Monday, October 29, 2012

Death info on Leonora Evans

 Leonora Lewis Watkins Evans was one of Birda's older sisters.
(She was commonly referred to as "Nonie", and her given name has mutated into many different variations: Lenore, Lenora, Leonara, Noni, etc.  Not sure exactly WHICH way is the correct way to spell it.)
Photo from the personal albums of Bryce Merkley
Photo cropped from original larger group shot.
According to these documents the following dates apply:
BIRTH: 16 Aug 1876- Holliday, Salt Lake, Utah
DEATH: 8 Jan 1948- Palo Alto, Santa Clara, California
She was 71 years old when she died following a major operation.

Obituary:
SOURCE: SL Trib 1948, Jan 10, p.24
Obituary transcribed:
Lenora L.W. Evans
VERNAL, Jan 9- Lenora Lewis Watkins Evans, 71, wife of E.W. Evans, Vernal, died Thursday at 5 a.m. at Palo Alto, Cal of complications following an operation.
She was born Aug 16, 1876 at Holladay, Salt Lake County, a daughter of Siney and Elizabeth Coleman Lewis.
Mrs. Evans came to Vernal in 1895, where she married Alfred Watkins, who died three years later.  She them married Mrs. Evans at Vernal.
She had been active in LDS church activities in the Relief Society and Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.
Survivors include her husband, Vernal, two daughters, Hazel Domney Evans, Palo Alto; and Mrs. George Foster, Columbia, Carbon County; three stepchildren, Bert Evans, Provo; Mrs. Lillie Murdock, Heber, and Mrs. Jean Scandian, Palo Alto; and the following brothers and sisters, Mrs. Annie Wiest, Mrs. Charles Hatch, Mrs. Jennie Hullinger, Frank Lewis, and Mrs. Birda Merkley, Vernal; Mrs. Georgia McClelland, San Francisco; Charles P. Lewis and Siney Lewis, Los Angeles.
Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday noon in the Vernal Second LDS ward chapel, by Phil Watkins, bishop.  Burial will be in Vernal Memorial cemetery.
Friends may call at the family home Tuesday from 10 a.m. until time of services.
*Spelling and punctuation corrected wherein I was aware.

Local Obituary:
SOURCE: Vernal Express 1948, Jan 8, p.1
 Local Obituary transcribed:
Mrs. E.W. Evans Dies On Coast After Operation
Mrs. Leonora Lewis Watkins Evans, 71, died this morning (Thursday) at Palo Alto, Calif., following a major operation.
Mrs. Evans was born at Holliday in Salt Lake County, August 16, 1876, the daughter of Siney Lewis, Sr., and Elizabeth Coleman Lewis.  She lived the early part of her life at Midway.
She and Alfred Watkins, and rancher, were married at Vernal.  The couple settled at Midway.  They had one child, who survives.  Mr. Watkins died three years following their marriage.
She later married E.W. Evans, a harness maker, at Vernal.  The couple had three children, one of whom survives.  Mr. and Mrs. Evans have since resided at Vernal.  Mrs. Evans went to the coast for her health in early December.
Mrs. Evans was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  She was a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and was an active Relief Society worker.
She is survived by her husband; two daughters, Mrs. Hazel Dominy, San Francisco, and Mrs. Ephia Foster, Columbia; three stepchildren, Bert Evans, Provo; Mrs. Lily Murdock, Heber; Mrs. Jane Scalen, San Francisco; three brothers, Siney Lewis, Jr., Los Angeles, Calif.; Frank and Charles Lewis, Vernal; five sisters, Mrs. John Wise, Mrs. Charles Hatch, Mrs. Asher Merkley, Mrs. Harold Hullinger, Vernal; Mrs. Lynn McClelland, San Francisco, Calif.  Funeral arrangements will be announced later.
*Spelling and punctuation corrected by me wherein I was aware.

Funeral notice:
SOURCE: Vernal Express 1948, Jan 15, p.1
Funeral notice transcribed:
Final Rites Held For Mrs. E.W. Evans
Funeral services for Mrs. Leonora Lewis Watkins Evans, 71, long time resident of Uintah County, who died January 8 at Palo Alto, Calif., following a major operation, were held at the Vernal Second Ward Chapel, Tuesday, at noon, under the direction of Bishop Philip Watkins.
Prayer at the home was offered by Bishop Orion R. Jones.  Harold Hullinger gave the invocation at the services and Charles Hatch, the benediction.  Speakers were Bishop Watkins and President Archie Johnson.  Musical selections included: prelude and postlude, organ, Elaine Evans; "Have I Done any Good in the World Today?," vocal duet, Thressa Hadlock and Frank Walker, "Calvary", vocal solo, Avard Rigby; "One Fleeting Hour," vocal solo Virginia Hacking; "End of A Perfect Day", violin solo, Gilbert Childs; E.J. Winder dedicated the grave.
Pallbearers were Evans Smith, B.G. Simpson, M.B. Lawson, Rex A. Murdock, M.E. Murdock, M.B. Murdock.
Mrs. Evans was born at Holliday, August 16, 1876, a daughter of Siney Lewis, Sr., and Elizabeth Coleman Lewis.
She and Alfred Watkins were married November 25, 1895 at Vernal.  The couple settled at Midway.  Mr. Watkins died November 10, 1896.
She and E.W. Evans were later married at Vernal.  The couple have since lived at Vernal until early December when Mrs. Evans went to California for her health.
A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Mrs. Evans was an active Relief Society worker.
She is survived by her husband; two daughters, Mrs. Hazel Dominy, San Francisco and Mrs. Ephia Foster, Columbia; three stepchildren, Bert Evans, Provo; Mrs. Lily Murdock, Heber; Mrs. Jane Scalen, San Francisco; three brothers, Siney Lewis, Jr.,  Los Angeles, Calif., Frank and Charles Lewis, Vernal; fives sisters Mrs. John Wise, Mrs. Charles Hatch, Mrs. Asher Merkley, Mrs. Harold Hullinger, all of Vernal; Mrs. Lynn McClelland, San Francisco.
*Spelling and punctuation corrected by me wherein I was aware.
Funeral review:
NO SOURCE
Found in the personal albums of Mark Foster

Photo from the personal albums of Bryce Merkley
Cropped from larger family group sheet
Because Leonora died in California, it will require some further investigative work to obtain her death certificate.  When I can procure it, I will post a copy of it on this page.

*I just noticed there are some discrepancies in the dates that she and Alfred Watkins were married- I shall have to investigate this further and post my findings on their marriage post.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Death info on Mary E Sander

Mary Elizabeth Merkley Sander was one of Asher's older sisters.

Photo from personal albums of Sarah Nielsen

According to these documents the following dates apply:
BIRTH: 25 Aug 1896- Vernal, Uintah, Utah
DEATH: 24 Oct 1974- Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
She was 78 years old when she died.

Obituary:
SOURCE: Salt Lake Tribune 1974, Oct 27, p. C19
Obituary transcribed:
Mary Elizabeth Sander
Mary Elizabeth Merkley Sander, 417 E. 3rd South, 78, died Oct. 24, 1974, at her home after a long illness.
Born Aug. 25, 1896, in Vernal to Nelson and Keturah Peterson Merkley.  Married to Isabrand Sander, Sept. 6, 1917, in Salt Lake Temple.  He died Aug. 4, 1962.  Member, South 13th LDS Ward; board member, all LDS auxiliaries; former teacher at Ricks and Uintah Academies where she was active in drama.  Helped organize PTA in Utah.
Survivors; daughters, Mrs. Chad M. (Kathryn) Bertelson, Rockford, Ill., Mrs. Larry D. (Carolyn) Reid, Peoria, Ill.; Mrs. George M. (Elizabeth) Sullivan, Mrs. Gregory F. (June) Hosford, both Salt Lake City; 11 grandchildren; brother and sisters, Ellis Merkley, Mrs. Margaret Hansen, Mrs. Clair (Ellen) Fletcher, all Salt Lake City.
Funeral, Tuesday noon, 255 S. 2nd East, where friends call Monday 6-8 p.m. and before services.  Burial in Salt Lake City Cemetery.
*Spelling corrected wherein I was aware.

Funeral notice:
SOURCE: Vernal Express 1974, Nov 7, p.19
Funeral notice transcribed:
Salt Lake services cite former resident
Funeral services were held Tuesday, October 29, in Salt Lake City for Mary Elizabeth Merkley Sander, 78, who died at her home after a brief illness.
Born August 25, 1896 in Vernal to Nelson and Keturah Peterson Merkley, she married Isabrand Sander September 6, 1917 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.  He died August 4, 1962.  After receiving a normal degree from BYU, Mrs. Sander taught at Ricks and Uintah Academies.  She was active in drama, appearing in and directing many local productions.  In the early 1930's she and a group of volunteers in Vernal organized a hot lunch program which was served to school children in the basement of the board of education building.  She was active in organizing the PTA in the state of Utah, serving as the state vice president for region eight (Uintah and Duchesne Counties).  An active member of the LDS Church, she taught and served on the stake boards of all the auxilaries.
She is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Chad M. (Kathryn) Bertelson, Rockford, Illinois; Mrs. Larry D. (Carolyn) Reid, Peoria, Illinois; Mrs. George M. (Buffie) Sullivan and Mrs. Gregory F. (June) Hosford, both of Salt Lake City; 11 grandchildren; brother, Ellis Merkley; and sisters, Margaret Hansen and [wife of] Clair Fletcher, all of Salt Lake City.
*Punctuation, spelling and identification corrected wherein I was aware.

As Mary died in the last 50 years, her death certificate will not become publicly available until around the year 2024.  When it is available I will post it here.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Death info on Helen M. Colton

Helen Merkley Colton was one of Asher's sisters.


According to these documents the following dates apply:
BIRTH: 9 Apr 1890- Vernal, Uintah, Utah
DEATH: 22 Oct 1961- Roosevelt, Duchesne, Utah
She was  71 years old when she died.

Salt Lake obituary:
SOURCE: Deseret News 1961, Oct 24, p.B11
Obtained in personal albums of Sarah Neilsen
SLC Obituary transcribed:
Helen M. Colton
ROOSEVELT- Mrs. Helen Merkley Colton, 71, Roosevelt, died Sunday afternoon at home of a heart ailment.  Born April 9, 1890, Vernal, to Nelson and Katurah Peterson Merkley. Married to Byron Owen Colton June 29, 1910, Salt Lake Temple, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Moved to Roosevelt, 1924.  Active member.  LDS Church.  Survivors: husband; sons, Merrill B., Sandy; Elmo S., Salt Lake City; Miles M., Pleasant Grove; daughters Mrs. Harold (Lula) Dudley, Randlett, Uintah County; Mrs. Glen H. (Margaret) Wyler, Fairfield, Calif.; Mrs. Calvin (Sarah) Neilson, Mona, Juab County; Mrs. Vern R. (Grace) Berrett, Granger; 30 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; brothers, Asher Merkley, Vernal; Ellis Merkley, Salt Lake City; sisters, Mrs. Isabrand (Mary) Sanders, Mrs. Rulon K. (Margaret) Hansen, Mrs. Clair (Ellen) Fletcher, all Salt Lake City.  Funeral Wednesday, 1 p.m., Roosevelt Fourth LDS Ward Chapel.  Friends call Olpin Mortuary, Roosevelt Tuesday 7-9 p.m. and at family home Wednesday prior to services.  Burial, Maeser, Uintah County, Cemetery.
*Punctuation and spelling adjusted wherein I was aware. 

Death Certificate:
SOURCE: Personal albums of Sarah Neilsen

Funeral Notice:
SOURCE: Vernal Express 1961, Oct 26, p.5
 Funeral Notice:
Helen M. Colton Funeral Held In Roosevelt
Funeral services were held Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the Roosevelt Fourth Ward LDS chapel for Mrs. Helen Merkley Colton, 71, of Roosevelt, who died Sunday afternoon at her home of a heart ailment.
Mrs. Colton is the wife of Byron Owen Colton, member of the Utah Water and Power Board and Roosevelt Stake patriarch of the LDS Church.  The couple resided in Vernal for many years.
Mrs. Colton was born April 9, 1890, in Vernal, a daughter of Nelson and Keturah Peterson Merkley.  She married Mr. Colton June 29, 1910, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.  They moved to Roosevelt in 1924.
She was an active member of the LDS Church.  Mrs. Colton's parents were among the original pioneers of Ashley Valley.  She attended public school in Vernal and graduated from the Uintah Stake Academy.  She also attended the Keister Ladies Tailoring School in Salt Lake City.
They Byron Colton's first home was in Maeser.  They later moved to the reservation where Mr. Colton was active in settlement work and irrigation development.
Survivors include her husband, three sons, Merrill B., Sandy; Elmo S., Salt Lake City; Miles M., Pleasant Grove, four daughters, Mrs. Harold (Lula) Dudley, Randlett; Mrs. Glen H. (Margaret) Wyler, Fairfield, Calif; Mrs. Calvin (Sarah) Neilson, Mona, Utah, and Mrs. Vern R. (Grace) Berrett, Granger.
Also surviving are 30 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two brothers and three sisters, Asher Merkley, Vernal; Ellis Merkley, Salt Lake City; Mrs. Isabrand (Mary) Sanders, Mrs. Rulon K (Margaret) Hansen and Mrs. Clair (Ellen) Fletcher, all of Salt Lake City.
Burial was in the Maeser Fairview Cemetery.
* Punctuation & spelling adjusted wherein I was aware.

Funeral Review:
SOURCE: Uintah County Library Archives, 2012
NO SOURCE listed, likely the Vernal Express 1961, Oct/Nov
Funeral Review transcribed:
Helen Colton Graveside Rites Held in Maeser
Funeral services for Mrs. Helen Merkley Colton, 71, were held Wednesday, October 25 at 1 p.m. in the Roosevelt LDS Stake Center.  Bishop Gilbert Ellingford of Roosevelt Fourth Ward conducted.
Invocation was offered by W. Russel Todd.
She died suddenly Sunday afternoon of a heart ailment, however, she had suffered ill health for several years.
Eulogizing the long and active life of Mrs. Colton were Fredrickson Musser and James E. Bacon, both life-long friends of the Coltons.
Music included a vocal trio by Mrs. David Adamson, Mrs. Jay Fitzgerald and Mrs. Adrean Bench accompanied by Mrs. R.V. Larson who also supplied the prelude and postlude music.
Also a violin duet was rendered by Mrs. Bench and Mrs. Norris Stenquist accompanied by Mrs. Don Fulton and a vocal solo by Mrs. Fitzgerald.  Prayer at the home was delivered by Isabrand Sanders.  Benediction for the services were offered by Bishop Merlin Sullivan.
Mrs. Colton was brought to Vernal for burial in the Maeser Fairview Cemetery.  Dedication of the grave was by Ellis Merkley.  Pallbearers were members of Mr. Colton's high priests group in the Fourth  Ward, Ariel Michie, Theron Leavitt, Forrest Bircher, Gordon Heaton, Dr. Calvin Kowallis and Dr. R.V. Larson.
Pallbearers for the graveside rites were Larry Dudley, Merrill Ray Chandler, David Chandler, Forrest Bircher, Ariel Michie and Gordon Heaton.
*Spelling adjusted wherein I was aware.

 Cemetery headstone:
Photo from personal albums of Sarah Nielsen
Headstone located in Maeser Fairview Cemetery.
Photo from the personal albums of Sarah Neilsen