Person:Barbara Truman (1)

JUST ME - the early years

Barbara Truman Price written at the end of 1978 I am just me, but who am I really? I am a child of God and then I am also a product of my parents, family, environment, experiences, opportunities and responsibilities. I am a complex individual, one of many different facets, with many moods and feelings. I guess the best way to describe me is to start from the beginning of my life here on earth with my earthly parents, Albert Henry Truman, Jr. and Ruth Foremaster.

I was born one Friday, December 28th, 1923. While I wasn't exactly a Christmas present, I was near enough to bring much joy and happiness into the lives of my parents because I was a girl, their second, but the only living one. Their oldest child, Wanda, had died October 5, 1921 at the tender age of just one year, three months and three days. They must have been happy when their son, Spencer Wesley, was born February 14, 1922 and now to have another girl made them extra happy.

I was born in the house where my Grandmother Foremaster lived and in the same room where my mother was born. It is located at 95 South 200 East (Temple Street as it was then called). My parents lived in a little community of Central which is located about 30 miles north of St. George, Utah at the western foothills of Pine Valley Mountain and in a beautiful little valley surrounded by hills and a quietness that can only be found in such a small community tucked away in the mountains. They were living in a house at the top of Holt Hill in Central which is at the south end of the main street running north and south.

So it was that early in my life I lived in the sheltered love of my parents in this little town. It was to this little lumber home that my parents, in a couple of years, brought my younger brother, Donald Albert, home to live with the rest of the family. He, like those before him, was born in St. George, Utah and on February 12, 1926. Even at my tender age, I had to learn a dear lesson from my mother. She placed a large pan of water on a chair and specifically told me not to put my hands in it because it was hot. She went outside, by way of the east door from the room serving as the kitchen, living room and whatever. Immediately I had to see if it was really as hot as she had told me it was and stuck my left thumb into the water. IT WAS THAT HOT!!! I have carried, throughout my life, a large burn scar from the first joint on the left thumb to the next joint and it has been a constant reminder of my disobedience in my early, early life.

We moved back to St. George, Utah and on January 25, 1928 another brother joined our family where we were living on 400 North and 400 West in a home owned by Sister Jones. Alma Henry made his appearance on a cold wintry day and how thrilled we were for another brother to play with. Here I was the only girl and there were certain benefits that went along with being the only girl with three brothers. We moved from Sister Jones' (and I don't know just when) and lived in a home where the Jayhawk Motel now stands with the Turnbeaugh family living on one side and the Charles Walter Cottam family living on the other side. We didn't live there very long before we moved to a little home on the corner of 1st North and 4th East that belonged to Bro. and Sister Ed Seegmiller. It was while we were living here that a very important event took place in our household. I had longed for a sister but would you believe that my dreams came true and then some because Mother had twin girls on January 5, 1930. They were named Helen and Ellen and this was quite an experience for our family.

My world revolved around my family and with growing up in the middle of three boys, you might know that I was just one of them. We played 'bony' horse, built corrals out of sticks and string; built underground houses with tunnels leading to them in the area known then as the 'brush' but now is the City Park; walked on stilts and tried to out-do each other to see who dared to walk with the highest ones; played marbles and thought I was the best shot when really I wasn't. Then in my supposedly 'weakness' I played with the girls - we played dolls and the sort of things girls play when they don't have brothers to do the 'real' things with. I am sure that those times when my brothers refused to let me play with them when they were playing stick horse and I just wasn't one of the cowboys and therefore I couldn't play with them. We had a lot of area to play in because the folks by this time had moved from Seegmiller's little house to a home Dad was buying from Wilford Schmutz on 4th East and about 250 South - just north of where the National Guard Armory now stands. It wasn't much. . that is, there was a front room, parents bedroom, kitchen-living room and a lean-to that was a bedroom for the six children. There was a basement room where Mother kept the fruit, etc. We did not have electric lights nor water piped inside of the house. We took baths in a No. 3 tub and carried the water from outside to use. We had a cow, chickens and had many chores to do as well as to go up to Grandmother Foremaster's to help her with the work at her home and garden.

We moved back to Central in about 1932, where Dad had work. There I went to school in the 4th, 5th and part of the 6th grades. My teachers were Byron Taylor in the 4th and Ida Mc Arthur (Bracken) in the 5th and 6th grades. These were fun years for me. During the 6th grade we moved back to St. George. I was in the first class to start as a freshman in the new Woodward Jr. High in 1936 and graduated in 1940 from the 10th grade. I always enjoyed school and found many things to keep me busy. I was on the paper staff and was editor of the Yearbook in my senior year. I played baseball and sang in the choir and did a lot of singing in a quartet. At Dixie High I was a class officer each year as well as being on the AWS Council. I did not go on to school (college) and have felt that I have missed so much by not doing so.

After graduation from Dixie High in May 1942, I went down to Beaver Dam Lodge to work, first in the laundry and then in the coffee shop. I worked there until March of 1943 when I went to California to work. I went to work at Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica and was there for a year. I was a “Rosie, the Riveter” and then worked on the assembly line making A-20 fighters. I felt that I was helping with the war effort by working at the defense plant.

It was while I was working there that I met my future husband, Paul Eugene Robbins. He worked in Long Beach but I met him through a mutual friend from home. We were married in Tijuana, Mexico April 14, 1944 and he joined the Navy, in July l944. He was stationed in San Diego, California. After my marriage I started working at California Shipbuilding Co. in Long Beach Harbor where I continued working in a steno pool until January 1945. After my husband was shipped out to sea, I left California and came home to stay with my folks and to await the birth of my baby.

My son was born July 24, 1945 by Cesarian-Section and I was not expected to live for a week. In fact, my baby was three days old before I saw him. He has been a choice individual in my life; maybe because I had such a struggle surviving to raise him. I took him to church on September 2, 1945 where he was blessed by Bishop Andrew 0. McArthur and given the name of Paul Eugene Robbins, Jr. I was so proud of him and was so anxious to share this new son with his father but it was not to be. When Toby (as we called him) was six months old, his father wrote me a letter asking for a divorce because he was in love with someone else. What a blow, but after some months I was able to pick up what was left of my life and go on. We were living with my mother and father and Toby (a name given him at birth by his grandfather Truman) was like a son to them.

During this time when I was home with my folks waiting the birth of my son, my mother and I so enjoyed each other. She had never been in good health but just gradually she got worse with her heart condition and kidney infection and there did not seem to be anything the doctors could do for her. And so it was that on August 18, 1947 she passed away. We were relieved that she did not have to suffer any more but it was a blow to all of us just the same. She would be missed by her family. My older brother, Spencer, had married Herma Gubler in November, 1942 and by this time he was out of the service and was living in California. They had a wonderful little girl, Jeannine, and how Mother did love her. It is too bad that Mother did not live to enjoy her grandchildren because she was such a wonderful person. She was quite, gentle and very devoted to her God.

During the fall of 1946 I started going with Andrew Ronald Price and we were married June 19, 1948 in Las Vegas, Nevada. To us a daughter, Patricia Anne Price, was born December 17, 1948 and we were happy to have her too. I had been having many problems during my pregnancy, and so when she was born (by Cesarian-Section also) I was happy that we had our baby and that she was alright. I was more than grateful for her when the Dr. told me the next day that in another 20 minutes they wouldn't have been able to save either one of us. She was blessed in church on March 6, 1949 by her great-uncle Ivy Stratton.

My life seemed to revolve around my little family. They were both very active in school and church affairs and activities and they kept me in shape trying to keep up with them. They were both musical as well as Paul being in drama and the marching band and Patricia playing the piano and organ and being in the marching groups. These were fun years for me and I enjoyed them very much.

It was a great day in our lives when Paul decided to go on a Mission for our Church. He left for the Cumorah Mission August 8, 1964 and was released in August 1966. It was while he was gone that we became an eternal family and that was the only time that I wished he were home so he could be sealed to us. I had to wait nine years for it to be done! It was after he came home from his Mission that he became engaged to SusAnne Annette Lewis whom he had met before he left. They were married March 18, 1967 in the St. George LDS Temple. To them were born Trina Louise on January 22, 1969 in St. George, Utah; Trevor Lewis on October 20, 1971 in Provo, Utah; and Tauna Lynne on September 10, 1975 in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. Paul had joined the US Army in June of 1974 and they were stationed in Fort Sill, OK at the time of Tauna's birth. He is making a career in the Army.

Patricia married Frank Sullivan Ford on September 12, 1969 in the St. George LDS Temple. Their children are: Jason Price Ford born on July 22, 1971 in St. George; Julianne born on February 14, 1973 in Salt Lake City, Utah; and Emily born July 13, 1975 in Salt Lake City, Utah and Spencer Sullivan Ford was born April 15, l980 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

It was during 1965 when I had some drastic changes occur in my life. In February my Aunt Mary Foremaster fell and broke her hip. She was cared for at home until late in July when we had to take her to the hospital and she died August 1, 1965. It was if I had lost my mother. In April of 1965 my Grandmother Truman died also. She was in her 92nd year and had been ill but it was still a shock to us all. They were both such wonderful people and I loved them dearly. Then it was on June 15, 1965 when Andy and I went to the Temple and were sealed for time and all eternity and had Patricia sealed to us. WHAT A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR US! It was not until January 10, 1976 that Paul was sealed to us in the St. George Temple. It was as if 1969 was another year of changes for me. Along with having my first grandchild born, then having my only daughter marry, I lost my father on December 16, 1969. He died in Henderson, Clark County, Nevada from a heart attack. He was buried in St. George on December 22 along side of my mother.

My working life has been most of my life. I went to work after Paul was born at C Force Western Goods store where I worked as a clerk and secretary for a year and one half. When Patricia was three years old I went to work for the County Agent as his secretary (April 17, 1952) and worked for the Bureau of Land Management until April 21, 1979 when I retired after working for 27 years without a break. I had been the Administrative Officer for the BLM since June 1966 and part of that time was the Chief of the Division of Administration where at one time I had as many as eight people working under me.

I have been active in Civic Affairs in St. George. I worked in the PTA while my children were in school. I held most offices and have been President of the local BPW (Business and Professional Women's Club) during the 1950's. I have belonged to the VFW and have held offices in the local unit as well as in the district. I belong to the American Legion Auxiliary and have done since 1952. I have held every office in the local Unit, have been President two terms, have been District President and Vice President and have been the Department of Utah 3rd Vice President as well as being a Department Chairman several times. I have also been a counselor at Girls State.

My life in the Gospel has been long and wonderful. I have taught in the Primary, Sunday School, MIA and in Relief Society. I have served as President of the 3rd Ward YWMIA, a Counselor in the 2nd Session of Relief Society as well as on the St. George Stake MIA Board as Mia Maid Advisor and Bee Hive Advisor. While working in the Ward MIA I received six Leader Awards.

The year 1978 was another one of those years when changes of great importance occurred. It was in February when my very dear friend, co-worker for some 12 years and second father to me, Owen Wright, died and I was ask to speak at his services. It was so difficult for me to do and I have truly missed him. Then in July on the 13th, my daughter and I left Salt Lake City for a trip to Germany to visit with Paul and his family, who were stationed in Bamberg with the Army. We were gone for 2½ weeks and what a wonderful experience for me and I still have a hard time believing that I really made that trip.

Address: 167 W. Hope St. George, UT 84770 Name: Mrs. Barbara T. Price Address 1: 167 W. Hope City: St. George State: UT Postal code: 84770

Phone: 435-673-3677

E-Mail: im4dxe@msn.com