Carolyn Hill Harper

Grandma loved the animals, she had a favorite cat that she liked to dress up in doll clothes, and a little pet goat. Grandma loved her little goat, it followed her everywhere she went. Her mother wasn’t very fond of it as it often ate the clothes drying on the clothesline. One year grandma got to walk in the parade with her goat. Her mother made a red polka dot bonnet and ruffles for the goat to wear, and a pretty matching dress for grandma to wear. They were the hit of the parade, she was sure! After the parade all the kids got to go to the movies for free, they loaded the goat into the car and went to drop grandma off at the movie theater.

As she went to get out of the car, the goat jumped right out and followed her into the movie theater. Her dad had to hurry and park the car and come in to get the goat. The goat wouldn’t go with Grandpa Hill and everyone was laughing and he was very embarrassed. Finally, grandma had to walk out of the theater so the goat would follow her and leave. A few months later the goat followed grandma into the house when she had been called in to dinner. She tried to hurry and get the door closed before the goat followed her in, but it just came crashing right through the screen door, across the newly polished kitchen floor and knocked over the plant stand. The goat was sold at the auction soon afterwards. Grandma says she was very sad to see her goat go, but her mother seemed much happier after that!

Grandma had an older sister Barbara, and a younger sister Cherlene. She loved her sisters and enjoyed their time growing up together. She was baptized at the age of 8, in May 1941. She liked taking piano lessons, but hated the recitals, she didn’t like wearing long socks in the winter time so when she got to school she would roll them down into anklets, this worked fine for her until her mother noticed in her school class pictures and put a stop to that practice quickly. She played on the school basketball team in the 7th and 8th grades.

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In the fall of 1947, she started at Blackfoot High School. She went to Blackfoot for high school instead of going to Moreland where she lived, because her dad owned a print shop in town and she would ride in with him to go to school and then go over to the print shop to work for her dad after school. She enjoyed working with her dad and learned lots of great skills. This is also when she learned how to drive a car. He would let her drive most of the way and then as they got close to town he would take over, but eventually she got to drive the whole way. When grandma was a junior in high school she earned an award for the best patriotism essay - the essay was titled “What America means to me.”

It was at Blackfoot High school in an English class that Carolyn met John Harper. They started dating in their senior year. The first time they went together was after a ballgame at the school, Jack asked if he could take her home. Her dad was already there waiting for her, so she said that they would have to ask her dad if that was alright. When Jack asked her dad for permission to take her home, one of the questions he asked him was if he was Marvin Harper’s son, when Jack said he was, her dad said yes, then it would be alright for him to take her home. After that they went to lots of dances and activities together and neither of them dated anyone else after that. They continued dating after their graduation in 1951. That fall Jack went to BYU and Carolyn went to Idaho State. They tried to see each other at least once a month. The following summer they got engaged. They dated long distance for another year and then were married and sealed in the Idaho Falls temple on July 29, 1953.

Grandma says that their wedding day was a little chaotic but in the end wonderful. They and their families had agreed to meet in town at Grandpa Hill’s print shop at 5:30 and then drive to the temple together. Well, 5:30 came and went with no sign of Grandpa and his parents. Grandma’s uncle started to tease her telling her that Jack had changed his mind and wasn’t coming, she didn’t appreciate that very much. Finally at 6:00 they showed up explaining that it took longer to milk the cows than they had planned. They all got to the temple and everyone seated in the sealing room ready to start, when Grandpa got up and without saying a word, walked out. Grandma was again wondering what was happening and looked up to see her uncle wink at her and say “I told you so.” Again she was not amused! Jack soon returned explaining that he had left the wedding ring down in his locker. The ceremony took place and they were sealed and have been together ever since!

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They moved together to Provo and went to BYU, grandma graduated with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education and taught school at Wasatch Elementary School while grandpa finished his schooling in Engineering. After his graduation, they moved to Los Angeles where grandpa worked for the city in the building and safety

department, Grandma also taught school there. After a few years they were very happy for the opportunity to move back home to Blackfoot to be close to family and raise their family there. Grandpa worked for the city of Blackfoot as the city engineer and then later started his own engineering company.

They raised a family of ten children. Grandma spent her life loving, rearing, teaching and caring for her children. She spent countless hours cooking, cleaning, sewing, loving, serving, watching ball games, overseeing piano practice, gardening, laundering, helping, healing, teaching and testifying. Whenever any of her children would complain about having their face washed, having to change into clean clothes or having their hair combed or curled, grandma would always reply, “I want people to know that you have a mother that loves you!”

While she was busy raising her children she was also busy serving in church callings and in the community. She held leadership positions leading the youth and women’s organizations of the church. She also taught many community classes on sewing and breadmaking. Grandma made the very best bread you ever tasted! She never came to visit empty handed, she always had a loaf of delicious poppy seed bread (my favorite) and some cookies for us to enjoy. She and grandpa also served as temple ordinance workers in the Idaho Falls temple for many years.

Grandma and Grandpa served church missions in Cape Town South Africa and Namibia, and also in the Washington DC temple visitors center. These were wonderful experiences for them and we loved to hear grandma tell us about her experiences serving there.

Grandma spent her life loving and serving, not just her family but everyone around her. Everywhere she went, everyone around her felt her love and kindness. We will miss her dearly, but we are grateful for the knowledge that she is reunited with loved ones who went before, and that she lives on and we can be with her and grandpa forever.

There are so many things that we could tell about grandma or share about her, but the very most important thing that she would want us to hear and know is her testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, I’ll end with that. Grandma wrote this on April 24, 2018. 3

”It is a great blessing to have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, to know its teachings are true.I am grateful for my parents that taught me and helped me to gain my testimony when I was young and prepared me to be baptized into the true church. It has continued to grow stronger as I have grown older and I have had many experiences in my life that continue to strengthen my testimony.

I know my Heavenly Father lives. I know that He knows me, He knows me by name. I know that He loves me and that He hears and answers our prayers. He has answered mine.

I know He sent His son Jesus Christ to come to earth to teach us and show us by His example the way we need to live and the things we must do to become like Him and to return to live with Him again.

I know that Jesus Christ died for us to atone for our sins and make it possible for us to return to live with Him and our Father in Heaven again forever.

I know that through the great sealing blessings we have received in the holy temple our family can be together and live with Heavenly Father and Jesus again. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet prepared by God to come to earth in this last dispensation of time to restore the gospel and organize God’s church on earth again.

I am grateful for noble ancestors who were taught by missionaries in the early days of the church and recognized the truthfulness of the gospel and were baptized members of the one true church.

I am grateful to know that living prophets called by God continue to lead the church today. I find great comfort and peace in knowing that as we are faithful and follow the teachings of the prophets, all will be well for us.

I have been blessed by my eternal companion who loves and cares for me, who honors the priesthood, and serves the Lord, who provides for, teaches, and loves and enjoys spending time with his family. I am so grateful to know that our family can all be together forever.

I am grateful for 5 sons and 5 daughters, all of whom have been so kind to us, who love and respect and care for us, who continue faithfully to serve the Lord and are teaching their children to live the gospel as well. I am grateful for many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who are following in their footsteps.

As I continue to have opportunities and experiences that bless my life and strengthen my testimony, I realize even more that surely I am most blessed. And I am very grateful.”

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.