To them were born twelve children. One died at birth, the other eleven they reared to manhood and womanhood, there being five boys and seven girls. I feel very grateful to my father and mother for giving us the privilege of being born under the new and everlasting covenant and for teaching us children the principals of the gospel and the right way to live it and the blessings derived there from. All the children but three have married in the temple, two of them married L.D.S. boys and will go through later.

One of my brothers, Ivan, married a wonderful Catholic girl and I do hope sometime she will see as he does.

My grandparents all came to Zion for the gospel's sake so they could mingle with the saints and worship as they  please. My great grandfather on my father's mother's side of the family came to Utah the same year President Brigham Young  came out west through all the hardships they had in 1845. My paternal and maternal parents histories are written else where, so will I continue with my life history stating that I have always tried in my weak way to live up to my heritage for I do appreciate it.

 My mother tells me that in the little red house under the hill on 13th East and 33rd South, Salt Lake City, Utah, on a  cold winter morning Dec. 8, 1906,  a midwife deliver of her a puny light haired and brown-eyed baby girl, costing father a load of hay to pay the midwife. (Many a time have my brothers teased me saying I only cost a load of hay and mother would come to my rescue and tell them one of them just cost a dollar and another cost a sack of potatoes and my next sister ten dollars.)

 After four boys my mother and father wanted a girl badly and so did my brother want a sister. They have always  treated me grand. I was quite a bit of care during my first years of life, having measles three times and black canker twice during my   first  year. Mother says she used to look at me and wish I was a health boy.  Often she wondered if she would raise this puny girl to womanhood. I now weigh two hundred pounds and am five  feet eleven inches. I had many childish habits and pranks, some of them I'll  mention as told to me by mother.

 When learning to talk I used to say "No" to everything and when I wouldn't get what I wanted I would go  quickly and  say, "no means Yes". I liked butter very much  my father would delight in moving it around the table to see how many times I would go around to get it. Also when I got my fill of food upside down on my head I would put my plate no matter what was on it. Many a paddling I got for that stunt.

 I remember  my Uncle Jesse Stay ( Now dead). calling me Fuzz top as my hair was white and stuck out all over my head. I was always playing with the  boys, quite a tomboy. I bawled for an iron train which I got for Christmas, my most treasured toy. Never could play with dolls. I was more interested in pulling the hair off to see what made the eyes tick, and pulling the squeak box  out of them to see how it made them cry and joint apart to see how they were put together.

 Much to my mother's horror and grief her little girl used to run always, Which was awful bad,  and often, I would not go short distances either. She asked me one day what made me run  away. "Why didn't I ask Her, and I said, "Manna, you would only say No! She punished me  in every way she could, but to no avail. Finally conquered me by tying me out to an apricot tree, (We had one in our back yard.) like you do horses and leaving me after dark.  I'll never forget how I bawled being frightened of the dark. My brothers stood it as long as they could, then they coaxed mother to let them come out and untie me. I never ram away again.

 In the summer times of my High School year's I worked at Fitz Geralds, a diabetic, and Rasmussens tending kids and doing house work to earn a little to help out, also worked for Huffs while she was in the hospital caring for a family of five and her husband for $5. a week.

 I wanted to got to college, but  the folks couldn't afford to send me so I took the next best thing. I decided to go into training to be a nurse. I could earn enough money with what I had saved up from peeling tomatoes in a canning factory to go in Jan.  So I took  a job up at Stringhams at Keetly, Utah, and worked until Dec. Them worked at Aunt Mary Alice Woodbury's until Jan, having worked there the preceding summer.

 I had $75 saved and went  in training Jan. 2, again crying because my brothers said if I did I would be a hard-boiled old maid. I vowed I wouldn't be hard-boiled, but the old maid part I couldn't do much about. I was going with Johnnie Klassen at that time. Canned him on April Fool's day for fear I would be sorry but wasn't. My training filled my life completely except for socials to which I took my favorite cousin, Duke, Arnold White, and Dr. Harding Simons.

 
I enjoy every min. of my training. Was only called on the mat once and then not punished. I had eleven months L.D.S. training, eight months O.B. and tree months pediatrics, and  the rest of my training I cannot remember just how long. I cried again when I was finished because I felt so all alone.

Aden Stay

While on the farm we sent two boys on missions. Aden came home and married Alice White, her  boy time sweetheart. They had a daughter, Claire. Ivan and Hobart were in California. We moved to Draper and Aden ran the farm. Father worked at the Fair Business. We used to go and pick berries up to Granite. Ivan and Hobart were in California.

Hobart Stay

Lorna Stay

My sister Lorna met Henry Vandenbery, converted him to the Church  and married him in 1920.

Carroll Stay

My folks had moved into Salt Lake City. Father's health was not so  good. We bought the Woodbury home, Uncle Tom's, on 4th East  and 18th south. I used to go out there on weekends. My sisters all in  School and my brother Carroll on a mission in California.

Doris Stay

Nina Stay 

In Jan. 1925 I graduated from training and did special duty at various hospitals and homes. Earned my graduating outfit and two of my sisters's outfits, Doris and Nina. They were graduating form  High School and Junior High. Then sent Doris  to Business College. The girls were good. They helped what they could. We had exercises in Jun of that year.  The first money I earned was the biggest money I ever earned, and I worked until Aug of that year 1929. Then I took my sister Nina and my grandmother Stay down to California, as all my brothers except Carroll were living there at this time and it didn't seem like home without them. My brother Hobart had married a missionary girl Velva Jensen, in the Cardston Temple, and they had gone back to California to live and in due time Hobart Lee was born. He was just a baby when  we got  down there to visit grandma. I liked it so well that I looked around for work and for a job on nights at the Mission Hospital.  She went back to Salt Lake as Uncle Cal was sick. The  my father and mother decided to follow their children and they came down and bought our home on Flower street. I taught Beehive girls  for eight years in Hunting Pork Ward and won my queen bee pin and award.

 While in my last year of training Lorna's husband , Henry, got his back broken. I took care of him at the hospital and when we could do no more for him we took him home. We was paralyzed. After Lorna had her baby girl, Joyce mother and she could care for Henry with my help when I got off duty. Henry died eighteen months after he got hurt.He was in Michigan and I was in California . I sent for Lorna and babies to come and keep house for Ivan and me  as we wanted to live together, and it would help her out as well as us, so we had the little house on Mission Street. Soon Doris had graduated from business college and had earned enough for a vacation, so she came down and Ivan  got her a job. That left mother and father and the three little kids in Utah. That is why they came down.

 The depression was on in 1931. Father had a hard time getting work, so we paid the board, Ivan and I. Lorna worked and helped, too. Mother tended her kiddies and Doris was getting ready to marry Leon Pilkington. She married and Nina finished school.

Lorna, in the mean time had met Frank Sly and got married. And Carroll had fallen in love with Erma Ford, one of my nurse friends, and was serious. And Ivan was going  steady with Leck, and me with Jim and Bud, at intervals, but they were not Mormons and for various reasons I would not marry them. In a year's time all the others were married, leaving Myla, Lois, Jess and I at home. Lois finished her High School. I helped  her with her expenses and then she took up Beauty work. I was charge nurse on Maternity at that time and had a few raises.

Lois Stay

Lois met Harry Robb over at Esther Genoshy's and in due time married him and had little Jack. When Jack was six months old Harry died in 1938. On Jan 1, 1937, my Uncle Ed and Kenneth White and Marie, my cousins, came down on a visit and I was happy to see them. Little did I think I would go back with them. They brought Ed with  them because he was lonely, as Aunt Zettie had died the Oct. before .

 
Aunt Rosetta (Zetty) Stay & Uncle Ed Gunderson

I went to a New Years Nurses' party on the third of Jan. and I told several of the nurses, who  weren't married and  older than I, about my mice Uncle and arranged for some of them to meet him. At that time I was just getting rid of Bud and went with Ray Lechtenberg that night, and had just  the night before told one of the nurses I was farther away from marriage than I had ever been.

 That night, after the party, Ed, Kenneth had been out  and come in late, and Ed proposed to me. I thought it as a joke, but as the evening wore on I knew he was serious and needed someone badly to help on the farm. I had previously promised in a letter to them that for their kindness to my sisters I would be glad to help in any way I could. I held high regard for him, but did not know if I could be sure I loved him. He was sure he could take care of that, so  the more I thought and prayed about it, the surer I was it was my mission . The Stake Pres. said " He was sure my mission is in Idaho . Little did I know that the Stake Pres. hadn't send in my mission papers to Salt Lake.

 In Feb. of the year 1937 my sister Lorna, bore Frank a baby boy Lewell, and five weeks after his birth she died leaving Joyce and Harry orphans, and LaRae and Lewell with their father.Mother raised Lewell and LaRae and Lorna made the request for Ed and I to take Joyce and Harry, which we did, and did the best we could with them. We went down to her funeral and brought them back with is and her body to bring her back from California to bury her bside Henry in Salt Lake City. I have loved those two kiddies as my own.

 When I married, I became wife, cousin, aunt, grandmother, stepmother, mother-in- law, and mother, though I could never if I tried forever, be the wife and mother that Aunt Rosetta was, for she wa a truly wonderful woman and it has been quite a task to try and follow  in her footsteps.

 My greatest desire in marriage was to have babies and raise a family, but for some reason, this part of my patriarchal Blessing has been with held. I has a son that died before birth, but I thank my Heavenly Father for that much of motherhood that I enjoyed while carrying him. I buried him with his father in 1977,

 We lived on a farm and I have helped all I can to care for Ed's children and grandchildren, loving them as I would my own, I do believe, though I am not sure, the feeling is mutual.
 I have tried to keep active in my church duties, keeping the commandments the best I can and prayed earnestly that I may do better in any position I  might hold. I was First Councilor to Annie Shippen 1938. in the M.I.A., on the Old Fold committee which I served with my good husband, and now Relief Society Pres. Taught some Beehive.
Have mostly tried to be a housewife, but have dabbled a little in this and that.
 

And doing Public Health nursing for a year, and helping out what I can in my small way in this war crises, and shortage of Doctors.
 In Aug of 1943 Joyce went to California to live breaking  my  heart, because she had to go, as I miss her every day of my life and it has been one of the biggest disappointments I have had to over come thus far, barring none. It has come nearer tearing my husband and me apart and then pulling us together closer again than anything ever could. I will always stay by him.
 Ed's son, Vern, was married to Erma Olsen when I came here and had two children, Alvin and Neil. I have helped her to have Kay and Paul. Leona was married to Jim Purcell and had  Marie. I helped her with Lois and Dick, She has truly been a daughter to me. Aden married Afton Chapman in Jun after we were married and they have two children.
 

Joe, Vern, Jim Purcell, Aden, Grant Afton, Erma, Leona Afton, Noma not pictured

 
MY GRANDMOTHER

Mary Carma Stay Gunderson
By Maurine Jane Purcell Purser

Mary and most of her history is above. But there is still a lot information that needs to be told. So please over look the things you may have all ready read.

Mary went to school in Draper, Utah, later graduating from Jordan High in 1922.

She wanted to go to college, but this was the depression time, and college was one big thing her parents couldn't afford to help her with, having twelve children in all. So Mary worked until she had enough money saved to start nurses' training. On January 2, 1926, she started the eleven months of L .D, S. training and eight months of O. B. training, three months of Pediatrics, and many other types of training till she graduated May 20, 1920.
 In August of 1929 she went to California, as most of her brothers and sisters lived there.
Here she worked at the Mission Hospital in Huntington Park and served eight years as head of O. B. nurse.
During this time of depression, she helped some of her brothers and sisters financing their educations.
 In Oct. Of 1936, Mary lost her beloved Aunt Rosetta (Aunt Zettie) Stay Gunderson, in Menan, (Uncle Ed) came to California to visit his deceased wife's relatives. When he proposed to Mary, she thought he was joking, as he was 17 years older. They were then married on Jan. 19, 1937, in the Salt Lake L. D. S. Temple and then went back to Menan. On her wedding day she became a wife, a mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, aunt and cousin all at once, since Ed had five grown sons and one grown daughter; Gerald, Vern, Joe, Leona (Mrs. M. Jim Purcell), Aden and grant all of Menan.
 After two months of their marriage, Mary's widowed sister Lorna died, leaving four small children. Mary and Ed took in their two older ones and raised them as their own. This began a long list of thirty-three or more children and adults needing a place to live, some having had surgery, and some having run out of money. She kept two retarded boys for two years so they would be close enough to attend school; unwed mothers, three boys who were having trouble in the city came to the farm to live, each from a different locality. They took in a family who had just came from Denmark, but didn't have a home. Once a dad and mother brought their son to live with them; they had heard from friends that the Gunderson family let children live with them, they had came from Arizona. Mary and Ed made each and everyone feel like one of their own.
 Relief Society President from Aug. 1943 to Oct. 1947 she served during the war years. One years they were asked to furnish forty-nine quilts to be sent to the church welfare program. She was also busy in other church programs and taught every age group class in Sunday School.

 On one Thanksgiving day the family was just sitting down to eat a big turkey dinner when a knock came on the door. There were two Indians, very drunk, those people Mary had helped sometime before. They wanted to know if Mary could lend them some money. Mary, knowing they would only use it for more liquor, told them she didn't have any cash, but they were welcome to eat dinner with them. The grandchildren talked for years about having had a Thanksgiving dinner with some real Indians.

 She served as Public Health Nurse in Jefferson Co., from 1946 till her retirement in 1971, in these years besides serving the public, she furthered her well advanced education in nursing with the following. Tuberculosis and skin testing; cardiovascular diseases; stroke and its rehabilitation; and many more.
 Mary was the school health nurse for seven schools in Jefferson Co., along with her regular Public Health Nursing. She aided in carrying out a full health program in these schools in immunizations, vaccinations, T. B. testing with follow-up cases. Also she aided with dental health,, vision and hearing programs. She with her co-worker spearheaded the organization of parents to establish the first school for mentally retarded in this area. She organized a Diphtheria Immunization Clinic and cared for their cases in 1953.

 An added community service in Home Nursing, Mother and infant Care classes and First aid. She was a co-worker with the Civil Defense Committee. She was president of the District No. 13, Nursing Association and was an active member of the Idaho State Employees Association. Each year she met with pre-school mothers in every school in this area, giving advice to mothers on Health practices and nutrition and explaining requirements for school entrance.  The Hot lunch program, in which she acted as an advisor, was another project.
 She had many treasure experiences; one of them was saving a young mother's life in a blizzard of 1949. They couldn't get out in the blizzard to get the mother to the hospital to have her baby. She had the baby at home. It had died, and the mother developed complications. She started with a high fever, then blood poisoning developed. The father was taking care of her and sent their young son on a horse to Monteview store to call out for help. They couldn't get a doctor to go out in the blizzard, so the sheriff called Mary and of course she would go with him. It was 3:00 p.m. when they left behind a snow plow.. The drifts were so deep it took four hours to get to the Monteview Store, and they still had two miles to go. When they got to the home., the deputy had to help slide Mary down the drifts to get into the house. Mary and the husband got the semiconscious mother taken care of and bundled up and back up the drifts to the sheriff's car. They made it to the Idaho Falls Hospital at midnight and as soon as Mary was sure the mother was all taken care of, she left to go back to Rigby. They got back to Rigby at 3:00, 24 hours later. She said that it had been like driving in a pan of milk for 24 hours. Mary was thrilled to have been able to save the young mother. There are many more stories like this of Mary's love and concern for people and her willingness to serve others.
 Some of her many honors and awards are: Honorary life membership by Midway's P. T. A., April 20, 1967; the outstanding State of Idaho Employee for the for the year, June 1955; Certificate of Service- 10 years; Sincere Appreciation for Loyal and Valuable Service rendered by Governor of Idaho, August 1966; 24 years of service to Department of Health by Terrell O. Carver, M. D., administrator Idaho Department of Health; Certificate of Appreciation for ten years of Outstanding In fatale Paralysis service, not only for devoted effort towards increasing chapter accomplishment but also for the added scientific knowledge; Certificate of Appreciation for extraordinary voluntary service, 1958, in recognition of generous and sympathetic support of the fight against polio which has brought life and meaning to the struggles of the disabled and has contributed importantly to brilliant scientific accomplishment March 1972 from Governor Cecil Andus - for serving the people of Idaho with distinction, with loyalty and with ability; November 1970, recognition of service to the Citizens of Idaho in Rubella Eradication
 Program from director of Preventive Medicine; selected Idaho's Outstanding Woman Employee of 1967; from Frank Church, May 16, 1968, for loyal service to our state as employee of Idaho State Department of Public Health for 22 years; also from George Hansen the same year.

 She loved her husband very much, and took care of him many times from illnesses that would have taken his life if it had not been for her love and nursing. On Oct. 29, 1977, he died at the age of 89, at home with his loving wife at his side.

 March 26, 1978, Mary was presented with the L.D.S. public communication council.
 In 1960 Mary's own health was giving her trouble, her heart, and she found she had diabetes and after her cancer surgery, she still took people in that needed help. In 1971 Mary retired from County Nursing after 27 years. After her retirement people still called her, and for the rest of her years she worked as a nurse on her own time. She passed away in Aden's home in Menan, Idaho, on April 22, 1981. Mary was not one to show off her awards, as these awards of recognition were found stuffed in the back of her book. The best award was in her heart, that she had felt love and peace in helping some one in their time of need. Mary used this scripture as her motto: Matthew: chapter 25 verse 40: "In as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brothers ye have done it unto me."

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