Mary Leaver Geddes

Mary Leaver Reid (Mae Reid Geddes)

An account of her birth by daughter Lola Mae

“Father was a farmer and a cattle man. Water was necessary for irrigating patches of lucerne and so canals were dug, taking water from the Seviere River. Notices were made out and delivered to the farmers telling them when their watering time would be. Father rode the ditches to see that everyone got his turn and that no water went to waste. One warm summer day July 16, 1894, as he rode along thinking of the many chores there were to be done, but thinking especially of Mother who was expecting a new baby. He had one daughter and four boys—another girl would be fine—but another boy would be just fine too. Many boys could learn to live and work on a farm. It really was a pleasant life. He heard a voice calling “Oh Pa—Help me! Help me!” He stopped the horse and looked around thinking “Whose little child could be out here?” Seeing no one—but hearing the voice again, he knew he was needed at home, so turning the horse around, he whipped the pony and made it home in a very short time. Into the house he ran and found the mid-wife fainted away on the floor—and a little new baby girl just born but with her life blood draining out of her body.

Father quickly grasped the situation, was experienced enough to be a doctor when necessary and with a prayer on his lips, he was able to save the little life that came so near to slipping away. “Thank God,” he said. “That baby's spirit called me out of the field to save her.” The new baby was given a name and blessing in the Fayette Ward LDS church building. She was to be known by the name, Mary Leaver Reid. Years after he used to say “Let this be a testimony to you that you (and all of us) lived before you were born here one earth and that you will live again after death.”

Mae Reid Geddes—educator, artist, and mother of eight children—was an intelligent, gentle, creative woman, who achieved many goals in life, unusual for her time. Born in rural Utah in 1894, Mae was a seeker of knowledge and pursued education until she earned a Master of Science in Education degree. She taught school until she was 70 years old and many students named her their “Favorite Teacher.”

Although her career and business records are all listed in the name of Mae Reid Geddes, she was christened Mary Leaver Reid. Her mother was also named Mary and so to differentiate between the two, she carried the name of Mae.

Mae was born July 16, 1894 in Dover, Sanpete County, Utah, the daughter of Mary Losana Page and Edward Shields Reid. She was the sixth child in a family of eleven children. Her ancestors, from English and Scotch-Irish backgrounds, were all converts to the Church, and as Mormon pioneers, were early settlers in Utah. Mae's grandfather Jonathan Socwell Page, settled in Payson where he was the Mayor, County Commissioner and Patriarch, who gave Mae a Patriarchal Blessing.

Mae's mother and father were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, September 22, 1881. They lived in Payson and later moved to Dover, Utah, where they homesteaded property. Edward established a hay ranch, stocked with cattle. He built a home and the family increased to eight children at that time. That is where Mae was born in 1894. The children enjoyed a happy childhood in a rural community where they resided for 18 years.

When the Dover ranch became less productive because of alkali, Mae's father decided to move to Southern Idaho, first settling in Oxford. In April, 1903, when Mae was nine years old, her father bought a farm in Preston. Mae attended elementary school there.

It was while living at Preston that Mae met her future husband, Moses Peterson Geddes, a personable and talented young man, who lived a few blocks from her home. They knew each other during school years and attended church and school activities together.

Mae graduated from the Oneida Stake Academy in Preston in 1913 and then attended the Utah State Agricultural College in Logan, Utah. After taking special examinations, she began her teaching career at age 19. Mae first taught at Riverdale Elementary School, instructing approximately 20 students in the first four grades in all subjects. For the next four years she taught at the Jefferson School at Preston and a High School at Thatcher, Idaho.

In 1916, Moses was called on a three-year LDS mission to New Zealand. The young couple “had an understanding” that Mae would write to him during his mission and that they would probably marry upon his return.

Mae continued on with her teaching and participated in church activities during Moses' mission. She served on the MIA Stake Board and sang with a women's quartet. It was at this time she worked in church activities with two future LDS prophets from the area—President Harold B. Lee and President Ezra Taft Benson.

In 1918, Mae's mother died at the age of 56 from a malignancy of the throat. This was during World War I and was a tragic time. Three of Mae's brothers served in the war and influenza was causing many deaths. After the death of his wife, Mae's father later took turns living with his married children, including Mae, and died at the age of 86 in 1946.

Moses returned from his three-year mission to New Zealand and Mae and Moses were married within two weeks at the Logan LDS Temple on May 28, 1919. The happy bride and groom were both 24 years of age. After moving to Banida, Mae taught school for the next three years and soon took over duties as a mother. Although it was the “Great Depression” Mae and Moses and their young family were very happy during this time in Banida. They saw the first electricity, telephone and radio come to the area. Moses always owned an automobile, ranging from a Model T Ford to a 1934 Chevrolet. Sometimes it was the only car in Banida, while others were using buggies, wagons and sleighs.

All the Geddes children attended school at the yellow brick, two-roomed school house and obtained good grades, assisted by the professional school teacher at home. LDS church activities were important to the family and provided most of the social activities.

Left a widow in 1940 at age 46, Mae had five children living at home, ranging in age from 11 to 19. To support her family, Mae secured work as Deputy Treasurer of Franklin County, with the help of the Democratic Party in Preston. Mae held this position for the next six years.

World War II began in 1941, and it was a difficult time. Two of Mae's children, Dorothy and Lola Mae, soon married; Dee was serving overseas in the Air Force; Moselle and Virginia were attending school and later college; and Arch was a student at home.

Mae knew she wanted to return to her career as a teacher and hoped to increase her college education. After Moselle graduated from college at Utah State Agricultural College in Logan, she taught school at Preston High School. This enabled her mother to attend college with Moselle and Arch living in the Preston Home.

In February 1947—at the age of 52—Mae returned to college, first at Albion State Normal College, Albion, Idaho. She later attended the University of Idaho at Moscow, Idaho, where her daughter Virginia was also attending college. To assist with finances Mae was able to obtain a position as a House Mother at a college dormitory. Later, Moselle joined them at the college. It was at college that Mae finally found time to devote to her art work and she and Moselle enrolled in several art classes. During the 1948-49 period, Mae also returned to Preston and taught First Grade at Central School to help with finances.

On June 5, 1950 Mae was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from the University of Idaho at Moscow. That same year she obtained a teaching position with Weber County Schools in Ogden, Utah.

Mae continued pursuing education, sometimes attending summer school, and was awarded a Master of Science in Education degree on June 6, 1954 from the University of Idaho.

She purchased a home in Ogden, located at 229 West 4700 South, Washington Terrace. It was beautifully decorated and completely paid for. Mae taught school in the Weber County area for 14 years. She was a teacher at schools in Roy, Washington Terrace, Roosevelt, Wilson Lane, and Riverdale. She retired in 1964 at the age of 70.

Mae was considered an exceptional teacher by school officials, and especially by her students. Many of them thanked her for her assistance and proclaimed her their “Favorite Teacher.” In 2002, 17 years after her death, she received a posthumous award issued in connection with the Weber County School Board and the Ogden Standard Examiner Newspaper. It was the “Apple for the Teacher” award issued to Mae Reid Geddes “in recognition of her outstanding dedication to students and education.”

Following retirement, Mae devoted many hours to art work. She enrolled in college classes in art and created several hundred paintings in oil and water color. Over 100 beautifully-framed paintings hung on the walls of her home and basement, which resembled an art gallery. Many of these paintings now decorate the homes of her children and grandchildren. Mae served in LDS ward activities and also performed extensive temple work at the Ogden LDS Temple.

Mae lived independently in her home and created a haven where her family could partake of her love, counsel, and support. Her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren loved to visit and enjoy her company and the “play house” filled with toys that she set up in the basement. Mae's direct descendants numbered 113 at the time of her death. They all admired her for her ability as a problem-solver and looked to her as an example to follow—an example of integrity, talent, independence, and courage.

During the last few years of Mae's life she was lovingly cared for by her children. At the age of 90, she died of heart failure at a Layton hospital on June 4, 1985. She was buried in the Preston Cemetery beside her husband, two babies, and parents. A noble woman was laid to rest.

Excerpts from a short biography by Dorothy Geddes Nelson, daughter

• See also a 44 page interview Mae had with daughters Dorothy and Moselle in 1970. Also, see the 37 page biography of her written by Dorothy Geddes Nelson, her obituary, and a two-page letter written to Mae from a friend after Moses' death.
• Grandma Lola wrote an 8 page biography of her with drawings of pioneer ways.