Marilyn Winn Green 1945-2009

Marilyn 2009

Marilyn 1964

Vance's beautiful sister passed away 5 years ago today. She was the oldest daughter of Spencer & Thora Winn, and so much of her time was spent watching her younger brothers and sisters while her mother worked at Petersen Draperies. One day Vance really freaked Marilyn out.  He was running around and dove through the window and the window won.  He was bleeding everywhere and glass was stuck all over his body.  Marilyn got busy plucking glass out of his shoulder, head, and arms and then took care of him.

Vance after he ran through a window

Marilyn was very popular in Preston among her classmates and her friends.  She always took time to style her hair and wore the most fashionable clothes, which always looked really good on her.  She kept her room clean and tidy.  She also learned shorthand and Vance wondered how she knew what it said because it looked like a foreign language to him. If there was an award for the most likely to succeed of the seven siblings, Vance said Marilyn would have won it.

One of the main reasons we moved from Idaho to Utah in 1987 was because of Marilyn.  She loved to learn and always encouraged others to keep learning. When Vance was at BYU Marilyn would proof read his papers, because that is what she loved to do. She would read text books just for the fun and joy of learning.  She stayed up on all current events and could talk about anything.  She was an amazing conversationalist. She loved to listen to Rush Limbaugh and watch Fox News. If she couldn't find her glasses she'd wear her sunglasses inside the house so she could watch Fox News on her stool in the kitchen.

Even though it has been 5 years, it seems like it was just yesterday we were driving around town laughing after Ed tried to help her get into the mini van and yet it also seems like forever because we miss her so very much!

Spencer Tanner Winn & Thora Palmer Winn's Marriage

Wedding Picture taken April 20, 1942 of Spencer Tanner & Thora Palmer Winn

Spencer & Thora Winn were married 20 April 1942 in the Logan Utah Temple.

I married their son, Vance William Winn and loved to hear stories about them before I became part of the family. They accepted and loved me as if I was one of their own children. They loved each other very much and watching Spencer take care of Thora for many years while she suffered with Alzheimer's was truly touching. He always tried to make her life more pleasant and treated her like a queen until the day she died. They were such good people and I love them very much!

In remembrance of their wedding anniversary this week I decided to share how their love story began. 

Spencer Winn and Thora Palmer were in the same grade, but unaware of each other until 1935 when they were sophomores and had the same art class. That was when their relationship began.  They started as friends but Spencer must have had romance in his heart because he would walk Thora home from school, which was quite a tell-tell sign since he lived only a block from the Preston Academy where they went to school.  He would walk Thora home which was well over a mile farther north and then walk back home again.  They officially started dating when they were juniors and dated until he left on his mission in March 1940. While serving in the California Mission his Mission President gave permission for Thora and her friend to visit. After her visit Spencer was made District Supervisor and the mission was so large he had to purchase an old Chevy car with his own money. When his mission came to an end Spencer's mother and Thora took the bus to California and drove home with Spencer in that Chevy car.  They arrived home in March 1942 and Thora and Spencer were married April 20, 1942, just a month later.  Their love story of 65 years and union of almost 58 years, took a hiatus when Thora passed away April 16, 2000.  Spencer spent 13 years without her until July 18, 2013 when they were united once again.  Their love story now continues on eternally!

Spence & Thora Winn at my Wedding June 8, 1978

Thora Palmer Winn

Anybody know what happened on March 14, 1920?

Thora Palmer (Winn) was born at 7:45 p.m. in the Preston Hospital. I think sharing some memories of her would be a fun way to celebrate her birthday!

I asked Vance to think of 5 words that would describe his mother. He said Charitable, Funny, Loving, Energetic and Beautiful. He said one of the things he admired was that she would do almost anything for almost anybody. He also said she was the life of every party with her quick wit and fun sense of humor.

I remember Thora as being a hard worker. She spent many hours in the kitchen cooking delicious food and would only stop if there was a baby to hold. I remember her getting up very early in the morning with a dishtowel tied around her waist to go pick raspberries. She had a certain way to pick them and didn't like others to help for fear they might break a precious plant or not do it correctly. But she did let me help make her delicious Raspberry Jam! It was YUMMY!

Lillie Belle Church Ford Obituary

OBITUARY OF LILLIE BELLE CHURCH FORD

SISTER OF LOCAL MAN KILLED IN CAR ACCIDENT

C.W. Church received word that his sister Lillie Ford had been killed in a car-bus accident. Following is the account as taken from the newspaper clipping.

Mrs. Fred Norris passed away on Thursday, September 29 near Hot Springs, Montana in an auto accident. Mrs. Norris and her close friend, Mrs. Lillibelle Ford of Coutts, were killed when their car slammed into a slow moving school bus. According to the coroner, the bus, not a regular school bus, but a red and white vehicle used for transporting children, had slowed again when a passenger was spotted.

The funeral of the late Mrs. Henry (Lillie Belle) Ford was held on Wednesday, October 5 at 3:00 p.m. in Coutts United Church with Rev. Ormand Lavenne officiating. The host of friends who were present and the many floral offerings attested to the high esteem in which the grand old lady was held by all who knew her.

Interment was in the family plot in the Milk River Cemetery with Martin Brothers of Lethbridge in charge of arrangements. The members of the Iris Chapter OES performed the graveside cemeronies.
The late Mrs. Ford was born in Postville, Iowa on April 4, 1882, the daughter of Charles and Charlotte Church. When she ws two years of age her parents moved to a farm at Chamberlain, South Dakota. Here she grew to womanhood and on December 14, 1899 she married Henry Spencer Ford. To this union six children were born, five boys and one daughter. All survive and were present at the funeral. Other survivors are 13 grandchildren, 17 great great grandchildren, two brothers and two sisters.

Mrs. Ford was a member of the Coutts United Church and took a very active part in the establishment of the church. An Eastern Star member for almost 50 years, she had recently been honored with a Life Membership in the Iris Chapter at Milk River.

Henry Spencer Spellman Ford 1863-1935

Happy Birthday Great Grandpa Henry Spencer Spellman Ford!

We come from people who like to have a good time. Here is what Lillie Belle's brother Wellington said about a time Henry changed the wheels around on some guys buggy and then noticed he had done the same thing on his buggy.

"We had our music along and we had a big dance til about 3:00 a.m. Henry, knowing that another guy and I were at the head of the affair, decided to play a joke on us, while we were having a big time, he went out and changed the wheels around on the other guy’s buggy. One front behind and hind wheel on the opposite side in front. Kind of a laughing matter, and as I was taking my girl home, we were laughing and talking about it when I happened to think and discover both my front wheels were behind and hind wheels in front, so now we had to laugh at our own predicament. Funny enough, I had to get along without kissing her cause I couldn’t lean ahead to do it. Oh, we had fun those days. So Henry did get a good joke on us and I didn’t notice mine til I had laughed about the other fellows."

Born: 17 April 1863 in Clinton, Indiana
Died:   1 Nov 1935 in Coutts, Canada

Remembering Lillie Belle Church Ford, 1882-1960 My Great Grandmother

Today is My Great Grandmother's birthday, she would have been 132 years old.  She was born April 4th 1882 in Postville Iowa.  She was the instigator of much fun and entertainment at neighborhood gatherings.  Here is one neighbors description of a typical gathering. "On the east side of the Ford house was a long open porch where the picnic tables were set up and things were going full swing. The grown-ups had eaten and the kids were being fed and watered and having fun. Someone said, "Look what's coming across the yard."  There came an old prospector riding on a little donkey. This character was well equipped with all kinds of paraphernalia tied on with ropes and binder twine.  His old straw hat pulled well down over his rugged countenance, his pants held with binder twine.  His ragged clothing was flapping in the breeze. Pots and pans clattered with each step the animal took. What excitement!  Who, what and where did this outfit come from? On closer scrutiny it was discovered it was Lillie Belle Ford just having fun entertaining the crowds."

Born: 4 April 1882 in Postville, Iowa
Died:  29 September 1960 in Plains, Montana