Betty Lou (Edwards) Neil

Betty Lou Edwards Neil 89, of Layton, passed away from natural causes at the Fairfield Village (Memory Care Unit) where she had been a resident for just over a year. Betty was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having a true testimony of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation.

BIOGRAPHY

I was born in a little two-room house on 15 July 1934. I was the first daughter of Clarence Ernest Edwards and Alma Caroline (Grace) in Oakley, Lincoln, Wyoming. It was just after the Depression when I was born and everyone was so poor. Oakley was a small coal mining community known as the #2 mine named after Oakley, Scotland (the mine owners and operators had come from Scotland). It is just a dry dirt spot in the side of the little hill just South of Diamondville, Lincoln, Wyoming on State Highway 189. Oakley is gone now, a place where only memories remain.

My father worked at the mine. Jobs were surely far and few between (post-depression time). The mine worked one, two and maybe three days a week, but it was steady. Dad also used to work for Bob Ostergaard for milk, butter and a little meat once in a while.

My father and mother worked so hard and sacrificed so much to make sure their family was cared for. My family never had much money but I never lacked for anything. I never felt poor or deprived in any manner. Whenever I needed anything my parents were always able to provide. I do recall my Dad setting off on foot many times in the dead of winter to hunt cottontails to keep us fed. We ate more rabbits than anything else with biscuits and gravy.

By our third move, I was only three years old when went from Oakley to Frontier by the Hamsfork River. It was there that Heavenly Father worked overtime to save me from drowning. I was about four or five years old at that time. Mama had sent me down to the river to get a pan full of water. The flow of the river tore the pan from my grasp. I just knew I would get a spanking if I lost that pan!! I could not ruin my shoes by getting them wet so I kicked them off and plunged into the river to retrieve the pan. Of course, I never gave a thought of the fact that I could not swim! I was not afraid of drowning—never gave it a thought. I was just afraid of the spanking I would get if I lost that pan! Off into the river I went like a rock. To this day, I can still see what it looked like under that water. I could not reach the pan, so I wiggled myself around where I could see vegetation growing under the water on the bank of the river. I grabbed hold of those weeds and attempted to pull myself out. But I glanced behind me and saw my baseball cap floating down the river. I couldn’t lose that treasure, so off I plunged again to get the cap. I did get hold of the cap and again wiggled myself around to grab those weeds all the while under the water. I ran home to tell my Mom I had lost the pan in the river. She ran out and managed to get the pan that had become stuck down by the bridge, saving my hide, I thought. I do not recall what my Mom thought about my soaking wet clothes.

We moved to Kenilworth, Utah in July 1939. Dad worked on the tipple outside where the coal was loaded into coal cars on the train to be transported to other locations. This coal mine was in Kenilworth, Carbon, Utah. I remember our first home there (down by the wash) where we were living when WW II was declared.

The houses in these mining towns were always owned by the mining company. Each home had what was called a “skeleton key”. That key fit any of the locks of the homes there in town!! But doors were never locked anyway and I do not recall of any illegal entries. One was never allowed to purchase a home, each one being owned by the mining company—you just had to have the rent taken from your paycheck.

After that first home my folks moved four more times there in Kenilworth—each new residence supposedly being a little nicer that the previous one. There was only “outside plumbing” in the early years in Kenilworth, outdoor privies, if you will. I recall the elation when the indoor plumbing was installed! It was like heaven had come to earth. I do not recall having a bath tub, but we did have a commode. We had to bathe in a galvanized tub that hung on the wall when not in use. You would have to heat the water on the stove and pour it into the tub. We had coal-burning stoves in those years. It wasn’t until I was in my early teens that Mama was able to have an electric stove. To keep the living room and hopefully the bedrooms warm in the winter there were small stoves called “monkey stoves” that were located in the living rooms. There were no refrigerators either. We always had cellar, a dug out space beneath the house. Ours never being finished was just dirt where it was cool almost all year long and where perishables were kept. All the women canned everything they could to have a food supply that would not spoil.

War has spurred the growth of essential new technologies. So it was with WW II. “Before the war” is a phrase of often used by my generation. So many new inventions erupted, necessitated by the war, which ended up being for the benefit of all. I was introduced to my first telephone when I was about eleven. It was a box affixed to the wall with the ear phone as a separate piece that hung on the side of the box. One had to twist a crank on the side of the box to make a ringing sound. Our “number” was a short ring and two long rings, then you spoke into a mouthpiece that stuck out in front of the box.

The citizens of America were so willing to sacrifice for the cause of our country. After all, they had just been in a great depression and had learned to do without so much. Everything was concentrated toward the war effort. Parents willing gave of their sons and daughter to win the fight. Whatever had to be given in support of the troops could never be enough.

So many things were rationed. Ration stamps came into being. One was issued so many with which to make purchases. You could not make purchase of any item rationed without these stamps. So everyone carefully used them. Gasoline, rubber (one could not get tires for the car), sugar, etc. Anything used by the troops in this time of war was rationed to the citizens. No one fussed!! It was all for the greater cause. Despite having come through a debilitating depression and so absolutely unprepared for war our nation rallied in an unforgettable way to become a world force to be reckoned with. America was no older than a heartbeat, but with our patriotism and love of freedom the United States succeeded.

The mining community of Kenilworth had a building with eight rooms each equipped with chairs with desk tops and the standard blackboard and that was our school house. I still remember each teacher I had in elementary school. Each was a female except the eighth grade teacher who was also the principle. Mr. Winn. We were all afraid of him! A small man, bald headed, very serious, never smiled, always a grouchy countenance. Perhaps the naughty children gave him reason to be as sour as he was. One disruptive boy, Harry Donahue, made Mr. Winn very angry one day. Mr. Winn took Harry by the shoulders and repeatedly knocked his head against the blackboard. Teachers were allowed to do things like that then. The parents always sided with the teachers thinking the child probably needed the reprimand. Most likely the parents never even got word of the punishment. Children were taught to obey and show respect to the teachers at all times. Teachers were held in high regard then.

The tenth and eleventh grades were spent at Price Jr. High School in Price which is about 20 miles or so from Kenilworth. For senior year we were sent to Carbon Jr. College there in Price. I knew I must get an education of some kind in order to care for myself. I was an “A” student throughout my high school years with perfect attendance during my last three years. Those qualities were pretty good at getting me somewhere, I thought. Our graduation was held in the football stadium. High school graduation was a mile stone in my life! I was so happy to graduate. School had never been a pleasant time for me. I worked hard to be an “A” student.

The only professions really open to women who did not marry in those days were limited; secretary, teacher, nurse or nun. If I had not been L.D.S. I probably would have become a nun. Nursing really interested me (three of my girlfriends went into nursing and several went on to secretarial school) but I did not want to go on to more extended schooling. I decided to go into dental nursing which required six months training. My parents sacrificed so much to send me to dental nurse’s training school in San Francisco, California. They, being so financially strapped, not only paid for all the education but for housing and boarding there plus moving me there and paying for train fare on the Zephyr to get me back to Utah to stay for a few weeks before my leaving for a job in Glendale, California.

I did find work with a dentist (Dr. Howard Miller) in Glendale. I boarded at the YWCA in Glendale. I did not have a car so walked to work which was a mile or so. Dr. Miller was an older man of about 65 or 70, well established in his profession. He did mostly gold inlay work, crowns and extractions and some amalgam fillings. I worked chair side and did like what I did. I did like working with him in the area of surgery (extractions of impacted teeth and etc.). Dr. Miller, his receptionist, Cleo, and his hygienist took me under their wings and I will always fondly remember their kindness. I worked there for two and one half years.

I have always been under the spell of books and music. The more I read the more I find I do not know. No matter how much I study I just cannot seem to get enough. My appetite is insatiable. My interests are varied. Perhaps, consequently, by not devoting all attention to one subject I am all spaced out! I enjoy studying LDS Church material, archaeology, geography, ancient history (a strong love for it I do have!), North American Indian cultures, trappers (the Mountain Men), Lewis and Clark, mythology, a very intense love of art and sculpture (most especially the old masters), astronomy (assuredly to a lesser degree due to the fact most of it is beyond my scope!) and last but not least by any means, I have a deep love of nature, and on it goes. Most people are not interested in quite a few of those subjects, so conversations on these are nonexistent for me.

When I returned home I met my husband Andrew Bruce Neil through my dad’s youngest brother, Bud Edwards. My husband and dad’s youngest brother were really good friends in Kemmerer, Wyoming. I was set up on a date which resulted in marriage. We were married in the Logan Temple Logan, Utah 15 April 1955. Divorced in 1983.  

PRECEDED IN DEATH

Preceded in death by; her father Clarence Ernest Edwards; her mother Alma Caroline (Grace) Edwards; her sister Ruby Joan Parkhurst; her former husband Andrew Bruce Neil; and her great grandchild Wilson Neil.

SURVIVING

Surviving is her brother; Jack E. & (Kris) Edwards, Smithfield, Utah, Sons; Drew J. & (Carlie) Neil, Farmington, Utah; David L. & (Kathy) Neil, Layton, Utah and Leland S. & (Debra) Neil, Taylor, Utah; nieces & nephews; 10 grandchildren; and 19 great grandchildren.

GRAVESIDE SERIVCES and INTERNMENT

20 April 2024 at 12:00 noon

Millville City Cemetery, Millville, Cache, Utah

THANKS

Deep sincere heartfelt thanks to the nurses, CNA’s, caregivers and staff of the Fairfield Village for their dedicated and loving care of our mother. A special thanks also to the Hospice nurses.

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal. 

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