A Word of Thanks to our Editor

Sharing our Links to the Past
by Wally and Frances Gray

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FAMILY HISTORY TIDBITS
By Wally Gray

A Word of Thanks to our Editor
Ella Mae Turley Judd Has Served Us Well!

How fortunate we are to have had Ella Mae prepare the Theodore Turley Family Newsletter for us! [She retired from this position in 2006.] She not only has written and edited it, but she has produced and mailed it, keeping track of the business aspects of the publication. Her enthusiasm for her assignment has been contagious and has inspired us all.

Our acquaintance with Ella Mae came many years ago shortly after my wife and I were married. We did not personally meet her, but we marveled as we read her Biography and Autobiography of Theodore Turley. It used to come to us in bits and pieces on legal-size (horizontal) sheets with the early newsletters. At times we would actually copy out parts of it by hand. (This was in the 1950s.)

Thousands of people have been made aware of our ancestor Theodore Turley through the efforts of Ella Mae.

As I understand it, her love of the heritage of Theodore along with other pioneers began in her youth when she attended Brigham Young University. It was in the years of 1948 to 1952 when she not only took her courses but worked as secretary to all the religion teachers. Her desk was just a few feet from the offices of Sidney B. Sperry, Hugh W. Nibley, William E. Berrett, Roy W. Doxey and Alma Burton. Down the hall was the office of Hugh B. Brown, then a religion teacher and later a counselor in the First Presidency

Each Tuesday she would slip from her work for an hour to listen to the devotional where one of the general authorities would talk. She referred to her desk area as a Heavenly Cubicle.

After graduation she was the personal secretary to newly installed Ernest L. Wilkinson, president of the Y.

No wonder a love of the Church’s heritage became a part of her life.

It was while at the Y that she became fascinated with the references made to Theodore Turley. Finally in the summer of 1951, using the information available to her at the university library and at the Church Historian’s Office she was able to write her Biography and Autobiography of Theodore Turley. This book has appeared in many places over the years. Perhaps the most notable was in a prominent place in the Theodore Turley Family Book, now out of print but available on CD.

She has authored other historical books.

When I started developing my web site devoting some of it to Theodore Turley, I contacted Ella Mae, asking if I could include her book in the web site. She willingly agreed. However, the book was on one of those original floppy disks, not compatible with my computer. She offered to retype the entire book, but fortunately discovered that it could be converted to the more modern floppy disk (now almost a rarity in itself.) So now we have the book on the world-wide web.

Since my acquaintance with her, she has been of great help in my placing items on the web site. She is an excellent proof reader, and her services came in handy.

As she announced her retirement as newsletter editor in the June-July 2005 issue, she expressed her love to us and appreciation for our acquaintance, support and encouragement. And we thank you, likewise, Ella Mae!

My web site on the Turley family is at http://geocities.datacellar.net/wallygray25 (Click on Turley)

The book is at http://geocities.datacellar.net/wallygray25/turleybio.htm

More detailed sketches of Ella Mae are at http://geocities.datacellar.net/wallygray25/judd.htm

(Using Google, you will find other references.)

My e-mail address: grayfox2@cox.net