone having the baby—so Earl gave
baby shower and I received such nice gifts—and then I me a blessing, and we were on our way. It wasn’t for
was really anxious for our little one to come. Also, Mom another six hours that I was ready for the delivery room
had made several beautiful quilts which I received in the (making my total time of labor twenty-four hours.) During
mail. that time, Earl was pacing the floor in the waiting room as
husbands weren’t allowed in the labor rooms at that time.
I had no inclination whether I was carrying a girl or a boy Since I was the only one in labor that night, Dr. Viehweg
and wanted to discuss names but Earl felt strongly that pushed me into the waiting room to visit with Earl for a
we were going to have a boy and that his name would be few minutes but all that did was upset Earl even more. I
Paul Soren Jespersen—Paul after his father and Soren must have been pale, and it was the first time he had
after his grandfather because this was the first child to ever seen me in pain so I was pushed back into the labor
carry on the Jespersen name. I worried that we would room and Dr. Viehweg took Earl to the doctors’ lounge,
have a girl and not only would we not have a name for gave him a pill to relax his nerves and told him to go to
her, but I was afraid Earl would be disappointed. sleep. He couldn’t sleep and called his Mom—waking her
up in the middle of the night—because he needed to talk.
The days drug on and twenty days after my due date, I
finally went into labor. I had gone to the doctor the day Even though Earl had been told by several doctors that
before and had gone shopping for a few last things, and his physical problems were not hereditary, he still felt
when I got home I decided to clean out all the cupboards some uneasiness that his child might have to go through
so they would look good when Earl’s mother came. I got some of the pain and torment that he had experienced
everything out and stacked on the table and then was too and this weighed heavily on his mind during the time we
tired to put it back so planned to finish the next day, but in were waiting for our little one to be born.
the early hours of the morning I woke up with my first
pains. They were so far apart that Earl went on to work For the delivery, I was given a saddle-block type of
but kept calling me. I tried to stay busy during the day but anesthesia and the first thing I remember was Dr.
didn’t seem to be making much progress. Dad “J” had Viehweg telling me that I had a perfect little boy. Those
stayed in close contact with us and checked frequently words thrilled my soul, and I was filled with such gratitude
for any news, so it was nice to finally tell him that we and happiness that it is impossible to express my
were about to have our baby. That evening Earl wanted feelings. The date of Paul’s birth was July 2, 1966—just
to rush me right to the hospital, but I still didn’t think it one day before my parents’ twenty-fifth wedding
was time. We waited a few hours and then decided to go anniversary. He was their first grandchild, and he was the
on and go. I was really afraid of what was going to be third grandchild of Earl’s parents. He weighed seven
happening next and was especially nervous about being

36. pounds and eleven ounces and was twenty inches long, procedure, but we also learned that Paul was going to
and the time of his birth was Saturday morning at 4:06. need foot correction because of a ‘toeing-in’ problem.
PICTURE OF BABY PAUL We arranged for a lady in the ward to take care of Paul
and when he was six weeks old, I went back to work. It
was really hard to leave him those first few mornings, but
we slowly got adjusted to our new schedule. Earl kept
My stay in the hospital (Memorial Baptist-Central) was Paul one night a week so I could continue to attend night
anything but pleasant. I hated being there. I disliked the Relief Society, and they usually did fine.
nurses coming in every hour, I cried every time they
brought me my food, and I just wanted to take my baby In Church I was called as the teacher for a fellowshipping
and go home. After several days I finally was able to go. class. The class was for the new members of the Church
Earl’s mom had come down to help me for a couple of to have association together and to continue to learn
weeks, and I was so glad to have her there. She did all more about the gospel. It was a most enjoyable teaching
the work, and I got to play with our little Paul. He was so experience!
cute, and we were so thrilled to have him and loved him
so much. I made an attempt to nurse him but it was a Earl was still going to school but was working every day
total disaster, and we got along much better after that in the bay area so when we decided to buy a home, we
ordeal was ended. decided it should be in that area, and in November 1966
we moved to 615 Baywood. Our mailing address was La
When Paul was a month old, my family came down to Porte, but we actually lived in the City of Shore Acres.
see him. It was the first time they had visited me since I This move meant that I was driving into Houston every
had married. Their vacation was planned so they would day which was a long drive, but we were happy to be in
be with us the Sunday Paul was blessed, and I was our own home. Earl really helped me while I worked. He
delighted to have my Dad in the circle when our baby often had dinner ready when I got home and also helped
was given his name and blessing. Due to noise and with the house cleaning. We located a new babysitter that
interference, I could not hear the blessing which lived in our area. In our new ward—which was the
distressed me, but Earl told me some of the things Baytown Ward—I was called to be the chorister in
included in the blessing. Sunday School and the organist for Sacrament Meeting.
At the time of Paul’s first visit to the doctor, he had to The following summer my sister, Nancy Kay, was married
have the skin under his tongue clipped—a minor to Charles Von Clark in the Logan Temple. I flew up to
Denver for her reception. Nancy had gone to Ricks

37. College in Idaho and had become a registered nurse. At I was called to be the President of the Young Women’s
a later date, Charles was legally adopted by his step- Mutual, and it was a learning and growing time for me. I
father so their last name changed to Hugo. was quite surprised when I was called to that position,
and I felt overwhelmed with my new responsibility, but I
About this time Earl was having turmoil in his mind about determined that I would do everything I could to be
whether to finish college or not. There were difficult successful in leading the young women of the ward. Earl
problems within the architecture department at school. was doing well in his new business so I started working
He had been doing exceptionally well in his classes and part-time. I enjoyed having time to sew and do some of
had even been approached about teaching a design the things I had not had time to do before. I arranged my
class; but he felt that he needed to get away from the schedule so I could attend Relief Society and was soon
conflict that was going on. He had been thoroughly called as the theology teacher. Our course of study was
enjoying his work and had been wanting more and more the Doctrine and Covenants, and I loved teaching that
to go into business for himself; and after much class. I studied diligently and also worked hard at
deliberation and thought, he decided to quit school and improving my teaching skills. I think I enjoyed that calling
start his own design and construction firm. A room had more than any other I have had in the church. That year I
been built above our garage so Earl finished it and set it also accepted the responsibility of being a visiting teacher
up as his office. His decision was very difficult for me to in Relief Society.
accept as I had really wanted him to finish school.
In the summer my parents and brothers visited us. It was
That fall I was called to teach the twelve-year-olds in so nice having them with us—and they especially
Sunday School, and I taught the class for a year. I also enjoyed getting better acquainted with Paul who was then
served as the music director for the Mutual. Earl served three years old and a real cutie.
for several years as the Teachers’ Quorum Advisor—a
calling he enjoyed very much. On August 21, 1969, our second son, Brent Everett
Jespersen was born. We wanted him to have a family
We had several nice vacations during those years. We name so he was given my maiden name. We were
drove to Denver for one Christmas and one Christmas we thrilled to have another baby and were pleased to have
went to Chicago. One vacation we thoroughly loved was another son. He was a good baby, and we truly loved
the trip that we took into Canada. Mom Jespersen took him. He was born at Memorial Baptist Hospital in
care of the grandchildren and Dad Jespersen, Jim and downtown Houston at 11:15 on a Thursday morning. He
Pauline, Roy, Wayne, Paul Michael, Earl and I went by weighed seven pounds one ounce and was twenty inches
canoes into the beautiful Canadian wilderness for ten long. I felt great all during the pregnancy—had no nausea
fabulous days of camping, fishing and relaxing. and no problems.

38. PICTURE OF BABY BRENT and then we were both driving to town everyday so we
decided to sell our home. In April 1970 we moved into an
apartment at 611 N. Dairy-Ashford #47. We worked hard
at paying all our old bills rather than declaring bankruptcy
When Brent was a month old, we flew to Connecticut to and slowly got them all paid. We felt blessed in finding a
visit Earl’s family. It was a beautiful area, and we really babysitter. Earl answered an ad from the newspaper, and
enjoyed seeing that part of the country. Mom “J” took us he went over to talk to her and found out that she was
into New York City one day, and we saw the ship she had L.D.S. and that we would be in the same ward—which
come to the states on, the Statue of Liberty and many was the Memorial Ward.
other sights—as well as riding a ferry and the subway.
On Sunday, Brent was blessed by his father with his That spring my brother Lyman graduated from high
Grandfather Jespersen also standing in the circle. school, and my mother and sister, Alice, both graduated
from college.
Towards the end of the year, Earl started having
business problems. The housing industry seemed to be I taught Course 12 in Sunday School that summer and
at a standstill so it became necessary for me to start back then in the fall, I was called to be the activity counselor in
to work. I had to organize myself well to keep everything the Young Women’s program. Janice Bassett was the
running smoothly. president, and we became good friends as we worked
together.
In the spring I was released from my calling as Young
Women’s President and was asked to organize a ward Paul started kindergarten, and it was hard to believe we
meetinghouse library under the program that had just had a child that old. Paul and Brent were pals, but they
been developed by the church. needed more space to play in than we had in the
apartment so Earl started looking for homes. With help
My father was transferred to Utah, and they bought a from our parents, we were able to buy a home in the
home in Orem. Paul, Brent and I flew up for a visit. I northwest part of Houston in the area known as Spring
returned home and they stayed for a couple of weeks. Branch. The house we bought, at 1149 Fries Rd, was on
Earl and I wanted our children to know their grandparents an acre of land. It only had two bedrooms, but they were
as well as possible so whenever we can make large, and we planned to add onto the back of the house
arrangements, we let them go for visits. in a few years. We moved into it the first part of
November 1971. Paul had to be transferred to Spring
Earl was having difficulties and we went through some Branch Elementary School, and we needed to find
frustrating days together. He started working in Houston,

39. another babysitter. This time we decided to place the We had been wanting another baby and finally were
boys in a day care, and that arrangement worked well. expecting one in the coming January. We decided I
would work until the end of the year. The last two weeks I
was supposed to be at the office, Paul and Brent both
had the chicken-pox. At the end of my tenure of working
for Dr. Viehweg, he wanted to give me a bonus for the
years I had been employed by him, and he presented me
with a Bernina sewing machine and cabinet. It was a
PICTURE OF 1149 FRIES wonderful gift, and I was thrilled to have it.
Sewing has been one of my enjoyments in life. I enjoy
every kind of stitchery that I have ever tried. Sewing, for
me, is a time of calm and peace. When my life gets too
For several years I had been concentrating on finishing fragmented, I can spend a few hours sewing and it
the requirements for the Golden Gleaner Award. It was provides a therapy for me. My interests in stitchery have
the church award earned by young women between the taken me from sewing on my machine through various
ages of eighteen and thirty. Since I had started working in types of handwork. I have taught many sewing, doll
the Young Women’s Mutual, I had encouraged the girls to making and handwork classes. I enjoy embroidery, cross-
earn their individual awards, and I felt I should set the stitch, and crocheting but have an even greater interest in
example so I had been working on my award also. When the heirloom arts such as smocking, quilting, drawn
I finally completed the requirements, it was presented to thread, Old Hedebo, pulled thread, Whitework,
me in a Sacrament Meeting, and I felt good that I had Reversible Blackwork, and my favorite, Hardanger. I
reached my goal. absolutely love making beautiful pieces of handwork. I
began wearing glasses when I was in college. One of my
Earl’s brother, Wayne, had been at odds with his life, and fears in life is that I will lose my eyesight and not be able
we invited him to come and live with us, so he was with to see the little stitches on fine linen.
us for several months during the summer of 1972. Earl
was very understanding and helpful, and by the time
school started in the fall, Wayne felt he was ready to go,
and he enrolled at B.Y.U.
I had been called as the Stake Director of Meetinghouse
Libraries—a calling I served in for two and a half years.

40. Society so held two church jobs for a while—and part of
that time, I also worked a couple of days a week.
Then in June (1973) I had a bad accident. I was carrying
Mark and was walking to the car in the church parking lot
when I tripped and fell. When I tried to get up I realized
that I hurt my ankle quite severely. A friend took the three
boys and Earl took me to the emergency room of the
nearest hospital. After x-rays and examination by Dr.
Viehweg, I was taken to Memorial Hospital downtown
and referred to an orthopedic surgeon. The following day
I had to have surgery for a fracture of my right ankle and
On January 22, 1973 our third son was born—at the dislocation of the joint. When I came out of surgery, I had
same hospital and delivered by the same doctor as his a full leg cast on.
brothers were. We named him Mark Alan Jespersen. The
name Mark was given to him after my father. He was Earl’s mother came to help us as my stay in the hospital
born in the middle of the night at 1:47 a.m. on a Monday. ended up to be ten days, and I couldn’t do anything when
He weighed seven pounds and fourteen ounces and was I did come home. She stayed with us for a month. My
twenty-one inches long—so he weighed more and was condition had stabled, but I still couldn’t take care of the
an inch longer than his brothers. During the pregnancy I house or the children so she flew to Utah with Brent and
felt great except for getting tired; and his was the easiest Mark so my mother could care for them, and Paul stayed
delivery I’d had. Mother came to help. I appreciated to help me. My parents had the boys for three months,
having her there, and we had a great visit. Once again and when the cast was changed to one below the knee, I
we were blessed to have a special spirit come into our flew to Utah for a short visit and then brought the little
home, and Earl gave him a beautiful blessing. At that boys home.
time we were in the Melbourne II Ward, but the following
week, the ward was divided, and we became a part of the The whole ordeal was very frustrating to me, but I was
new Spring Branch Ward. In the spring I was called as thankful for my friends. During the time I was confined to
the teacher of the Mother Education class in Relief the house, I did handwork and pieced my first quilt top.
PICTURE OF BABY MARK

41. Then after I had the top finished, I decided to try quilting wonderful way to learn about our pioneer heritage and an
it. My mother had quilted many, many quilts and I had excuse to enjoy friends. We had so much fun. For our
watched her and even occasionally helped her, but I had conventions, we would get together and make about fifty
never done any quilting on my own. I was so proud of table favors of one kind or another. It might be dolls or
myself when I had finished it and decided it was Texas flags but we always spent way too much time and
something I would like to improve my skill at so have energy making them.
since made some lovely quilts. I have also taught classes
in quilting and have given many quilts as gifts. I had several friends that belonged to Daughters of the
Utah Pioneers and since I was eligible to join, I
Earl was not happy working for someone else so he and completed my registration papers and became a member
two friends decided to form a company which they named of the group. I have since served as the secretary and am
Design Collective. After a while they decided to each go currently the captain of our camp.
on their own. Earl built an office behind the garage, and
he was happy to be self-employed again. That summer we took a fantastic vacation. First we drove
to Chicago and visited with Earl’s sister. We visited
Paul became a Cub Scout and I was the Den Leader. several museums, the lake front, and the downtown area.
That began a series of many years that Earl and I were Then we drove east to Niagara Falls. We stopped also at
involved in Scouting. Also I was very involved in the Palmyra, New York and toured some of the church’s
Parent-Teacher Association with the children’s schools. I historic sights—including the Hill Cumorah and the
have always been a very organized person and I would Sacred Grove.
say that is one of my character traits.
We then stayed for about a week with Earl’s parents in
Alice was married in December 1973. I flew up for the Connecticut. While we were there, Dad “J” took us sailing
wedding and took Mark with me. Alice had taught school on Long Island Sound, and one day we drove to Mystic
in Hawaii the previous year. She married Wilkes Covey. Harbor which was a very interesting day. Paul had his
(He goes by the name of Wix.) It was nice to be there for eighth birthday while we were there so he was baptized
her wedding and fun to visit the family just before the there. His grandfather, for whom he had been named,
Christmas holidays. Then in May 1974, Lyman married performed the baptism and his father confirmed him.
Erin Howell, but they were divorced several years later.
At the beginning of the year, I had been impressed to
One of the organizations I especially enjoyed in Houston start working intently on my genealogy and so I had been
was Daughters of Utah Pioneers. We had a great group doing a great deal of research. Since we were so close to
and I served in all of the positions of leadership. It was a Long Island, the area where most of my research was

42. taking place, I took one day and drove to that area. When managed at home. My children are so dear to me and
I arrived, I didn’t know where to start, but I had sincerely whenever one of them is hurt or has a problem, my heart
prayed that my time would be used wisely, and the seems to skip beats, and I have to draw from strength
benefits of that day were many as I was led from one that I’m sometimes not even sure I have.
person to another and was given books and information
beyond any expectations or dreams. The experiences of In June of 1975, two of Earl’s brothers married, and we
that day will always serve as a reminder to me that the were able to go to both of the weddings. We first flew to
Lord will bless those who truly seek to obey his will and Utah for Wayne’s wedding in the Provo Temple, and then
follow the counsel of our authorities. I know we have to California for Roy’s wedding. We left the boys with
been asked to do our genealogy, but I also know that friends and had a wonderful vacation together—getting to
doors will be opened to enable us to do our research if also visit with both sets of parents.
we put forth the effort to try.
In the fall, Paul started taking piano lessons. I have
In the fall, Brent started kindergarten. When Paul always been grateful for the lessons that I took and have
became a Cub Scout, and I became the Den Leader, I used my music in many areas through the years. It is a
was released from my library job but continued to teach skill that I would like to further develop as I would like to
the Mother Education classes. play much better than I do.
The last Sunday in December 1974, Bishop McClelland Earl’s father had retired, and his parents were asked to
came to our home and visited with Earl and me, and he work for a year in the Washington Temple. They came to
called me to be the ward Relief Society President. It was Houston for the Christmas holidays, and Earl started his
a calling that demanded many, many hours, and I had campaign to convince them they should move to Houston
opportunities to serve and to be instrumental in helping when they were finished at the temple. We started
many sisters, but it was also a calling that required looking for houses but nothing seemed right until one day
patience and love at times when it was difficult to find that when Earl thought of building them a home on the front of
reserve from within. I know I gave more of myself during our property. We had a big lot, and it seemed like the
that time than during any other calling I have ever had, logical answer. We discussed it for several weeks, and
but I also learned many things which have helped me to when we were sure that we could be happy with that
become a better person because of that service. arrangement, he called and talked to his folks about it. In
the spring, they came back to Houston to discuss details
Due to an accident, Mark had to be in the hospital during and after the decision had been made, Earl designed
the month of October—with his legs in traction, and I their home and the construction began.
stayed with him while Earl and the other two boys
PICTURE OF 1151 FRIES

43. feelings of love and gratitude I have had for the arrival of
our little daughter. She was a special baby from the
beginning and all of us love her and have had our lives
touched by her presence in our family.
I started having terrific headaches which at first I thought
must be from tension and pressure, but when I finally She was born in the evening at 7:26 p.m., and she
went in to the doctor’s, he told me I was pregnant which weighed eight pounds, two ounces and was nineteen and
was a pleasant surprise. We decided I should get away a quarter inches long, and we named her Karen. She had
for a good rest, so Mark and I went to Utah. It seemed to no hair and resembled the boys, but now she has curly
be what I needed, and the headaches disappeared and hair and is petite and such fun to dress in ruffles and lace
for the rest of the pregnancy, I felt good—with the and play dolls with.
exception of getting tired. We came back to Houston with PICTURE OF BABY KAREN
my folks—stopping in southern Utah to visit with Lyman
and also in Albuquerque. I was released from my Relief
Society job and called to the stake Primary as the Cub
Scout Director—and also that year I directed the music
for our ward Primary. When she was given her name and blessing, her
Grandfather Jespersen, Uncle Wayne and father were in
We decided that we would have our addition built on at the circle, and she was given a very beautiful blessing by
the same time the house in the front was being her father. When I took Karen in for her first check-up, I
constructed. Earl’s parents arrived in Houston to help knew I had a beautiful and perfect little girl, but I left the
complete the final phases of their home, and they stayed doctor’s office completely shaken. He knew something
with us for a few months, and then in December, they was not quite right and wanted her to be seen by a
were ready to move in. We have thoroughly enjoyed specialist. After much testing, two hospital stays and
having them live close to us and are so glad they are examinations by various pediatricians and specialists, we
near. were told that her liver was simply misplaced—that it
would not likely cause any problems but that we should
On Sunday, January 2, 1977, our baby was born. After be aware of it. What a relief to know that she was indeed
having three boys, I wanted a little girl very much. I tried healthy and how blessed we felt to know that our
not to get excited about the possibility because I knew we precious little girl did not have any physical problems.
would be happy to have another son, but I longed for the
time I would also have a daughter. Dr. Viehweg was the A week after Karen was born, Earl and I were told we had
attending physician. It is difficult to express in words the an appointment with the stake president. We went in and

44. Earl was called to be a counselor in the bishopric, and It was wonderful having him come, and we were sure he
the next Sunday he was sustained in Sacrament Meeting. had been a fantastic missionary.
Afterwards, he was ordained a High Priest by his father
and then he was set-apart for his new calling. Earl was a My parents also served a mission, among the Indians on
good counselor and had many rewarding experiences the Blood Reserve, in the Canada, Alberta Mission. It
while he served in that position. When the Bishop moved, was a rewarding experience for them, and we were so
Earl was released and was then called to be the proud of them. When they returned, we wanted all of the
Scoutmaster—the position he currently holds. family to be together so we planned a reunion at the
beginning of the summer. Earl had a business
My calling was changed to the stake Primary Scouting appointment in Salt Lake with the church’s building
Director. For a while I played the piano for Primary and department in May so he took Karen to my folks when he
then was asked to be the Den Leader of Brent’s den. went up. Then at the end of May, the three boys and I
That really made us a scouting family—with my stake drove up. We had a good trip—stopping in Albuquerque
calling to work with Blazer Scout leaders, with Earl and for a few days and then in Mancos for a few days—and
Paul both involved in the troop and Brent and me in the then on to Utah. Earl didn’t feel he could be away from
Cub program. work as long as I wanted to stay but he flew up for a few
days to be with us when we were all together. We
Brent was baptized the summer he turned eight years camped and had a great time with all the brothers and
old, and it was truly a family occasion. He was baptized sisters together for the first time in ages. When Earl
by his father who also presided and conducted the returned home, he spent his extra hours redecorating our
baptismal service. The following day, he was confirmed living room, and it looks beautiful. We are slowly getting
by his father with his Grandfather Jespersen and Uncle the house fixed the way we want.
Wayne also standing in the circle.
The office Earl was using behind the garage was just too
We had a delightful Christmas that year. Pauline and Jim small so he relocated in an office building. He is still using
and their children came, as well as Roy and Betsy and the name of Design Collective for his design work, but he
their son, Paul Michael and Sharon and Wayne and also started back into construction, and he calls that part
Linda and their two children—so it was a good family of his business Jespersen Construction. He was working
reunion even though we missed Mark and his wife, almost completely with J. L. Watson Co., who are land
Suzanne. developers, and when they asked him to become a
partner of that firm, he decided it was a good opportunity
My brother, Randy, served a mission in Austria and as he and accepted it.
returned, he stopped in Houston for a short visit with us.

45. In 1978, Mark started kindergarten and Paul was member living the gospel of Jesus Christ and trying daily
ordained a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood and to live closer to our Heavenly Father.
became the Secretary of the Deacons’ Quorum. We were
especially proud of Paul when he graduated from Earl’s brother, Wayne, lived with us for a time. Then
Primary. During his Cub Scout years, he earned every Randy came to live with us while he was in medical
award that was available, and during his Blazer year in school. It was such a pleasant time to have him there and
Primary, he earned all of the skill awards, twelve merit to get to know him better and to share in all of his
badges and was a First Class Scout as well as receiving activities. I will always be grateful for that time we had
his Duty to God Trail Recognition. In these together. He married just prior to his graduation from
accomplishments, he has certainly set a good example Baylor Medical School. He married Ruth Ann Porter on
for his younger brothers. May 15, 1984.
As I come to the present in this narrative, I have to take a Our years from there were filled with children growing up
long look at where I’ve been and where I still want to go. and becoming teenagers. Those years were sometimes
There are so many things I want to do in my life that I am difficult for me. Earl handled it much better than I did. The
often frustrated in trying to fit everything into my most difficult, depressing, frustrating thing in my life has
schedule. I am often called on to substitute or to help with been for me to have those I love make their own
something in addition to all my regular responsibilities, decisions when they are contrary to my viewpoint. This is
but I am grateful for the talents I do have, and it is my one of the lessons in life that I continually struggle with.
prayer that I will use them wisely. I’m so thankful for my
parents and for the example they are to me. I appreciate When I think of my life, I feel it is one of joy and
my husband who has patience with me and loves me happiness. I try to look at life in a positive way—although
even when I disappoint him, and I truly do love him. I Earl insists that if I don’t have anything to worry about, I
appreciate Earl’s parents also—not only for their love and will find something. In 1987, I had something to worry
help, but also for being good neighbors. I love each of our about and something that changed my joy and happiness
children dearly. Each one is so special and has a special to deep sorrow. That was the year Mom was diagnosed
place in my heart, and I thank my Heavenly Father for with cancer. She died on June 23rd—truly the saddest
blessing us with their sweet spirits. I am so grateful for day of my life. That was nine years ago and I still miss
my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- her and find myself wanting to talk to her, to see her fresh
day Saints, and for my Savior, and it is my desire that I way of looking at life and to feel her zest for living.
will always be able to keep my life in tune with his gospel.
Above all, I want to have a happy family with each Lyman was a single parent for many years. Then the 24th
of June 1988 he married Ginny Hullinger Lawhon and his

46. family grew to seven. I drove to St. George, picking up Paul served a mission in Denmark and he graduated
Aunt Muriel in Albuquerque, for their wedding. We were from the University of Texas. He married Anastasia
all so happy for him. Stickler on April 27, 1991, and they have two children,
Elizabeth and Soren.
We moved to the Chicago area three years ago when
Earl was spending more time working here than he was PICTURE OF PAUL’S FAMILY
in Houston. It was a difficult move and yet it has also
been a season of growth for us in new areas, and we
have had some wonderful experiences living here. Our
home is at 996 Plum Tree in Fox River Grove, Illinois. Brent served a mission in Colorado and he graduated
Earl now has his office in our home and we feel quite from Brigham Young University-Hawaii and then from
settled in. We talk about where to go when it comes time Columbia Teacher’s College in New York. On June 3,
to retire, but so far nothing has been decided. Two things 1992, he married Cynthia Smith and they have a
I someday want to do are to take some computer classes daughter, Berlin. They are now living in Salt Lake City.
so I can do more than write letters and perhaps someday
to learn another language, probably Spanish. At the Mark served a mission in Australia. He attended school at
present I stay so busy that I haven’t been able to fit either BYU-Hawaii and is now going to the University of Utah.
of those into my schedule.
I feel very blessed to be a member of The Church of PICTURE OF BRENT AND BERLIN
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and I love it with all my
heart. For many years I have “felt” strongly about the
guiding principles of my life but it has only been recently Karen is currently enrolled in the Massage Therapy
that I have been able to verbalize how I feel. I believe that School of Utah. She married Brian Scott Titus this past
the Law of the Gospel is given to us in the New summer, the 20th of June 1996, and they are also living in
Testament (Matthew 22:36-39) where Jesus is Salt Lake City, Utah.
questioned about which of the commandments is the
most important, and he answers, “…Thou shalt love the PICTURE OF KAREN AND BRIAN
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself.” These are the guiding I am so grateful for Earl. He has been my steadying rock.
principles of my life. He loves me and has patience with me, and I truly love

47. him. We have had a good marriage; and now we are
entering a new arrangement—a house with no one else
in it. We enjoy each other (most of the time) but feel an
emptiness that can only be filled by a visit from our
children and grandchildren. How we do love them—each
and every one! What terrific children we have—and what
precious grandchildren. We thoroughly enjoy being
grandparents!
Ruth Ann Jespersen
PICTURE OF MOM & DAD
TOGETHER
Funeral Services
Salt Lake City
February 16th, 2007

48. I’m Bishop L. Lionel Kendrick of the Ensign Peak 2nd ward and I’ll be
conducting this service, by request of the family. Seated on the stand
Honest, Simple, Solid, True with me is Brother Lee Cox, first counselor in the bishopric and
Brother M. Horn, second counselor in the bishopric. Sister LaDawn
1942-2007 Toone will be the organist from the Ensign 2nd ward and Sister
Jeannie Juergens will be directing the music. She is from the Katy
Stake in Houston, Texas.
We welcome you to this sacred funeral service to celebrate the life of
FAMILY PRAYER, given by Mark Alan Jespersen Sister Ruth Ann Jespersen who passed through the veil Monday
morning, February 12th, 2007. Today, she is surrounded by her family
Father in Heaven, We gather together as family and we gather and friends who love her so dearly. There are representatives from
around to celebrate Ruth Ann Everett Jespersen, our mother, our the temple department with us today, where she served as a
sister, our grandmother, our aunt, our friend, and thy daughter. missionary, a full time missionary. Also, there are a number of
We are grateful to have spent time with her in this life. Grateful unto missionaries who served with her and who she was acquainted with in
thee Heavenly Father for the remarkable woman, the remarkable the ward and throughout the stake. She has begun her third mission,
mother that she has been and that she is. which will be on the other side of the veil. Sister Jespersen was a
As we reflect on the many projects that she did, those projects with person of great integrity with an exceptionally strong testimony of the
love, care and delicacy, only to brighten someone’s day. We have all gospel of Jesus Christ. She taught us all how to endure well to the
been recipients of that love. We have all been recipients of her end. Just two weeks ago, in the latter stages of her life, she faithfully
beautiful spirit. We ask thee Heavenly Father that we may take these carried out her visiting teaching assignment, calling on Elder and
precious memories into our lives. Reflect on them and be a better Sister ? just two short weeks ago. The family extends their love and
person for the example that she has been to each one of us. We are gratitude to all who rendered kind service to Sister Jespersen. The
grateful for the devotion to her family, as a mother, friend and a sister service will be followed as outlined in the program, following the
– devotion to keep us together, to extend to our family, our cousins, service the internment will be in Mancos, Colorado at the cemetery
our second cousins and on and on and on to love them to know about there. You will note that there will be one change in the number of the
them. hymn that will be indicated O My Father will be Hymn 292. We will
And we are grateful Heavenly Father to have an understanding of the proceed as outlined.
gospel of Jesus Christ. We pray that we may be comforted at this
time, that we might be at peace and that we might continue to love
and respect our Mother. To continue to love and respect Ruth Ann.
We say these things in the name of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
FUNERAL SERVICES:

49. No, the thought makes reason stare!
Truth is reason; truth eternal
Tells me I’ve a mother there.
4. When I leave this frail existence,
When I lay this mortal by,
Father, Mother, may I meet you
In your royal courts on high?
Then, at length, when I’ve completed
All you sent me forth to do,
With your mutual approbation
Let me come and dwell with you.
Hymn 292 O My Father Opening Prayer: Nancy Hugo
Our Father in Heaven, we are grateful to be here today. We are
1. O my Father, thou that dwellest grateful to be here because of the love that we have for Ruth Ann and
In the high and glorious place,
When shall I regain thy presence
I have gratitude for the many blessings which she has brought to our
And again behold thy face? life. We are grateful that we have shared with her and benefited from
In thy holy habitation, her generosity, from her love, from her kindness. We are thankful for
Did my spirit once reside? her example of honesty, for her example of being true to the basic
In my first primeval childhood simple truths of the gospel, love being primary there. We are thankful
Was I nurtured near thy side?
for the example that she set of being solid in her belief in the gospel,
2. For a wise and glorious purpose
solid in her love for her savior Jesus Christ, solid in her example of
Thou hast placed me here on earth keeping the commandments, solid in her love for every member of her
And withheld the recollection family, and her concern for wanting the best for each of them. We are
Of my former friends and birth; also thankful for the trueness of thy gospel and for the example that
Yet ofttimes a secret something she always set, in being true to each principle that she believed in.
Whispered, “You’re a stranger here,”
And I felt that I had wandered
Father, we ask thy help that we might be able to remember that she is
From a more exalted sphere. serving Thee and though we will all miss her, help us to know that all
those times that we miss her that she is very happy where she is and
3. I had learned to call thee Father, doing the things that she is doing. Please help each of us to be true
Thru thy Spirit from on high, to Thy gospel as she was. Help us each to continue the love within
But, until the key of knowledge our family, and to be able to think for each other, always as she did.
Was restored, I knew not why.
In the heav’ns are parents single?
Father, bless us today that our minds might be at peace and Thy spirit

50. can be with us that we might be peaceful, that we might each be able
to take the things from this service today that will strengthen us as we Survived by her four children: Paul (Anastasia) Jespersen of
go forward. And bless us with these things we ask, in the name thy Kilmarnock, Virginia, Brent (Jill Perelson) of Salt Lake City, Utah, Mark
son Jesus Christ. Amen. (Amy) Jespersen of Price, Utah and Karen (Bret) Berthelson of
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin and ten grandchildren and four siblings.
Eulogy: Brent Everett Jespersen
Ruth Ann Jespersen: wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, Just wanted to take a quick moment to say a few things about Mom. I
aunt, and friend, age 64 passed away February 12th, 2007 in Salt Lake appreciate everything that has been said about her, everyone to come
City, Utah. She was preceded in death by her father Mark Franklin and pay their respects to her, and to be with us in this time. You
Everett, mother Esther Corilla Willden and husband, Earl Thomas know, the last couple of days, we have been looking at some family
Jespersen. things and found some letters from my Mom to her boyfriend, Earl.
Sounds funny. Had to have been true, right, I think. Had to be
Ruth Ann was born at the family homestead (on the kitchen table) boyfriend and girlfriend before they were married. It was a joy to read
May 24th, 1942 in Mancos, Colorado to Mark and Esther Everett. Her those and just see her in a different light. I don’t even know how old
love for music began early and continued through life, as well as her she was, early twenties. Talking about the future, writing letters back
love for dolls. She was often busy creating her own doll clothes. She and forth to Dad about all of the things that they wanted to do, the way
loved having fun as a teenager, including her infamous uni-cycle they wanted to be, how much they wanted to be together. It was
rides. She studied at BYU Hawaii before serving as a missionary in really nice to see that.
the Texas Mission, from 1961 to 1962. She continued her college
studies at BYU in Provo, Utah. On July 17, 1964, she married Earl One of the things that was always clear about Mom was Positive
Thomas Jespersen in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Mental Attitude, which she learned in the mission and learned from
Christ of Latter Day Saints. They made their home in Houston, Texas growing up in the Everett family. She was a big believer in making
where they raised their four children and also lived in Chicago and your own destiny, and being positive and making things happen. One
Virginia. Ruth Ann served in a multitude of ward and stake positions of the funny slogans, and there are lots of them in the church as well
in the Church and loved being of service to family, friends and others, know, but one of the funny slogans, its not funny but kind of is funny, I
especially her involvement in the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, would give her a hard time about it, but the Relief Society motto
DUP. She served a 2nd LDS mission, as a single sister, in the Temple “Charity never Faileth”. It was always present in my Mom’s life to
Department for the Church. Ruth Ann loved everything to do with provide for others, to share with others, to show the love that the
fabric and more often than not, pieced together beautiful handwork Savior showed, to befriend all and look out for all. I used to give my
only to give them to others. She loved hardanger, cross-stitch, pulled Mom not a really hard time, but I had a lot of fun with that slogan over
thread, red work, crocheting, hedebo, hand quilting, sewing, and the years and you know we were there on Christmas Eve making
smocking. She also enjoyed activities like basketry, reading and baskets for families that we didn’t know and dropping them off on
music. doorsteps and all the things through the years. I think all of you know

51. the things that she did. Charity never did fail, even at the end. I
wanted to say for myself and the other members of the family how
much we appreciate the sisters who were there, in the end and
throughout all the time, whether it was reading on the blog or being
there with her. That you guys were able to stand together, because
that was what Mom was all about, was her sisters and the sisterhood
and the Relief Society and doing good works. And we really
appreciated that, both from the family as well as the other sisters.
The last part that I wanted to say about that was the community of
sisters and of sharing is only a part of motherhood and the female
love that exists on this world. I felt like my Mom was always just the
most perrienal classic Mother. Whether it was cooking meals to
whatever degree she could cook, whether it was sewing clothes,
whether it was making blankets, she was a Mom through and through.
And I know that for all of us, Mom held a special place in our hearts. I
just challenge everyone to always recognize that and always give love
to mothers and to the people who take care of us and love us and Hymn 100, Nearer my God to Thee
totality with never ending love. And that we can always stay Simple,
1. Nearer, my God, to thee,
Solid, and True as Mom did. Nearer to thee!
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me.
Still all my song shall be
[Chorus]
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!
2. Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone,
Yet in my dreams I’d be

52. 3. There let the way appear,
Steps unto heav’n;
All that thou sendest me,
In mercy giv’n;
Angels to beckon me
4. Then with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be
5. Or if, on joyful wing
Cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot,
Upward I fly,
Still all my song shall be

53. Celia Vernier someone was guiding those friends and family to send flowers - when
one bouquet was ended, there came the next bouquet. Also, the
When Ruth Ann came to the stark realization that for her mortality beautiful nightgowns, the hats that were made to cover her beautiful
would soon be over, she quietly asked me if I would speak at the bald head, her wig, sessions at the spa, and the time that people took
funeral. My response after fainting and picking myself off from the to come and visit her. The most hurtful and sad tears that Ruth Ann
floor went something like this, it would be a great honor. But Ruth Ann shed were those knowing that she would not be with her
you know how we cry at every little thing that happens, I’m afraid that grandchildren as they grew to maturity. When she would comment
my emotions would be so exposed that my words would be erased about this, I would just simply reply, “Ruth Ann, yes you will , except
with tears - which is happening. Ruth Ann’s feelings were not too from a different perspective”. Now, Berlin, Emily, and little Lindsey
concerned about my personal fears but I think her whole heart and (are Jasmine and Alex here?) OK now, I’m talking to you parents, take
soul were focused on how hard it would be for Paul or for Brent, but this home to Jasmine, Alex, Elizabeth, Soren, Mark and Carter,
he did a wonderful job, or Mark, or especially for Karen, to speak and treasure everything that you have that your Grandma made for you –
she didn’t want to put her loved ones to such a task. L Besides she the little smocked dresses - Emily had her smocked dress on today,
went on to say, we are kindred spirits, we are kindred souls and she so it reminded me - treasure all the pillowcases she made for the
felt like perhaps I would know exactly what she would want her loved holidays, all the quilts and blankets. Treasure all the books that she
ones to hear. But I very humbly petition that the heavens will open gave you. Read them, all through your life, even the children’s books -
and that Ruth Ann’s beautiful and sweet spirit will be here, descend remember to read them when you get into adulthood. Girls, remember
upon me and soften this pounding heart and moisten my dry mouth. (I the pictures that you have of the all girl’s trip to Disneyland. Imagine in
should have brought a cup of water.) On such occasions as this, we your mouth the wonderful taste of the chocolate chip cookies and the
have all been in attendance where the speaker makes the person fudge. And I know Berlin, perhaps the other older girls, has already
larger in death than they were in life. They embellish the truth to the learned to make the fudge. These are all tangible things that over the
point that “does this person really know the deceased?”, but today, years will always remind you of your Grandma J’s love for you.
how grateful we all are that everything that will be spoken here, we
know that Ruth Ann had such a life, and that everything that we say is Now, I would like to share just a few experiences that I feel are criteria
grounded in truth. for why Ruth Ann and I were kindred spirits. Lyman and I spoke about
this and we both kind of went “Oeweeeeoooee” because sometimes
First and foremost, Ruth Ann shared with me, one night in her last they were a little erie and a little weird. But way back in the 1800’s our
week as she and I had finished doing all the things that were families crossed paths. Charles Willden was sent by Brigham Young
necessary to be ready for the night’s rest, how eternally grateful and to Cedar City for an assignment there and they passed through Cove
how overwhelmed she was by all the love that was being shown by Creek, which is now known as Cove Fort. They camped there and
her family, her extended family and she has a large extended family, they liked it and they thought it would be a nice place to settle. So
as well as her friends. There were bushels of cards. There was when the ironworks that he was sent to Cedar City for was not
always a bouquet of flowers in the apartment and it seemed like successful, they went back to Cove Creek and they built a fort there

54. called Willden Fort. They stayed there until 1865. In 1865, with a also, we could jump rope better than anyone else, even double-dutch.
combination of Indian raids and a very harsh winter which killed off all We would have made a great double-dutch team.
their cattle, they left and went to Beaver and left Willden Fort empty
and abandoned. A lot of people traveling from Salt Lake to Cedar City Music was a very important thing in both of our lives. We both played
and St George used that as a way station. So, in 1867, Brigham the piano, we both took organ lessons, we both served in positions in
Young sent Ira Nathaniel Hinckley to Cove Creek to establish another the church in those categories. In fact, when she asked me to speak, I
way station. Charles Willden was Ruth Ann’s great, great, great said “Ruth Ann, let me be at the organ.” But that didn’t prevail. We
grandfather. Ira Hinckley is my great, great, grandfather. Charles and both attended BYU at the same time but didn’t know each other. She
Ira worked together building Cove Fort as it is today. lived at Magnum Hall and I lived at Helaman, but we were there at the
same time.
Now another little interesting place, Overton, Nevada. It is a little
community on Lake Mead in southern Nevada. Ruth Ann’s mother Earl died very suddenly and unexpectedly from sepsis. Ruth Ann and
taught school there for a year. My Mother and myself were born in I, neither one, knew what sepsis was. 9 months later, my Mother died,
Overton, Nevada. The year that Esther taught school, my Mother was very suddenly and unexpectedly from sepsis.
a junior at BYU and got ill and came home and was confined to home,
so she knew Esther because Esther was the new teacher in town. Our children are just about the same ages. Paul and Gary Scott, Paul
She knew of Esther but they never did become closely acquainted but is just a little bit older than Gary Scott. Brent and Jeffery were born in
my Mom recognized Esther’s name when I mentioned it to her. the same year. Mark and Darcie were born in the same year. Karen
and Dore’ were born in the same year and then we went on to have
We were both separated from our Daddies during World War II, as another one, Danielle. A little incident with Karen and Dore‘. There
they honorably served their country. was this very nice department store across the Katy freeway from
where the Jespersen’s lived and we loved to shop there and buy
Now in grade school, both Ruth Ann and myself, we were kind of things for our children. One day, I went and bought a dress for Dore‘.
tomboys. We didn’t know each other, of course, then. We were very As I often did when I was close to the Jespersen’s, I pulled in the
athletic, very competitive. In reading Ruth Ann’s history, she was the driveway and as I pulled in the driveway, Ruth Ann’s car was already
tetherball champion. I was the tetherball champion. We kind of joked up there (they had a long driveway) and she was getting out of the
about it a couple of weeks ago, that man, if we had only known that car. As I came up I was so excited “Oh Ruth Ann, you’ve got to run
before then, we could have gotten on the tetherball pole to see who over to the store, they are having a sale and they have some
was, for real, the champion. Also, Ruth Ann was a champion at jacks. wonderful little dresses.” And I whipped out what I had got and she
And nobody wanted to play jacks with me either because nobody got started laughing. She went to the car, she whipped out her dress from
a turn. Same thing with Ruth Ann. If you remember when you play the package and it was the same, a little navy blue dress with red
jacks, you keep playing until you miss and then the next person gets a flowers. And since Dore’ and Karen were best buds, they wore those
turn. Well, Ruth Ann and I never let anyone else have a turn. And dresses and thought they were twins and thought it was wonderful.

55. So, all the years that Ruth Ann and I were friends, there was never fabric that we just couldn’t live without. We have bought hardanger
any discord. There were never any arguments, there was never any projects and thread, patterns, materials and scissors, materials of
contention between us for all those many, many years. which many of you here have been the recipients of a completed work
of art. We took classes together, learning new skills and techniques.
As you know, Ruth Ann loved desserts. Karen and Stacy have We went to lectures together, learning and expanding our knowledge
recently been working on a recipe collection and when we got looking of the gospel. We served together in church callings. We laughed
it over, there are no casseroles, there are no main dishes, there are together, oh how we laughed together. A week ago Friday, we
no vegetables at all, and it is 99% chocolate. And so, I recently came laughed, we laughed, and we laughed. And we cried together. We
across a story, maybe some of you have heard it. The minute that I shared our joys and our worries about our parents, our marriages, our
heard it, I thought “Oh, this is Ruth Ann, this is Ruth Ann, this is Ruth children and we shared some very deep family secrets. And this I
Ann.” There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal know above all - that Ruth Ann loved Jesus Christ and the Church of
illness and had only a few months to live. She was getting all of her Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and she had an unshakeable
things in order. She called the pastor in - she told him to come - she testimony of the gospel. I took her to the temple several times during
told him the scriptures she wanted read, she laid out the whole the past few weeks. Ruth Ann loved the temple and she was very
funeral. She wanted to be buried with her favorite bible and another faithful in her attendance there. And as we sat together in the
thing, one more thing and she said it was very important. I want to be Celestial room, all worldly thoughts left us. The challenges of living
buried with a fork in my right hand. So the pastor thought oh my today were stripped away and we spoke only of eternal things. I
goodness, this woman is having a hallucination of some kind. She searched my heart and the scriptures in order to capture Ruth Ann’s
said “Let me explain, in all my years of attending church socials, honest, simple, solid, true, sweet and loving spirit as she sat in the
potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes are cleared, temple for the last time. And I am moved to leave this scripture with
someone would inevitably lean over and say “save your fork”. It was her children, her grandchildren and all her loved ones. I believe that
my favorite part as I knew that something better was coming, like this scripture captures her innermost spiritual being. We find these
velvety chocolate cake or deep dish apple pie with a big scoop of ice words in John, his 3rd epistle, verse 4 “I have no greater joy than to
cream, something wonderful and of substance.” So as the people know that my children walk in truth.” I testify to the truthfulness of this
came in to view her body, there was this fork in her right hand and scripture in Ruth Ann’s life. It is my prayer and admonition to each of
everyone said “what’s with the fork?, what’s with the fork?”. And the us that we will walk in truth, thereby sealing upon us the eternal
pastor, in his remarks, explained what the lady had told him and how blessings of reuniting with Ruth Ann and Earl. In the name of Jesus
this woman had a better grasp of heaven than anyone else there. And Christ, Amen
so, it was with Ruth Ann. She knew that there was something
wonderful, something of substance, something better to come.
Now, in closing, Ruth Ann and I for some 33 years, we traveled
together. We bought some of the most marvelous and wonderful

56. Hymn: Be Still, my Soul
1. Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;
With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In ev’ry change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
2. Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.
3. Be still, my soul: The hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Randy Everett
I believe that there are 3 things that bring us happiness in life. The
first is truth and knowledge and the quest for truth and knowledge.
The second is our relationships, the love we have for God, for our
friends and for our family. The third thing that I think, that brings us
great satisfaction in life is the learning and fine and excellent skills.
The life of Ruth Ann Jespersen, I think, can serve as a remarkable
study or example in each of those things that brings us happiness.
Now, I don’t have, I only have one actual memory of my sister, Ruth
Ann from when I was young and it doesn’t really apply here. I just
remember her and my 2 other sisters using belts and ropes to strap

57. me in bed to make me take my nap when I wasn’t so inclined at about have heard also, the amazing things that she made for people, but
age five. But later on, I have memories and an awareness of the she didn’t just make them for people, she was always teaching people
things that Ruth Ann did with her life, in high school and in college, on how to make things, like quilting. And in fact, as her children will
her mission. confess, that was always one of the fundamental part of what would
And my real getting to know my sister and Earl and her children happen was to work around all of the projects that she had going on
happened by the delightful good fortune I had to live in the loft above and all the people that she had coming to learn these fine and
the garage or behind the garage at Ruth Ann and Earl’s place in excellent skills.
Houston, when I was going to medical school. And during this period She and Earl were a pair that way, as he was what you might say a
of time, it was my good fortune to become very close to my sister. fine artist and Ruth Ann was a fine artist too. Earl’s was design and
And I both observed and learned from my own interaction with her, drawing above all, as he was an architect. Ruth Ann’s was with her
some of the really great characteristics that she had. She was very needlework. My wife and I were the beneficiaries of a beautiful wall
organized. She was the beloved office manager or secretary of Dr. hanging, which is a smaller quilt of a design called the 12 Tribes of
Viehwig when she was early in her marriage. He appreciated her so Israel. The very first time that I brought my wife to meet Ruth Ann, I
much because he was not so organized and she kept him pointed in think it was within the second day, my wife had already with Ruth
the right direction and his appointments in line and that is just one Ann’s help started to counted cross stitch the first two Christmas
example of the remarkable ability that she had to keep things in order ornaments that we have as a couple, to which several were added. I
and I guess that maybe was in part because she was the oldest child, thank my sister every year, both for those ornaments, as well as the
because she was the jack, jump rope and tetherball champion. The ones that she helped my wife to make before we were ever married.
remarkable thing about Ruth Ann and her ability to organize things is Ruth Ann was a remarkable giver of gifts, she not only served people
that it allowed her to do so much with her life. but she knew people so well. In using her knowledge of what they
She loved to read and study good books of any kind. She studied the would appreciate she would give them a special gift, be it a birthday,
gospel constantly. She enjoyed reading novels. And she liked to talk an anniversary. I remember on several occasions, she was very
about them. It was always a pleasure to be able to wander to the helpful to me in helping me think of something that I might give my
house and be able to talk to her about a book that she was reading or wife because she cared. And she had this love of family and
one that I was reading. relationships that made her such a great giver of gifts.
She also had such a fine, clear knowledge of the gospel that she was I enjoyed very much watching the love that she had for Earl and Earl
a fine teacher of the gospel, and not just in precepts but in the way for she. It wasn’t really until last night that I connected what I saw in
she lived her life, and the way that she served others. It was a many years of marriage, which was such a creative desire to express
wonderful thing for me as a young man, not yet married to be so love with each other, and this young vibrate love that blossomed so
aware of all the things that she did for other people. She was always passionately. I think there must have been kind of early on this
coming and going. She had been visiting the same elderly woman in tipping point where she realized that he was the guy and likewise Earl
the nursing home for years and would go and see her every week and realizing that this was the woman. These letters that were unearthed
it just always happen. She was always preparing a meal, or as you and shared just last night – really remarkable. The enthusiasm and

58. the passion, this young forward looking love that continued throughout grateful and always repentant. The very qualities that qualify a person
their life and right up until this very end. for needing not to fear.
My wife remembers how thoroughly and completely she was taken in It has been a great blessing to have such a wonderful sister, to share
the arms of my sister Ruth Ann when she met her and understood ideas about the gospel and about the eternities, to be the beneficiary
that I was serious. She was that way with a lot of people. Her arms of her work, her fine and excellent skills and to enjoy a family made
were so open to welcome people in and embrace them and to closer and richer by her love and by her acts of kindness.
consider them a part of who she was. This past October, I drove over to be Ruth Ann. I had some extra
Another expression of her, for this feeling that she had for time on Friday morning before everyone arrived; she took me to her
relationships. She was the faithful editor of something called The office in the temple department and introduced me to many people
Everett Journal for some twenty odd years. And she was the driver that she worked with there. She had just learned that she had these
for the Everett family of collecting and publishing stories of our lesions that appeared to be metastasis cancer and there wasn’t yet an
ancestors and then one individual by another the remnants of all the answer as to what kind of cancer that it might be and so what the
other family members had for some one. And so faithful she was for implications might be. She just knew that she had these headaches.
this, that she and Karen got out the last edition just a month and a half Elder Kukuchi offered to give her a blessing and we went into his
ago. So engaged in this sharing. Now her cousins have always loved office. After speaking for quite sometime, this man of great faith, laid
her a great deal and that was witnessed in their great concern over his hands upon her head and it was a very wonderful blessing. It was
the past several months. And their visits and their calling. One of the very long, very, very long. It seemed in part long because he wanted
great reasons was because of this remarkable history that she to bless her with things that he could not but he did bless her that she
involved everyone into by being the faithful editor of this profound would have the strength to bear that which was to come and that she
blessing for our family, The Everett Journal. would have peace. We then went to the temple and we sat together
In 2nd Nephi, chapter 9 verse 13, it says “Oh how great the plan of our in the celestial room. And she said I just want to know what all of this
God”. The very word plan confirms God’s paternal purpose for us, a means, and I want to know if I’m going to die and I want to know how
realization so desperate needed by anyone who is confused about long I’m going to live. And I said well, we can certainly ask but are
who they are or what this world is coming to. In Alma 24, we read you sure you want to know. I have been, once or twice in my life,
“God made these things known to us that we might not perish, have been in circumstances of being able to see the future and it is
because he loveth our souls. Therefore in His mercy, He does visit us kind of a difficult thing to manage. She said she wanted to know.
by angels, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us.” God made many things plain and which I then discussed with her.
Ruth Ann was one of those people, so aware of the plan of salvation, And it is a mixed blessing to think that you are going to die, in just a
of who she was and she so joyfully went about living the kind of life few months. And the impression was that she would not quite make it
that she knew to be both true and beautiful. She was so very ‘till Valentine’s Day and indeed that is the way that things worked out.
constant, so very prepared in heart and mind, for anything that would But it has been a great blessing, for her and all of us, all of us here
come. She was, for all her talents, always humble, always profoundly who knew her, to watch a gracious person so full of love wind down
her life and realize. She didn’t want to leave her grandchildren, she

59. didn’t want to leave the rest of us either but it was the grandchildren I add my testimony to that of my sister. I know the gospel of Jesus
really that had first division. She did want to see Earl again, she did Christ is the way to happiness. It is wonderful to know that heaven is
want to see her mother and father, and her father in law. And if actually quite large and hell quite small. It is wonderful to have
possible to pull Lilly through the veil too, so that they could all be appreciation not only for this beautiful world and for each other, but for
together. And she had premonitions of them drawing her to a true the creator who gave us life and gave us this world and I bear that
second assignment. This was really for Ruth Ann Jespersen being testimony in Jesus’ name. Amen.
called from one full time mission to another. I have no question about
that. In a moment of delirium, which I believe had some basis in How Great Thou Art
reality, she said to my sister who was encouraging her to be calm,
“You know my father just wrote me a letter and he said the same Closing Prayer: Alice Covey
thing, he said Ruth Ann, just be calm and let the cancer take over and Our dear Heavenly Father, we have gathered this day to say good
let it come to an end so that you could join us”. I’m pretty sure it bye to our sister, mother, grandmother and friend. We are grateful for
wasn’t a letter, but I suspect it was a vision or a dream. And it was a her and the legacy of love that she has left in our family. We ask Thy
wonderful thing to know that in some way life for the servant who was blessing as we continue in our lives here that we might continue to
with Elijah which is reported in 2nd Kings, chapter 6, the servant was build on that legacy and will always remember each other and care for
sitting with Elijah on the hillside and he can count and it doesn’t look one another, as she and Thou would have us do. We are grateful for
like things are in their favor and Elijah says “Fear not, for they that be each other and we ask Thee to be with us and comfort us, as we go
with us are more than they that be with them”. And the young man about our lives without her here. We are grateful for Thy comfort and
was still doubtful and then Elijah let him see clearly and his eyes were thy peace. And know that we can always count on Thee to give us
opened and he saw the mountain filled with horses and chariots of this peace, that Thou aren’t only a prayer away from comfort for us.
fire. That is really the way things are for us. We live in the Heavenly Father, at the time we see a project or think of her, give us
dispensation in the fullness of times and we live in a time when not the peace of knowing that she is where she would like to be and that
too far distant we shall start seeing more and more people, social, she is doing Thy work and let that be a comfort to us. We ask Thee to
economic and natural and it will be a natural part of the winding down bless in our travels, as we go to Mancos with blessings of safety and
of things but even though we also see an increased measure of we are very grateful to be together, to feel one another’s love. We
wickedness in the world, wicked like only a few other times have say these things with grateful hearts, in the name of Jesus Christ,
been. We are also blessed to be in a period of Zion, when the good Amen.
men and women of this earth will stand strong for that which is right
and do their best to give children what they deserve, an inheritance of
truth and knowledge, of loving relationships, and the learning of fine
and excellent skills. A great heritage and one which our dear sister,
mother, grandmother and friend, Ruth Ann Jespersen shared with all
of us.