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| Related Stories | Condensed from the book "A Journey Back in Time" by Mary Olson Almond | |
Wife
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I know my husband, Jim, earned his own way from the time he was 13 years old. He graduated from high school when he was 15. He paid his own way (all expenses) throughout college at the State University at Logan, Utah. The first year he hand-milked 12 cows night and morning for the people he was boarding with, and walked up the hill, about a mile, to the university. His last two years there he did some engineering for the school, and he also did engineering for private people in Logan--surveying or whatever they needed. He got his degree in Civil Engineering at Utah State University. From then on when he was earning much more, he never failed to pay for hospital bills; to give money for a sister to go to business school; or to lend money to others when times were hard. I MET JIM ALMOND Jim saw me first, before I knew he was around, and in his heart he knew me, knew I was the one he wanted to marry. I, Mary Olson, was courted by many great fellows, but I chose one of the very best, Jim Almond. He was great because of his outstanding, superior intelligence; because of his high moral standards; because he was a gentleman in every way; because he belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; because he was kind and considerate to everyone; and besides all this he adored me. I was raised by very good Latter-day Saint parents, and taught to consider all these things when I chose the company of young people I associated with. I believe I should tell more about myself just to let you know what I was like when I met James Clayton Almond in 1929. I have told you before that I came from a very rich family. We dressed better than most of the kids at school. We had better lunches than most of the other children. We had everything we needed. We were humble because we were taught to be humble--and we were humble because we didn't have any money. Of course, we didn't need any money, because we were so well off. Mother made all of our beautiful clothes from hand-me-downs, but they all looked brand new. Father supported us well. We always had the best of food to eat. Yes, we were rich--rich in love, peace, and contentment. What a wonderful life we had. I always say I was raised on a ranch--such a big happy ranch--until I was in the 8th grade. Then we all moved to Evanston, Wyoming, my hometown, where we could do better in school, and church and have other opportunities. Here is where I learned to feel my worth and found that I had many talents. Here is where I could polish my talents. My outstanding talent has always been in music. I was blessed with a very good voice, and soon entertained, singing solos everywhere around. I sang on the stage and for other churches in my town. I sang in other LDS wards in other cities. I sang solos in the choir in my own ward and for weddings and funerals. (I once sang for a Buddhist funeral). I sang for the Lion's Club, and for the city when the Governor and other dignitaries came to town, etc. I also played the organ. I played for the small ward out at the ranch when I was 11 years old. In Evanston, our ward was about 16 hundred people. In this large ward I became Sunday School Organist when I was 16 years old, and I was Stake Sunday School Organist when I was 17. The organ in our ward was electric. In my senior year in Evanston High School, I entered the State Contest for singing, and won first place over all the boys and girls in the State of Wyoming. I had to win this vocal contest in my hometown, then in other districts, and finally at Laramie, at the University of Wyoming. The contests of all the basket ball teams in the state were held the same week as that of typing, shorthand, speech and music. Our school had one other top winner. Lillian Robinson took first place in the state for shorthand. I won a gold medal and a very large plaque to hang in our school trophy case, where it hung for at least 30 years. The buglers took my gold medal, with many other things, about 27 years ago in 1981. We went to Laramie by train. After the contests were over, we arrived home by train. As the train pulled into the station at Evanston, there was a large crowd waiting to meet us. The High School band was playing and the photographers were snapping our pictures as we stepped from the train. We felt like real celebrities. Jim Almond was there to meet me, and after all the fuss and fanfare, finally got to take me home. I was told by several vocal teachers--a good one in Denver, Colorado, and my vocal teacher at Utah State in Logan, Utah, as well as my vocal teacher in Portland, Oregon--that because of my good voice and looks to go with it that I could be in the Metropolitan Opera Company very soon with hard work. MARRIAGE I really know I could have been an opera star, but at that time I didn't believe I could have two careers and do them justice. Either I would neglect one or the other, or both--so I chose the greater career of the two, which is marriage and children. About a year and a half after I met Jim Almond we became engaged. At the time I was engaged to be married, I was working as secretary to Judge George H. Crosby, Attorney-at Law. To his astonishment one morning, Judge Crosby saw my new diamond as I sat taking dictation. He stopped abruptly and wanted to know all about it. Realizing I would be quitting my job, he was disappointed, and there was a trace of hurt in his voice. Quickly he regained his composure, and wished me happiness. Gradually he told all the other men in the offices in that building, for they all knew me. Soon all the business men in town knew about my engagement; however they didn't know when I would be married. They inferred that I was letting them down. Sometimes I believe they thought I didn't have a right to get married. They had such high hopes for me; such great plans for me. I had sung so many times for their special affairs. I had won several contests, including an Atwater Kent Audition. They had watched me with pride, as one of the successful daughters of their fair city; once they had paid my way to Denver, Colorado to sing on Radio Station K O A. After a year and a half dating, we were married in the Salt Lake Temple. I guess because I was shy about it we kept it a secret and sneaked away to the Temple. Later I knew that was a mistake. By keeping it a secret we missed out on a lot of happiness we would have known with our friends making "merry" and giving us gifts--we even cheated our friends. My mother, Celinda, went with us. My father, Charles, couldn't get away from work, so Mom was our WHOLE wedding party. Jim's folks knew, but they couldn't come. We got our recommends, prepared our clothing, planned where we were going to stay in Salt Lake, and we were so busy keeping it all a secret that we forgot to get a license. Our marriage was to be Saturday afternoon. We didn't remember the license until just before noon on Saturday when we were on our way to the temple. In fact, we had parked the car and were walking, when we saw the county court house, which reminded us. Knowing it closed at noon on Saturday, Jim took me by the hand and we actually ran as fast as we could to get there before the court house was closed--Whooh! We barely made it. It was a good thing the temple and the court house were not far apart. Jim didn't know that his uncle James Almond was a Temple worker, or that he would be in the Temple. His uncle saw the groom's name, found him and talked to him. That was quite exciting for Jim. There was another brother Temple worker there who came from England with Uncle James Almond many years before. His name was Wolf. We were happy that the two of them could be the witnesses at our marriage ceremony. The first year after we were married, I went to school with Jim at the Utah State University in Logan, Utah. From than on I was a mother to four children. If anyone doubts that I made the right choice by giving up a career in opera, to have a greater career in raising a family, they only have to know our wonderful children. Then they will know that I made the right choice. God sent us a few of His very best, most intelligent and talented souls that He had. They were His before they were ours, but He entrusted them to us. I hope we have done all He expected of us. MORE ABOUT JAMES CLAYTON ALMOND I will mention my husband, James C. Almond's, greatest achievements. He was a very outstanding civil engineer. How do I know? I know because of the things he accomplished and because he was always wanted. First he worked for the Utah Bureau of Public Roads, and helped locate and create the famous Mt. Carmel Tunnel. They finished building the Mt. Carmel Highway in Zion's National Park. The tunnel was famous because of its size and length, and because of the way they had to build it. They started from both ends at the same time, and because of their engineering skills they could meet precisely and perfectly in the middle of the tunnel and complete it. He worked for ten years for the State of Wyoming Highway Department as Resident Engineer. He did the best that could be done with the amount of money he was allowed to work with. This work lasted many long years in spite of the winters of hard freezes. He located and relocated many new highways. During that time many big bridges, underpasses and overheads were built under his direction. Jim was the main engineer on the first power house on the Bonneville Dam, which you still see as you drive over the Dam on the Columbia River. He was Chief Field Engineer on the construction of the Reynolds Aluminum Rolling Mill close to Spokane, Washington. This mill is a mile and a half under one roof, and it took three years to build it. During all this time he was working for the United Engineers of Pittsburgh. When this job was finished they wanted him to go to Ohio, but he refused them because he had a guiding spirit that told him to go back to Portland. He built our beautiful house in Gresham, a suburb of Portland. We were still at war at the time and Jim then built aircraft carriers. He was ship engineer for the Commercial Iron Works in Portland. When each aircraft carrier was finished, he would go with a crew on a trip to the Aleutian Islands and back to test it--a trial run to make sure everything about it was perfect. There cannot be mistakes made in engineering--especially in a case as important as that. I always worried for fear he would be classified to go to fight in the war, but he was too important at home for winning the war. All the while he belonged to the Army Core of Engineers. He didn't work for the construction companies, but helped hire the construction companies, and could fire those working for the construction company. (He was, and had to be, very strict.) Who's Who in Engineering enumerates James C. Almond's accomplishments in his chosen profession. Jim belonged to The American Society of Civil Engineers--a national organization. There are over-heads and underpasses in the state of Wyoming, the power house at Bonneville Dam, the Reynolds Aluminum Rolling Mill in Spokane, Washington, and many houses and several chapels which stand as monuments to his labors. BISHOP ALMOND Bishop Almond was a very good father to his children and took time to have fun with them; took time to teach them how to work; took time to teach them many things about life; took time to teach them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jim became Bishop of the Gresham Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1948. Besides administering to his flock, he set out to house the growing ward into a chapel of its own. For many years we had been renting places where we could hold our meetings. He knew the people had no money in the building fund--I believe twelve dollars and sixty cents--so from the wreckage of the Vanport flood he conceived a chapel. For a small sum, several of the old Vanport buildings were purchased, torn down and lumber from them hauled to Gresham. Then with mostly unskilled labor, much patience, and hard work, Bishop Almond brought the new place of worship into being. Now in 1997 the Church pays all of the cost of a new chapel, and has done so for a long time. At the time this first L.D.S. chapel in Gresham was built the Church paid only one half of the cost of a new chapel. Bishop Almond's plan was to have anyone who wanted work, to work for half wage, and give the other half to the Church. Jobs were hard to find in those days, so many non-members, as well as members of the Church were willing to work for half wage, and of course, give the other half to the Church. Many Church members offered free time to pull nails from the boards. Others nailed, painted and cleaned. When we sought for permission from Church Headquarters to build our chapel we could not get their OK to build a recreation hall big enough to play basket ball in. They said, "Go home and build your building, and if in YOUR LIFE TIME you have grown big enough to fill your building, we will then consider a basket ball court." So we had a nice recreation hall with a stage for programs and plays. Soon we had to make the hall larger by taking out the stage for basket ball. This was so much more expensive than to have had the basket ball court in the first place. Little did they know of the wonderful people here in Oregon. Our chapel was dedicated on October 14, 1951 and as early as 1978 from that same beginning of the first Gresham Ward we had grown into 2 stakes, more than 12 congregations (Wards) and several more new chapels. We are still growing. "Oregon, we come, with the truth of the Gospel bright as the sun. We share our light and love with all who in truth seek God above." This was the song written by Brother Earl Hazell, that we used to sing every Portland Stake Conference at half time for a stand up and rest song. And then James C. Almond received another calling. It was one Friday night on February 1, 1957. Jim and I were in the kitchen just talking about things, when all of a sudden he said to me, "You know, dear, I just feel like I am going to be called on a foreign mission. Little did he know how foreign, or how soon. The next morning, Saturday, February 2, we were going into Portland. I was going to play the organ at the Stake House for a baptism, and Jim was going to pick up some building materials. We had plenty of time, so we were driving slowly. We were just leaving Gresham when a man driving a brand new car was speeding right in town at about 70 miles an hour. He hit us broadside and Jim was gone. Our children were told that I would not live either, but I did, although I was in a coma for a few days, and in my hospital bed for many months. About a year later Jim appeared to me one early morning for a few seconds, and told me how sorry he was he had to leave me, but that he was very, very busy. In a flash he was gone. |