I was born on April 6, 1944 in Pocatello, Idaho at the St. Anthony Hospital. I was the 3rd child of Glen and Verla Woodbury Kofoed. My birth took place at 10:35 pm and I weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz. and was 21 Inches long. I joined an older sister, Leola Rae who was 6 years old and an older brother Glen Lamarr who was four years old.
I was given a name and blessing by my father on May 7, 1944 at the Lava Hot Springs, Idaho Ward. Our family lived in Lava Hot Springs until the spring of 1945 when we moved to Wilder, Idaho. Wilder is a small farming community in south western Idaho. My father was hired to manage a fruit orchard which was about 5 miles out of town and was close to the Snake River.
I do have some memories of living in Wilder. We did not have a Ward in Wilder because it was so small. We attended church in Homedale, Idaho which was about 10 miles away. While living there, my Dad was in the Bishopric and my Mom was Primary President. One of my cousins my age was Vicky Byington who lived in Homedale where her father was employed. Her parents were my Uncle Ardell and Aunt Fay Byington. Fay was my father’s younger sister. Our families spent many good times together because of the close family ties. At that time, we had Sunday School and Priesthood meeting early Sunday morning and then would have Sacrament meeting in the evening at 7:30 or 8:00 pm. So, Sunday was a day we often got together for Dinner between meetings. One time I remember my Mother coming and sitting by me in church because I was making designs on the fur coat of the lady sitting in front of me! I stopped!
I have a few great other memories of living in Wilder even though I was pretty young. Some of the things I remember well are times I enjoyed being with my Dad as he worked outside. One day while I was riding on a piece of equipment with my Dad, we saw a passenger plane fly over us low enough that we could see the windows! Where it came from and why it was so low is still a mystery. Another memory I have is riding on one of the work horses that pulled the hay fork which was attached to the Derrick that went up and down to stack the hay we brought in from the field. We also had a beautiful yard right along the Snake River with a huge Weeping Willow tree, a Mulberry tree and lots of grass to run and play. One thing we did not have was indoor plumbing! So, outside we had a hand pump for pumping the water we used in our house and an outdoor toilet.
We did have electricity and a on old fashioned wall telephone with a party line. A wood stove was in our kitchen that we used for heating water. I remember of shaking water on it to see it sizzle and of burning my arm a little. Outside on the hill going down to the river we also had a spring that had a roof built over part of it where we kept our watermelon, milk and anything we wanted kept cool.
It was while we lived in Wilder that my Grandmother Edith Talbot Woodbury came to live with us. She was very crippled with Rheumatoid Arthritis but was always cheerful and sang Primary songs to us and helped with everything she was able to do. One day when I was helping with the dishes, I remember of asking her to come and dry the silverware. She was happy to help! I realize now that I just wanted her company more than the Silver ware needed drying. She also had learned to crochet and made many beautiful doilies although her hands were very crippled by her disease. When Grandmother came to stay with us, my Dad’s boss Mr. Alvin Steele built a room for her out of part of the front porch. He was a kind and generous boss and helped us have a good experience while in Wilder.
The river was quite an attraction and our place provided an easy access for fishermen who came to fish in the river. One day I remember of two men catching a Sturgeon that was so long that they had to carry it hanging between them and holding it up as they walked. It must have been 3-5 foot long!
My Dad loved to go to Homedale and see the Cowboy movies with John Wayne and other actors. One night we were getting ready to go and someone knocked the Wash tub/Bath tub off the chair where it was setting. So, we had to mop up all the water before we could leave for the movie. I guess that was our only way of bathing because the toilet was outside.
One winter LaMarr and Leola and I were sliding and playing with sticks on a frozen pond that was near our house and I fell through a hole in the ice. Leola and LaMarr had to pull me out. Thank goodness they were there to help me. Maybe this was the first time my life was spared. Another time my life was spared was when we were traveling to a Family Reunion in Lava Hot Springs. I am not sure how old I was but we were driving a 4 door Chevy car. At that time, the back doors opened from the center post so that if it was opened while traveling, the wind would catch it and it would fly opened. Well, I leaned on the handle and it opened and out I went into the barrow pit. LaMarr said, “Marianne’s gone!” I was taken to a hospital in Mountain Home where I was diagnosed with a concussion. The doctor did not want me moved, so we stayed in Mountain Home that night. That evening, my Dad found the Bishop of the Ward and had him come and help him administer to me. When the doctor came in to check on me the next morning, he could not see any signs of the concussion and let us travel on to the Reunion. I did have scabs in my hair for a few weeks from the gravel where my head hit the ground because I remember my mother helping wash my hair and carefully picking the scabs out of my hair when they were healed and loose. My parents also bought a lock, screwed it in, and made it so the door wouldn’t open unless it was from the outside.
During those years in Wilder, I also remember have a very faithful “Ward Teacher” from Homedale Ward. His name was Clair Carson. He must have been a faithful and thoughtful person for me to remember his name and his visits. As a young girl he made a positive impression on me. Later, I served as a counselor to his daughter who was serving as the Stake Relief Society President.
LaMarr & Leola went to the Arena Valley two room country school during the years we lived in Wilder. I remember of walking to the school sometimes to walk home with them after school. The school also had a picnic at the end of the school year that was a lot of fun to get to know the other families in the valley. I also attended the Arena Valley School for the first half of my 1st grade year. There were four grades in each room with one teacher for each room.
I loved going places with my Dad! One day he took LaMarr and me to the Sale Yard in Caldwell where a lot of wild Mustang horses had been rounded up from the Owyhee mountains and brought in to be sold. Dad bought a young wild horse for LaMarr. Even after he had been trained, he knew how to get the rider off his back. I don’t remember of him ever being very well trained.
