Death info on Flossie Marie Hardy Lewis

Flossie Marie Hardy Lewis Taft Porter was one of Birda's early sister-in-laws.  

She married Birda's older brother Frank in 1914, but they divorced around 1918 or 1919.

F. Marie Hardy
From personal albums of Jalair Hoff, via email

According to these documents the following dates apply:

BIRTH: 2 April 1895- Vernal, Uintah, Utah

DEATH: 26 May 1987- Davis North, Davis, Utah

She was 92 years old when she died.

Local obituary:

SOURCE: Standard Examiner 1987, May 28, p.7C
Sent via email from their archives dept.

Local obituary transcribed:

Flossie Hardy Porter

CLEARFIELD- Flossie Marie Hardy Porter, 92, of 1450 S. 1500 East, died Tuesday, May 26, 1987, at Humana Hospital Davis North of causes incident to age.

She was born April 2, 1895, in Vernal, a daughter of Joseph and Lydia Rebecca Davis Hardy.

She married Franklin C. Lewis.  They were later divorced.  She married Edward Taft.  They were later divorced.  She married Samuel Floyd Porter Aug. 25, 1934, in Great Falls, Mont.  He died Dec 12, 1966.

She graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Salt Lake City and played for silent movies and in a dance band.

She worked as a clerk in the Gambles store in Shelby, Mont., and was a former midwife.

Surviving is one daughter, Frances Lewis Allison, Clearfield; two grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Rock Point Cemetery in Vernal.

Friends may call Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Thomson's Vernal Mortuary.

Old hometown obituary:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1987, June 3, p.3

Old hometown obituary transcribed:

Flossie Porter dies at age 92

Flossie Marie Hardy Porter, 92, of Clearfield, Utah, died May 26, 1987.

Born April 2, 1895 in Vernal, Utah to Joseph Hardy and Lydia Rebecca Davis.  Married Franklin C. Lewis, later divorced.  Married Edward Taft, later divorced.  Married Samuel Floyd Porter Aug. 25, 1934 in Great Falls, Mont.; he died Dec 12, 1966.

A former resident of Vernal, she had lived the last 14 years in Clearfield.

Survived by a daughter, Frances Lewis Allison of Clearfield, two grandchildren, John Bud Allison of Clearfield and Alyce Marie Pike of South Carolina; 13 great grandchildren and 8 great-great grandchildren.

Graveside services were held Saturday, May 30 at the Rock Point Cemetery.  Chris Allison gave a family prayer.  LaPreal Allison spoke.  Dedication of the grave was by John Bud Allison.  Pallbearers were John Bud Allison, Chris Allison, Ellsworth Hardy, Elmo Hardy, James Hoff and Brownie Tomlinson.

Funeral services were under the direction of Thomson's Vernal Mortuary.
*Spelling corrected wherein I was aware.

"Flossie Hardy Porter"
From the Standard Examiner Archives, via email

Because she died in the last 50 years, her death certificate will not become publicly available until around the year 2037.  When it is available I will post it here.

Ellis Merkley turns 90

Ellis Merkley was Asher's eldest brother.

He lived to the ripe old age of 91, and was thus very entitled to a 90th birthday party in 1975.

Birthday invitation:

From the personal albums of Delores Horton

 Honorary newspaper writeup:

SOURCE: Vernal Express 1975, Apr 24, p.4

Honorary newspaper writeup transcribed:
Ellis Merkley to be honored
Ellis Merkley, 1924 South 10th East, Salt Lake City, will be honored at an open house on Saturday, May 3 in honor of his 90th birthday anniversary.  The open-house will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. at 1722 Harvard Ave. and friends and relatives are invited to call.
Mr. Merkley, a native of Vernal, was born May 2, 1885, the oldest child of Nelson and Keturah Peterson Merkley.  All of his early years were spent in Vernal where he graduated from the Uintah Academy.  He later attended the LDS College in Salt Lake.  After filling a mission to the Southern States, he was married on June 17, 1908 to Jean Eleanor Gerber in the Salt Lake Temple.  They lived for several years in Vernal where they were both active in church and community affairs.
In 1932 the family moved to Salt Lake City where they have since resided.  Mr. Merkley is enjoying good health and drives his car almost every day to visit relative or to attend to other affairs.  Mrs. Merkley died December 26, 1972.  The couple were honored at open houses in observance of their fiftieth and sixtieth wedding anniversaries.
Six children are joining to honor the oldest living Merkley at this open house.  They are, Aird G., Dr. Harold E., and Mrs. Harlan W. (Geraldine) Clark, Salt Lake City; Thurman G., Portland, Oregon; Mrs. Eugene T. (Margret) Condie, Fremont, California; and Dr. Ralph G., Saratoga, California.  His posterity also includes 18 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.  Also joining in honoring Mr. Merkley will be a sister, Mrs. Rulon K. (Margret) Hansen, and Mrs. Clair (Ellen) Fletcher, both of Salt Lake City.

Photos from the 90th birthday gathering (all from the personal albums of Delores Horton):

Ellis Merkley, aged 90

Ellis with family- labeled below image

Party goers (Asher's eldest daughter, Virginia in red)
Evelyn Merkley (green?) Delores Horton (yellow)