Ada Marie Winder Willson

By Sun Advocate

ELMO/ESCALANTE – Ada Marie Winder Willson, age 97, Passed away on Jan. 13, 2011 in Escalante. Ada was born the fourth of fourteen children on Oct. 26, 1913 at Desert Lake to Charles William and Caroline Elizabeth Mills Winder, she had nine brothers and four sisters. The family were Letha Elvinia Crammer (1908), Virl Evert (1910), Mildred Caroline Jensen (1912), Ada Marie (1913), Ornald William (1915), Baby boy (1916), Angus David (1917), Verdis Eugeen (1920), Harold (1923), Zina LaReata Tabor (1926), Philip (1928), Sherland Laroy “Floyd” (Twin- Girl) (1930), Van Dale (1934). All preceded Ada in death except sister Zina Tabor, Price and Brother Van Dale Winder, Bolivar, MO.
She is survived by her seven children, four boys and three girls; Lewie Zera of Montrose, Colo., Marvon Ellis (Lou Jean Golding) Willson of Wellington, Polley Myrna Willson Hunt of Englewood, Colo., Pattie Bertrin of Price, Lana Lucinda (Raymond Walter) Christian of Escalante, Leland Wilbert (Lois Louise Golding) Willson of Wellington, Aurelia Beth Willson of Stansbury Park. Ada has 23 grandchildren; 58 great-grandchildren; 43 great-great-grandchildren.
Preceded in death by husband, two daughters-in-law, two grandsons and one great-grandson.
She attended school in Desert Lake, Victor and then in Elmo. She met her husband when they were going to school in Elmo. She lived in and around Elmo all her life except her early years she lived in Desert Lake and the last six years she lived in Escalante.
She married Myron Willson On Oct. 23, 1931 in Price. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Manti LDS Temple on Sept. 25, 1939. they were married a little more then 60 years when Myron passed away on Feb. 28, 1992. Ada out lived all of her husband’s brothers and sisters and their spouses. They were: Oran E. and Jane Martine, Marrion (twin to Myron) and Viola, Clarence and Rinda, Willis (twin) and Leatha, and Lilice (twin).
Her parents homesteaded property on Cedar Mountain in Emery County where the family lived and worked the summers. One year they lived there through the winter. The family also homesteaded property on Shoemaker Wash near Desert Lake which became the family home. She worked hard to help the family build homes and cultivate the land, care for their animals and do the necessary things to prove up on the ground for the government to deed the properties to them.
She endured many hardships and trials in her life and saw many national crises. She was just a girl when World War I broke out. She married and had her first four children during the Great Depression of the thirties. By the time World War II came her last three children were born. They experienced living on $4.00 a month and using ration stamps to provide for many necessities from gasoline to clothing and food. Then the Korean War came and her oldest son served in that war.
Myron and Ada Willson together gave their family a wonderful family life. Being a hard worker all her life you could see her tending water, working in the fields, feeding and caring for the cows as well as taking care of her home until she was in her eighties. In the evening she would sit down to work on her quilting (she made hundreds for her family and others). She loved crocheting, knitting, tatting, and many other types of handiwork. There are only a few kinds of handiwork she has not been able to do. She always loved to learn new ideas and skills.
She loved poetry and songs. She could recite or sing many of the old time poems and ballads, for example “Bill Venero” which is about 15 verses long she sang at her ninetieth birthday party.
Myron and Ada Willson were water masters for the Cleveland Huntington Irrigation Company. Ada worked in many of the organizations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from drama director, Primary Councelor and teacher. She was also janitor of the Elmo Ward Chapel. She has been very involved in the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. She was instrumental in obtaining the tithing granary for the Lily of the Valley Camp at Elmo, and moved it to its present location, and having a marker built which stands in the center of Elmo Town. She helped start and supported until she couldn’t drive, the Annual Pheasant Hunt lunches that the D.U.P. sponsors every year.
She took the responsibility of gathering names and dates of the people buried in many of the cemeteries in Emery County. She did the names for the Victor Cemetery and the Thayn Field in Desert Lake. The Elmo Cemetery she gathered the names and dates of the people buried there and those records complied a history. She then had the Cemetery surveyed, with a map of all the plots drawn up and the Cemetery dedicated.
Our mother may be small in physical stature but in every way she is a giant. She is a giant in the hearts of her family. She has taught us love of family, honestly, integrity, courage, and many other values worth living by. Thanks to our mother for all her hard work as farmer, cow-girl, cook, seamstress, laundress, peacemaker, teacher and many unlisted titles. We thank you for all your love and support as well as sticking by each of us when we needed you. We your family are trying to live up to the example and hope we can live wothy to be with you and daddy in the eternities.
I’m not here; Don’t stand by my grave and weep, For I’m not there I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glint on snow. I am the sunshine on ripened grain, I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the morning hush I am the swift uplift rush. Of quiet birds in circle flight, I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there I did not die.
Funeral services will be held at the Elmo LDS Chapel (199 E. Main) on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011 at 1 p.m. A viewing will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011 from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. both at the Elmo LDS Chapel. Interment in the Elmo Cemetery. Services are in the care of Fausett Mortuary. Friends and family may sign the guest book and share memories of Ada Marie at www.fausettmortuary.com.