I arrived the 30th of April, 1906, being born in our brick home at 1321 South 10th East, Salt Lake City. My Father was associated with a law firm at that time and was in his thirty seventh year. My Mother was twenty four years old.

At my parents’ marriage, my mother brought her sister Agnes and brother John to the new home. My father brought his seventeen year old daughter Myrtle, and the thirteen year old son George. I arrived in a home that was already comfortably filled with people. Soon after my arrival, Grandmother Agnes T. Schwartz came to make her home with us. Blanch arrived nineteen months after I did, I recall that Blanch was always a part of the family circle. However, Ruth, who was born the 19th of July, 1909 was a different story. The family claims that I embarrassed them terribly by discussing Ruth’s impending arrival with the family chauffeur. I was three years and three months of age at the time.

As the family, through sickness and otherwise, did not seem to consider my eighth birthday of sufficient importance to warrant a birthday party, I went to my friends and invited them to come to my house after 9 p.m. They arrived about the time my family was thinking of going to bed. The family surmised what I had been up to, so Myrtle and Donna hurriedly put together some apple pies, though I had warned my friends there would be no refreshments. Several parents later told the folks they had wondered what in the world we meant by keeping such young children out so very late.

Editors Note: VaLois was a noted cellist and played in the church orchestra, as well as the family trio, with her mother on the piano and Ruth on the violin. Blanch learned to play the piano, and as her talents increased, she took over for her mother. VaLois was an accomplished roadshow writer and director.

I asked to go on a mission at the conclusion of my high school training. Mother was a little surprised, My Father offered to support me and told me to get the necessary arrangements made. Bishop George H. Soderborg (father of my future brother-in-law Lloyd) heartily approved and sent me on to the Stake President. The President was in favor of my going until he learned that I was only 18 years old. I was so visibly crushed that, after talking to him a little longer, he agreed to send me out. There was no mission home to train out-going missionaries when I left. (Editors Note: She was set apart for her mission by the Apostle David O. McKay). Her assignment was the Eastern States Mission, which ran from the Canadian border to West Virginia (south), from the Atlantic Ocean to Ohio on the west. My first year of assignment was spent in Philadelphia where they had a branch. My last year was spent in Scranton.

In our fatherless home, Mother had been our strength and guide. She was at that time president of the Relief Society. Blanch was, or had been dating Ross Fox, but by then it was a correspondence courtship, because he was in the Central States Mission. Ruth had developed into a lovely teenager, very much in demand in musical circles with her violin trio. The boys, William (16) and Taylor (14) had grown so much in my absence that I was overwhelmed, but the biggest change was in little Edward, who was now in school.

Being the oldest of seven children, I took the shortest route to a paycheck and entered Salt Lake Business College for nine months of intensive secretarial training.

One of my first jobs was with Ketchum Lumber and Demolition. I gained confidence in my secretarial skills and received lots of practice. I then moved on to become the secretary for Dr. James E. Talmage. The first year in his employ was anything but easy. During our interview he had told me: "If the ribbon is faulty, we’ll get a new ribbon; if the typewriter is faulty, we’ll get a new typewriter; and if the secretary is faulty, we’ll get a new secretary!" Then he added that he could not tolerate a weeping woman. The first year was very hard, but a thorough training time, I was often tempted to quit the job. But, because Mother was so proud to have her daughter as Dr. Talmage’s secretary, I stayed on. After the first year, I found the work very interesting and my relationship with Dr. Talmage vastly improved. When he died on July 27, 1933, it was desolate agony for me and I also worried about my future, as members of my family depended on my income.

I then went to work for President J. Reuben Clark Jr. He had just served as the U. S. Ambassador to Mexico at the time of his call to the Church Presidency. I was his first secretary. One of his first assignments in 1933 was to start the formulation of the Church Welfare Plan. In 1935 President Clark moved into full action on the plan and my boast is that "I was in the delivery room when the Welfare Plan was born." I was also involved when Hitler invaded Poland prior to the start of World War II . President McKay, who was over the Church missionary program, authorized President Clark to bring all of the missionaries back to the United States. He was inspired and completed this assignment with no problem.

The creation of Columbus Ward from part of Burton and part of Wells Wards had an eternal impact on my life. I was choir leader, Paul was a very important contributor in the base section. A choir party was scheduled for Jordan Park. Shortly before the day arrived, Paul called to see if I would go with him to that, as well as his missionary party two days later. After Paul’s call, I phoned my brother-in-law, Ross Fox who was in the Bishopric, to find out more about Paul. Our romance followed, with my receiving a gorgeous diamond ring on October 5th, 1940 (Mother’s Birthday).

I had asked President Clark to perform the marriage ceremony, to which he enthusiastically agreed. But as the date neared, President Heber J. Grant said he would like to do it. When I finally mustered enough courage to tell President Clark, he said by all means to have the Prophet do it. On March 21, 1941, Paul and I were married.

Our first home was at 550 Elm Avenue in Salt Lake. After several months, mother nature announced we were to become parents. Our firstborn arrived around 7 o’clock on the 17th of February, 1942. Because of the strong medication they had put me on, it was the next morning before I held this beautiful boy and I thought my heart would burst. I couldn’t hold back the tears of joy when I saw Washburn Paul Chipman. I was called to send letters to servicemen and missionaries in the ward. In due time it was evident that another baby was coming. Another beautiful baby boy, Taylor, put in his appearance to double our happiness, on 16th of November 1943.

Paul found a small 14 1/2 acre farm to raise our family out in West Jordan. It was run down, but my sister Blanch brought out her two boys, Ross and Richard, and they painted the home and cleaned up the yard. It was the start of many happy memories. On October 12th of 1945, our wonderful Matthew South Chipman arrived. At the time, Paul was working on completing the indoor bathroom. When we came home from the hospital, we had a bathroom within a couple of weeks. I won’t soon forget the luxury of that great improvement. On September 9th,1948, Karen put in her appearance. The doctor asked if I had been taking in washing, as the cord was wrapped around her neck three times. I know her life was spared because she was meant to be ours. Every mother needs at least one daughter, and Karen fulfilled in every respect just what we needed in our home. Those were happy years as the children developed individual personalities. They moved normally through school. Because we were the "country cousins", my brothers and sisters occasionally brought their children out and left them for a few days, much to the delight of my family.

On June 12, 1967, the death which affected my life the most, that of my eternal companion, occurred. Washburn, the father of two, was working as an assistant manager for a collection firm. Taylor was going to Weber College. Matt was on summer vacation from BYU and was out in Uintah County with the National Guard. Karen was working for Equitable Life, as well as planning her marriage with Scott. Paul had left for the night shift at Kennecott, as he had done for many years. At around midnight, his supervisor phoned to see why he hadn’t arrived. Not sensing any special concern, I mentioned that something must have delayed him. About an hour later a knock came at the door, there stood the sheriff and Bishop Schugaard of our West Jordan Ward. They told Karen and I that a car had run a stop sign at 56th West and 21st South and crashed into Paul’s car. The accident was fatal. I knew my boys were men when they took over the arrangements. Karen was such a comfort to have with me during this time of pain and sorrow.

In December of 1968, I served a second mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This call was for the West Central States Mission which encompassed Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, a corner of Nebraska and some of Minnesota. I flew to Billings, Montana, where the temperature was 13 degrees below zero and our mission car had no heater. From Billings, I was assigned to Lander, Wyoming, for three months. Then I was transferred to Douglas. It was in Douglas that the Wyoming State Fair was held and the LDS Branch had the only food concession stand at the fair. For that entire week my companion and I cooked what seemed like a "zillion" hamburgers. It was during this mission that I worked closely with the Northern Indian missionaries. There were vast numbers of tribes and reservations in the area. My final transfer was to Rapid City, South Dakota, where I stayed until the end of that second mission in June of 1970.

My third and last mission was a result of my employment with the Church Lamanite Committee coming to an end. Because of my desire to serve with the Indians, I requested and received a Lamanite mission. My first assignment began in October 1971 in the Mission Home in Holbrook, Arizona, working as the secretary for the mission president. After six months, I was transferred to Chinle, Arizona. Later, I returned to the mission home to close my mission. Editors Note: Aunt VaLois was voted the first and last Miss S.W.I.M. (South West Indian Mission) for her outstanding contributions. The title was retired shortly after her winning it, because it was noted that no one could duplicate her.

For her 90th birthday party, in April of this year (1996), a grand bash was held at Matthew and Lorraine Chipman’s home, with attendance by many of our cousins to celebrate being related to this grand woman.

(Editors Note: I tried to include some highlights of an exemplary career, having condensed Aunt VaLois’ 106 page biography down to these short pages. I know she deserves better!)

The Chipman Family, 1982