Mama's Happiest Childhood Years

This is our beloved Mama. We're not sure how old she was when this photo was taken. Her father died when she was three and her little sister, Lois, was 6 months old. Rhoda (her mother) moved them in with her parents, Tacy and Richard Winmill. The Winmills lived on a farm in Riverside, and those were the happiest years of Mama's life. They lived there until Rhoda remarried when Mama was 8.

Grandma Winmill was hospitalized for a time, and Mama was the only grandchild that was allowed visits because she would sit quietly by her bed and attend to Grandma Winmill's needs. So she became Grandma Winmill's favorite. Grandpa Winmill, on the other hand, preferred Lois, because she had beautiful dark eyes like Grandma Winmill.

They would often have bread and milk for breakfast. The bread was broken up into pieces, milk and sugar poured over, the precursor of packaged cereal. They would kneel at the chairs for family prayer, and after the meal they would read the scriptures. Mama remembers that Grandpa Winmill would often have tears streaming down his face as he read.

Mama says they would never say an unkind word about anyone. The only time she ever saw Grandpa Winmill lose his temper was when someone would steal his irrigation water! Serious business, water rights.