“I love to teach” was the response from Mavis Nybo. Mavis was born in a hospital in Salt Lake on January 27, 1930 to Rulon Stromberg and Dorothy Banks Stromberg. Her father was from Sweden and her mother was from Australia. Her parents lived in Grantsville, but her mother insisted on going to a hospital for Mavis’ birth. She is the oldest child in her family with 1 brother and 3 little sisters.
Mavis met Dean Nybo after he returned from serving an LDS Mission. As they were in the same ward, a friend introduced them. They were married on August 18, 1954. Dean passed away a year ago on April 2, 2016. They are the parents of five boys and one girl: Alan (Joy), Salem; Brett (Marie), Arizona; Kyle (Mildred), Sandy; Kurt (Paula), Mona; Shawn [deceased] – (Andra); Shelley (Michael) Grohmann, Arlington, Virginia. Shawn and Shelley were twins. They have 17 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren with more on the way.
Dean served in the Army for three years. Growing up Mavis worked at a café in Grantsville, and at the Tooele Ordinance Depot for one summer. Mavis taught 2nd Grade in Spanish Fork at the Thurber School. She said her classroom was in the lunch room. She also taught a half year of 5th Grade at Thurber. She taught for five months between Spanish Fork and Payson.
In 1952 Mavis came to Salem Elementary. She taught a split 1st and 2nd Grades for one year. After that she taught 2nd Grade. Mavis said she loved the students here. She said she felt like she had graduated and gone to Heaven when she came to Salem to teach. Mavis was a student teacher in Provo and Orem but in Salem she was THE teacher. She said there is a big difference between being a student teacher and the teacher as far as respect from the students. Mavis taught for 28 years. Her husband Dean was a teacher also, teaching at a junior high in Alpine.
Mavis said when the twins were born they needed a bigger home, so they built their home in Salem. She has lived in Salem for over 50 years.
When asked if she has been involved with the city of Salem she said “no”. Mavis, you have been involved with and made a great impact on many of our children. You have helped to educate “Salem”. She did say that Dean wrote and directed a Salem Days Pageant. He even wrote a song about Salem for it. Mavis was involved with the PTA.
Mavis talked about enjoying Easter picnics with her family when she was younger. Her mother would pack a picnic, put the younger kids in a small red wagon with the picnic and they would go a few blocks out in the field and have a picnic. She also remembers coloring eggs as a child. After Mavis and Dean were married she said they would go with Dean’s sisters, Jane Ashby and Ardella Burdick, and his dad on Easter picnics. Mavis said when Dean’s father was widowed, he moved in with them. Grandpa “Con” (Conrad) lived with them for 29 years before his passing.
Mavis doesn’t like squash, but likes ice cream and chocolate. She has been involved with genealogy, belongs to the Knotty Knitters and does simple knit and crochet. She loves to read, and travel. Mavis has traveled a lot with Joan Hahn of Travel Passports, visiting Europe, Sweden, Scandinavia, Australia, Thailand, China and Hawaii.
Mavis has held several positions in the LDS Church but likes teaching the best. She has served as a Temple Worker in both the Provo and Payson Temples. Mavis said she likes Salem because of her good neighbors, friends, the people and community.
Mavis, may you enjoy your future travels, and thank you for helping to teach and raise our children.
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Salem City Newsletter, Senior Spotlight, April 2017, page 3.