Sharing our Links to the Past
by Wally and Frances Gray

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Ilene Tanner (Mrs. Ted Brimhall) (1928-1996)

The Theodore Turley Family Book, pp. 142-143

I, 'Ilene Tanner, was born in Joseph City, Arizona December 2, 1928 to Arthur and Roberta Turley Tanner. My parents has just bought a home from Uncle Rollin Tanner, and I was the first of their children to be born there.  I was, however, the sixth child and fifth daughter.

In 1939 my parents moved to a ranch about five miles from Winslow.  When I was twelve I began working at the Central Drugstore.  I was supposed to be the dishwasher, but after one day, they let me be a soda jerk.  I continued to work at the drugstore until I was sixteen, when I was made fountain manager, and I worked here until I graduated from high school.

Our family moved to town after about three years on the ranch.  We lived in Mahoney Addition and all the kids formed a football team  I was the only girl allowed to play.  We played kids from other districts and our team always won.

I graduated from high school in May, 1946 and began working at the Five and Dime store until my birthday in Dec. Then I went to work for the Mountain States Telephone Company for two years.  In the summer of 1948, Ted Brimhall came to help build the Winslow Church.  He asked me for a dance on graduation night, and six months later we went to Flagstaff and were married, January 20, 1949 by Bishop Frank Randall.

Ted was a carpenter by trade and we went where he had work. We lived in Winslow until our first child, Norman Terrance, was born on October 17, 1949.  Then we moved to Wickenburg for about six months, then up to Taylor where Ted owned a ranch.  Chris Tanner, our second son, was born April 3, 1951.  On May 26, 1951 Ted and I with our two children went to the Mesa Temple and were sealed.

In November, 1951 we moved to Farmington, New Mexico to live.  Ted contracted houses to build and kept very busy as that country was booming.  In 1956 he was the supervisor in the building of a $300,000.00 LDS Church.  While in Farmington, a third son was born to us, Marlin Thomas.  I had various church duties here, including working in the Primary, Sunday School and MIA.

In 1958 we moved back to Taylor, Ariz. for a short time and then we moved to Mesa, Ariz. where Ted again contracted to build homes.  At the close of school in 1960 we againmoved to Taylor where Ted bought a sand and gravel business. Ted built us a new home in Sept.,1961.  Our fifth son, Wesley Shane, was born in the Winslow Hospital Nov. 1, 1960.

[DD from IGI]

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