MONT WHEELER ~~~ NEIGHBOR~~~GOOD FRIEND

 

Wilford Mont Wheeler

August 6, 1937 — June 28, 2025

Mt. Pleasant

Wilford Mont Wheeler, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully at home on June 28, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. He was 87 years old.

Mont was born on August 6, 1937, in the small farming town of Milburn, Utah, to Isaac Wilford Wheeler and Merinda Jensen. Raised on the Wheeler family farm, Mont spent his youth working alongside his three sisters and two brothers. Together, they milked cows, fed turkeys, rode horses, and built a life rooted in faith, family, and hard work.

He graduated from North Sanpete High School, where he loved singing in school operettas and playing basketball and football. His deep faith led him to serve a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Great Lakes Mission. Throughout his life, he continued serving faithfully in many church callings and especially loved coaching boys’ basketball teams in the church youth program.

On November 11, 1961, Mont married the love of his life, Barbara May Blackett, in the Manti Utah Temple. Together, they raised four children and built a life centered on faith, love, and family.

Over the years, Mont worked in a variety of roles, but one of his most rewarding was his time with the Utah Taxpayers Association. He was also well known throughout Sanpete County as the proud owner of Wheeler’s Drive-In—a beloved local landmark that holds cherished memories for many.

A proud member of the Utah Army Reserves, Mont believed in serving his country, church, and community. He especially enjoyed coaching his daughters in softball and supporting his children and grandchildren in all their pursuits. With a gentle spirit and quiet strength, Mont left a lasting impact through his kindness, humility, and the way he treated everyone with respect.

Mont’s greatest blessings in life were his children and his unwavering testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. His deepest desire was to pass that faith on to his posterity—not just through words, but through the quiet example of a life filled with integrity, compassion, and service.

Mont is survived by his devoted wife, Barbara; his four children and their spouses: Michael (Katerina) Wheeler, David (Julie) Wheeler, Debra (Phil) Gordon, and Lisa (Jared) Eliason; and 18 grandchildren 31 great-grandchildren who were the light of his life.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Isaac Wilford Wheeler and Merinda Jensen; his brother, Earl Wheeler; his sisters, Lavon Nelson and Donna Black; and one beloved grandson, Dylan Wheeler.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, July 7, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Mount Pleasant North Stake Center. Viewings will be held Sunday, July 6, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. and Monday morning, prior to the funeral, from 9:30–10:30 a.m. both also at the church.

Mont Wheeler leaves behind a legacy of quiet service, sincere faith, and unwavering devotion to family. He was a gentle soul who lived a good and meaningful life—one that will continue to inspire those he loved.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Wilford Mont Wheeler, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Random Photos From the Pyramid

When the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid Office was moved

to Springville these photos were given to us to

share at the Relic Home.  Some do not have names 

or descriptions.  Let us know if you can add

any details. 

Lillie Thomas holds the Snow College Presidential Service Citation she was presented at a Football Game at Snow College.

Candy Williams and third-grade students

at Spring City Elementary

             Julie Mayhew , Cliff Wheeler, and Barbara Shaw

                                    ???????????????????                                        

THE OLD DANCE HALL ~~~ Wilford Wheeler ~~~Saga of the Sanpitch 1985

Wilford Wheeler   Fairview, UT    

 Come on down, come one and all Next Saturday night to the old dance hall.

 Now choose a partner and don't stand still Come dance with the gang in a plain quadrille;

 A waltz, a two-step, a fox-trot, too; But don't miss the dance, whatever you do! 

We'll hire a fiddler and he'll fiddle all night 

And we'll play and dance by the coal oil light.

 We'll just pay a ticket of twenty-five cents The ladies won't pay, but only the gents. 

Bring all your children and bring out your wife Come join with us for the time of your life. 

Now when we gathered on Saturday night And the lights were lighted but not too bright, 

Now to start things out without any flaw  The fiddler tuned up with "Turkey in the Straw„

 We'd all choose a partner and join with all And listen and swing to the caller's call. 

Now bow to your partner and do--si-do Now swing your partner as round you go. 

Now pass your partner, take the next pretty maid Now swing her around, then all promenade. 

Then as we danced and listened to the call The caller would call, "All circle round the hall."

 The music would change without a note false As we all changed partners and joined in a waltz.

 Then someone would say, "Please play one with pep," Then we'd choose someone else and do the two-step. 

But if things slowed down or started to drag It was either a fox-trot or else it was rag.

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

Wilford Wheeler 
~~~~

Pioneer Merchants

PIONEER MERCHANTS OF MT. PLEASANT

History of Mount Pleasant by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf
pp 326-330
(Compiled 1922)

During the fort wall days of Mt. Pleasant, Alma Bennett

and Miner Wilcox sold a few necessities.

Later, as the people began to move from the fort, some goods were brought in by peddlers.

In the early sixties John Dahlin and others conducted sort of a store in one room of a small house on a lot where S. E. Jensen now lives at First East and First South; and from a small room of a dwelling house just south John Wheeler and David Candland sold goods. Some say Peter Jorgen Jensen was also

located in this neighborhood. 

Freighting was done by ox teams across the plains from eastern points to Salt Lake City, and then in turn it took a long time to make the trip from Salt Lake City to Mt. Pleasant.

About 1863, Alma Bennett had a small workshop on a lot where A. C. Madsen's home now is on State Street and Third North where he made and sold furniture, he also sold articles made at a crude sawmill owned by George Wilson, Henry Mc. Arthur and A. H. Bennett, east of town. Later, several people made and sold furniture, among them James Olsen, Nils Rosenlof, and Harold Christian Beaumann, Sr.



In 1866, Paul Dehlin had sort of sawmill machinery oper­ated by a big water wheel, placed in the stream on Main Street between Third and Fourth west about where the Clyde property is now located.

In 1864 William Jennings established the Jenning's store, on the lot where William Hansen now lives, north side of Main Street between Second and Third west. It was managed by Joseph Stanford. Anthon H. Lund and Charlie Hampshire clerked there for a short time.

About 1869 a Co-op store was started, later this company erected a building on the southwest corner of the intersection of Main and State streets.

A few years later on account of the increasing business of this company they built a brick building on the northeast corner of intersection Main and State streets.

The brick for this building was made west of town under the direction of Andrew Madsen and C. W. Anderson; Martin Rasmussen, James C. Meiling and others did the burning. Among those who did the excavating were John Meyrick, Paul Coates, Sr.; Lars and Andrew Christensen were masons, and Jacob Rolfson and Eric Gunderson, Sr., were carpenters. Nothing but first-class bricks or materials were put into the building at that time.

The same clerks, Charlie Hampshire, Ole Sorenson, Blenda Dehlin, and Lauritz Larsen, served in this building; among those who later served were Wellington Seely, Wm. Morrison, Jr., Stena Jensen, Louise B. Madsen, Caroline Johansen, Nora Jorg­ensen, Lena Madsen, and Minie Johansen.

In 1898 the Equitable Building was erected and the stock was transferred there. This company built the Branch Building on Third South and Second West, which for some time they operated in connection. Later Tathen and Dun. Then George Christensen, then the Progress Branch, and then Paul Monsen and Vern Gunderson were located there.

In 1893 the Union Mercantile Company was organized. They did business in the brick building formerly occupied by the Co-op store. In 1897 the company was reorganized as Madsen & Sons Mere. Co., who were in business for a number of years. Madsen & Longsdorf began business in the building in 1898




selling machinery and repairs. S. D. Longsdorf also had a grocery and produce store there. Three years after the building of log Co-op Store, G. G. Bjelke, John Waldermar, Magnus Rosen­berg and others built an adobe building west on Main Street which was considered much more up to date than the "Log Co-op." They were joined by Niels S., Andrew, and Hans S. Nielson.

In this building sprang into existence what was later known as the Sanpete County Co-op. It was then known as the Lower or Swedish store or Gentile store, and did a flourishing business with N. S. Nielson, August Wall, Hans Nielson, (clerk) Andrew S. Nielsen and Henry Ericksen as clerks.

During the seventies John Waldermar had a butcher shop in a log building opposite the Sanpete County Co-op, where Henry Ericksen and A. B. Waldermar were the clerks. Among the meat dealers a little later were Mike Jorgensen and Taylor Armentrout. A joke well remembered was a wager a young man made at that time that he could, blindfolded, hit a mark with a cleaver on a chopping block in Armentrout's Shop. He was blindfolded and as he raised his arm to strike, M. G. Rolph slipped the young man's hat on the mark; the man struck and cut his own brand new derby right in two. This caused quite an excitement at the time, but Rolph had to furnish a new hat.

Other meat dealers were DeLong, Niels Rasmussen, Evan Ivie, and Keen Tidwell. In 1889 the Ericksen Meat & Grocery Company was established by Henry Ericksen and Alif Ericksen. Later Joseph Seely, Al Peterson, John Ericksen, Andrew O. Mad­sen, and Stewart Seely were located on the north side of Main Street, between State and First West.

It is thought that Hutchin and Lither opened the first drug store unless Dr. Evans earlier sold drugs. They say he sold every­thing and customers were welcome to help themselves from any bottle back of the curtain. It is said 1. B. Hunter also sold drugs. Lindsay had a drug store in Nickolsen's building, north on State Street. This building was later moved to Main Street and was occupied by Dr. E. C. Mills and others. Biddle, Wright and Moss were located on Main Street; later they sold to S. H. Allen and Thomas West, who, in 1889, established a later type drug store. William Clos and Paul Vanoric were the druggists there. W. W.


Woodring also had a drug store. In 1897, A. H. Maiben built the Palace Pharmacy, which later was Maiben and McGraw, Maiben & Aldrich, and of later date, A. D. Sutton Drug Company, R. W. Weech Drug Company, and now we have on the corner of State and Main, where the old log store once was, the drug store owned and operated by Ed Johnston.

It is remembered that in the early days Mrs. Coates had a small store in part of an adobe house on the lot where the Hans Nielsen home now is. Later her son held forth in what is now known as the Willard Kofford block.

Daniel Beckstrom had a furniture shop about where Lawrence Carlsen now lives. Ferdinand Clark and Christian Johanson car­ried a stock of furniture on State Street, as did also Axel Bjelke.

Back to the stores again-Niels Lund conducted one in part of the adobe building on the lot where P. C. Lund's home is today. Sorn J. Neilson had a store where Roy Christensen now lives. Later he and his brother, Neils Peter, and H. C. Beaumann, erected a store on Main Street, on part of Peel's lot, where the DeGraff sisters, Antoinette and Annie, clerked. Abram Johnson, Lena Jorgensen, Rozena Fechser and Amelia Olsen were among the first clerks there. In 1895 Larsen Brothers had a store, on Larsen's lot, south of the South Ward Chapel, where Alex Poulsen later located.

Some of the early Main Street stores which need only be men­tioned in passing, were Brown & Acord, the creamery stations managed by Peter Matson and Ole Hansen, and James B. Porter's book store a block east; Tarvey's notion store, Arrowsmith notion store, Aldrich Brothers in the Progress Building, W. O. Ash & Company, Hardware, which started as a tin shop and developed into a leading hardware store, located in part of the building used by the Consolidated Furniture Company.

Tathen and Selby conducted what was known as New York Cash store, or Golden Rule; later John Selby became sole owner, and later the National was operated there by Straws.

Another store of early importance was the one operated by George Farnsworth and others. It was started in part of a small building about where the B. F. Lovel home now is. Later they built a frame building just south. The building had an upper story where furniture was carried in a limited way. Abram John­son and Amasa Aldrich were the clerks who served. Later A. Kofford's two-story frame building was erected on Main Street, near where is now the grocery department of the Wasatch Merc. Niels Rolph, it is said, had conducted a small needle shop in his father's property in the northeast part of town. After his death, M. G. Rolph operated the store erected on Main Street. Many remember the auction sale conducted there when L. P. Nelson acted as an auctioneer. Martin Kroll conducted the first confec­tionary store, also the first bakery. It was located between State and First West, on Main Street, many remember the ringing of a bell as the door was opened. Peter Jensen was formerly located on this block, also.

Many such stands have since operated and vanished, however, Anthon Gunderson, located west on Main Street, and Peter Jensen. formerly located in part of the Mt. Pleasant Opera House, held forth for many years.

J. E. Gunderson bought and made improvement on Main Street, and J. C. Penney Company started business there in 1911, with W. B. Hicks as manager. Postgard's Jewelry Company, which later became the Squire Jewelry and Floral Company, was estab­lished in 1920, between First and Second West on the north side of Main Street, and later they moved one block west, and then back again.

So history is made.

Largest Cottonwood In The State (possibly)

 

DAVE WHEELER ~~~ CITIZEN OF THE MONTH ~ AUGUST 2021

 

North Sanpete Graduating Class of 1954

1951 North Sanpete High School Prom Committee

Home of Ann Watkins Seeley (plural wife of William S. Seely), ~~~ Researched and Compiled by Tudy Barentsen Standlee

Lucie Wheeler Swensen/ EVERYONE'S LOVELY FRIEND

Lucie Swensen

December 9, 1921  ~  January 18, 2012

Lucie Wheeler Swensen passed away at her home in Orem, UT on January 18, 2012 with her loving family at her side. She was born in Tucson, AZ on December 21, 1921 to Joseph Eward and Kathina Hazel Williams Wheeler.

Lucie married Max Clayton Swensen Dec. 9, 1941 in Mt. Home, ID and later sealed in the Logan, UT Temple on Jan. 23, 1942. Max passed away on August 2, 2008.


Lucie is preceded in death by her husband, Max; her parents; one brother and three sisters.

She leaves behind a great posterity including her children Linda (Keith) Leavitt, Susan Swensen, Paula (Ritchie) Sorensen, Allan (Diane) Swensen, Janis (Larry) McTeer, Gayle (Spencer) Schmutz, Dayle (Pam) Swensen; 36 grandchildren and 75 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. in the Mt. Pleasant North Stake Center, (461 N 300 W Mt. Pleasant, UT) . Viewing prior to services will be held from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. at the church. She will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband in the Mt. Pleasant City Cemetery.

Online condolences may be offered at www.rasmussenmortuary.com

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1951 N.S.H. Junior Prom Planning Committee

PFC Lawrence Erick Larsen Buried 3 June 1921

A FALLEN FRIEND AND FELLOW SOLDIER IS BROUGHT HOME TO FAIRVIEW FROM FRANCE'S BATTLEFIELD AND HONORED BY HIS HOME TOWN RETURNED VETERAN OF WORLD WAR I.

Lawrence Erick Larsen was born in Fairview to Niels Lewis Larsen and Mary Elenore Vance Larsen October 30, 1894.  His father was killed 12 February 1896 and his mother raised him and his brother Franklin.  She was a widowed mother.  Lawrence married Ellen B. Budvarson in Salt Lake Temple on 20 February 1918.  He was inducted into the Army in May and sent to Fort Lewis, Washington Training in July.  He was sent to France with the 91st Division.  The 91st went into battle at St. Mihiel for the Meuse-Argonne Sector, September 26-27.  Lawrence was wounded and died October 6, 1918 in a field hospital leaving his bride who was expecting in December and his widowed mother.  He was buried in France in a military cemetary until 1921 when he was brought home to Fairview.  His son Lawrence Erick Jr. was born December 22nd, six days after Ellen was told of her husband's death in France.

The picture above shows from Left to Right:  Ray Tanner, Military Escort, Levern Jensen, Harold Mower, Henry Rasmussen, Otto Clark, Floyd Young, Tilman Graham, Franicello Stewart, ??, Hilden Peterson,
Frank H. Larsen, Ivan Sanderson, Myron Stewart, Ladies: Mrs. Clark, ??, ??, Mary James, Coquella Jones, Gladys Graham.

The picture above shows L to R: Aaron Cheney, Bugler, Myron Stewart, Tilman Graham, ??, Ray Tanner, Military Escort, Levern Jensen, Harold Mower, Otto Clark, Frank H. Larsen, Francello Stewart, Henry Rasmussen, Ivan Sanderson, Hilden Peterson.

In the car and back row are Belle Swenson, Franklin Larsen, Geneve Swenson, John
Vance, Mrs. Clark, Coquella Jones, Teola Wheeler, Mary James, Gladys Graham, ??, Ione Osborne.

foregound: Lawrence Erick Larsen, Jr.                                      3 June 1921

The above taken from Alice Hafen's Memorabilia