A few weeks ago, my mom was asked to represent her local chapter of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. Women in this organization are descendants of the first members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (also known as Mormons) who settled Utah territory in the nineteenth century. They currently work to preserve histories, artifacts and pioneer traditions.
As part of this honor, my mom requested that I write and present a short history during a program on Pioneer Day in my hometown. This state holiday commemorates the arrival of the first Mormon pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847.
I enjoyed hearing my mom share several stories and feel that I know her a little better as a person.
After reading this sketch of her life, you might appreciate her more too.
Tribute for Charlene
Staheli
July 24, 2012
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| My mom and I waving at hometown crowds during the parade. My 87-year-old dad (right) felt well enough that day to drive the horses. |
Charlene
Yvonne Peacock Staheli was born into the family of Byron and Leona
Peacock on Feb. 22, 1935 in Emery, Utah. The youngest of six
children, she often wished her parents had named her Georgia instead,
since she shared a birthday with George Washington.
In spite
of a girlish distaste for her given name, Charlene appreciated her
family with its rich pioneer heritage. Her Danish and English
ancestors had settled Sanpete County, establishing homes and proving
their faith through difficult times. Carrying on with their values,
Charlene and her siblings worked together on their father's farm,
performing additional chores in his dairy and beekeeping business.
Charlene also learned homemaking skills, but she always preferred to
drive a truck or tractor for her dad out in the fields.
News of
the Pearl Harbor attack shocked the nation in 1941. Although she was
only six years old, Charlene felt and witnessed some effects of World
War II on her small hometown. Three older brothers enlisted in the
armed forces, serving on both the Pacific and European fronts. Her
older sister moved to California where jobs were plentiful. This left only Charlene and
her brother Perry at home to help their parents the best that they
could. In their spare time, they joined other school-children who gathered scrap metal that was sent
to munitions factories and milk weed pods with silky threads that
were used to make parachutes. They took great pride in their
volunteer efforts.
The strain and uncertainty took a toll on their family. Still,
their workload was lightened by plenty of homespun fun. Like
pioneer children from the past, Charlene enjoyed Easter picnics at
the nearby cliffs and winter sledding down chalk hills. She also
viewed herself as an expert in aquatic technique because she could
always touch the bottom while “swimming” in the irrigation canal.
When her
father served as bishop of the Emery ward*, Charlene rang the church
bell before meetings every Sunday. This ritual marked each passing week until the war ended and her brothers
came home. For a few more years, life settled into a more predictable routine.
As
Charlene prepared for her senior year in high school, her parents
decided to move to Oregon. They agreed to let her move in with
relatives in Emery so that she could serve as yearbook editor and
graduate with lifelong friends.
A
summertime visit to a small community in southern Utah changed most of her plans. While
staying with her brother Carlyle Peacock and his wife Elsie, Charlene
made new friends and decided to transfer to the local high school.
Undeterred by her status as a new girl in town, Charlene met with the
principal and volunteered to serve as editor if he would
allow a yearbook to be published every year. He agreed. She
fulfilled her end of the bargain with characteristic flair, but her
life soon took another unexpected turn.
Weeks
before that fateful Halloween dance, Elsie Peacock told Stan Staheli,
a local bachelor, that her “cute little niece” had come to live
with them. But she hastened to add that Charlene was much too young
for him. Still, he felt compelled to ask this attractive young lady
for a dance. Something magical happened as they twirled across the
wooden gym floor; before the night was over, he proposed.
After
giving the matter some thought and prayer, Charlene consented. She and
Stan were married on March 21, 1953 in the St. George temple. A
short time later, she was honored as valedictorian at her high school
graduation.
True to
the spirit of her pioneer ancestors, Charlene continued learning and
pushing forward through the joys and trials of lovingly raising a
large family. Creative and resourceful, she often altered or sewed
clothes for us girls and others. She could also share decades of
experience on thrifting, crafting, gardening, and home decorating on
blogs and that newest craze called Pinterest. She was a women ahead of her time. And who could forget
her beautiful quilts? Each one is a labor of love that will be
treasured by her children, grandchildren and a new generation of
great-grandchildren.
In their
later years, Charlene and Stan were thrilled to serve three missions** at Martin's Cove in central Wyoming. They cherished these
opportunities to walk in the footsteps of valiant pioneers who
sacrificed everything for their testimonies of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. More importantly, they opened
their
hearts to new friends and thousands of visitors—especially the
youth—who traveled long distances to feel the spirit of that sacred
place. As Stan and Charlene shared stories of the Willie and Martin
handcart companies, downcast people felt new hope to face their own trials. Countless lives have changed.
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| Mom and all four of us sisters riding in a surrey with a fringe on the top! |
Today we
pay tribute to our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, neighbor,
and friend. She would never presume to stand on the same level as
the pioneer women whom she loves and admires, but her faith, service,
and dedication surely equal theirs. Thank you for devoting your life
to nurturing each member of our family, for teaching us by example to
cherish our heritage and our present relationships even as we reach
out to others as we journey through life. Charlene Staheli is
truly a modern-day pioneer.
*The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is composed of thousands of local units called wards. Each ward is led by a bishop who supports himself and his family while he serves his congregation for several years without additional pay.
**In our church, thousands of young people and senior couples volunteer to serve full-time missions. Young men and women usually concentrate on spreading a message of Jesus Christ and what we believe to be his restored gospel. Senior couples serve in various ways, including work in our temples, teaching in church-supported schools, and acting as tour guides at historical sites that are significant to our religion.
