LIFE HISTORY OF LAMAR STEVENSON WILLIAMS
COMBINED HISTORY BY
HIS WIFE NYAL BOWEN WILLIAMS AND HIS SON BRUCE CALL WILLIAMS
HIS WIFE NYAL BOWEN WILLIAMS AND HIS SON BRUCE CALL WILLIAMS
LaMar was born December 4, 1911 in Groveland, Bingham Co. Idaho to Peter Joan and Elosia Call Williams. He was number six in the family and the first son. His mother passed away just fifteen days after his eighth birthday. Her last words to him were, “if I live, I will be your little brother.” He had wanted so much to have a brother. Fortunately, as time would have it, he did have a step brother after his father remarried. He had that dream come true.
As a child he loved to go fishing with his Father down in the river beds at American Falls dam and also on the Blackfoot river. He always valued and enjoyed his father’s companionship as they worked together on their large irrigated farm; planting, cultivating, weeding, irrigating and harvesting their crops. He especially liked to go with his father to get wood for their winter fuel. They cut and hauled it by wagon loads from a far distance away. He used to herd cows through hot summer days on his “Indian Pony, Billy.” They had a dairy herd of 12 cows and he and his sister, Alta would deliver the milk, cream and butter to the customers while their father drove the two seated model T. Ford.
He loved to go “Rabbit Hunting” with his shot-gun out on the sand hills, northeast of Blackfoot. In summertime he often went swimming in the old swimming hole, where he and his friends had rigged up a diving board. Many of the stories sounded much like the Adventure of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. I am sure that to them they were just as exciting.
When he was 12 years old he was given the job of custodian of the ward chapel by the Bishop of the ward. His father became Bishop of the ward while he was still working there. At that time the buildings were heated with wood and coal stoves. They had a small potbelly stove in the chapel and each classroom. LaMar assignment was to arrive early enough in the morning to stoke up those fires and keep them going through the meetings. Of course he was required to be in attendance at all meetings in the cold seasons to have the fires built and the chapel heated and to attend to other matters of maintenance.
He tells a story of the first airplane he ever saw and how the Pilot made a landing about one and a half miles south of Blackfoot. He also told that when it rained hard enough to stop the farm work they could come in out of the field and rest and listen to the rain patter on the roof. These were happy occasions.
LaMar remembers as a child of the whole family and relatives going on trips to Brigham City. They traveled by a Model T Ford and it would take several days to make the trip and would also necessitate camping along the way. They often rode in a buggy which was called a White-top, a two seated horse drawn carriage with a white canvas covering the enclosure against possible inclement weather. It was similar in appearance to the stage coach, minus the high seat up front for the driver.
After graduating from high school in 1930, LaMar entered the University of Idaho at Moscow, Idaho. He was selected to represent the men’s organization of the L.D.S. Institute in the Service organization on Campus called the “Intercollegiate Knights; (“patterned after The Order of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table”) during the 1930 – 31 school years. The following year he transferred to the Southern Branch in Pocatello for the years of 1931-33. While there he organized the first Chapter of Intercollegiate Knights on the campus and served as “Honorable Duke” or President of the chapter for the following 2 years. Only top students and officers were invited to become members.
Jobs were very scarce the summer of 1933 and LaMar signed up with the Civilian Conservation Corps and was sent out to Salmon Idaho; up in the beautiful scenic Sawtooth Mountain Range to a large new encampment at Spring Creek. They worked as Foresters, planting trees, building roads, fighting forest fires and just general improvement and up grading the forest lands.
He met and made many new friends and soon had an M.I.A. organized among the young men of the camp. Some of the V.I.P.s who attended regularly was Dr. Charles O. Rich, Dr. Peginelli, Captain Rogers and Captain Sage.
Before long LaMar was made Mess Sergeant of the group and his duties were the purchasing of all the food, the supervising all of the cooks and K.P’s; making up menus for the camp and the lunches for all the firefighters. There were about 200 to 300 men most of the time.
On their time off the men could go fishing on Squaw Creek or Indian Creek. These creeks were swift running streams and filled with fish. There was also ideal hiking in any direction; (just spot your land marks then don’t lose sight of them!) in this country it wasn’t difficult to get lost. There are many old Ghost towns to explore that once were prosperous and thriving mining towns. Gold mining was once very popular in those mountains. The Salmon river winds in and out through the Sawtooth Mountains like a shimmering silver ribbon and right on through and perpendicular to the main street of the modest but beautiful old town of Salmon City. For certain it is one of the last of its kind still remaining on the Western frontier. LaMar had a whole book of tales to tell about the big fish that were caught in that area.
LaMar was introduced to Nyal by his sister, Janet. Both Janet and Nyal were student nurses and were roommates. After a very short courtship they were married Mar. 2, 1934 in the Logan Temple. They returned to Salmon and resided there at the CCC camp until September when he resumed his studies at Southern Branch in Pocatello. He worked part time at Peterson Furniture Store. On February 23, 1935 Marilyn was born at the St. Anthony Hospital in Pocatello. In the spring we moved to Shelley, Idaho and took over a Wesco gas station. That fall LaMar got a contract to teach in Wapello. Their home has since been taken down. It was a small house with no running water, electricity, or bathroom.
In the summer of 1937 he signed a contract to teach in Iona, Idaho. On October 20, 1937 Laddy was born at the Sacred Heart Hospital in Idaho Falls and shortly after we moved to Iona LaMar was called to be a counselor to Bishop Bruce Olsen while there. LaMar taught at Iona for 4 years and was principal at Dehlin for one year.
When we lived in Iona, as a project of his own and self-appointed; he taught and baptized 17 of the remaining non-members in that community. Shortly afterward was called to the Northern States. The work in Iona created the slogan, “Every Member a Missionary”.
It 1940 the family was called on a mission to the Northern States. This was a short term mission and we took Marilyn and Laddy along to help. Laddy tracked with LaMar on one side of the street in Lansing, Michigan and Marilyn and I on the opposite side. We were convinced that we got the message into many homes because of the children that we couldn’t have done otherwise. This experience gave birth to the main thing that runs through Lamar’s entire life and that is of course Missionary work.
While teaching at Dehlin in late November in the winter of 1941; we were snowed out. We closed the school and decided to go to Provo to attend B.Y.U. We arrived there 7 days before the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
During this time LaMar had some knee problems so Nyal wrote a letter a friend who was the President of the Alberta Temple.
We rented a small apartment on the 3rd floor of an old student housing complex where I baked bread in a very old camp stove for us and the other students in the building. The B.Y.U. training school was just across the street. Marilyn entered second grade and Laddy, Pre-Kindergarten. He went to A.M. school and in the afternoons went with his dad to his Zoology Lab. on upper campus. He learned very young how to dissect frogs and toads. Remember it was war time and there were no vacancies in Nursery schools. This is the only way we could work ourselves through school.
During the war years LaMar taught Architectural drawing at Utah Vocational School in Provo and worked at Geneva Steel as Chief Filing Clerk for Mid West Pipe and Supply. He also worked for a year as an Engineer in the Drafting Department of Geneva Steel Co. He did all this while he continued with his classes at B.Y.U
LaMar graduated with a Bachelors Degree from BYU and then went to work on his Masters Degree. He did 2 years of graduate work in School Administration and Religious Education during the year of 1940 and 41. Pres. Franklin Harris of B.Y.U. called me to his office and told me I could have free tuition the same as the regular nurse, Lucille Thorps. He said, “Take anything you want just don’t load too heavy.” So I thanked him and went back to school.
On Dec. 21, 1942 Bruce was born at Utah Valley Hospital in Provo. We were living in a basement apartment owned by Dr. Kelly at that time. Later on we moved from Dr. Kelly’s to a two story frame home nearer to the upper campus.
In 1943 LaMar applied for a Seminary job but got a job with Deseret Book Co. in S.L.C. instead. In 1944 on July 31 Gloria was born in Idaho Falls at the Sacred Heart Hospital. On January 29, 1946 Roger Lee was born at the Utah Valley Hospital in Provo.
One of the hobbies that LaMar enjoyed was inventing things. He made many items through the years and would market them. He would also have his children go door to door selling some of these items.
During this time, LaMar’s sister Janet passed away. He loved his sisters so much and since he was the only boy for many years he was especially close to his sisters.
LaMar at this time had invented a Salt and Pepper Shaker and received attention on this invention. These Salt and Pepper Shakers are now in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.
In 1947 “Church Centennial year, we moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. LaMar was still with Deseret Book Co. filming with Frank Wise. We moved to a huge old pioneer home in Sugar House, a house with 5 fireplaces. Bruce recalls as younger children when we went on vacations we would talk about that home. The Landlady’s name was Aunt Minerva. We used to think she was a witch. She was not pleasant to live with or in the same house with. Then we moved into a large house near the old penitentiary. The following spring we moved out of that house and moved into a Red Bricked home LaMar bought on 8th West and 4th North in the Rose Park area. This was our home for many years.
LaMar filmed, “The Stick of Joseph;” which is in the Book of Mormon film used throughout the missions of the church for many years. Roger recalls that they were some of the characters that were filmed in this production. He had been busy constantly upgrading and improving the missionary methods and inventing and creating new missionary tools, equipment and etc., plus helps for the Seventies and missionaries. During this time LaMar invented the first small missionary flannel board to be used for Missionary discussions.
June 8, 1948 Michael Jay was born at the L.D.S. hospital in Salt Lake City. LaMar was still working at Deseret Book in the filming department. In 1949 at the request of Gordon B. Hinckley, LaMar left Deseret Book Co. and went across the street into the Church Offices and became the 2nd member of the Church Missionary Department. Steven L. Richards was President; Gordon was Executive Secretary and LaMar in charge of audio visual aids.
During the years of 1952 -54 he was using his free time building and remodeling our home on 4th North 8th West in Salt Lake City, Utah. The home was white stucco Ranch Rambler with rust color bar tile roof. This he did on his own with the help of the family (Laddy mainly then the whole crew of us joined in putting on the bar tile roof in relay fashion – from stack to ladder to the finisher on top, (LaMar) who laid the tile and fit them together in place). It is a well built home and he designed the struss to support a minimum of 42 tons.
On May 28th 1953 Steven was born 3 months premature and with serious complications. Dr. Jeppson held out no hope unless the Lord intervened, which he did, through a wonderful blessing, pronounced by Elder Spencer W. Kimball. I was very ill at that time and that was the reason for the premature birth. I had Toxemia and quite honestly LaMar and the older children did not expect me to live and they felt very fortunate when I recovered. We are and ever shall be most grateful! You see we had already lost “Little Anne,” born in July of 1949, premature and stillborn, yet I know that someday we will have her again. We were told by Brother Harold B. Lee and Brother Spencer W. Kimball that someday we would have the opportunity to raise her.
LaMar and I spent many years helping in the scouting programs of the church and working with our boys on their scout achievements.
On May 28th 1953 Steven was born 3 months premature and with serious complications. Dr. Jeppson held out no hope unless the Lord intervened, which he did, through a wonderful blessing, pronounced by Elder Spencer W. Kimball. I was very ill at that time and that was the reason for the premature birth. I had Toxemia and quite honestly LaMar and the older children did not expect me to live and they felt very fortunate when I recovered. We are and ever shall be most grateful! You see we had already lost “Little Anne,” born in July of 1949, premature and stillborn, yet I know that someday we will have her again. We were told by Brother Harold B. Lee and Brother Spencer W. Kimball that someday we would have the opportunity to raise her.
LaMar was with the Church Missionary Department for 27 years and a guide on Temple Square 25 years; during which time he was blessed to accomplish many things of great worth to our Heavenly Fathers Children. Missionary work has been his first love and he has truly enjoyed it. Much of his life has been spent in the missionary cause.
FAMILY PICTURES
In 1958 he was set apart by Elders Harold B. Lee and Mark E. Peterson as Stake Mission President of the Riverside Stake in Salt Lake City. Four years later he was sent by President McKay to Nigeria to investigate and see if the people there were sincere in their requests for missionaries. LaMar had written many letters and sent literally tons of church literature, book, tracts, magazines, etc. to them. Upon Lamar’s return from there, Pres. McKay set him apart as Presiding Elder of Nigeria and he was sent there three times to get the work started. On the 3rd trip, things were coming along perfectly, including legal affairs with their Government when without a reason stated he received a cable from the First Presidency which read, “Cease Negotiations immediately and return home.” LaMar was at the Government offices in the National Capitol at Lagos when the cable arrived. Within 3 hours he was on a plane bound for home. LaMar sent his companion on to the South African Mission, as he had been instructed to do. Upon his return home and at the request of President Tanner we met with him. He said, “LaMar we don’t know why we called you back, we only knew it was urgent – there is a reason and we will know.” Three weeks later the Bi Afian war broke out in Nigeria. A group leader was shot in the area where he was working and two ambassadors were decapitated on the steps of the Embassy where LaMar had previously been.
That Bi Afian war was a wicked one, the brutality; savagery, bloodshed and destruction were beyond one’s imagination. The victims were taken totally unaware and had no trained military, ammunition nor equipment with which to put up a defense. The nation was ripped apart. Highways were destroyed, all telephone lines torn down, every means of communication destroyed. When we both later returned we saw much of the results of the destruction and had to travel on many miles of their broken highways not yet repaired. The communication lines for public use are still a hope of the future.
For 13 years he put together Sterling W. Sills messages, combining them with music and songs making up 15 and 30 minute programs. When Gordon B. Hinckley became a General Authority; LaMar fell heir to producing “Sunday Evening from temple square programs.” When he took it over there was one station in the United States carrying that program, KSL. Before he left that assignment he had built it up to 367 stations throughout the United States and Canada.
In 1968 we sold our home and moved to the Eagle Gate Apartments. The reason, to enable LaMar to have 45 minutes more each day to work on his latest projects. One he had been planning for a long time was organizing the “Mormon Youth Symphony and Choir”. Motive for this was one more effective missionary tool to help spread the gospel to the world. This Symphony and Choir are now known, loved and admired internationally. As its members reach a certain age and leave this organization many of them are invited to join the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Utah Symphony.
On the 25th Anniversary of the Mormon Youth Chorus and Symphony, LaMar was recognized for his years of dedicated service to this organization. All of his children and grandchildren were able to celebrate with him this wonderful achievement.
While living in the Eagle Gate Apartments he had the privilege of being able to go to President Joseph Fielding Smith’s apartment which was just down the hall a few doors. He usually cut President Smith’s hair and was assigned to be responsible for some of his personal needs. During this time of 1970-74 he was Bishop of the 18th Ward in the Ensign Stake and he was therefore Bishop for President Smith. He had a close personal relationship with the Prophet.
In March of 1974, he received a personal call from President Kimball to preside over the Gulf States Mission; comprising at that time Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Western half of Tennessee, sections of Alabama and Missouri. It was a great mission. He labored long and hard, spent many sleepless nights and anxious days for those three years and with much fasting and prayer to know the Lord’s will. He tracked with his Elders, taught them and then showed them how. No distance was too far in that huge mission if a call came for help, no hour too late or too early. Allow 10-20 minutes and we were on our way. The welfare of the missionary came first. Responsibility weighs heavy on your shoulders when you know that the parents of 500 missionaries trust you with the physical and spiritual welfare of their most precious possessions. You rejoice with them in their successes and sorrow with some in their grief.
We arrived home from Louisiana in July of 1977 and in December received a call back to Africa on another mission. This time we were called to Ghana and Nigeria as special missionaries of the international missions. This was a work with many problems, but great rewards. Blessings you would not think of nor could you imagine; even sacred blessings that one doesn’t talk about. This is what we were promised if we would accept the call and the Lord always keeps His word.
We arrived home from Louisiana in July of 1977 and in December received a call back to Africa on another mission. This time we were called to Ghana and Nigeria as special missionaries of the international missions. This was a work with many problems, but great rewards. Blessings you would not think of nor could you imagine; even sacred blessings that one doesn’t talk about. This is what we were promised if we would accept the call and the Lord always keeps His word.
The Bus tours, “Salt Lake Valley Guide Service”, all began years ago with giving free guide service to tourists. The prime purpose of which was to spread the word of the gospel. It has now grown into a business, the motive behind it is still the same; missionary work.
In 1981, we received our call as ordained temple workers and in March of 1983 were set apart to do missionary work with the Vietnamese in the Salt Lake Valley.
LaMar created the idea of using films in the temples and spent 2 years assisting with the work; traveling, taking the pictures and helping to bring it all together. One large room in the temple was turned into a workshop and there they labored day and night.
Arnold Freiburg was working on the scenes and costumes of the show film, “The Ten Commandments”. LaMar felt that Cecile D. DeMille should have some knowledge of the true and living God and some basics of the gospel in such a great undertaking. Arnold Freiburg went to Hollywood to work with Cecile D. DeMille and he wanted to teach him and therefore asked LaMar to help him. So two hours before the train took off he came over to LaMar’s office and LaMar gave him the missionary discussion on the Godhead. Arnold would then teach this to Cecile D. DeMille, who was truly a great movie director. DeMille never joined the church in his lifetime; however he did receive the lessons graciously.
I hear messages many times, by great men and students of the Gospel, telling of some outstanding conversions or faith promoting incident. I listen with interest for often it is one with a familiar echo. I recognize names and characters and as they elaborate upon the story and perhaps add a finishing touch of their own. I realize, “this is something LaMar began years ago. LaMar’s motto has always been, “much can be accomplished in this world if you don’t care who gets the credit.”
One very special thing that came to us in place of the daughter we lost was being blessed with a son, Jerry who we adopted in 1983. We just had the privilege of seeing Jerry married in the temple. It brought us and our family much joy. He has been sealed to us. He is dearly loved by all.
Just a few days ago, an old friend whom LaMar had not seen for many years, came up to us at a wedding luncheon of one of our Elders and said, “LaMar, I just got back from my mission, remember when I talked to you about it? I was afraid to go for fear I couldn’t do the job and you told me, “sure you can do it, just go out there and tell them it is the greatest story on earth and it won’t cost them a cent.” “So I did it, and it worked, and those were the happiest years of my life.”
Among the Brethren, LaMar has two titles- “Mr. Missionary” and “The Greatest Missionary in the Church.”
In their later years LaMar and Nyal served faithfully in the temple. LaMar continued to invent various items. He invited a vacuums machine that could be carried on your back and he made and sold a number of them. The Salt Lake Temple has one of thosevacuums. He also was working on a way of cleaning toilets by draining the water out of the toilet during the cleaning. He wasn’t able to complete this project.
LaMar tenderly cared for Nyal during her long illness. He held her in his arms as she took her last breaths. They were truly an example of a Celestial relationship.
After Nyal’s passing, LaMar moved to Bountiful to live with his daughter Gloria in 1993.
LaMar passed away on January 28, 1996 while attending church at his Bountiful Ward. He had just offered his testimony in a Sunday School Lesson and passed away a few moments later.
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