Distinguished Honorary Alumni of BYH



Distinguished Honorary Alumni of BYH's Website

Alphabetical Alumni
Beckham, Raymond Earle Sr.

Beckham, Raymond Earle Sr.
Provo, Utah US

Ray & Ida & Janette Beckham

Distinguished Honorary Alumnus of Brigham Young High Schohol - Raymond Earle Beckham, Sr. Although Raymond Beckham Sr. did not attend BY High School, many of their children did. He did not teach at BYH, except by good example. ~ ~ ~ ~ HIS OBITUARY: Raymond E. Beckham, Sr., one of Provo's well known community and church leaders, and a BYU administrator and faculty member for 42 years, passed away of "TMB" (too many birthdays) on October 31, 2017. He was born February 18, 1927, in Chandler, Arizona, to Charles and Quintilla Spurlock Beckham. After his father died in 1942, he lived with relatives in Safford, Arizona, for his last two years of high school. In Safford, he was chosen as the outstanding student athlete, and served as editor of the high school newspaper. He also completed all requirements for a pilot's license, claiming that he "got his pilot's license before his driver's license" (Arizona did not require a driver's license in those days). After graduating from Safford High School, he attended the University of Utah and played football there. After military service during World War II, during which time he converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he enrolled at Brigham Young University. As a BYU student, he was student body vice president, member of Intercollegiate Knights and Blue Key, a member of the football team, and was business manager of the student newspaper. During his senior year in 1948, he was appointed to represent the student body on the committee to raise money for the new George Albert Smith Fieldhouse. At BYU he met Ida Lee Jackson, from El Paso, Texas. They were married June 17, 1947, in the Mesa, Arizona Temple, and are the parents of five children. She died in 1994. They have 19 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. He then married Janette Callister Hales, the widow of Dr. Robert Hales, in 1995, who also has five children, along with 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The two of them have enjoyed a wonderful 22 years together. After graduation in 1949, he worked for Taylor's Department Store as advertising manager, then accepted a position at BYU in the Extension Division. While there, he organized the BYU Evening School and the Travel-Studies Department. He later became director of public services (with a mandate to increase BYU's enrollment from 4,500 to 10,000), director of alumni relations, director of development, and then served 21 years as professor of communications before becoming the Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communications. While he was alumni director, BYU became the first university in the United States to computerize their alumni records. It was during that time that he founded the Aspen Grove Family Camp, started the BYU Alumni Fund, supervised the construction of the BYU Alumni House, and co-founded the BYU Cougar Club. He served on the BYU President's Council for nearly 20 years and on the BYU Athletic Council for 21 years. He was appointed director of development in 1964, and organized BYU's first continuous fund raising program. Among the projects coordinated by him were the BYU football stadium and the Marriott Center, along with many scholarship funds, endowments, and, later, the BYU Museum of Fine Arts. He established offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City. After 21 years in the BYU Administration, he took a sabbatical leave from BYU to complete his PhD in Communications at Southern Illinois University in 1972, after which he joined the BYU Communications Department for the next 21 years. He retired in 1992. As professor of communications, he taught classes in advertising, public relations, and communications theory. He was convinced that BYU students could compete nationally for good positions in communications, and organized an internship program in New York City so that students could gain experience and see for themselves how well they could do. He took 40 students to New York City during the summer months in 1977 and again in 1978 where they worked in major advertising agencies, public relations firms, and television and news media. Upon his retirement from BYU in 1992, he joined NuSkin as director of corporate communications. Following his two years at NuSkin, he was a full-time volunteer in the Public Affairs Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for nearly eight years—the last four of which he and his wife, Janette, served on the Church Olympic Coordinating Committee. He has served on boards of directors for more than 20 corporations, and as a communications consultant for many others. He served on the board of directors for Covey Leadership Center for eight years and in Washington, D.C. as Deputy Director of Polling and Planning for the Reagan-Bush reelection campaign in 1984. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. Congress in 1982. In community service, Dr. Beckham was president of the Utah National Parks Council of the Boy Scouts of America; chairman of the board of the Utah County Chapter of the American Red Cross; Chairman of the Provo Economic Development Committee; founding president of the Provo Downtown Alliance; president of Deseret Village (for special needs adults); and has worked in such activities as United Way, March of Dimes, Cancer Crusade, Provo Christmas Festival, America's Freedom Festival at Provo, the Governor's Mansion Restoration Committee, the Governor's Initiative for the Family, and on the Utah Centennial Ambassadorial Committee that hosted ambassadors from 55 nations during Utah's 1996 Centennial Celebration. In Church activities, he has been a Scoutmaster, High Councilman, Bishop, Stake President, Mission President, Regional Representative of the Twelve, member of the Provo Temple Presidency, member of the Church Melchizedek Priesthood Committee, and member of the Church Adult Curriculum Committee. He served as chairman of the Church Home Teaching Committee and the Church Single Adults Committee. He was on the site selection committee for the Provo Temple and was one of the original Temple Sealers at the time of its opening in 1972. He has been awarded the Presidential Medal from BYU, the Alumni Distinguished Service Award, the student body's Outstanding Manhood Award, The BYU Franklin S. Harris Award, and was inducted into the BYU Athletic Hall of Fame. He also received the Rotary Club's "Service Above Self Award, Provo's Abraham O. Smoot "Outstanding Citizen" Award, Scouting's Silver Beaver Award and its "Outstanding Citizen" Award; the Red Cross Clara Barton Award, the "Modern Pioneer" Award from the National Sons of Utah Pioneers; and the Utah Parks and Recreation Award for outstanding service to parks and recreation for his voluntary service in gaining approval for the Provo Recreation Center. He also worked for the past three years in directing the placing of sixty benches and historical plaques in Provo parks and along the Provo River Trail. He is survived by his wife, Janette, and his five children: Raymond Earle Beckham, Jr. [BYH Class of 1966] (Elaine), St. George, Utah; Randy Beckham [BYH Class of 1978] (Vicki), Sandy, Utah; Renae Beckham (David) Willes, Orem, Utah; and Raleen Beckham (Rick) Wahlin, Provo; 19 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by Janette's five children: Ann H. Nevers, Pocatello, ID; Thomas C. Hales, Pittsburgh, PA; Jane H. Ricks (Daniel J.), Salt Lake City; Karen H. Parkinson (Mark D.), Boise, Idaho; and Mary H. Bates (Blaine F.) Littleton, Colorado; and her 14 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Ida Lee Jackson; two sisters, Lorraine Peterson Ashe and Anna Laree Self Bushman; a brother, Rodric and his wife, Mildred Jancar; and, most recently, a son, Eric "Rick" Beckham [BYH Class of 1969] and his wife, Vicki Beal. Funeral services will be held at 12 noon, Saturday, November 11, 2017 at the Oak Hills Stake Center Chapel, 925 East North Temple, Provo, Utah. Friends may call at the Berg Mortuary of Provo, 185 East Center Street, Friday, November 10 from 6-8:00 p.m. and at the church Saturday from 10-11:30 a.m. prior to services. Interment, Provo City Cemetery. Condolences may be expressed at www.bergmortuary.com [Berg Mortuary, November 7, 2017] & [Provo Daily Herald, November 7, 2017]

Kimball, Edwin Roberts

Kimball, Edwin Roberts
Provo, Utah US

Eddie & Althea/Farel Kimball

Distinguished Honorary Alumnus of BYH. Edwin R. Kimball. HIS OBITUARY: Edwin Roberts Kimball, age 87, died December 26, 1990 at his home in Provo of causes incident to age. Born October 25, 1903 in Logan, Utah, son of Crozier and Mary Roberts Kimball. Edwin married Althea Ashby on August 10, 1927 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple; She died on October 1, 1973. ~ ~ He second married Farel Chamberlain on April 29, 1977 in the Provo LDS Temple. Eddie was BYU Athletic Director and Facility Planner. He is survived by his second wife, Provo; two sons, three daughters: Edwin Norman Kimball [BYH Class of 1950], of Sandy, Utah; Elaine Kimball [BYH Class of 1951] Busath, of Pleasanton, California; Dr. David Ashby Kimball [BYH Class of 1953], of Salt Lake City, Utah; Linda Kimball [BYH Class of 1961] Runyan, of Evergreen, Colorado; and Colleen Kimball [BYH Class of 1965] Worthington, Lindon, Utah; six step-children, Cloyd R. Chamberlain, San Jose, Calif.; Renee Dryer and Maryetta Farrer, both Las Vegas, Nev.; F. Wayne Chamberlain, Salt Lake City; K. Douglas Chamberlain; S. Bryce Chamberlain, both Orem; 26 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; two brothers and two sisters, C. Rodney Kimball, Provo; Reid Kimball, Eugene, Oregon; Berniece Kimball Cook, Logan; and Caroline Kimball Berrett, Salt Lake City. Funeral services were held the following Thursday in the Sharon East Stake Center, 1060 East 2400 North, Provo. Interment, Provo City Cemetery. Military rites accorded by VFW District #4. Family suggested donations to the BYU Athletic Department for the Kimball Scholarship. [Deseret News, Sunday, December 30, 1990.]

Kimball, Rodney [Crozier Rodney] Sr.

Kimball, Rodney [Crozier Rodney] Sr.
Provo, Utah US

Rodney & LaNeve/Flor Kimball

Distinguished Honorary Alumnus of BYH. C. Rodney Kimball, graduate of Jordan High School, father of many BYH graduates. ~ ~ ~ ~ HIS OBITUARY: Crozier Rodney Kimball, Sr., age 96 -- almost 97 -- of Provo, Utah passed away on Saturday, January 13, 2007 at the Charleston Assisted Living Center in Cedar Hills, Utah. He was born in St. David, Arizona on February 13, 1910 to Crozier Kimball and Mary Lenora Roberts Kimball. He graduated from Jordan High School in 1929. Rod served a two and one-half year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Germany. He married LeNeve Martin on Jan. 2, 1934 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They were loving and devoted companions and worked side by side for over 60 years in raising their family and serving others. He was an active member of the Church and served in many capacities including Bishop, High Councilor, Patriarch, Temple worker, and with his wife served missions in Nauvoo, Illinois and Washington, DC. He received his bachelors and masters degree from BYU and worked there as the athletic trainer for almost 40 years. He was one of the most well known people associated with Brigham Young University in the school's history. His occupation was to care for athletes in treating and preventing injuries but his real interest and passion was in helping young men and others learn from and respond to life's lessons in a way that would bring growth and real happiness into their lives. In his professional and personal life he was truly a teacher, healer, minister and counselor and he was happiest when he was serving other people. He was a great father and enjoyed being with and surrounded by his family. His beloved wife LeNeve died on August 23, 1996. They had eleven children; seven of them are BYH alumni. ~ ~ Rod second married Florence Moulton Anderson for time in the St. George Temple on April 6, 1999. She was a loving, caring, and devoted companion. They took care of one another in the twilight years of their lives until Florence passed away on December 14, 2006. Both the Kimball and Anderson families were blessed through their association. C. Rodney Kimball, Sr., is survived by six sons and six daughters (sic): Sylvia Kimball (married Alan) Harmon, of Robertson, Wyoming; C. Rodney Kimball, Jr. [BYH Class of 1956] (married Carol), of Tempe, Arizona; Larry R. Kimball [BYH Class of 1958] (married Mary Lou), of Payson; John Randy [Randy] Kimball [also BYH Class of 1958] (married Carol), of Layton; Lee Martin [Lee] Kimball [BYH Class of 1962] (married Karen), of Highland; Sharyn Kimball [BYH Class of 1966] (married Allen) Hampton, of Ogden; Ruby Kimball [BYH Class of 1967] (married Joel) Zabriskie, of Highland; Joylene Kimball (married Don) English, of Fairview Heights, Illinois; Stanley M. Kimball (married Lucile), of Oregon; and a sister-in-law, Hanna Ione Herzog of Salt Lake City. He was preceded in death by his spouses, his parents, two sons: David M. Kimball, V. Rex Kimball, and all other brothers and sisters and their spouses which are: Jane K. (Printess) Fitzgerald, Edwin R. (Althea) Kimball, Griffith R. (Marvetta) Kimball, Lenora K. (Charles) Madsen, Caroline K. (Golden) Berrett, C. Bernice K. (J. Vernon) Cook, Gwen K. (Norman) Johnson, and Vaughn R. Kimball; one daughter-in-law, Margaret Parcell Kimball; one grandchild and one great-grandchild. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 20, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at the Provo Utah Grandview South Stake Center, 1122 North Grand Avenue (1750 West). Friends may call at the Provo Utah Grandview South Stake Center on Friday evening from 6:00-9:00 p.m. as well as Saturday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Interment, Orem City Cemetery, 1500 North 800 East. Condolences or experiences may be sent to info@bergmortuary.com [Deseret News, January 18, 2007].

Knight, Jesse

Knight, Jesse
Provo, Utah US

Jesse and Amanda Knight

Board of Trustees, 1901 to 1921. Honorary Alumnus of BYA/BYH. Jesse Knight was one of relatively few Mormon mining magnates in the West. Poor throughout his youth, he was handsomely rewarded for his diligence as a prospector with the discovery of the famous Humbug mine in the Tintic Mining District near Eureka, Utah, in 1886. As the Humbug proved profitable, he acquired other mines in the vicinity, including the Uncle Sam, Beck Tunnel, Iron Blossom, and Colorado. Knight is significant in western mining and entrepreneurial history because in several important ways he differed from the typical "robber baron" capitalists of the late-nineteenth-century Gilded Age. His success, like theirs, depended upon the skillful acquisition and management of such business variables as claims, labor, capital, technology, and government services, and also upon the development of cost-efficient integrated enterprises, such as the Knight Investment Company. However, he also owned more patented mining claims in the Intermountain West than did his Gentile counterparts, and he was not inclined to engage in stock manipulation like many other mining entrepreneurs and railroad barons. Moreover, his business methods, especially when dealing with his working men, were far more paternalistic and benevolent than those of the typical big businessmen of the era. While other company town and mine owners often exploited their workers, Knight treated his workers very fairly in his company town of Knightville, Utah, which he equipped with a meetinghouse, amusement hall, and school instead of the usual hedonistic establishments of mining camp life. Although his philanthropy was not unique for the period, his generous gifts to Brigham Young University (an interest he shared with his wife, Amanda) earned him the reputation as the "patron saint" of BYU. He also gave freely to the Mormon Church and to many church-related projects, thereby revealing a kindly, religiously motivated disposition. Furthermore, his comfortable but unostentatious home in Provo, Utah, did not rival the extravagantly garish mansions built by big businessmen from San Francisco's Nob Hill to New York's Fifth Avenue. Nor did he seek high political office like mining kings George Hearst, James Fair, William Sharon, John P. Jones, Nathaniel Hill, Jerome Chaffee, Horace Tabor, William Clark, or Utah's Thomas Kearns--all of whom served in the "millionaire's club" of the United States Senate. Essentially more sensitive and modest than most business leaders during this age of ruthless capitalism and conspicuous consumption, he probably deserved the endearing nickname of "Uncle Jesse"--a rich but giving uncle. In fact, he believed that his money was for the purpose of doing good and building up his church; he regarded the matter as a "trusted stewardship." As he once said, "The earth is the Lord's bank, and no man has a right to take money out of that bank and use it extravagantly upon himself." Few nabobs of the era would have been willing to make that statement. Although he strayed from the Mormon Church in his early years and briefly affiliated with the anti-Mormon Liberal party in Utah, one must assume that his otherwise devout faith helped prevent him from falling prey to the capitalistic corruption and self-indulgent excesses so tempting and common to the business leaders of the Gilded Age and the western mining industry. Jesse Knight might not have been the only Mormon mining magnate in Utah, but he left a mark on his church and upon the educational and industrial development of the state. In 1960 BYU honored Knight's memory by naming the business building (now the humanities building) after him. Yet few students today are aware that the building's namesake possessed what former BYU administrator Herald R. Clark called a "magnificent obsession with helpfulness" (Gary Fuller Reese,"Uncle Jesse": The Story of Jesse Knight, Miner, Industrialist, Philanthropist[Provo: BYU master's thesis, 1961], p. 65). In addition to his support for BYU, Knight also provided generous and much-needed financial support for the LDS Church. Knight's early life had been punctuated by poverty. He was born in Nauvoo on September 6, 1845, the sixth child of Newell and Lydia Knight. The Knights joined the western exodus in late 1846, but Newell made it only as far as Nebraska, where he died in January 1847. Lydia, pregnant with their seventh child, joined other pioneers at Winter Quarters. The family reached the Salt Lake Valley in 1850. As a child, Knight gathered pigweed and sego lily roots to augment the family food supply. By age 11 he was hauling firewood with a team of oxen. Over the next dozen years, Knight held a range of jobs: teamster, logger, scout and guide, railroad worker, member of a cavalry, rancher, cattle buyer, trader, and miner. At some point during those years he lost interest in the LDS Church, although he married Amanda McEwan, an active Latter-day Saint, in 1869. Then in 1887 an experience forever changed his commitment to the Church. A rat fell in the family well, died, and decomposed. Jennie, his youngest daughter, was the first to become ill from drinking the contaminated water. Despite his professed lack of faith, Knight was finally persuaded to bring in elders to give her a blessing, and Jennie recovered, something he always considered miraculous. His oldest daughter Minnie, however, died of the infection, and he remembered that 17 years earlier she had nearly died of diphtheria. At that time Knight had promised that he would not forget God if the Lord would spare Minnie's life. As he described it, "I had not kept that promise. . . . I prayed for forgiveness and help. My prayer was answered and I received a testimony" (J. William Knight, The Jesse Knight Family[Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1940], pp. 35–36). The family then lived in Payson, Utah, about 25 miles from the Tintic mining district. While visiting the district one day, Knight sat under a tree on Godiva Mountain and heard a voice that told him, "This country is here for the Mormons." He always remembered the voice and interpreted it to mean that the wealth of the land was meant to assist the Latter-day Saints. Not long afterward, Knight staked his first mining claim, which he sold in 1890 for $14,000. This provided funds to move his family to Provo. According to Diane L. Mangum, whose story about Jesse Knight appeared in the October 1993 Ensign, "Always generous, Jesse became even more open-handed with his newfound prosperity. He offered help to everyone who asked, and often cosigned on loans for them. More often than not, Jesse was left to repay the debts. His money and credit slipped away, and he even had to mortgage the home he had built in Provo." Knight had a natural instinct about land. He returned to Godiva Mountain, located some promising limestone outcrops, and decided to stake a mining claim there. He then visited his brother-in-law Jared Roundy and offered him a share in the stake. But Roundy declined, calling the claim a "damned old humbug." Knight secured a loan and dubbed the mine "Humbug." It turned out to be one of the richest lead-silver deposits ever found in the West. It wasn't long before his wealth was used to aid BYU. Although not well educated himself, Knight had sent several of his children to Brigham Young Academy and had observed firsthand the school's financial struggles. In 1901 Knight accepted an invitation to join the board of Brigham Young Academy, and he later became a member of the executive committee. For the next 20 years, he donated land, bonds, irrigation shares, and money to assist the university. The Knight family funded half of the $130,000 needed to build the Karl G. Maeser Building, and when more money was needed Knight bought back, for $20,000, the Blue Bench Irrigation bonds he had donated to the school. In later years, the Jesse Knight Endowment funded the construction of Amanda Knight Hall and Allen Hall. The Knight-Mangum Building was named for Knight's daughter and daughter-in-law, who followed his example of generosity to BYU.

Knowlton, Martha Jane

Knowlton, Martha Jane
Provo, Utah US

Martha Jane & Howard Coray

Board of Trustees, Brigham Young Academy, 1875 to 1882. Martha Jane Knowlton Coray. In the 1870s when Brigham Young envisioned a school combining sacred and secular learning, he selected several educated Saints to lay its foundations. Among those asked to contribute was Martha Jane Knowlton Coray. Martha Jane was born in Kentucky in 1821 to Sidney Algernon and Harriet Burnham Knowlton. The family later moved to Illinois, where in 1840 they heard George A. Smith preach the gospel. Martha led the family in baptism. Her great admiration for the Prophet was later described by her husband, Howard Coray, who wrote, "I have frequently heard her say, that [the Prophet] was the greatest miracle to her she had ever seen; and that she valued her acquaintance with him above everything else." Howard also recorded his first impression of Martha: "I discovered at once that she was ready, off hand, and inclined to be witty; also, that her mind took a wider range than was common for young ladies of her age." The two were married on Feb. 6, 1841. After Howard worked as a clerk for the Prophet, the couple began to teach school in Nauvoo. In January 1846 they received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple, leaving the city with the Saints that same year. To earn money for the trip to Utah, the couple worked for several years in Iowa, where Howard farmed and Martha tended a ferry. They entered the Salt Lake Valley in 1850. Their daughter, Martha Lewis, recalls her mother's sharp wit during the journey in the following memoir: The gold rush to California was on and many curious people came by asking dozens of annoying questions. One time a man came up to mother with curiosity written on his face, but before he could say anything, she started out rapidly with "I'm David Crockett's aunt. I came from the East and I'm going to the West. I think that man over there died with the small pox." This seemed to suffice his curiosity, for he walked away and without a word. I suppose he wondered what was the matter with mother. Once in Utah, Howard worked as a tithing clerk in Salt Lake City before they moved to Provo in 1857. When her husband homesteaded a ranch in Mona, Juab County, in 1871, Martha continued to reside in Provo in order to fulfill her commitments to the community. She participated in Church activities, including Sunday School and Relief Society functions, and wrote for the Woman's Exponent. She distilled herbs and liniments, marketing her products from Nephi to Ogden. Although most of her products had medicinal value, Martha also produced "Lightning Cage Oil," reputed to be stronger than Hartshorn. A slight whiff would render any assailant helpless, gasping for breath. She held the power of attorney for several court matters, and her journal entries and letters demonstrate her knowledge of the law. Martha's journal also records the commitment she had to the education and personal improvement of her 12 children. She wrote of their progress: "All are studying very hard at arithmetic, every leisure hour. Donny read 6 pages and finished his book. Will and Sid began to study; got 5 parts of speech." And she continued to improve her own mind, writing, "Nellie and George came from the city and brought my books, Walter Scott and Herodotus." As a teacher, Martha often faced the frustrations created by a lack of stability, tuition collection, and a general indifference of the public to education. Financial difficulties also plagued her as she served on the Board of Trustees at Brigham Young Academy. In an editorial published by George Q. Cannon, she complained about the lack of support given to the academy, stating that the school was struggling to accomplish the "greatest good with the smallest means" and that its success was due mainly to an "unflinching trust in God." She finished with a call to "Israel" to pay more attention to how close principles of "faith, honor and a deep desire for general intelligence cling to the scholar even after leaving Brigham Young Academy." Despite these trials, Martha continued to champion educational causes throughout her life. In a letter to Brigham Young, she asked, "Does not the deed require the sacred book mentioned to be taken up as a study in the same way as the sciences mentioned?" She further wrote, "My principle of education has been -- God's laws of religion first -- Man's laws of honor and morality second -- Science of every attainable kind and as much as possible but lastly in forming a permanent base for character and hope of future salvation." The Woman's Exponent eulogized Martha with these words: Very early in life she evinced a character in a degree somewhat rare for one of her sex--that is, of decidedly doing her own thinking; hence, before adopting any principle of religion, law, or politics, whether proposed by father, husband, priest, or king, she must clearly see and understand for herself the righteousness and consistency of the matter. ~~~~ This article is part of an honors thesis written by Amy Reynolds, who graduated from BYU in December 1997. ~~~~ Daughter Mary Coray Roberts was born in 1848 at Winter Quarters, Nebraska, the daughter of Howard and Martha Jane Knowlton Coray. Her family migrated to Utah with the Mormon pioneers in 1850. Her family moved from Salt Lake City to Provo, Utah, ca. 1857. Her mother, Martha Jane Knowleton Coray served on the board of Brigham Young Academy. Orville Clark Roberts was born in 1833, son of Dr. Daniel and Eliza Aldula Clark of Keokuk, Iowa. In 1850, he migrated to Utah with the Mormon pioneers. Mary Coray and Clark Roberts were married in 1868 at Provo, Utah. They had nine children. The family made their first home at Mona, Juab County, Utah, moved to Moncos, Colorado, ca. 1881, and to Jackson, New Mexico, in 1891. After their children were married, Mary and Clark went to live near at daughter at San Diego, California. Clark died there in 1912. Mary returned to Utah to live with a daughter and died at Vernal, Utah, in 1923.

Maeser, Karl Gottfried (1828 - 1901)

Maeser, Karl Gottfried (1828 - 1901)
Provo, Utah US

Karl & Anna & Emilie Maeser

One of the First BYA Faculty & Staff. Karl G. Maeser, Pedagogy, 1876-1892. Legendary Second Principal of BY Academy from 1876 to 1892. Board of Trustees, Brigham Young Academy, 1891 to 1901. ~~~~ Karl Gottfried Maeser, the first principal of Brigham Young University and general superintendent of the LDS Church school system, was born on 16 January 1828 in Saxony, Germany. He graduated with high honors from the Friedrichstadt Schullehrerseminar, a teacher-training college in Dresden, in May 1848. He worked as a teacher in Dresden, as a private tutor in Bohemia, and as vice-director of a school in Dresden. He married Anna Mieth, the school director's daughter, in 1854. Maeser first heard of the LDS Church through an anti-Mormon pamphlet. Rather than turning him away, it piqued his interest, and he wrote for more information. After some effort on his part, missionaries finally agreed to come to Dresden to teach him, and in October 1855 he was baptized. The LDS Church organized a branch in Dresden with the eight members, and Maeser was sustained as presiding elder. Like other Mormons, Maeser wanted to immigrate to "Zion"--that is, Utah. Although he left Germany in 1856, he did not arrive in Utah until 1860. In the years between he served a church mission to Scotland, organized church branches and labored with Germans in London area, worked in Philadelphia to earn money to go west, and served a mission in Virginia. After arriving in Utah, Maeser renewed his work as a teacher and school administrator. He helped organize schools in the Fifteenth and Twentieth wards in Salt Lake City and tutored Brigham Young's children; he also worked as Tabernacle organist and as an accountant. After serving a mission to Germany and Switzerland from 1867 to 1870, he taught briefly at the University of Deseret. He later returned to the Twentieth Ward Seminary. In 1875 he married Emilie Damke, a German immigrant, as a plural wife. In 1875 Brigham Young purchased the financially troubled Timpanogos branch of the University of Deseret and changed its name to the Brigham Young Academy. He asked Maeser in 1876 to go to Provo to establish a church school, explaining, "Brother Maeser, I want you to remember that you ought not to teach even the alphabet or the multiplication tables without the Spirit of God." During the next sixteen years, Maeser struggled to build a school. Initially, he was not only the principal, but also the teacher, chorister, organist, janitor, recruiter, fund-raiser, and fan club. He took the school from a small student body of only twenty-nine students who academically were only at the fifth reader level to an enrollment of more than 400 students in several departments including a normal school. Under his direction, Brigham Young Academy became one of the principal schools in the Utah Territory. Maeser was able to combine academic concerns, religious beliefs, and character development as part of the students' education. Maeser was appointed the first general superintendent of LDS Church schools in 1888, but he was not released from his responsibilities at the Brigham Young Academy until 1892. In 1889 the Mormon Church Board of Education gave Maeser a degree of Doctor of Letters and Didactics. He published his views of education in School and Fireside in 1898. Maeser died on 15 February 1901. It was not uncommon for Karl G. Maeser and his staff to receive less than one-half pay during the 1880s. The faith of BYU’s founders was never stronger than during times of crisis. I was particularly impressed with Karl G. Maeser’s conviction as he responded to Reed Smoot, a student, during the 1884 fire that destroyed the Academy’s only building. As it became apparent that they could not save the Lewis building, the student said to Maeser, “Oh, Brother Maeser, the Academy is burned!” Maeser responded, “No such thing, it’s only the building.” Six years earlier, shortly after the death of Brigham Young, Maeser had a dream in which President Young showed him the design of a new building. At the time Brother Maeser did not understand the purpose of the dream. Six years later, as he looked at the charred ruins of Lewis Hall, he could see in his mind’s eye the building that would take its place. Each time a crisis threatened the survival of the school, the heavens were opened and instructions given. Principal Maeser’s dream about the new building was the first. A second occurred a few years later in the mid-1880s. During one of the darkest hours, when it seemed that the school would close, Brigham Young appeared to President John Taylor, assuring him of the school’s importance in the kingdom and giving him instructions for its survival. In the dream President Young said that “Christ himself was directing, and had a care over [the] school.” See also.

McKay, David Oman

McKay, David Oman

David and Emma Ray McKay

Board of Trustees, 1939 to 1970. Eighth President of the BYU and BYH Board of Trustees, 1951 to 1970. David Oman McKay was the ninth President of the Church of Jesus Christ. More than any other President of the Church, he looked like a prophet and undoubtedly could have been chosen by his friend Cecil B. DeMille to play one in the movies. David O. McKay was born September 8, 1873 in Huntsville, Utah as the third child of David McKay and Jennette Evans McKay. His childhood saw both tragedy and hardship when at the age of six, two older sisters died and then scarcely a year later, his father was called to a mission. David O. became the man of the house. Through hard work and frugal management, he and his mother ran the family farm so well that they were to surprise his father with a much needed addition to the house when he returned from his mission. Young David continued to attend school, work on the farm, and, during the summer, deliver the Ogden Standard Examiner to a nearby mining town. He had an insatiable hunger for learning, and during his round trips on horseback, he spent much of the time reading and memorizing passages from the world's great literature that were later to permeate his sermons and writings. He also loved riding horses, swimming, and other sports; dramatics; debate; singing; and playing the piano with the Huntsville town orchestra. He graduated from the University of Utah in 1897 as Class President and Valedictorian. From 1897 to 1899, he served in Great Britain as Missionary, spending most of that time in Scotland, the land of his ancestry. He returned home in the fall of 1899 and accepted a teaching position at Weber Stake Academy. On January 2, 1901, he married Emma Ray Riggs in the Salt Lake Temple; they had seven children. He began a career in teaching and assumed that would be his lifetime vocation. He was fully satisfied with what he believed would be a lifelong career in education when in 1906 everything changed: three members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles died, and David O. McKay, at age thirty-two, was called to that quorum. Elder McKay was the most widely traveled Church leader of his day, an ambassador to a worldwide Church. In 1920-1921 he toured the missions of the world, stopping at many places never before visited by a General Authority. From 1922 to 1924, he was back in Europe, this time as president of the European Mission (see Europe). His success there became legendary, as he did much to improve the public image of the Church. He also revitalized missionary work by urging every Latter-day Saint to make a commitment to bring one new member into the Church each year. In later years he became famous for his motto "Every member a missionary," an emphasis that began in Europe in 1923. In addition, he urged the Saints to remain in Europe rather than to emigrate to America, promising them that one day the full program of the Church, including sacred temples, would be made available in their homelands. In 1934, Heber J. Grant chose David to be his Second Counselor in the First Presidency. Seventeen years later, he succeeded George Albert Smith to become President himself. President McKay's administration was one of unprecedented growth. Indeed, when he died, it was said that two thirds of the membership of the Church could remember no other President. Nevertheless, it was a period of challenges, many of them occasioned by that very growth. The first stakes outside of North America were organized during his administration. Finding local leadership in nations where the Gospel seed had only recently been planted caused much concern and the Brethren were constantly traveling to insure that false doctrine did not creep in to the newly organized stakes. President McKay was privileged to announce and later dedicate the Temple in Bern, Switzerland, one that perhaps set the pattern for the smaller Temples that are beginning to dot the land today. President McKay was a great innovator and needed to be to solve the myriad of problems the growing Church faced. In 1961 he authorized ordaining members of the First Council of the Seventy to the office of high priest, which gave them the right to preside at stake conferences and thus eased the growing administrative burdens of the Quorum of the Twelve, and in 1967 he inaugurated the position of Regional Representative of the Twelve. In 1965 he also took the unusual step of expanding the number of counselors in the First Presidency, as his own ability to function effectively became impaired with age. David O. McKay died January 18, 1970, well beloved by his people. At the time of his death, two out of every three members of the Church had known no prophet other than President McKay.

Paxman, Monroe & Shirley

Paxman, Monroe & Shirley
Provo, Utah US

Monroe & Shirley Paxman

Brigham Young Academy Foundation Members, and Distinguished Honorary Alumni of Brigham Young High School. Monroe J. Paxman & Shirley Ann Brockbank Paxman. Shirley Paxman is now deceased. ~ ~ ~ ~ Although Monroe and Shirley Paxman did not attend BY High School, many of their children did. They did not teach at BYH, except by good example. They performed an instrumental role in saving the Brigham Young Academy building. "We grieved about it [the Brigham Young Academy block] being sold. I wrote lots of letters," remembers Shirley. "And when the lawn and trees were dying, my husband, Monroe, repaired the sprinkling system and we paid the water bill. For 25 years I've worked with every mayor and developer." Their leadership and perseverance have once again made the historic Academy Square a revered Provo landmark. Shirley Brockbank Paxman received her B.S. and M.S. from BYU in Child Development and Family Relations. She received her R.N. from Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. She taught Child Development at BYU and Nursing at Utah Valley State College, until 1979, when she left to help open the McCurdy Historical Doll Museum. The Paxmans are lifelong Provo residents. Monroe Paxman was a judge in 4th District Juvenile Court. He is a nationally prominent authority on juvenile court problems. He has taught many classes at BYU. He received BYU's Abraham O. Smoot Public Service Award. "When I recognize someone, I have to think twice about saying anything," he once said. "The context may be from my former courtroom, and some folks don't want to recognized for that." Monroe and Shirley Paxman have co-authored numerous magazine articles and several books. In 1942, Shirley married Monroe J. Paxman, who became a Juvenile Court Judge in Provo, Utah. They have seven children and twenty-four grandchildren. Shirley Paxman is an active member of the LDS Church and has served in all the Church auxiliary programs as teacher and officer. She served as a member of the Provo School Board for eight years and as Vice-President of the Brigham Young Academy Foundation for 20 years. She describes herself as a feminist and activist for just causes. Provo Mayor Lewis K. Billings commended Monroe and Shirley Paxman for their efforts in preserving Provo City and its historic central area. Their Books:
-- Monroe and Shirley Paxman, Homespun: Domestic Arts & Crafts of Mormon Pioneers, Deseret Book, 1976.
-- To Bed to Bed the Doctor Said, by Shirley Paxman and Monroe Paxman.
-- Family Night Fun, by Shirley and Monroe Paxman.
-- Where Nothing is Long Ago: Memories of Virginia Sorensen Waugh, 1995, by Shirley Paxman.
-- Party Patterns With Gaiety Guaranteed: A Book of Complete Party Plans for Adults and Teens, by Shirley and Monroe Paxman, Publisher: Salt Lake City, Utah, Deseret Book Company, 1961.
-- Monroe J. Paxman married Shirley Ann Brockbank in 1942. Their children include:
-- 1) John Monroe PAXMAN [BYH Class of 1962] was born in 1943.
-- 2) Carolyn PAXMAN [BYH Class of 1963] was born in 1945. [She married Marion T. Bentley, BYH Class of 1963.]
-- 3) David Brockbank PAXMAN was born in 1946.
-- 4) Nancy PAXMAN [BYH Class of 1966~H] was born in 1948.
-- 5) Annette PAXMAN [BYH Class of 1970] was born in 1952. [She married Scott Bowen, BYH Class of 1966.]
-- 6) Mary Ruth PAXMAN was born in 1954.
-- 7) Susan Kay PAXMAN was born in 1956. ~ ~ ~ ~ @2007 ~ ~ ~ ~ HER DEATH NOTICE: Shirley Ann Brockbank Paxman, 96, of Provo, passed away December 17, 2015. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at the Provo Peak 3rd Ward Chapel, 510 East 200 North, Provo, Utah. Friends may call at the Berg Mortuary of Provo, 185 East Center Street, Monday from 6–8 p.m. and at the church Tuesday from 9:30–10:30 a.m. prior to services. Interment, Spanish Fork City Cemetery. Condolences may be extended to the family at www.bergmortuary.com. (801) 373-1841. [Provo Daily Herald, Saturday, December 19, 2015] ~ ~ ~ ~ HER OBITUARY: Shirley Ann Brockbank Paxman Obituary - 1919 ~ 2015. Shirley Ann Brockbank was born third child to Isaac and Elsie Booth Brockbank and grew up with her eight sisters at 59 West 500 North in Provo, Utah. She debuted on December 10, 1919 and died in her sleep on December 17, 2015, a week after her 96th birthday. She married Monroe J. Paxman on December 18, 1942 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They have lived in Wichita, Kansas; Salt Lake City; Reno, Nevada; Urbana, Illinois; Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany; Izmir, Turkey; Frankfurt, Germany; and Provo, where they spent most of their life together. Shirley was a registered nurse, an avid reader, a community organizer, a school board president, a traveler, a museum director, and she lived exuberantly. She once stood in front of a moving bulldozer to block it from demolishing Provo's Academy Square because she knew funding was on its way to save the building. Born with an abundance of energy and creative ideas, she always had a project or a cause. She enjoyed hosting gatherings and parties, creating magical experiences, writing books, working in historic preservation, giving speeches, and sharing her opinions. She was unconventional and ready to speak out, a strong, enthusiastic feminist, a mentor, and an advocate for the underprivileged. She trained at Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City before her marriage and grew to love the Catholic sisters and the rosary. Her religious involvement was ecumenical. She served well all her life in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but sometimes referred to herself as Catholic Mormon and was involved with the Episcopal Church as well. She found God and truth in many places. Through it all, she expressed her love for and faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She drew on traditions from diverse religions and cultures as she and her husband Monroe raised their seven children. She celebrated holidays with gusto, created costumes, baked and decorated thousands of sugar cookies, belonged to various social clubs and historical societies, and included many people in her entertaining. Shirley lived by Gibran's words, "Work is love made visible." Her compassionate heart fueled her personal and civic service. She worked to make things better for people she cared about, whether they were family, immigrants, foreign diplomats, college students, or merely lonely. It was no small thing if Shirley was in your corner; her support was palpable. She and Pax loved to welcome people to their family cabin at Wildwood, let them use the inner tubes, swing on the swings, lie in the hammock, or play in the water, and Shirley cooked abundant meals to feed them. She hosted speakers and musical programs for groups of friends. She and Monroe served on several local and university advisory boards. Shirley frequently laughed at the humor in life and was a good storyteller; she was no stranger to hyperbole and often exaggerated her children's good qualities and accomplishments. She was also a master of typographical errors in her weekly family letters. She and Pax have been generous grandparents who took care of kids with aplomb and enjoyment. Wet feet and dirty hands weren't worth worrying about; craft projects, hammering nails into wood, hiking, and imaginative play were encouraged. A capable woman of many talents, Shirley sewed, knitted, sketched, decorated, and quilted; she refinished furniture and collected antiques as well as Noah's arks, nativities, Santa Clauses, family traditions, ideas, articles, and books. She and Pax hiked for decades and co-authored a Utah Valley hiking guide. Lifelong supporters of the arts, they attended concerts, lectures, and plays regularly until Shirley fell and broke two vertebrae three weeks before her death. As her short-term memory faded, one of her most common statements was, "We count our blessings." Her next line was always, "I still have my husband!" A few years ago she said, "I have very few regrets. I've had stability, excitement--a fantastic life." We love our mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, and her passion for life will continue to inspire us. Preceding Shirley in death were her sisters Ila Peterson, Helen Weech, Elinor Brimhall, Pat Fillmore, Kay Webber, her daughter Mary Beth McGee, and her grandson David Thomas. She is survived by her dream-facilitating husband Monroe "Pax", her sisters Carol Olson, Nancy Livingston, Joyce Beazer, and her children John and Petrina Lee Poy Paxman (Montreal), Carolyn and Marion T. Bentley (Logan), David and Kathryn Pope Hoopes Paxman (Mapleton), Nancy and Peter Thomas (Sun Valley), Annette and Scott Bowen (Seattle), and Susie and David Hatch (Chicago) as well as by numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. Visitation will be held Monday, December 21 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Berg Mortuary, 185 East Center Street, Provo, and Tuesday, December 22 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Provo Peak Third Ward, 510 East 200 North, Provo. The funeral will begin Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at the same church. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Monroe and Shirley Paxman Humanitarian Scholarship or the Mary Paxman McGee Endowed Scholarship at Utah Valley University https://www.donate.supportuvu.org/paxman or to the Brockbank Education Fund (supporting young women in South Africa; befcharity.org). [Salt Lake Tribune, December 19, 2015] Source. ~ ~ ~ ~ JUDGE PAXMAN'S OBITUARY: Born to relish and appreciate life, Monroe J. Paxman arrived on April 7, 1919 to William and Achsa Eggertsen Paxman in Provo, Utah. He was fourth of five siblings. As a child he raised rabbits and learned how to work with his hands. He was a bright, outgoing person who was curious and imaginative. Monroe attended Provo schools and served an LDS mission in England and, due to the onset of WWII, in the North Central States. He was part of a traveling vocal quartet in his mission. After his return, he worked at Culver Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas, to help the war effort. He received his JD from the University of Utah. Following law school he practiced law with his father-in-law, Isaac Brockbank, and was subsequently appointed juvenile court judge of the Fourth District Court, a position he held for 16 years. In 1969, he was appointed Executive Director of the National Council of Juvenile Court Judges, and the family moved to Reno. In 1972-73, he was a visiting professor at the University of Illinois Law School in Champaign-Urbana and afterward taught at BYU in the political science department until his retirement. He adored teaching and was the recipient of the Abraham O. Smoot Community Service Award. Monroe was also awarded two Fulbright grants to implement innovative judicial services in Europe. He married Shirley Brockbank Paxman in the Salt Lake Temple in 1942; together they had seven children and created a magical home environment. They nurtured people of all ages as they entertained in their homes. They worked along with other Provoans to preserve the BY Academy building (which now houses Provo Library). Known as Uncle Pax to several generations of kids at Wildwood in Provo Canyon, he invited them to float tubes on the creek, swing on his handmade swings, or walk across the creek on his rope monkey bridge. He created spaces for kids to have fun and use their own imaginations: tree houses, an attic with a soda fountain, play sets. He was a dream facilitator, happy to lend his many skills to help people achieve their dreams, whether building a boat out of scrap wood or getting into graduate school. He served as a Scout leader for many years Pax had an eye for beauty and enjoyed the arts. He grew flowers, planted trees, learned the crafts of wrought iron, stained glass, and wood carving, and built a cabin with his family. He was a wonderful storyteller. Pax and Shirley attended performances at BYU and UVU for decades and served together on the UVU Humanities Board. They loved to travel and lived in England, Germany, and Turkey, where Monroe taught with the University of Maryland’s extension program. Pax was a lawyer, an electrician, a plumber, a hiker, a singer, and in his eighties he took up genealogy and watercolor painting. He compiled several books of family history. He wrote impromptu tributes at special events and was a master of gratitude and expressed appreciation. His was a life of service, positive effort, love pats, and encouragement. He had deep faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ and its power to improve and enrich lives. Preceding him in death are his wife Shirley, their daughter Mary McGee, and their grandson David Thomas. He is survived by his children John and Petrina Lee Poy-Paxman (Montreal), Carolyn and Marion Bentley (Logan), David and Kathryn Pope Hoopes Paxman (Mapleton), Nancy and Peter Thomas (Sun Valley), Annette and Scott Bowen (Seattle) and Susie and David Hatch (Seattle), as well as many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 12:30 p.m., Saturday, September 30, 2017 at Academy Square (Provo Library), 550 N. University Ave., Provo, Utah. Friends may call at the LDS Chapel at 502 East 200 North, Provo, Utah, Friday, September 29 from 6-8:00 p.m. and at the library Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. prior to services. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the UVU Monroe and Shirley Paxman Scholarship at http://give.supportuvu.org/paxman. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.bergmortuary.com. [Provo Daily Herald, September 29, 2017]

Peterson, Charles & Harriett

Peterson, Charles & Harriett
Provo, Utah US

Chuck and Harriett Peterson

Distinguished Honorary Alumni of BYH. Charles E. "Chuck" Peterson & Harriett May Robison Peterson. ~ ~ ~ ~ Charles E. "Chuck" Peterson was born born June 4, 1914 in North Ogden, Utah, the son of Charles Eric Peterson and Dora Ann Brown. After the death of his father, he was raised by his grandfather, Charles Alma Peterson, raised in Ogden, Utah. Chuck graduated from Ogden's Central Junior High, Ogden High School, Weber State College and the University of Chicago. Charles married Harriet May Robison October 4, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois, later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple. Harriett was born at home Aug 25, 1913 in Idaho Falls, the daughter of Alexander and Ethel Thatcher Robison. Her early years were spent there, at her father's ranch in Bone, Idaho, and in Ogden. She attended Ogden city Schools, and graduated with honors from Weber State College. Harriet's life was filled with selfless acts of kindness to friends, neighbors, missionaries, and her family. She had a special talent and love for gardening; her bouquets were shared in chapels, hospitals, and homes of those in need. She served as president of the Relief Society, Ladies Literary Club, Phile Nada Club, and was a volunteer for countless service organizations. In 1991 she was awarded the BYU Presidential Citation for Exemplary Service. Chuck and Harriett's greatest love was for their family. Chuck and Harriet had four children, all of whom attended Brigham Young High School in Provo:
-- Charles Eric "Charlie" Peterson [BYH Class of 1954] (married Jan) of Vashon Island, Washington;
-- Joan Peterson [BYH Class of 1957] (married M. Byron Fisher [BYH Class of 1955) of Springdale, Utah;
-- Kent Davis Peterson [BYH Class of 1963] (married Diane) of St. George, Utah; and
-- Steven James "Steve" Peterson [BYH Class of 1967] (married Kathleen "Kathy" Bateman [BYH Class of 1969]) of Ephraim, Utah.
Chuck and Harriett have more than a dozen grandchildren and even more great-grandchildren. At BYH, Chuck and Harriett Peterson were familiar faces to everyone, attending school events from the 1950s through the time when the school closed in 1968. Almost every Wildcat yearbook carried an advertisement for Chuck Peterson's Motors. A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all his life, Chuck served as high counselor, bishop, stake president, president of the Chicago South Mission, and home teacher. Chuck loved political life and served his community and state in many positions. Six governors appointed him to various committees and leadership positions. He served for five years on the Coordinating Counsel for Higher Education, and as Vice Chair for 10 years on the Board of Regents, as well as on the Utah Highway Patrol Commission. Chuck served six years in the Utah State House of Representatives, two years as Majority Leader and two years as Speaker of the House, and eight years in the State Senate. He was a delegate almost every year of his adult life in Utah to the Republican State Convention. Chuck Peterson was also president of the Provo Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1950, and then manager of the Provo Chamber of Commerce in 1959. He served as Chairman of the Board for Utah Valley Hospital; Walker Bank Board of Advisors, and on the Board of Directors for State Savings and Loan from 1965 to 1980. He held the position of chairman of the Utah Automobile Dealers Association in 1967, and the Volkswagen Dealers Council in 1973. Chuck also served on the Utah National Parks Council of The Boy Scouts of America, was a member of the Provo Kiwanis for 50 years, and was a former Kiwanis President. Chuck Peterson received many awards of recognition, but he always modestly said that he never deserved these awards. As owner of "Chuck Peterson's Motors", a Volkswagen dealership in Provo, Utah for 24 years, he received the 1973 TIME "Quality Dealer Award", and was made a member of the Utah Auto Dealers Hall of Fame in 1995. Chuck was named Provo's "Mr. Free Enterprise" in 1974, received the Brigham Young University Abraham O. Smoot Public Service Award in 1978, and was given the Utah County Council of Governments Citizen of the Year Award, 1978. He also received an Honorary Alumni Award from BYU in 1977; a Weber College Presidential Citation in 1980; a Utah Valley State College Honorary Degree, 1983; and a BYU Presidential Citation, 1995. He was a founding member and former president of the BYU Cougar Club. Next to his church and family, Chuck loved BYU sports, and golf. Charles Eric "Chuck" Peterson, age 87, died at home in Provo on January 14, 2002. Harriet May Robison Peterson, age 89, died in St. George February 20, 2003.

Smoot, Abraham O. [ I ]

Smoot, Abraham O. [ I ]
Provo, Utah US

Abraham [and 5] Smoot [ I ]

First President of the Board of Trustees of Brigham Young Academy in Provo, Utah. Abraham Owen Smoot I. Served on Board of Trustees, 1875 to 1895. Honorary Alumnus of BYH. Born: 17 February 1815 in Owenton, Kentucky, to Ann Rowlett and George W. Smoot. Wives: Margaret Thompson McMeans Adkinson, Emily Harris, Sarah Gibbons (div.), Diana Tanner Eldredge, and Anna Kirstine Mouritsen, all married before he became Mayor of Salt Lake City. In the 19th century, Abraham O. Smoot's visionary leadership and personal financial sacrifice maintained the viability of Brigham Young Academy. "My great grandfather, A.O. Smoot, was known as the 'foster father' of Brigham Young Academy because of his devotion to the school and it was one of his most memorable experiences," said Stanley Smoot, his great-grandson. Smoot, Abraham Owen (1815-1895) -- also known as Abraham O. Smoot; A. O. Smoot -- of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah; Provo, Utah County, Utah. Nephew of Daniel Rowlett and Joseph Rowlett; father of Abraham Owen Smoot II (1856-1911) and Reed Smoot; grandfather of Abraham Owen Smoot III and Isaac Albert Smoot. Born in Owen County, Ky., February 17, 1815. Mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah, 1857-66; mayor of Provo, Utah, 1868-81. Mormon. Died in Provo, Utah County, Utah, March 6, 1895. Abraham Owen Smoot I, was sent to Provo by Brigham Young in 1868, where he presided over the Utah Stake (all of Utah Valley) for 27 years until his death in 1895. He was also the first President of the Board of Trustees of the Brigham Young Academy (1875-1895) and is still the longest standing mayor of Provo. Despite steady growth during its early years, Brigham Young Academy was threatened by a series of financial and physical setbacks. With the help and sacrifice of Abraham O. Smoot I, the campus moved in 1891 to new facilities located on University Avenue. Abraham O. Smoot I, a highly successful businessman, stake president, mayor of Provo, and chairman of the board of Brigham Young Academy, gave his buildings, his land, and mortgaged his home in order to save the institution. He died penniless, having given everything to the school. A. O. Smoot I, in summary, was a dominant figure in the history of Provo and the state of Utah. He was described by his son-in-law, Orson F. Whitney, as "colonizer, financier, civic officer, legislator, missionary, Bishop and Stake President, who frequently sat with the leaders of the Latter-Day Saint Church."

Smoot, L. Douglas

Smoot, L. Douglas
Provo, Utah US

Douglas & Marian Smoot

Member Brigham Young Academy Foundation. Honorary Alumnus and Honorary Faculty & Staff of BYH. Although he did not attend or teach at BY High, and in fact captained the Springville High School basketball team that defeated the BY High team for the State Championship in 1952, all BY High Alumni, Faculty and Staff honor Dr. L. Douglas Smoot for the central role he has played in the Miracle of Academy Square. There is no doubt that, without his leadership and more than 8,000 hours of his service to the cause of saving the Brigham Young Academy building from almost sure destruction, it would now be gone forever. -- L. Douglas Smoot, Professor, BYU Chemical Engineering. Emeritus Dean, BYU College of Engineering & Technology. Ph.D., University of Washington, 1960 -- General Background -- Dr. Smoot has been at Brigham Young University since 1967 and was department chairman from 1970-1977, Dean of Engineering and Technology from 1977 through 1994, and Director of ACERC from its beginning in 1986 to 1997. Previous experience included four years at Lockheed, one year at California Institute of Technology and summers with Hercules, Phillips Petroleum Company and Boeing. He has also consulted with over sixty companies and agencies in energy, combustion and propulsion areas in the united States, Europe and the Orient. He is a member of AIChE, ASEE, The Combustion Institute, and NFPA and has received six state or regional awards. He has presented or published over 200 technical articles, eight invited review articles and four books on combustion. He has completed a term of service on the Governors Science and Technology Advisory Council for the State of Utah. He also received the first Distinguished Faculty Award and its Presidential Medal in 1985. Dr. Smoot has recently been awarded a Combustion Professorship at BYU and was named the 1995 Outstanding Faculty Member in Engineering and Technology. -- Educational / Professional Experience -- • B.S., Chemistry, Brigham Young University, 1957 • B.E.S., Chemical Engineering, Brigham Young University, 1957 • M.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, 1958 • Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, 1960 • Senior Technical Specialist, Lockheed Propulsion Co., 1963-1967 • Visiting Assistant Professor, California Institute of Technology, 1966-1967 • Founding Director, ACERC, Brigham Young University • Dean Emeritus, College of Engineering and Technology, Brigham Young University • Assistant, Associate, and Professor, Brigham Young University, 1960-1963; 1967-2006. • Author: The Miracle at Academy Square, 590 pages, published May 2003 by BYU Press [distributed through the BYU Bookstore in book form and on CD]. This book documents the amazing battle that saved the Brigham Young Academy building. • Elder L. Douglas Smoot is a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ~ ~ ~ ~ April 2006: Engineering professor at BYU-Provo Douglas Smoot is retiring after 38 years of teaching and 54 years associated with the university. Bro. Smoot helped make possible the renovation of the old Brigham Young Academy building, now the Provo City Library at Academy Square. ~ ~ http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/59389 Dr. Smoot will continue his work at BYU through July 2006, then work in Provo at a company he helped to organize, Combustion Resources, Inc. Alternate email: lds@byu.edu ~ ~ ~ ~ HIS OBITUARY: Obituary for L. Douglas Smoot L. Douglas Smoot, our wonderful father, grandfather, and great-grandfather passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones on January 13, 2020. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 63 years, Marian Bird Smoot. He is survived by his sister, Beth Johnson, four daughters, Analee (Scott) Folster, LaCinda (John) Lewis, Michelle (Nathan) Hyde, and Mindy (Conor) Robbins, and his 20 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren. Doug’s faith framed his life’s choices and experiences. He was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and loved serving the members in the Oak Hills area as a Bishop and Stake President, and then an Area Seventy in the Fifth Quorum for the Utah South Area. Doug was born in Provo, Utah on July 26, 1934 to Douglas and Jennie Smoot. His parents moved the family to the neighboring town of Springville with his two older sisters, Norma (Bills) and Beth (Johnson). An individual with a keen intellect and wisdom to match, Doug was known for his dedication, determination, and diligence in all endeavors. He met Marian in 3rd grade; they dated while attending Springville High, were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on September 15, 1953, and began their family and pursued their education. Doug earned a degree in Chemical Engineering from BYU while playing tennis and basketball for the “Y.” He continued on to earn a master’s degree and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington in 1958 and 1960, respectively. Doug began his Chemical Engineering career at BYU and then moved his family to Redlands, California where he worked for Lockheed Propulsion Company and taught part-time at the California Institute of Technology. The family eventually moved back to Provo, Utah where Doug became the Chairman of the Chemical Engineering Department and then served as the Dean of Engineering and Technology for 17 years prior to his retirement. He also greatly enjoyed teaching religion classes at BYU. Collaboration with stellar students and wonderful colleagues brought Doug great enjoyment. While at BYU, he founded and directed ACERC—one of the world’s largest academic research centers to advance combustion engineering technology. Since 1968, Doug served as Principal Investigator or Project Director on 40 grants and contracts totaling over 20 million dollars from 22 industrial and governmental agencies. He was given the distinguished Homer H. Lowry Award, the International ASME Percy Nichols Award, the Governor’s Medal for Science & Technology, and Distinguished Faculty and Lecturer and the Presidential Award from BYU. Doug was internationally recognized as one of the premier authorities in the field of Combustion Engineering and clean burning fuels. He authored over 200 technical articles and four books on fossil fuels, coal gasification, and clean burning fuels. Doug is a patent holder and co-founded Combustion Resources, a private research and consulting company. He also served an appointed term for US Senate’s office of Technology Assessment. Doug’s community service included a term on the Governor’s Science Advisory Council, many years on Provo City’s Economic Development Board, Provo’s Energy Department Board, Tuacahn’s Board of Directors, and America’s Freedom Festival Advisory Board. He has written or co-authored books on Abraham O. Smoot, the History of BYU Chemical Engineering, and the preservation of the historic BY Academy building titled, The Miracle at Academy Square. In 1995, Doug assumed the leadership of a team of passionate citizens and government officials to preserve the BY Academy—a building that was constructed with the funds of his great-grandfather A.O. Smoot. It is now the Provo City Library at Academy Square. This giant of a father, with Marian at his side, placed their family as their highest priority. He was loved by four-generations of family members. He was known for his faith, enthusiasm, kindness, determination, generosity, humor, love, optimism, and support of their many endeavors. Though he wore many hats, his cowboy hat may have been his favorite. He loved his six horses, his Mapleton farmland, and Olson Ranch rides with his friends and family. Doug taught by word and deed and left a legacy of love and learning for generations to come. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at the Oak Hills Stake Center, 925 East North Temple Drive, Provo, Utah. Friends may visit with the family at the Berg Mortuary of Provo, 185 East Center Street, Monday, January 20 from 6-8:00 p.m. and at the church Tuesday from 9-10:30 a.m. prior to services. Interment, Provo City Cemetery. Condolences may be expressed at www.bergmortuary.com. Source. ~ ~ ~ ~ HIS WIFE'S OBITUARY: Marian Bird Smoot passed away on December 28, 2016. She was born in Springville, Utah on September 7, 1933 to Maurice Clegg Bird and Mary Elizabeth Williams Bird. She was preceded in death by her parents and her older brother, Wallace, who was killed in a plane accident in 1954. Marian is survived by her sister, Mary Jane Palfreyman, brother, Richard Bird, her husband, L. Douglas Smoot, and daughters: Analee (Scott) Folster, LaCinda (John) Lewis, Michelle (Nathan) Hyde and Mindy (Conor) Robbins. Marian met Doug in the third grade and they attended Springville High School together where she was the Art Queen, member of the Steno club, and a cheerleader. Marian designed and sewed the cheer outfits which were showcased in the Springville Art Museum. She loved to dance, run, play the drums, sew, paint and drive her Dad’s red truck. Doug and Marian graduated in 1952, and on September 15, 1953 they were married in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They recently celebrated 63 years of marriage. Marian was a faithful member of the LDS church. She served in numerous callings including Relief Society President, Primary chorister and ward photographer. She was a great support to Doug in his many church callings. Marian served as President of BYU Women and on the Provo City Art Board which was responsible for raising funds for the Covey Center for the Arts. Marian loved music and had a beautiful alto voice. She and Doug donated their time, energy and financial resources to various theatre and art foundations, including Tuacahn, the Covey Center and the Springville Art Gallery. Marian also loved sports and cheered for BYU and the Jazz. She enjoyed tennis with friends and played competitively for years. Marian was an excellent homemaker, cook, collector and seamstress. She had a quick wit, a ready smile and a contagious laugh. Marian and Doug traveled the world together, often with family. Her favorite place to be was on row one, the center seat of any activity where her family was involved. Marian is a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She will be greatly missed by her family, now numbering 62, including 20 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. Marian devoted her life to her posterity and her legacy will live on through them. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, January 5, 2017 at the Oak Hills Stake Center, 925 East North Temple Drive, Provo, Utah. Friends may call at the Berg Mortuary of Provo, 185 East Center Street, Wednesday, January 4, from 6-8:00 p.m. and at the church Thursday, from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. prior to services. Interment will be in the Provo City Cemetery. Condolences may be expressed at www.bergmortuary.com [Provo Daily Herald, December 31, 2016]

Young, Joseph Don Carlos

Young, Joseph Don Carlos
Salt Lake City, Utah US

Joseph D.C & Alice Young

Architect of the 1892 Brigham Young Academy Education Building. Board of Trustees, Brigham Young Academy, 1887 to 1901. Joseph Don Carlos Young. ~ ~ ~ ~ A note about names, thanks to David Young Thomas, great-grandson of Joseph Don Carlos Young. J.D.C. Young did not use "Sr." after his name, nor did his son "Jr." have the exact same name. Don Carlos Young, Jr. did not have "Joseph" as his first name, but he was so often mistaken by name with his father that he added "Jr." to the end to make sure they weren’t confused. ~ ~ ~ ~ 1994 Master's Thesis: by P. Bradford Westwood. The Early Life and Career of Joseph Don Carlos Young (1855-1938): A Study of Utah’s First Institutionally-Trained Architect. (NA02 1994 W538). Early buildings in Salt Lake City included the classically detailed Church headquarters building, whose architect was Joseph Don Carlos Young. With one exception, formally trained architects were rare in later nineteenth and early twentieth-century Utah. The exception, Joseph Don Carlos Young (1855-1938), the last surviving son of Brigham Young, was the first architect in Utah to receive a formal education. He majored in civil engineering at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, from 1875 to 1879. After graduating, he engaged in railroading and engineering and was a two-term Utah territorial legislator before turning to architecture. In 1887, he succeeded Truman Angell, Sr., as LDS Church architect and remained in that position for fifty years. ~ ~ ~ ~ BYA Faculty. Joseph Don Carlos Young. From 1886-1887 he taught Mathematics and Architecture at Brigham Young Academy in Provo. During 1888-1889 he taught Mechanical and Architectural Drafting in the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Utah. Young was succeeded in this teaching role by William Ward, a stonecarver and sculptor, who turned architect after his return to Utah in 1888. Joseph D. C. Young, returned to Brigham Young Academy for the 1899-1900 school year to teach Mathematics and Architecture. It was natural for Dr. Karl G. Maeser and other members of the BYA Board to turn to Joseph Don Carlos Young, to design the new Academy building, which was completed and dedicated in January of 1892. In 1906, Young practiced in partnership with his son, Don Carlos Young, Jr. - a partnership that continued until 1915. The Salt Lake City Temple: The temple, considered a fine example of Romanesque Gothic architecture, was started by Truman O. Angell on April 6, 1853. Mr. Angell did not live to see his work completed and his assistant, Joseph Don Carlos Young, the son of Brigham Young, finished the project on April 6, 1893. ~ ~ ~ ~ Joseph H. Young, the grandson of Joseph Don Carlos Young, Sr., continued the family tradition of architecture. At age 74 he had worked on more than 300 buildings and was still an active architect. His father, Don Carlos Young Jr., was a primary architect for the original LDS Church Office Building on South Temple and Joseph H. Young worked on the 28-story LDS Church Office Building on North Temple. Joseph H. Young said Joseph Don Carlos Young not only supervised the completion of the outside of the Salt Lake Temple, but also designed all of the interior. He also changed Mr. Angell's plan to build the spires out of wood wrapped in sheet metal to granite just like the walls below. ~ ~ ~ ~ Joseph Don Carlos Young, Architect, was born May 6, 1855 at Salt Lake City, Utah. His parents were Brigham Young and Emily Dow Partridge. He first married September 22, 1881 at Salt Lake City, Utah to Alice Naomi Dowden. They had ten children, six sons and four daughters. He second married Marian Penelope Hardy on January 11, 1887, in Juarez, Mexico. He died on October 19, 1938, in Salt Lake City, Utah. His eldest son, Don Carlos Young, Jr., was also an architect. He was born August 5, 1882 and died on December 8, 1960, both events in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Young, Susa

Young, Susa
Provo, Utah US

Susa and Jacob Gates

Faculty & Staff. Susa Young Gates, Domestic Science teacher, 1897-1903. Board of Trustees, Brigham Young Academy, 1891 to 1933. ~ ~ ~ ~ Susa (Susan, Susannah) Gates was born on March 18, 1856, in Salt Lake City. A writer, publisher, advocate for women's achievements, educator, missionary, genealogist, temple worker, wife, and mother of thirteen children, she was fond of saying, "Keep busy in the face of discouragement." The second daughter of Brigham Young's 22nd wife, Lucy Bigelow Young, Susa Young has been called "the most versatile and prolific LDS writer ever to take up the pen in defense of her religion". Following private education that included music and ballet, she entered the University of Deseret at age thirteen. The next year she became co-editor of the College Lantern, possibly the first western college newspaper. In 1872, at age sixteen, she married Dr. Alma Bailey Dunford; they had two children, Leah Eudora Dunford and Alma Bailey Dunford. The marriage ended in divorce in 1877. The next year, Susa entered Brigham Young academy in Provo and, while a student, founded the department of music and conducted a choir. During a trip to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), she renewed her acquaintance with Jacob F. Gates, whom she married on January 5, 1880. The success of their marriage has been attributed to their mutual respect for, and support of, one another's work. Only four of the eleven children born to this marriage survived to adulthood: Emma Lucy Gates Bowen, Brigham Cecil Gates, Harvey Harris (Hal) Gates [BYH Class of 1909~H?], and Franklin Young Gates. During the 1880s and 1890s, Susa Gates focused her energy on childbearing and child-rearing, missionary work, education, writing, and women's concerns. After completing a Church mission with her husband to the Sandwich Islands in 1889, she founded the Young Woman's Journal. It was adopted as the official magazine for the Young Ladies Mutual Improvement Association in 1897. She founded the Utah Woman's Press Club, became press chairman of the National Council of Women, and founded the Relief Society Magazine, which she edited until 1922. She wrote biographies of Lydia Knight and of her father, Brigham Young, novels including "John Stevens' Courtship" and "The Prince of Ur" -- a pamphlet entitled the "Teachings of Brigham Young," and a history of women in the Church, on which she was still working at the time of her death. Concern for women's achievements was a prominent force in Susa Gates's life. During the 1890s, while she was most occupied with raising her own children, she became a charter member of the National Household Economic Association and was a representative to women's congresses in Denver, Washington, D.C., Toronto, and London, where she was invited to speak on the topic "Equal Moral Standards for Men and Women" and where she joined other women of the International Council, including Susan B. Anthony, for tea with Queen Victoria. At the turn of the century, Susa suffered a nervous and physical breakdown. Ill for three years, she was forced to terminate a mission that she and her husband had begun in 1902. A priesthood blessing that promised her she would live to do temple work marked the beginning of her recovery. She underwent a year of intense spiritual introspection and later wrote of that period, "I disciplined my taste, my desires and my impulses — severely disciplining my appetite, my tongue, my acts … and how I prayed!" (Person, p. 212). While maintaining her commitments to family and women's advancement, she focused her energy on genealogy and temple work. In 1906, Susa Young Gates organized genealogical departments in two newspapers, the Inter Mountain Republican and the Deseret News, and wrote columns for both papers over the next ten years. She produced instructional manuals for genealogists, devised a systematic index of names for the Church, and published the Surname Book and Racial History. In 1915, she introduced genealogical class work at the International Genealogy Conference in San Francisco and became head of the Research Department and Library of the Genealogical Society of Utah in 1923. She personally cataloged more than 16,000 names of the Young family. She spent much time in the last years of her life doing ordinance work in the Salt Lake Temple with her husband. She died on May 27, 1933. More biographical information