This month we would like to spotlight Bart and Linda Mortensen. Bart was born in Carbon County and moved from Wellington to Salem when he was in the 7th Grade. Linda grew up in Salem. Bart is 71 years old and Linda is 70. They went to school together in Salem and have been married for 51 years. They have one boy and five girls; fifteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
When Bart was growing up his father owned the Phillips 66 gas station in Salem. Bart would tell his friends he would drive wherever they went because he got "free gas" -- this was until his father found out.
When Bart and Linda got married, for their honeymoon they rented a room in Loa, Utah and went fishing up to Fish Lake. They lived in Salt Lake after they were married. Bart worked for Sandy Welding and Manufacturing for two years but he always wanted to milk cows so he build his own dairy in Salem. Bart also worked for Powder River for 22 years. While in Salt Lake, Linda worked for one year at the telephone company.
They always enjoyed the outdoors as a family with fishing, hunting and hiking. Their kids learned to work, to be grateful for things, to be responsible and dependable. They were up at 6:00 a.m. to feed calves and bale hay. Bart has been over the Salem Irrigation and Canal Company for 28 years. He has hired many boys from town to clean ditches, etc.
Linda described Bart as a man with big ideas, who appreciates things, and has common sense. He has a big heart and looks out for the underdog which Linda says he got from his mother, Udella. Linda worked along with Bart picking corn and tomatoes (but never cotton). Bart claims he has a 4-year degree form Thistle Tech and 2 years at Birdseye University. Linda enjoys yard work, her flower garden, and quilting. She says Salem is the most beautiful place on earth with the mountains nearby.
Bart likes the people, the clean drinking water and the opportunity for anyone that wants to work. He said work is fun, doing projects is fun, and he is enthusiastic about it. Bart built storage units and allowed Salem City to store some items in them. He helped with the "Welcome to Salem" sign, the pavilion at the Community Center, built the old city shops, and helped move and restore the DUP Log Cabin to name a few. We appreciate Bart and Linda in our community.
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From "Senior Spotlight", Salem City Newsletter, April 2013 - P 3.