| OCR Text |
Show Volume XXV Issue X The Ogden Valley news Page 9 June 15, 2019 Lois Maxine Berlin Shepherd: Part II Jan. 26, 1926 ~ April 21, 2014 This is Part II of a three-part series on the life of Lois Shepherd, which was written by her granddaughter Heidi Shepherd. School Days - While living with Jean and Harold, Lois rode the school bus to the old Weber High on 11th and Washington Boulevard for 10th – 12th grades, graduating in May 1944. (She attended 9th grade at Huntsville Junior High as Weber High was too crowded.) As her family didn’t own a car, they would walk or ride bicycles—and occasionally horses for recreation. If they needed to go into Ogden, they rode with the mailman, milkman or Uncle Arnold Berlin who worked at Brown’s Ice Cream Co. on 25th and Kiesel Avenue. Occasionally Lois would hitchhike — a legal and common practice then—especially if she had to stay late at Weber High for pep club practice or other activities. Religion & Family History - Religion The old Dee Hospital, named after Thomas D. Dee, served the community from 1910 – 1969—when, July 9, 1969, the new McKay-Dee Hospital (located directly across from Weber State University on the west side of Harrison Blvd., which was also torn down), and the newest McKay-Dee Hospital (built below Harrison Blvd., south of Country Hills Dr.) opened March 20, 2002. The old Dee Hospital was torn down in 1972, after which Dee park was built & opened. played an important part throughout Lois’ life and she was always grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lois’ great-great-grandfather Albern Allen was a member of the Mormon Battalion who marched from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to California and back to Utah in 1846-47. He, his wife and family were converts to the Church and came to Utah for freedom of religion. Her grandfather, Andrew Emanuel Berlin, was converted to the gospel as a young boy of 11 in Treleborg, Sweden. He served there as a missionary for 6½ years and then came to America in 1872. On the boat coming over, he met another convert, Mary Fredricka Bjorkholm, and they were married and active in the church from then on. Lois’ Grandpa and Grandma Hislop were converts to the Church in Scotland and sailed for America for religious freedom. He died on the way. After Lois’ mother died in 1928, her father always went to church in the Huntsville ward and saw to it that all the children went. Nurse’s Training - All of her life, Lois wanted to be a nurse. She wasn’t intimidated by the sight of blood and would always doctor up dolls, animals and people—if they would let her. After graduating from high school in 1944, there was no money for nurse’s training, but she was able to enter the United States Army Cadet Nurse Corp. Program. The program would pay for the training if the girls would sign up to serve their country for two years after they finished, as long as World War II was still going on. Lois was in nurse’s training at the Thomas D. Dee School of Nursing at 1245 24th Street in Ogden, Utah, from 1944 to 1947. (The hospital was later torn down, and a park is now located on the grounds.) Fortunately, the war was over by the time she graduated with a degree as a registered nurse from Weber Jr. College (a two-year college at the time). She also received credit for one year of college through the University of Utah and later attended many medical seminars and workshops. Her second career choice would have been to become a hairdresser. Her dad’s advice was simple, “Be the best of whatever you want to be.” Lois and Farrell - During the second year of training, Lois and some of her nurse friends attended the 23rd Ward Sunday School in Ogden with Joyce Mordaunt. The Sunday School teacher for that age group was J. Farrell Shepherd, who had recently returned from the U.S. Navy at the end of WWII. He was also a returned missionary. His class decided to have a Sunday School party at Patio Springs in Eden and he invited the visiting nurses. Later, he asked Lois to go with him for a date, which was the beginning of a lot of fun. Lois was 20 years old and Farrell was 28. Lois said she was attracted to Farrell’s twinkly eyes, his sense of humor, and how kind and helpful he was to everyone. He was Elders Quorum president and was always helping someone. He was kind and helpful to Lois also, and to her parents, and they had a lot in common to talk about. They had both lost their mothers when they were young, had stepmothers and were from small towns. He always wanted to be “on the go,” and always had something fun to do or someplace fun to go in the 1942 Commodore 8 Hudson Automobile he’d bought when he was released from the Navy. They visited his Aunt Myrtle and Uncle Harry Williams in Salt Lake, his relatives in the Bear Lake area, and often drove up to Huntsville to see Lois’ sister Jean, and Harold. They would also go to dances in Salt Lake at the “Rainbow,” “Coconut Grove”’ or the White City in Ogden where they heard Lawrence Welk—Farrell’s favorite big band director, as he’d heard him several times in Chicago during the war. One time, on Lois’ birthday, Farrell brought a big box with a big red bow to the Nurses Home. To her surprise, it was a black puppy! They took it to her folks to tend, as there was no way she could keep it at the Nurses Home, but it later ran away and disappeared. After Lois graduated from nurses training in 1947, she took a road trip with her sister Lorna and husband Bud Wichmann, back to New Jersey. She stayed about three weeks and had a really fun time visiting the beach, sunbathing, swimming and picnicking. They also went up to New York to the Radio City Music Hall, saw skaters and the famous chorus line. One day she took the train up to New York City and went through the Statue of Liberty, rode the subway and saw all kinds of sights. She felt so brave for daring to go by herself, when Lorna and another friend couldn’t go. At the end of the trip, she returned by herself on the train to David and Myra’s home at 615 7th St. in Ogden. She and Farrell exchanged letters throughout the trip— Lois sharing all her fun experiences and Farrell sharing how much he was missing her. The Wedding - On the cold winter morning of Wednesday, Dec. 2, 1947, Farrell and Lois drove from Ogden to the Logan Temple. Temple president El Ray L. Christiansen, who had been Farrell’s mission president in the Texas-Louisiana mission, performed the marriage ceremony. Edna Mathews Shepherd, Farrell’s stepmother, and John Morgan, a friend of Farrell’s from Bear Lake, met them there and went through the temple with them. Everyone there was so nice and helpful, making it a very special day. Afterward, they had a delicious meal at the Bluebird Restaurant before the newlyweds left for Salt Lake City. There was not much money in those days, but they thought it was just wonderful to get to stay at the Newhouse Hotel in Salt Lake for two nights. Farrell and Lois went sightseeing, out to dinner, saw a show and, by Friday, were anxious to return home to their little basement apartment at 1240 27th St. in Ogden. On Saturday morning they hurried to Huntsville to help Jeanie get everything ready for the reception that evening. Lois wore a long white satin and lace wedding gown her sister Jean helped her make. It had tiny covered buttons down the front to the waist and on the long sleeves at the wrist. Lois had white satin slippers and her sister Klee loaned her a pretty blue chiffon handkerchief as the tradition was “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.” Lois’ going-away outfit was a three-piece light brown suit she had bought and loved, along with shoes to match. Farrell wore a dark blue suit, white shirt and tie. Three days later, on the snowy evening of Dec. 5, 1947, Lois’ sister Jean helped her arrange a really nice wedding reception at the Huntsville School Gymnasium, with a dance afterwards, so all the family members and friends could come. Lois remembered it being all fun and credited Jeanie and Harold for doing all the worrying and the work, arranging everything so it went like clock-work. The Relief Society sisters helped with the food; her dad paid for the orchestra ($25); Klee and Rich bought the wedding cake (wonderful fruit cake!); Jean arranged for the food and servers; Klee and Lorna took care of the gifts; little nieces and cousins served. There was a Saturday Night 4:30 p.m. Sunday Morning 9:00 a.m. Fr. Charles Cummins 801-399-9531 StFlorenceHuntsville.org Before and after Sunday Mass or by appointment. Saint Joseph Catholic Elementary, Middle School, and High School Providing a challenging, college-focused education in the proven tradition of Catholic schools, for the families of the Ogden Valley. We want to teach your children! For information on our program, financial assistance, tours, or application, please call 801-393-6051 or 801-394-1515. program during intermission and two of Lois’ cousins danced: Lou Jean Allen and Ann Stoker. Verna Bess Farrell Fletcher was the Maid of Honor. Elenore was out of town, so two nurse friends were bridesmaids: Donna Sorenson and Corrine Cowley. Merle Hymas was Best Man. Grandma Edna Shepherd, Farrell’s brother, Bill, and Lois’ folks were in the line. There was a big boxing match on the radio with Joe Louis and Ezra Charles, so Bill and a lot of others kept running out to the car to listen to the radio to see who was winning. The new couple received many nice gifts and had a great time. Lois felt very fortunate to be able to have a wedding reception, because she didn’t think any of her sisters were able to have this privilege and was so appreciative to Jean and Harold for their help. They moved into a basement apartment at 1240 27th Street in Ogden. Lois could walk the three blocks to work at the Dee Hospital Nursery and Farrell worked down on the old Weber State College Campus on 25th and Jefferson for a few years until the campus moved just above Harrison Blvd. on 39th Street. Their landlords, Alf and Merle Larson, along with their three children, Larry, Linda and Lee, were all very nice and excited for them. When Bert Nelson bought the home, he let them live there until they found another place—at 26th and Eccles, where they lived for six months. Farrell and Lois adjusted to married life very well. With both working, they weren’t home much of that first year, but felt lucky to each have jobs to help get the things they needed and save for a home. Lois noted her starting wages were $3.53 an hour and Farrell received $265 a month to manage the Weber College Bookstore. A Growing Family - -It was a happy surprise when their little son Bruce was born Oct. 9, 1948. He had big brown eyes, brown hair and was quite a ‘goer’! Farrell’s brother, Todd, came to live with them that fall so he could attend Weber State College until he left on his mission to England. Todd helped pick a name for the baby, and even tended sometimes. They enjoyed having Todd there as he was a lot of help. When Bruce was about two weeks old, Farrell and Lois went to see the show, “Johnny Belinda,” at the Ogden Theater. Lois cried through it—not only because the show was sad, but because she couldn’t stand to be away from that sweet little baby! On Dec. 23, 1949, the young Shepherd family moved into a house at 598 Leona Dr. in South Ogden—the place they would call home for the rest of their lives. The builder, Ross Hunter, loaned them $500 for a down payment, which they were able to pay back $15 per month, no interest. The house itself cost $8,100. With a park just one block away, the schools and church within walking distance, a great ward and great friends, it was a nice place to raise their family. They would eventually add on a family room in 1964 and a garage, and in 1983, turned the enclosed patio into another family or TV room. At the time they moved in, there was a little corner grocery store, Frost’s Market, on 40th and Adam’s. They became acquainted with the Frosts and did nearly all of their grocery shopping there for many years. They were so kind and would let everyone charge their groceries during the month until payday. They could walk through the park, charge their groceries and then pay for them every payday. They sold the market in the late 1970s when new, big grocery stores like Safeway and Albertsons came in, so they had to shop elsewhere and pay cash. For a while there was a big store called The Warehouse where things were cheaper if you waited on yourself, then came Price Savers and Pace, where it was cheaper if you bought in bulk or large quantities. In Lois’ words, “We are blessed with many “Super Markets,” special sale pitches and coupons, if you call them a blessing!” Six children in total would be born to Farrell and Lois: Bruce (1948), Shauna (1950), a stillborn baby girl (1952), J. Hal (1954), Kelly David (1958) and Douglas Tracey (1962). Losing the full-term baby girl was a shocking, sad and painful time as X-rays a few days prior to her birth revealed she would be anencephalic, meaning her little spinal cord and brain were not formed properly and she could not live. It was right after the funeral for Farrell’s brother, Pete (Grenville) Shepherd, and his uncle Rich Shepherd died about that time also, making three difficult losses for their family that year. From The Past . . . “Neal Jorgensen, who submitted this photo states, great-grandmother Chastina Hadlock Allen, the matriarch of a good share of the residents of the Huntsville I grew up in. She had 14 children—7 boys and 7 girls. This photo is of her riding side saddle, and taken in front of the old school, and the church that was located east of the store.” 2668 Grant Avenue, Suite #104A, Ogden, UT 801-612-9299 |
