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Allie Anderson Cardon

A Life Sketch

Today we say our earthly good-byes to a dear sweet daughter of God; our mother, sister, grandmother, great grandmother, neighbor and friend.

  Mother's sweet spirit began here on earth on a bitter cold day on the 4th of February 1910. Her father, Soren Carlos Anderson, and her mother, Hulda Amanda Peterson were living in a farming community in Southern Utah in a place called Deseret, in Millard County .  Her parents and grandparents are all of Danish heritage and Allie's mother and Aunt Annie spoke in their native tongue.

  Mom smiled her famous smile when she talked about how her name came about. Mom said “her parents were on their way to church to have her named Annabelle, but at the last moment they changed their minds and named her Allie. She smiled and said, "I'm so glad they did. "

 Mom was the first of five children. She had one sister and three brothers: Lena Peterson lives in Delta and Merlin Anderson lives in Oak City . She was preceded in death by two brothers, Carlos Isador Anderson and Amos Amber Anderson.

 Mom often commented on how much fun they had as children.

 Mom was raised in a religious atmosphere by humble parents who were active in the church. She often told me that she was always told that she was loved and that her family was very close. "It was a wonderful life for a child to grow up in.

 My mother said her parents always taught by example.

  She told me of the special memories she has of her grandmother Anderson who always had good things to eat and interesting things to look at such as her old spinning wheel.

 Mom said her grandmother showed them how to cord the wood and make batting - for quilts. She had a loom she used to weave rugs and make cloth for their clothing.

 She was reared on a farm so she said they had plenty of things to do including work, play and recreation of all kinds.

 In the summer during haying time Mom said her sister Lena and her would go with their father out to the hay field. He had 80 acres of hay and we would get two loads of hay and bring it home before breakfast. "We tramped and spread it around on the hay racks while our dad pitched it on the racks," she said.

  And of course A1lie's mother needed help with the house, washing, and cleaning and other things.

 Mom helped in the garden, picked raspberries and strawberries, milked the cows, took them to pasture and churned cream for butter. In the fall she helped pick apples, hauled sugar cane to make molasses, hauled corn to the silo to be chopped, and helped her dad with the horses. "We worked very hard," she explained.

 Mom told me they had good times and bad times but, we really enjoyed each other, Some of Mom's fondest memories included. Going with the family to the canyon on Easter Sunday for a picnic. Horseback riding all day in the summer time along the foothills and in the canyon and coming home at dusk or after dark. swimming in the creek. and water fights.

 "We had fun doing whatever we did," she said. "I had a happy childhood."

 Mom went to elementary school in a small building not far from home. "It had four large rooms and two grades in each room," she said." And we had religion classes after school. She said the teacher would give them a poem to learn and that if they didn't get it learned they would have to stay after school, sometimes not going home until after dark.

 One rule she remembers about school is that if they were late for class instead of playing during recess they had to march to the music of the big bands. Mom said she enjoyed that, so sometimes she was late on purpose.

 One time she received a picture of all the prophets for 100% attendance for three years m a row.

 Spelling was her best subject and she loved spelling bees. One time, however, she got caught writing the words on her desk and "boy did I get in trouble, " she said.

 When she was 13 she got rheumatism in her ankles. She said they tried everything but it keep going up her body into every joint and into her collar bone. She said she was so sick and was in bed for over a month. Her mother told her that it was through the faith and prayers of the family and others and the blessings of the Lord that she got well.

 Mom said she was quite proud when she joined the Oak City choir when she was 14. "I loved singing," she said. "When she was teaching a primary class she taught them a Danish song called, Here the Call. Mom and her sister Lena would sing together in MIA and other programs.

 Mom told me they had a player piano at home and that their home soon became a frequent meeting place for young folks and that her Mom always had refreshments prepared.

 Mom said she used to like to sew and that she often made her own dresses.

 I remember her telling us about one dress that she had made for a dance and how proud she was of it. She was told she was the prettiest girl on the dance floor and Mom's eyes lit up as she related the story.

 She said she loved the town dances and that she would rather dance than eat. She said they would even dance in the rain during intermission; they would then wipe off the floor and dance some more. Her favorite dances were the fast dances. She laughed when she told me that some of the old farmers would ask them to dance.

"We would keep the slow waltz dances for them" she explained. "Dancing with some of them was like walking up and down the floor."

 Mom said it was one of those summer dances that she met our father, Jesse Leo Cardon. She said they had a lot of fun. She fell in love with Jesse and two years later, on March 16, 1933, they were married in Deseret . They lived in Hinckley for a few years, then Oak City , back to Hinckley and then to Delta. During those few years in Millard County Kenneth , Arnold, Colleen and Jesse were born.

 Dad worked for the WPA  for $40 a month. Times were very hard but Mom said they got along and "we were happy. "

 "I worked in a cafe in Delta for a while earning $2.50 a week and lived with Mrs.Peterson, Lloyd's mother. (Lloyd was Lena 's husband). Then later I got a job in the Southern Hotel in Delta doing the laundry and cleaning the rooms, earning $1.00 a day board and room. It wasn't so bad making beds and cleaning the rooms but doing the laundry and hanging out the sheets, pillow cases and towels in the winter was kinda ruff when they would freeze on the line, and they would have to be pried off the line."

 Mom said that later when they were still living in Delta, Dad went to work at the poultry plant in American Fork. He would stay there during the week and come back home during the weekend. But that was short-lived because the time traveling was just too much.

The week before Christmas of 1940 the family moved to Lehi. It was here that Donna Mae, Margo, Lois, Dolores and Gary were born. Our home then was just west of the old tabernacle.

The home was very small with a lot of little bodies running around. But there was a lot of good times. Thanksgiving was especially a great time for us. After the big meal Dad sent us to the movies and Mom was left with all the dishes. She said she didn't mind because it was peaceful with just her and Dad there. Dad would play his harmonica and Mom said she really enjoyed that. At Christmas Mom would decorate the house with big red bells. She was always trying to make it fun for us.

I remember the quiet times with Mom as she talked with us and would lie down with us to take a nap.

We were in the 5th ward at that time. Mom was my primary teacher at one time and I remembered how I looked up to here. She was a great lady.

In October 1951 we moved to the north end of town, to the 4th ward. She again taught primary and it was fun helping her cut out pictures and things and helping her to get ready for her class.

Mom loved visiting teaching. She became very fond of Fern Russon who was her visiting teaching companion. Fern was always giving Mom starts of flowers and plants. Mom would plant them in the yard and on the ditch bank. Early in the morning before the rest of us were awake she could be found tending her plants.

The flowers would always grow but they took a lot of hard work. She always had a beautiful flower garden and it brightened up the yard a great deal. She was very proud of her flowers and vegetable garden.

Dad died Oct. 15, 1957. It was very hard on Mom as she was left with so many children to care for. But she gracefully carried on taking care of all of us.

Mom was sealed to Dad in the temple on June 26, 1962. She had prayed for this event to happen for many years. It gave her great comfort to have that goal accomplished.

Mom worked for the training school full time for four years and gained a great love for those special children of God.

 After all her children were grown, she moved to lower Lehi where she lived until she passed away.

She served as a foster grandparent at the training school for 23 years and loved the time she spent there.

In her later years I watched Mom as she diligently served others in her ward, always willing to give of herself. When someone needed food taken in she was there, her frail little body delivering food to someone who was sick or just had a baby.

Even in the hospital, just before she passed away, she was thinking of others. I was there when she was talking to her visiting teaching companion about visiting one of the members. Mom said "no, don't worry I can give her a call, it won't be a visit but I can give her a call. She, even in her last days, was fulfilling her calling as a visiting teacher.

All through my life I have watched Mom in each stage of her life teach by example. I can truly say she has been my hero. A person who has always tried to live with Christ being the center of her life.

She taught me, she guided me, she walked beside me and through her as a young child and now as an adult she helped me gain a testimony of the Gospel.

Mom's influence has been great. I am grateful for you Mom. I love you and the time I spent with you.

Mom has always had a sense of humor, even in the nursing home. While there, one of her dresses happened to be put on another lady sharing the room with her. Mom commented, "1 have a dress like that. " Lois told her that she thought that was her dress. Mom replied, "Well she doesn't have the full attire--she doesn't have my belt on."

On Sunday, Aug. 3, 1997, our mother's sweet spirit gently and peacefully slipped out of her body and she was taken home to embrace so many that have been waiting for a reunion with her. Bye Mom, we love you.

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