A long-time resident of Salem is Nedra Hanks. She was born in the family home in Payson on March 21, 1936. She smiled when she said her birth certificate didn’t list her weight but read “Born alive”. She was the first child born to Ned and Edna Taylor. Her Grandmother Rebecca Taylor had just passed away 6 months before she was born, so they were going to name her Rebecca. Her mother’s brother came to visit and said this may be their only daughter and with the names of Ned and Edna they needed to name her Nedra. So Nedra it was! As it would happen she was the only girl, with two younger brothers.
Nedra met her husband, Shirl, through his Grandpa and Grandma Hill who lived on the same block as she did. She had see him around during the summers, and one day he asked if she would go to the Sunday night Payson Band Concert in the park with him. She said she would just meet him at the fountain after the concert. She was surprised he showed up. He took her home and asked if she would go to a movie on Tuesday night with him. They double-dated and there were several more dates after that. They were married on May 12, 1955 in the Salt Lake Temple. They lived in three different homes in Salem before building the home she lives in now. She has lived in Salem for 61 years. Shirl passed away on August 29, 2012. They were married for 57 years.
They are the parents of four children: Craig, deceased; Janette (Greg) Raulston, Salem; Karen (Steve) Haskell, Salem; and Scott, Salt Lake. They have 6 grandchildren (3 boys and 3 girls), and 8 great grandchildren.
When they were first married Shirl joined the Army rather than being drafted. He served Active duty for 6 months and Reserves for 5 ½ years. Nedra worked at First Security Bank in Payson. She only worked until they started to have children, then she became a stay-at-home- Mom. Shirl’s Dad owned the grocery and furniture store, Mel Hanks & Sons. Shirl eventually took over the store which was only a furniture store at the time. After 20+ years, when Scott was in the 9th grade, she gave up being a stay-at-home-Mom and went to work in the store as Shirl’s bookkeeper. She said Scott learned to be the delivery guy. The store continues in the Hanks’ name as Janette and Greg have purchased the store.
Nedra said Shirl was involved in a lot of Salem Day Pageants and the Fire Department, serving as Fire Chief for a year. She helped build a few city floats. Nedra and Shirl were Grand Marshalls for the Salem Days Parade in 2009. She has been active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serving in several leadership positions.
Nedra says she doesn’t like spinach or olives. She is an “old fashioned” meat, potatoes and gravy person. That is what Shirl loved also. She remembers making milk gravy in her early days of marriage. She said she is not a fancy gourmet cook, just plain good stuff. She loves to can and bottle – to see the filled bottles on her shelves. Nedra has made lots of quilts, mostly for the family (children and grandchildren). She always loved to sew and made almost all of her kids clothes, especially the girls' dresses, for years, and hers too. Nedra and Shirl loved to travel. She was a home-body at first, then the spirit of traveling set in. They traveled to Europe several times, and Hawaii “many” several times. For their 50th Anniversary they did a cruise of the Baltic Sea which was fabulous.
She said she feels like she hasn’t discovered her talents. She didn’t have the opportunity to learn the piano, or a musical instrument or to sing. She just tried to be the most faithful person in any calling she received in the Church. She has tried to make that her talent.
Nedra loves everything about Salem and has done so from the beginning. It is a peaceful place to raise children. She feels so blessed to live here.
Thank you Nedra for your friendship and love. What a talent these are.
NOTE: Click HERE to hear and see some of her family history.
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Salem City Newsletter Senior Spotlight, July 2016, page 3