(Written by her granddaughter, Deon Youd)

How does a red-head fit into a family with two brunettes, a reddish-brown, and a blonde? I have often wondered where my red hair comes from. The answer I seem to get from this question is Grandma. My grandmother, Mary Loretta Evans Youd, gave me my red hair. Yet, this is not the only blessing I received from Grandma. She was a wonderful woman with many talents and abilities. She was well respected by others of her community. She reared a strong family of three boys and one girl. Mary Youd was also a strong faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. her testimony touched others and helped them on their course through life. The name of Mary Loretta Evans Youd will never appear in a high school history book, but it appears in my history book. She was a woman who impacted my life every day that she lived. I will always be grateful for the remarkable life that she led.

Mary's family line began in Europe. Missionaries from the LDS church were sent there in search of other people who were looking for the truth. Such missionaries reached out to two young people living in South Wales. William Evans and Jane Thomas both joined the Church and sailed together for America in the 1850's. In 1858 the couple arrived in Spanish Fork, Utah in a covered wagon drawn by a team of oxen. It was in Spanish Fork that William and Jane raised their family of eight children. The oldest was a son named David, Mary's father. Mary's mother's family came from Denmark. They also came to America and settled in Spanish  Fork, Utah. Hans Fredrick Hanson married Annie Catherine in Spanish Fork and made their first home there. Later though, they saw better farm land existed at the Indian farm just west of town. This area was later renamed Lake Shore, and it is where Hans and Annie brought up their family. One of their children was Sarah Ann, Mary's mother. Sarah learned the value of farm work while she was living in Lake Shore.

Although Sarah Ann and David only lived a few miles apart, they never met while growing up. Sarah would walk to Spanish Fork to glean cherries at the sugar factory, and she would also walk to the church meeting house on Main Street in Spanish Fork. At this time, Utah, as well as the rest of the United States, was industrializing rapidly. Railroads were springing up all over the nation, and in Utah, a branch was built through Spanish Fork Canyon. One particular line went through the small area of Thistle to Indianola and Sanpete County. David was hired to work for the railroad and Sarah Ann was employed as a cook for the men on the railroad. This is where, for the first time, David met Sarah's acquaintance. They became fast friends, and both realized that their friendship;p was unusual. Sarah Ann Hanson and David Evans, accompanied only by a team and a wagon, drove to the Manti Temple and were married on June 25, 1890.

The couple made their first home in a log house slightly east of the Lake Shore school house. The first two of their eventual ten children were born inside this house. Mary Loretta was their third child, and she was born in the house on the center street of Lake Shore. She was born on the sixth day of March, 1896. She was preceded in birth by her brother, David Elmer, and her sister, Catherine Sarah. Mary's other sister, Hazel Jane came next in 1898, and she was followed by six other boys: Richard Evan, Frederick William, Niels Grant, Lester Ray, Jennings Hilton, and Orville Lee. Jennings died as a young infant of only ten days old, but the rest of the Evans family grew and prospered in Lake Shore.

The young Evans family grew. For a time, they lived in Carbon County while David worked at the mine. The family moved back to Spanish Fork. David and Sarah made additions to their tiny brick home. Later, in 1908, the Evans family bought a new farm, that increased their land from three and a half acres to fifty acres. David and Sarah were very pleased with their family. Their children grew up happy and content with life. They also had many grandchildren to bring them joy. David died in January of 1938 due to complications after suffering a stroke. Also that year, Mary's brother, Elmer was killed in a tragic mine accident. A few short years later, Fred died. Mary helped her mother through these hard times. Mary was with her mother when Sarah suffered her first stroke. She hurt that her mother should have to be so sick, but she enjoyed the many hours she had to visit with her mother before she passed on. Sarah asked Mary to copy a letter that she dictated to be included in the Lake Shore Ward Relief Society time capsule in 1942. This letter gave insights to Sarah's life including her experiences seeing electric lights for the first time. Sarah Ann died in October of 1943. This saddened Mary greatly. Mary had a great respect for her parents. She loved her mother very much. Mary always strived to please her parents. She led a life dedicated to the service of others. Mary said that she had a wonderful life as a child in a large family. It was not a home of wealth and grandeur, but it was home where religion and honesty were taught and the value of work was emphasized.

Mary had the opportunity to attend the small Lake Shore school when she was young. She was able to complete her education through the eighth grade, but because of the economic situations of the time, that was all the formal education she received. Yet, Mary did not let her quest for knowledge end with the last school bell. She was very well read. She read countless articles from church published magazines. Mary also found enjoyment in reading the newspaper. Her son Leslie cannot recall her ever reading a novel or other secular materials on a regular basis, but he can remember her clipping stories or pieces of poetry from her magazines and newspapers and compiling them into scrapbooks for use in talks and lessons in the future. Mary read the Book of Mormon several times and was extremely knowledgeable about Gospel matters. Mary received very little formal education, but she let life be her classroom and gained as much as she could from the lessons in it.

Mary worked very hard during her youth. She spent much time working for various households in both Provo and Salt Lake. She also worked for several women after they had a new baby. During this period of time, doctors recommended that a new mother stay in bed for at least ten days following the birth, so Mary had many opportunities to serve others. She would cook for them and keep their houses clean. The women that Mary helped were very grateful for her help. Mary was constantly showing her great love and compassion for other people. Mary also worked in Salt Lake City at Aurbachs department store. Later, she was employed by the Utah and Idaho Sugar Company at the Spanish Fork plant. She was assigned to work in the laboratory, and she loved it. She worked at the plant until she left for her mission.

Mary served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was called to serve in the Eastern Canada Mission. She taught in areas such as Hamilton, Ottawa, and Toronto for two years. She had many opportunities to share her testimony and her love of the Gospel with the people of Canada. This was something that Mary loved to do. Eastern Canada was also the same mission that her future husband, Thomas Youd, served in, but they served at different times; they never met in Canada. Mary worked very hard before her mission. Her family was unable to support her financially while she was in the mission field. Mary's savings took her quite far, but in the end she needed to borrow the money necessary to complete her service in the Canadian area. When Mary returned home from her mission she was courted by Thomas Youd, a farmer from Lake Shore. Tom came from a very prosperous family. Mary refused to marry Tom until all of her mission debts were paid for. She didn't want anybody to think that she had married a Youd for his money.

During her courtship, Mary enjoyed many fun times with Tom. Mary's brother Orville recalled that Tom did most of his courting in a Model T Ford Coupe. They often rode home from Tuesday night Mutual together. On one occasion, Tom turned a corner too short and the car stuck on a rock in the road. Orville remembered how they struggled to get the car off the rock. But it was accomplished and the passengers were returned home safely. Tom was a true gentleman while he was courting Mary. They drove into Salt Lake frequently to see a stage play, or they visited the Saltair resort. Saltair was located off the shore of the Great Salt Lake. Activities there included swimming, riding in the amusement park, and dancing on Saturday night.

Mary and Tom were married on March 28, 1928 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. The happy couple were late to their wedding reception. Everyone waiting for them wondered where they were, especially Tom's brother, Ivan. Mary said that one of the traits Tom possessed that she fell in love with was his honesty that he inherited from his father. He was honest with himself, his religion, his friends, and his country. Tom and Mary built their first home in  Lake Shore. Their house was built on a piece of farmland they bought from Tom's dad. It was located just around the corner from him. They remodeled the home several times to accommodate their growing family. This home was the birth place of three of their five children. Leon Evans, their eldest son, was born on June 14, 1929 in the Spanish Fork Hospital. Next came their only daughter, Wilda, who was born at home on November 27, 1930. Born also at home was John D. on August 3, 1932. Four years later came Carl. he was a stillborn infant. Finally, Thomas Leslie was born on April 2, 1938. This family brought much joy and pleasure to the life of Mary and her husband as they watched Teri children grow and move on to start families of their own.

After her marriage, Mary never took another job outside of her home. She began a life as a dedicated housewife and mother. She never did the hard chores that farm life can sometimes bring. She tended a garden and cared for a small flock of chickens. Occasionally she would lead the horse as her boys unloaded hay onto the yard, but she was never put to work in the fields. That was men's work and that idea was respected in her home. She prided herself in the abilities she had to run her household. Mary was an expert bottler. She and her daughter, Wilda, would bottle and can in the fall over a coal stove. They would bottle fruits and vegetables and before a refrigerator could be purchased, she bottled meats for storage. This was the food that they ate during the winter. Mary did not really like to cook, but she cooked well. Hot rolls and pies were her specialty. She made bread and butter. She also prepared all the cottage cheese that was eaten by her family. Mary's grandchildren can still remember her excellent goodies. Leon's oldest daughter, Sharon, fondly remembers helping Grandma bake cake. The favorite cake was a white cake with chocolate frosting. The finished cake was always placed on a pretty pink cake plate and saved until after dinner.

Mary made all of the laundry soap that her family used. She would save all the fat that was left after the cooking was complete. This would accumulate until there was enough to make the soap. It was boiled down outside of the house over a wood fire. Later, the soap was grated into fine granules and saved for wash day. Mary used a washer with a wringer. As the laundry was cleaned, excited grandchildren would push it through the wringer. They loved to help Grandma, and Grandma loved their help. Mary never owned an automatic washer.

Mary was a very clean housekeeper. She would never let dishes sit in the sink after a meal was finished. She cleaned her house on a regular basis.

Mary loved to sew. She stitched most of the clothes that her family wore. Her family loved the clothes that she made for them. Leslie wore homemade shirts for many years. Wilda's dresses were crafted by her mother. Mary even took time to make dresses for her granddaughters. When Mary saw a piece of fabric she wanted in the store, she would patiently wait for the fabric to go on sale and then buy what she needed. Mary did, however, have a habit of thinking that a little less than what the pattern called for would be enough for her dress. Often she struggled to get all of the pieces out of the cloth. For seven years, Mary taught sewing to a 4-H group. She loved it. This heritage was carried over to her posterity, and most of her grandchildren participated in the 4-H program. Mary also had a talent for handwork. She always found time to sit down with her needles and thread. Especially after the first television of 1950, Mary would knit or crochet while she and Tom watched TV. She crocheted around many edges of tablecloths and handkerchiefs. She did a bit of cut work. She would draw out threads and color them. In this way she made many designs. Mary also loved to quilt. May times the ladies of Lake Shore would get together to make a quilt. One lady would put the quilt up in her living room and would call all of her neighbors and friends to help her quilt it. The hostess would prepare a lunch and the ladies would work all day long until it was completed. Mary had many enjoyable times helping others with their quilts, and in return they were always willing to help her make a quilt for her family.

Tom and Mary purchased Sarah Ann's piano after she died. All of Mary's children had some sort of piano lessons. Some learned faster than others, but nobody really learned the art.

Mary served actively in her ward. She was dedicated to reading her scriptures. She taught her children the principles of the Gospel. The people of Lake Shore called her well-read. She always taught a class in the church. She worked in the Sunday School, Relief Society, and Mutual. As far as can be remembered she never worked in the Primary, but the other organizations benefited greatly by her diligent service. Mary shared her testimony at every opportunity. It was strong and always growing.

One of Mary's favorite callings in the Church was that of a Relief Society counselor. During her time as a counselor, a new meeting house was built for the Lake Shore Ward. Along with the other Relief Society sisters, Mary helped to raise the necessary money to make the church beautiful. The Relief Society would quilt quilts, bake goodies, and host many bazaars to earn money. Her Relief Society was able to earn enough money to decorate their Relief Society room on their own. They bought beautiful carpet, stylish draperies, a sofa and chairs, and comfortable wood chairs for their meetings. This was one of the happiest times in Mary's life. She loved serving the Lord.

While Mary was serving as a counselor for Relief Society president Annie Huff, they had to be creative when holding their meetings. Neither lady had a phone so this made Relief Society business hard to take care of. Annie only lived down the road a few miles, so whenever she would pass by she would honk the horn in her car and Mary would go out and visit with her. This was quite an effective way of meeting. One particular day, the first day of April, the boys had gone out to do their chores. Mary was still lying in bed for as long as she could. John came into the house and told her than Annie was outside wanting to talk. Mary immediately jumped out of bed, hurried into her clothes, and dashed out front to see Annie. Annie wasn't there. For a moment, Mary was angry at John for the prank, but then realizing that it was April Fool's Day, laughed at the joke that it was

Mary was a very compassionate person. She often gave of her time and means to help a neighbor. Across the street from Mary and Tom lived an old spinster lady. She was called Aunt May. Aunt May lived alone in a small farm house. She had very little money, only what was left of an inheritance. Most people in town did not respond well to Aunt May, but Mary was the exception. She visited her daily. Mary also took the time to see that May had enough wood and kindling to keep her fires going all winter. From the time he was six, Les would chop kindling wood and load it in his wagon to take it across for Aunt May. Mary made sure that Aunt May had what she needed whether it be food or wood. After Aunt May died, Mary was invited to speak at the funeral.

Mary showed compassion for several people besides Aunt May. A lady names Sister Gordon moved into the ward in Lake Shore. She was a sick woman with a very rare disease. Mary befriended her and they became fast friends. Although Sister Gordon talked funny and slow, Mary was patient with her and helped her where she was needed. Sister Gordon could not go out much, but Mary was always there to help. She would bring in meals or go to the store. Sister Gordon was very grateful for the kindness shown her by a fellow sister in the ward. Mary helped so many people. She was also asked to speak at Sister Gordon's funeral. Mary touched so many lives with her compassion.

Mary found time to help family as well as friends. Her sister-in-law, Adella, had serious hip surgery. Mary was very helpful to her during this time. She would go into her house several times a week. She would clean the house, wash the dishes, cook meals, launder the clothes, and visit with Adella while she was recovering. She was a blessing to Adella at this time when her spirits were low and she could not get out of bed. Mary was always there with a kind cheerful heart that would bring sunshine into the home. Adella loved Mary dearly. To this day, she is willing to talk about and reminisce the times that she and Mary shared.

Mary would also help Tom's elderly aunts, Aunt Alice and Aunt Jane. One special thing that she would do for Aunt Jane was grind fresh horseradish for her. Aunt Jane loved horseradish, and Mary happened to grow some. It would bring tears to the eyes of the person grinding it, but for Aunt Jane it was ground just the same.

Mary also cared for the people of the world. In June of 1942, she wrote a letter that said how grateful she was for the wonderful green of the fields and the plentiful crops they were harvesting. But Mary was saddened by the suffering of the world. She was concerned about the starvation of the people in Greece and the other countries feeling the effects of World War II. She hated that the world was so full of lust and was so power hungry that it was thrown into a gigantic war. It was frightening though that the war would only bring destruction and destruction would bring more suffering and want.

Mary had the unique opportunity of belonging to two clubs. The first one was Yushera. It was a group created for returned sister missionaries. She would meet with the other ladies and discuss the events of their missions. They would also talk about matters that concerned the Church.

The other club that she was involved in was the Beta Aglain Club in Lake Shore. Beta Aglain is a federated club. They met once a month and usually had a speaker or a special program. During pheasant hunting season, all the ladies in the club would cook as much as they could and set up a lunch counter for the hunters. They would normally sell chili and pie to the hunters. The money that they made would be donated to a civic cause in town.

Mary loved her grandchildren very much. She would bake goodies for their visits, tell them stories, and tend them. All of her children loved to bring their kids to the farm to visit Grandma. One incident that is fondly remembered is a time when Leon had brought his three children to Grandma's for a visit. Leon's wife, Margery, had gone shopping for the day with her sister. Sharon, Adele, and Calvin were left in the care of their Grandma Youd. Mary decided that she did not like the long blonde curls of Adele's hair. Mary, with love, cut off Adele's hair. Unfortunately,  Mary was not a talented hairstylist. Adele's hair looked terrible. Leon took his children home, not realizing that anything was really wrong. He put them to bed before his wife returned home. The next morning Margery was horrified by Adele's hair. She ran to her sister's house crying "My baby, my baby!" Her sister thought something serious had happened to Adele. Of course, it was only a bad haircut. Finally Adele's hair grew back and Grandma never tried to cut her hair again. There were other ways for Mary to spoil her grandchildren besides cutting their hair.

Mary and Tom were both Democrats. Although they were in the minority in Lake Shore, they stood on their political ground. It was what they believed in. Mary was a strong supporter of John F. Kennedy when he ran for office. She was delighted to see him win. However, she became very irate when a neighbor called and questioned what was to become of their country now that a Democrat was in office. Much to Mary's contentment, Kennedy served well and she was devastated to learn of his tragic death in 1963. Mary loved her country and would always support its leaders.

Mary died on January 1, 1965. Slightly before Christmas she suffered a stroke. Her sons were immediately at her side and administered a Priesthood blessing to her. The doctors in Payson Hospital ran tests and discovered that the stroke hit too far back in her head to do anything for her. They said that if the bleeding would stop she would be okay, but if not there was nothing that they could do for her. She was doing better except for painful headaches that she received from the bright red color of the poinsettias that well-wishers would send to her. She appreciated the gift, but the poinsettias could not be kept in her room. On New Year's Eve, Mary's condition was worsening. Her son, John, spent most of the night at the hospital with her. Around midnight Leon came to relieve John. They visited for a moment and John left. By the time he reached his home, Mary was dead. It was a great loss for her family. She was a wonderful woman that blessed many throughout her world with her valiant spirit.