EARLY YEARS

NURSING

AUNT RAY

JANE PARISH LINDSAY

HEALTH CRISIS

MY FAMILY

MY HUSBAND'S DEATH

FATHER'S LATER YEARS

MOTHER'S PASSING

Copyright © 1982 By: David J. Wardell. All Rights Reserved.   Reproduction or redistribution of this page in any form is strictly prohibited.

Florence Lindsay Wardell (1971)

Page Revised: October 05, 2002.

My grandparents were some of the great old pioneers, who gave up everything they owned, to follow their leader to the Great Salt Lake Valley. Most of them came into the valley in 1852, but some were asked to go to Bear Lake Valley. They went to the town of Bennington, Bear Lake, Idaho. Of this heritage, I am a descendent.

I was born on Sunday, April 24, 1898, in a log home, which my father, James Harvey Lindsay, and his brother, had built. It was my older brother's second birthday. My mother, Irene Larona Godfrey, was also from the pioneer leaders. We lived in the log house until I was just past two years of age. My father farmed and worked on the railroad.

My parents were called, with many others, to settle the Big Horn Basin in Wyoming. They sold all they had, and with a wagon load of things they kept, a white-top buggy, and two spirited teams, they began their travels. My mother drove one of the teams all the way to the Big Horn Basin, and tended my sister Lois, who was nearly four years my senior, and myself--which was a handful!

My father drove the wagon and let my brother, Parley, help. My cousin, John Lindsay, drove the cattle they took to the Basin with them, for a saddle pony and saddle my father gave him. He was very glad, as he had to drive his father's cattle also, and did not have a pony to ride. The only thing I can remember about the trip is the pretty dishes falling into the river when mother drove up the bank after crossing. We were on the road for about six weeks. Father built us a nice log home in the town of Byron, Big Horn County, Wyoming. Here I grew to womanhood and experienced all the thrills of pioneer life that my grandparents had known before me in Utah.

When I was four years old, we had a very bad storm. It became dark, like night, while we were at Sunday School that morning. I prayed for father to come and get me. In a little, father came and carried me all the way home. What a comfort it was to be in his arms.

I started school in Byron in the fall of 1904, with Sister Jensen as my teacher. She was a kind, loving person. I would go to her home and we would go to school together, as I was afraid of any stranger at that time.

In the summer of 1906 I was baptized by Albert Robison in the Shoshoni River, as that was the only place we had to do that work. I graduated from the eighth grade, under Frank J. Sylvester, in 1914. He was very kind, and helped me in many ways.

I started attending the Big Horn Academy in the fall of 1914. It was located in Cowley, Wyoming, and I stayed with Florence Crosby. Here I met and became acquainted with one of the best men I have ever known. He did more for the Big Horn Basin than any other man. His name was Jessie Crosby, Sr. He was a kind friend to me, and helped me in many ways. I never knew many of his good deeds until I read his diary many years later. While I was attending the academy, he passed away. It was a great sorrow for me. When his lawyer was leaving, he said to me:

"This man could have been worth many thousands of dollars, but he gave it away. "He has only twenty thousand to leave to his family."

To me, this meant he valued his friends more than he did money. In his diary he wrote:

"My friends are my most valuable possessions."

I graduated from the Big Horn Academy in the year 1918. It was while I was attending the last year that I met my husband and we became acquainted. I took the honor of having attended the most Church functions in the school.

I was twelve years old when I was first asked to help teach a primary class, and when I was fourteen, I started to teach in the Sunday School, in Byron. I started my seven brothers and sisters, younger than myself, in Sunday School and Primary. It was a pleasure to help them get ready and take them to Sunday School, and teach them the Gospel. They loved to go with me and always looked forward to it. I am sure they taught me just as much as I did them, because it made me study harder and be more careful in my habits.

I have watched the young people grown up and become active in the Church. It gives you pleasure when they grow up and thank you for the part you have played.

In 1918, we saw many of our good friends go to war; some never came back. My older brother Parley was one of the first to enlist in the Marines, and was sent overseas to fight the Germans. He was the only one in his county who was not mortally wounded and was able to come back. We were all thankful for this gift.

In the spring of 1918, my fiancee was called, and left in May, 1918. It was hard to see him leave, but many had to go, and he felt it was his duty. I prayed he would return unharmed, and he did.

It was that year that I started practical nursing. I took care of a lady with cancer. We went to Thermopolis, Wyoming, and I stayed, caring for her for four months. Then I received word my younger brother had drowned. That was a great sorrow for the family, as my father did not have anyone to help him on the farm. So, it was up to me--to go into the field and do a man's work.

In the fall of 1918 there were very few young men left in the community, so the young women went to work in the Lovell Sugar Factory. We enjoyed it very much, and received higher wages than we ever did before. I saved over $300 while working there, and I planned to take nursing courses in Salt Lake City. The flu was so very bad, and they were very short of labor. You could hear of a death almost every day. Some who were very dear to me passed on at that time.

The last of October of that year, father came home with the flu. I went home to see him, and in a few days the whole family was in bed with the flu, except one small brother. My dear Aunt Ray was a blessing and a guiding light to us all. She nursed us all, which included seven with the flu, five with pneumonic flu, and one with double pneumonia; beside her mother, who was 94 years old. God gave her strength to do this noble work, as there was no one else to do it. With God's help, we all recovered, and learned to love Aunt Ray like a second mother. She was a guiding light to so many people--helping them on the straight and narrow path by her loving ways, and good example. I gave the money I had saved to help pay the doctor bill.

When I was stronger I went and started practical nursing again, and worked at that until June. I helped take care of Mattie Kension, and helped lay her out, after she passed away. I also helped with her lovely little boy. This was my first experience at that, and it was hard for me, as I loved them so much.

When Joe came home in June, it was a very happy reunion. We were married on July 14, 1919, and went to live in Cowley, Wyoming. We were happy, but only for a short time. In September my mother took sick and I went home to care for the family until she was better. My older brother also came home at this time.

 In October, grandmother Lindsay passed away. She has lived such a good life and I am sure had many to welcome her on the other side. She lived to see her grandsons come home, and this was her last wish.

We returned to live Cowley, where our first child was born, June 17, 1920. My dear Aunt Ray cared for me, and I am sure it was our faith and prayers which healed me at that time. But, it was wonderful to be trusted with such a wonderful spirit as the child has proven to be, and he has always been such a comfort to me.

Our second child was born June 1, 1921. She was also a gift from On High, sent to us to guide and direct, which we have tried to do in our feeble way. I have been repaid many times, when I went with her as a Stake Missionary, and heard so many thank her for helping them see the light, and see the useful lives they were living.

We moved to Byron in 1925 and lived there, where my children received their schooling. On March 14, 1927, my third child was born. They never expected me to recover, but I prayed to be able to rear my children and God heard my prayers, and I was granted that privilege. But, I was never without pain for over seven years. That child never lived, but it was a beautiful baby boy.

In the year 1933 my health failed me, and I was sent to the Cody hospital, where a lady doctor told me just what I needed to regain my health. She helped all she could, and was a faithful friend. It was while I was in the hospital that a great sorrow came to me: my dear Aunt Ray passed away. It was like losing a second mother, as no one could fill her place.

In the fall of that year I went to Billings, Montana, and was operated on. Five doctors told me I had one chance in a hundred. I told them I was going to raise my family, and they said:

"We sure hope so."

The next morning the doctor asked me again, and I said I had faith that I was going to raise my family. He said:

"I am not big enough to operate without divine guidance", and I said that was the reason I wanted him to do it.

I am sure it was God's will that I was spared to raise my family, and I have tried to teach them the right way by example and guidance, with God's help. In the winter of that year my husband took sick, and we sent him to the V.A. Hospital in Cheyenne, where he stayed for over three months. He was very ill and never recovered for ten years. I am sure he never did recover fully. We were glad to have him with us again, and rejoiced to be a full family.

Another sorrow came to us as my baby sister passed away. It left a big vacancy in our family, as I had cared so much for her it seemed like I had lost a daughter.

I went to work on the W.P.A. in Lovell, Wyoming, and worked there until 1942, as my husband's health would not permit him to do steady work. In this way, the children were able to finish high school. The great blessing was in this way--the family could be together, and know the blessings of being together.

My son Joseph joined the National Guard in 1941, and went to Lovell for his training, until he was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington. My daughter then finished high school, went to Fort Lewis to see her brother, and then to Portland. She stayed with my sister Ray Herget, and took a business training course.

In the spring, she came back to Byron and we raised strawberries for the market. We picked and sold 400 quarts; all we could get for them was 25 cents a quart. But, we made enough to move to Utah in the fall of 1942. My husband went to Utah in the summer and found work at Hill Field. This was the first work he had seen since he left the hospital. It was very nice to be together again.

In October, 1942, I underwent an operation. It was then that I found out what my life should be. I should be a nurse, as I would rather care for the sick than anything else, and I feel good doing that kind of work.

The first of the year I started to work at Hill Field, where my husband was working. We went to work together and came home together. We enjoyed it and felt that we were doing our part to help in the Second World War, as our son was in the Army at this time.

In the summer of 1944 our son came to Ogden to see us, and we took a trip back to Byron, Wyoming. It was nice to have all the family together again, and it was a pleasure to meet our daughter-in-law, as my son was married May 15, 1943, and we could not get off work to attend the wedding. This was our first time to meet her, as she was a Portland girl. We all enjoyed the trip very much. It was a pleasure to meet my parents again, but it was hard to see how my father had aged.

We worked at Hill Field and enjoyed it. Our daughter Luneata worked at the DRS, and lived with us. We all enjoyed being together. Our daughter was a Stake Missionary at this time, and we enjoyed having her do her part in the Church. My husband took a physical examination and passed the test, so he was eligible for work. This was good news for us as he had not been able to do this for over ten years. Two weeks later, we spent a delightful evening together and retired for the night--February 24, 1945.

About 2:00am we were awakened by a fire. It proved to be a close neighbor's house, and my husband was very excited. Our daughter went over where the fire was and came home later. My husband asked if anyone was burned, and she said that two children were. He put his hand over his heart, called his sister's name, Mattie, and had a heart attack.

I put him in bed and our daughter went for a Doctor. He came and gave him a shot. He was to be kept quiet and we were not to talk to him. This I did very faithfully and next morning the Doctor came again and gave our daughter permission to go to work.

About 9:00pm my husband had another attack and passed away. I send for my daughter and called the Doctor, but it was just too late for him to do anything to help him. He was kind to me, as he helped me in every way he could, by advice, which I followed, and which proved to help me in many ways. This friend and doctor has helped me in many ways through the years. I love to go to his office and have a talk with him, as it builds me up physically and spiritually, and gives me a desire to live better in every way. I have enjoyed working with him very much.

It was hard to adjust to this, but we were blessed as our son Joseph and his lovely wife came for the services. It was very sad, but we know that he went to a much better place, and it was up to us to do our part. Now the test came to us to try and accomplish all we could while we were on the earth.

Our daughter Luneata was a Stake Missionary at this time. The missionaries were very good to me, as they held their meetings at my home, and took me many places with them. This helped me very much.

It was not long until a girl came to live with us. Her name was Rebecca Piggot. I learned to love her like a second daughter, and she called me Mother Wardell. This became a favorite name, and soon five of the girls were calling me that. I loved them all very much and it is a pleasure to meet them today.

In the fall of 1945 I went to Byron, Wyoming to see my father, as he had a stroke and was unable to walk any more, being very heavy. After a while he partly recovered and I returned to my girls and started working again. The girls were very glad to have me back again.

In the spring, March 6, 1946, my daughter and myself had our endowments in the Salt Lake Temple, so we could do work for the dead. We went to the Temple many times and it always gave us a lift and a desire to live a better life. I made many friends this way.

During the summer I left my two girls and went back to take care of father. It was hard to leave them and go so far away, but I had faith they would be protected by a stronger arm than mine and I am sure they were.

Father, mother, and my older brother were very glad to see me and it was nice to be with them again. I sure did miss Aunt Ray, as I did need advice many times and we always went to her. She gave us understanding and love, beside the knowledge we sought.

It was a pleasure to care for father and help him. He gave me help in many things, as I missed my companion so much, but I had seen him suffer so much, and would not call him back if I could. Father was a wonderful patient, but it was hard to lift him; he helped all he could. We talked many things over with him and I stayed by his side the last forty-eight hours before he went. Father passed away January 4, 1947. It was hard to part with him, but we knew it was for the best, as we had seen him suffer so much.

I stayed for about ten days, then went back to my girls. They were very glad to see me, and I to have them back again. It was a pleasure to be with them all.

Work was hard to get now. I tried many places, but they said I was too old. This was the first time I had thought of myself as old. They gave a short class at the Dee Hospital for nurses air work. I took this class and went to work at Dee Hospital, and worked there for a few years. I enjoyed it very much and made many friends.

The people who lived at the Terrace had to have their homes moved and remodeled. So, my daughter and I sold our bonds and bought a home in Ogden on 32nd street. With some help from our friends, we moved into our new home. It was hard to leave our friends at the Terrace, but we thought it best.

My older sister Lois passed away October 5, 1947, just a short time after my father. I could not go back at this time, as I was working at the Dee Hospital, and my daughter was working at the arsenal. We all missed her, as she taught me much about genealogy work, and did accomplish a great deal of work on that line.

At this time I did make quite a few trips with my friends to the Salt Lake Temple. It was the greatest pleasure I have ever had--oing work for those that had gone on before us. I do hope to do a lot of that work in the future.

June 27, 1950, my daughter was married to Charles Duane Foutz. She gave up work to care for his children. I was working at the Dee Hospital and it was nice to see her with a family. She was blessed with a beautiful boy on April 6, 1951. They named him Joseph Larry Foutz. It was just after this that I gave up working at the hospital and did practical nursing in the home. This was easier on me, as my legs were giving me some trouble at this time.

I was doing this kind of work when they moved to Rock Springs. I went with them, as they were expecting a second child, which was born November 28, 1952, Leonard, in Rock Springs. She was not permitted to keep him very long.

In two weeks mother and my brother came up and I went with them to Salt Lake City, for mother to be examined by a doctor. She would not be operated on, so I went to Wyoming and took care of mother. I stayed with her for a year and a half and helped in every way I could. Mother passed away June 11, 1954. All the children came to the services. It was nice to have the family together again. There were just six children living at this time.

It was just after this that I went to Portland, Oregon, and took a class in practical nursing. It was nice to have the privilege of taking the class, as I learned many things that have been a great help to me and my patients that I have cared for, and as it is the work I love to do and gives me the greatest pleasure.

I have had several jobs of nursing in the homes in Portland and have enjoyed it very much. The work has not been too hard for me. I have always been able to get practical nursing in Portland when I wanted it and I love the people in Portland very much. I have made several trips to help my sister Ray with her family. This has always been a pleasure, as the family has always been so good to me and I have always felt at home in their home.

I was in Portland doing nursing when my daughter called me and told me she needed me. So, I went to Bozeman to help her, and it was then they moved to Billings, Montana. On September 11, 1959, her third boy was born. His name is Harvey Lynn Foutz. He has been a great comfort to us all. It is a great pleasure to take him to Sunday School, and take him to his class and see him enjoy it so much, then come tell me about it.

In 1962 I went to Portland again, to care for my brother-in-law with cancer. It was nice to see him again, and I do hope I helped him over the hard parts in some way. His family I love so very much; they are very dear to me. I was called back to Billings to help my daughter again.

In June my younger brother passed away. It was very hard to see this, but then some times it is the hard things that bring the best out in our lives. His family all came to the services. I just hope and pray that I helped them in some way to bear the burden they were called to bear.

I came to Portland again in the year 1964. I have tried hard to live a good life and do genealogy work, but have not been very successful in this line, but have learned many things about it.

In 1969 my sisters sent me to Utah for a trip. It was a very delightful trip and a great pleasure to meet my dear friends that I had worked with, and many lovely people I had cared for.