PAUL L. BLACKHURST
My Dad had to leave school after the 8th grade because his Father was a dairy farmer and he had excepted a job at Ironton which is a steel manufacturing business half way between Springville and Provo. My Dad worked full time with the dairy farm and was never able to finish his schooling.
When my parents got married my Dad started his own dairy heard with 2-3 cows that he was able to purchase and when I was very young he purchased 8 more cows from Mr. Chapman who lived in Lindon.
In Paul’s Priesthood Line of Authority, was the name of John A Widtsoe, who was a member or the quorum of the 12 Apostles. I thought it was very singular that this name appeared on Dads line of authority as Elder Widtsoe, then I discovered that Elder Widtsoe at one time had lived in Pleasant Grove.
~Paul’s Obituary~
The beloved patriarch of our family, Paul L. Blackhurst, 88, of Pleasant Grove, passed away peacefully on May 4, 1995 after a productive and faithful life.
He was the son of Lafayette Gardener and Gertrude Bullock Blackhurst, born September 10, 1906 in Pleasant Grove, Utah. He married Wanda Berniece Berry December 19, 1936 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.
He was an active member of the LDS Church, serving as a Seventy, Bishop, High Councilman and various other leadership positions.
He served as a Pleasant Grove City Councilman for four years and was involved in other city activities.
He was a full-time dairy farmer from age 15 until his death. He loved the land and his animals. He was an avid gardener and raised many flowers, especially roses.
For the past 15 years he presided over a family home evening on the first Sunday of each month. The meeting included his complete extended family (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and spouses).
He is survived by his wife of Pleasant Grove; a daughter and four sons: Mrs. Harold (Colleen) Judd, Salt Lake City; Larry Blackhurst (Carol) and Kent Blackhurst, both of Pleasant Grove; Pharis Blackhurst (Pam), American Fork; M. Dean Blackhurst (Chris), Lindon; 28 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; a brother and a sister: LaMont Blackhurst, Pleasant Grove; Elizabeth Harding, American Fork; two sisters-in-law: Beth Blackhurst and Zola Blackhurst, both of Pleasant Grove; He was preceded in Death by two brothers and a sister: David, Rollo, and Clara Cook.
Burial will be in the Pleasant Grove City Cemetery.
WANDA B. BLACKHURST
My Mother came from a family of 5 girls and 3 boys and she was the youngest in the family. When Mother was age 5, her Father, Lysander Berry passed away. He had been a farmer and since Grandmother was not able to run the farm she studied and took a Federal Exam and passed it and she was made the first Post Mistress in Cedar Fort. For years she handled all of the mail for the town of Cedar Fort and Fairfield and 2 mining camps, Ophir and Manning and did so up until she passed away.
My mother had several illnesses; she had diabetes, bruised skin and arthritis the last 10 years of her life. She slipped and fell and broke her hip. Then she slipped again and broke it again right after she got better. And then the third time she fell she got a rod and she was on walker the rest of the time.
~Wanda’s Obituary~
Our beloved mother and grandmother, Wanda Bernice Berry Blackhurst, 82 Pleasant Grove, passed away on July 1, 1995 after a life of loving service to family, church and community.
She was the daughter of Lysander and Fannie Neat Berry, born October 8, 1912 in Cedar Fort. She married Paul L Blackhurst on December 19, 1935 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. He preceded her in death on May 4, 1995. She was an active member of the LDS Church and served in many and varied positions including music and choir director and teacher in all organizations. She was in the presidency of both stake YWMIA and Relief Society. She was a member of the Singing Mothers organization for many years.
She was a member of the Variety Club which performed community service and service in the Strawberry Days celebration for many years.
For the past 15 years she has presided with her husband, Paul, over a family home evening on the first Sunday of each month. The meeting included their complete extended family-children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and spouses.
She is survived by a daughter and four sons: Mrs. Harold (Colleen) Judd, Salt Lake City; Larry Blackhurst (Carol) and Kent Blackhurst, both of Pleasant Grove; Pharis Blackhurst (Pam), American Fork; M. Dean Blackhurst (Chris), Lindon; 28 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; a sister, Arvilla Hacking, Littleton, Colorado. She was preceded in death by a brother and two sisters: Woodruff, Mary and June.
Burial will be in the Pleasant Grove City Cemetery.