SPRING CITY ~~~ VACATED TWICE, TOWN STILL ENDURES ~~~MT. PLEASANT PYRAMID ~ JULY 1976

 

Boyd Reid Beck ~~~ PhD Chemistry ~~~ Snow College Professor

Boyd Reid Beck died peacefully on August 31, 2022, at his home in Spring City after a well-fought, life-long battle with kidney and heart disease.

He was preceded in death by his parents Osmer Hayes and Sarah Phyllis Sorensen; by his son Robert Dennis; his brothers Richard and DeVon; his sisters, Phyllis and Lois; and his prized pet sheep Billy. He is survived by his wife Sandra Aiken; his children, Sherene (Kerry) VanDyke, Anna (Jeff) Adams, Amy (Chad) Thompson, and Russell (Kacy) Beck; his sisters Neva, and ReNee; and no less than fourteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Boyd was born on July 22, 1945, in his parents’ home in Spring City. He had a good childhood—filled with picnics, microscopes, and pets—but after getting sick at a young age, Boyd realized he wouldn’t be able to carry on the family profession of raising sheep. So, he dedicated himself to studying instead. In his own words he “decided to live like [he] was going to die next year, but learn like [he] was going to live forever.”

Under doctor’s orders, he was asked to rest for half of seventh grade. His mother said that he had to always keep one foot in bed, and he did—technically. Whether or not he actually got much rest is up for debate. Boyd learned to develop film under his covers that year, and managed to play with his nieces and nephews despite bed rest. His illness flared up again at fourteen, and he was again asked to stay in bed. This time he found a tutor. His uncle Boyd Blain took it upon himself to educate his nephew. Boyd Beck often credited Boyd Blain, an English teacher, for instilling in him a hunger for learning that simply never waned.

Boyd served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in California, Arizona, and Nevada, which was the first time he left Utah. He adored his mission—especially because he had thought his health would prevent him from being able to serve. Later in life he would go on to hold various church callings including service in the Manti Temple and some stake callings at Snow College. Boyd graduated four times—from North Sanpete High School, Snow College, Brigham Young University, and finally the University of Utah, with a PhD in Chemistry—and it seems that he didn’t know how to graduate from somewhere without being at the top of his class. During the summers, to help pay for school, Boyd was a sheep herder up on the mountain. He filled his sheep camp with mutton, textbooks, and sourdough.

He was equally accomplished at work. As a chemist Boyd worked for 3M, Albion Labs, sBioMed and Harris Research (among other places). He held several U.S. and foreign patents, including such useful products as carpet cleaners that can lift stubborn red Kool-Aid and anti-fog solutions that can be rubbed on glasses or mirrors. But his real vocational pride was the work he did as a teacher.

For over 31 years Dr. Beck taught chemistry to thousands of students at Snow College. He had a goal to learn all his student’s names by the third day of class—which, by all accounts, he achieved. He personally helped hundreds of students go onto successful careers, including many pharmacists, doctors, and scientists. Dr. Beck loved his students; he often had a line out his office door that never seemed to diminish. He would individually tutor any student who asked for it, no matter how long it took. He was an exceptionally gifted teacher and mentor. His family has long forgiven him for setting such an excessive precedent for personal and professional success.

In 1999 Boyd received a kidney from his son Russell. He often credited that generous donation for tacking on twenty extra years to his life. His children attribute his longevity to the tireless, loving support of his wife of 53 years, Sandra. The fact that Boyd lived to 77 years is because he and Sandra were simply too stubborn to let him die. He would always thank the medical professionals who offered him care over the years, many of whom commented on his positive attitude despite his awful health.

Looking back at his life, Boyd was a man filled with contradictions. He was chronically ill from a young age, but optimistic almost to a fault. He nearly failed out of elementary school only to go on to be the valedictorian of every school he graduated from. He was a sheep herder and a chemist. He was consistently kind, even when life wasn’t kind to him. He was the smartest person in every room he entered, but he would never let anyone know that. All the people who got to know Boyd will miss him—whether they met him clad in a white lab coat in a classroom, or on the mountain smelling of campfire smoke, or dressed in a suit behind a lectern.

The family would like to thank our friends, Anita Johansen, the dedicated hospice team, and the many doctors who helped Boyd during these last years of his life. If you would honor Boyd’s memory, we ask that you reflect on how many lives he managed to change for the better—through service, through teaching, through chemistry—despite so many odds stacked against him. Boyd’s life reminds us that we should never despair, that despite our burdens we, too, can persevere.

There will be a funeral service held on Saturday, September 10, 2022, at 11am in the Spring City 2nd Ward Chapel (150 South Main). Viewings will be held Friday, September 9, 2022, at Rasmussen Mortuary (96 N 100 W, Mt. Pleasant) from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. prior to services at the church. Interment will be held in the Spring City Cemetery. In lieu of a donation, consider learning something new, taking a drive up the canyon, holding a baby, or petting a dog.

The recordings will be available for 60 days from 9/10/2022

Click Here to watch recorded Funeral Service.

HERITAGE DAY DINNER MAY 28 , SPRING CITY

 

J. GOLDEN KIMBALL STORIES ~~~ From our archives

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz2X1Zd0Q0M

Stories of J. Golden told by his grand nephew, Jim Kimball.

 J. Golden Kimball went to Spring City to help the ward there. It seems the Relief Society president was basically running the ward. 

Things went so far that she told the bishop whether or not someone should be called to the Sunday School because they failed to return borrowed items. Apparently, the bishop did enough of her bidding that people’s complaints alerted Church headquarters. 

After talking with the bishop and Relief Society president, Kimball took care of things in sacrament meeting. At the close of the meeting Golden was called to speak. “I want to ask you all a question. Would you please show by the raise of hands: How many of you have ever had a sliver in your ass? One little girl who’d recently gotten one going down a slippery slide raised her hand. Slowly other people started raising theirs. Good—you know you need somebody else to help you take it out. You can’t do it by yourself. Well, that’s why I’m here.

 You have a sliver in your ass, brothers and sisters, and I’m here to help you take it out. Now, all who can release Sister Brown as the Relief Society president, would you do so by the usual sign? 

Are there any opposed? Good. Thank you. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another J. Golden Kimball Story 

from Sanpete 

 

In a church welfare meeting Golden was assigned to check on a piece of property in Manti for a possible welfare farm. He was headed that way for a Stake Conference. In the next meeting President Grant asked if he'd had the opportunity to visit the parcel. Golden answered that he had.

"How was it?" asked President Grant.
"Well now, it was a nice piece of ground, about 180 acres, with a nice slope to it and a good stream of water at the head." responded Golden.
"How big was the stream?" queried the prophet.
"I could piss about half way acrossed it." answered Golden.
To which Rudger Clawson huffed, "Bro-ther Kimball, you're out of order!"

"Of course I am," said Golden matter of factly, "if I wasn't I could've pissed all the way across."

ALLRED REUNION ~~~ Return to Your Spring City Roots

Spring City residents donated their $500 annual Christmas party fund to Quarters for Christmas today. KSL spent the day in Spring City along with FM100.3, 103.5 The Arrow, and Santa and Mrs. Claus to thank them for all of their generous donations. All together they raised $1,343.26 to help Utah kids in need. A great big THANK YOU to #SpringCity. #KSLQuarters

See Video below:
https://www.facebook.com/ksltv/videos/10156301584223676/

J. Golden Kimball Story ~~~ It Happened In Spring City

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz2X1Zd0Q0M

Stories of J. Golden told by his grand nephew, Jim Kimball.

 J. Golden Kimball went to Spring City to help the ward there. It seems the Relief Society president was basically running the ward. 

Things went so far that she told the bishop whether or not someone should be called to the Sunday School because they failed to return borrowed items. Apparently, the bishop did enough of her bidding that people’s complaints alerted Church headquarters. 

After talking with the bishop and Relief Society president, Kimball took care of things in sacrament meeting. At the close of the meeting Golden was called to speak. “I want to ask you all a question. Would you please show by the raise of hands: How many of you have ever had a sliver in your ass? One little girl who’d recently gotten one going down a slippery slide raised her hand. Slowly other people started raising theirs. Good—you know you need somebody else to help you take it out. You can’t do it by yourself. Well, that’s why I’m here.

 You have a sliver in your ass, brothers and sisters, and I’m here to help you take it out. Now, all who can release Sister Brown as the Relief Society president, would you do so by the usual sign? 

Are there any opposed? Good. Thank you. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another J. Golden Kimball Story 

from Sanpete 

 

In a church welfare meeting Golden was assigned to check on a piece of property in Manti for a possible welfare farm. He was headed that way for a Stake Conference. In the next meeting President Grant asked if he'd had the opportunity to visit the parcel. Golden answered that he had.

"How was it?" asked President Grant.
"Well now, it was a nice piece of ground, about 180 acres, with a nice slope to it and a good stream of water at the head." responded Golden.
"How big was the stream?" queried the prophet.
"I could piss about half way acrossed it." answered Golden.
To which Rudger Clawson huffed, "Bro-ther Kimball, you're out of order!"

"Of course I am," said Golden matter of factly, "if I wasn't I could've pissed all the way across."

Allred Reunion June 26th

Erecting Homes ~ Andrew Madsen's Journal ~ also the settling of Spring City, Moroni, Wales and Fountain Green

Andrew Madsen Sr.

The latter part of August, (1859), Bishop Seely sent a letter to President Brigham Young at Salt Lake City, Utah, asking him if there would be any objections to erecting homes outside the Fort, it having been rumored and stated by Jehu Cox that this was the case.  The Bishop also asked permission for some of the Brethren to start a new colony on the stream six miles north.

Under the date of September 10th, 1859, Bishop W.S. Seely received a letter from President Brigham Young of which the following is in substance.

"Answering your inquiry to build outside the Fort, I will say that it would be very unwise to do so and as to starting a new colony north of your settlement, I will say that I can see no real objection to Jehu Cox making the settlement on the stream six miles north as proposed, provided he moves no women or children there until Forts are built".

Soon after receiving this reply Jehu Cox, James H. Jones, Henry W. Sanderson, Lindsay A. Brady, Isaac Y. Vance and others left their families in the Fort at Mt. Pleasant, moved to the new quarters and erected homes which were surrounded by a small Fort.  The colony was named North Bend and later it was Incorporated into a city under the name of   Fairview.

Settling of Spring City

The year of 1859 was favorable for locating new colonies because of peace having been concluded with the Indians.

A second attempt was now made to resettle Spring City which the pioneers were forced to abandon in 1853, and remove their colony to Manti.  The Indians made their work of devastation complete; on January 6th, 1854, by burning the Fort which they had left and dwellings erected by the settlers.  The leaders of the second Colony were Bishop C.G. Larsen, George Blain, R.N. Allred and others.  They erected homes and commenced to farm under many difficulties.

Settling of  Moroni

At about the same time of the settling of Spring City, a party of pioneers from Nephi came up and selected a site for the location of a Colony.  This party was composed of G.W. Bradley, J. Woolf, Isaac Morley, H. Gustin, G.H. Bradley, Neils Cummings, and N.L. Christensen.  After settling upon the hills in the center of the valley, the Colonists named their Colony Moroni.

Settling of Wales

The same year (1859)  about fifteen Welsh Families under the leadership of John E. Rees settled on the present beautiful spot and christened the Colony, Wales, in honor of their native country.  They set to work at once to operate the coal fields uncovered there.  The coal was hauled to Salt Lake City and elsewhere for market.  This was the first coal mine discovered in Utah.

Settling of  Fountain Green

George W. Johnson, having obtained permission from Brigham Young to locate a Colony and get settlers, immediately after July 4th, secured the services of Albert Petty, then the County surveyor of Sanpete County and proceeded to survey a site consisting of five blocks.

August the first, George W. Johnson, his wife and three sons, Amos, Horace and Oliver, reached the place designated.  They were joined by J.B. Holman and family.  John Green, Sam Allen, Christian Otteson and family, Jacob Miller, W. Gibson, Rees Llewelyn and  Abey L. Sherman.  They located on a small stream which they named Uinta Creek and the Colony was named Uinta, but later incorporated into a city and named Fountain Green.

Heritage Day at Spring City ~ May 25th

Osral Allred   posted this lovely painting, which he'll contribute to the 
Art Squared Auction at Heritage Day in Spring City May 25th

Spring City Bluegrass Festival

Photography of Spring City

Click this link for more photos:  http://ldsmag.com/photography/category/99

 

Friends of Historic Spring City

"Friends of Historic Spring City" now has its own Website. We encourage our readers to visit it for Spring City History, plans and events.  Click the Title Above!
http://www.historicspringcity.org/index.html