Mary Malinda Wilson

Year of Birth - 1918 - Woodrow Wilson is President of the United States. Bolsheviks execute Czar Nicholas II and take over Russia. Heber J. Grant became President of the Church in November and Germany signs Armistice ending WW I.

Lived in Cleveland, UT; Provo, UT; Cincinnati, OH; Richfield, UT; Hanksville, UT; La Sal, UT; Delta, UT; Moab, UT; Montezuma Creek, UT; Vernal, UT; and Salem, MO.

Mary Malinda McFarlane Wilson was born 13 October 1918 in Cleveland, Emery County, Utah. My father was Parlan McFarlane II. He was born in Ephraim, San Pete County, Utah the son of Parlan McFarlane I and Jane Allison McGibbon Henderson, both of Scotland. Grandmother was a young widow with one child when she reached Bountiful, Utah and met and married Grandfather.

My maternal grandparent, Mary Jane Potter, was born at Poga, Carter County, Tennessee and my maternal grandfather was born at Watauga, North Carolina.

My mother was Mary Malinda Franklin born at Cleveland, Emery County, Utah. She was the daughter of Andrew Jackson Franklin and Mary Jane Potter. My parents married 16 Nov 1917 at Castle Dale, Emery County, Utah. I attended my first six grades at Cleveland and graduated from North Emery High School in Huntington, Utah in 1937.

I am a graduate of Brigham Young University with a BS Degree in Elementary Education. I was principal of Hanksville Elementary School 1958-1959. I taught at LaSal and Moab, Utah. I enjoyed the last five years as a bilingual teacher to Navaho children at Montezuma Creek, San Juan County, Utah. I have taught in all of the auxiliaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have held many offices, which have been a great privilege to me.

I was married on June 7, 1939 to Richard C. Wilson of Richfield, Sevier County, Utah in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Richards' parents were Charles Wilson and Clara Orrock of Richfield.

Richard and I lived in Richfield for 19 years and that is where our three children were born. (1) Richard Aaron (15 July 1943) Married Bettie Fann Coles. They are the parents of two girls and five boys. (2) Thad, our second son, was born May 2, 1948 and married Nancy Marie Smith--they are the parents of six sons and three daughters. (3) Kathy Dawn born May 22, 1950 married Lonnie Travis. They are parents of two girls and three boys.

We were farmers and did work for other farmers while in Richfield. We moved to LaSal where I taught school and Richard was in charge of electrical maintenance for Homestake Mining Co. for nine years. At Delta, he worked for Brush Wellman Beryllium Extraction plant in the same position for three years.

We then bought a farm and dairy at Vernal, Uintah County, Utah where we lived for nine years. We sold the farm and moved to Montauk, Dent County, Missouri where we bought a livestock and timber ranch.

I was an officer in the Canyonlands Toastmistresses Club for five years and a 4H leader for 10 years. Richard and I have both taught Sunday School for over 20 years. (As President of the Grand County Business and Professional Women, she acted as a delegate to their national convention in Washington, DC.)

After seventy-three years of age and fifty years of marriage, we still call life good with our twenty-one grand children. All doing fine.

Whie Richard was on his mission, she acquired Undulant Fever (very debilitating, frequent high fevers, miscarriages, and nearly always fatal) which went undiagnosed for nine years. She felt it was a miracle that she was able to have three live children dispite having this disease while she was pregnant with them. Finally diagnosed by a specialist in Salt Lake City and treatment with antibiotics begun. Blessed by Harold B. Lee while at Stake Conference in Richfield and counseled to take another series of treatments. Sulfa Drugs (a new treatment option in the early 1950s) were used. She was cured.

She and her mother worked in canneries for tomatoes, peaches, etc. as well as a secretary at BYU in order to support themselves and her husband while he was on his mission. She continued to take classes and further her education until she went to join her husband in Ohio for the last three months of his mission.

She was an excellent storyteller, had an entertaining personality, and was an avid reader. Her life experiences spanned a pioneer existence (horse and buggy transportation, oil lamps, and out houses) to the space age, (oldest son was an expert in satellite communications). Just prior to her passing, she prepared a manuscript for a novel, Little Boss. This manuscript was typed, edited, illustrated and published by her husband, son, and grandchildren two years later. w/o Richard C. Wilson

• Updated from Find A Grave Memorial by SmartCopy: Jan 17 2015, 13:07:58 UTC