ELLEN GARRETT WENT TO TONS OF FUNERALS OF YESTERYEAR.

If you never met Ellen Anderson Garrett of Nephi, you missed quite the woman. She married Joe Garrett after he swung her around the outside dance hall in Moroni, of Sanpete County. Her childhood home remains and when she was around 100 years old, Jaynette Jones Grimard took her for a ride over the divide to view it. Todays history lesson is a short one, about her 80th birthday party an era ago. Her family put it together, as they weren't sure how long she would last. The invitation is below in case you didn't get one. As she came from a family of musicians, she only wanted a lot of music, so that is why some of the family was left out. Her kids didn't have enough time for music lessons as most of them working, bucking bales and learning Juab County work ethics, another thing of the past. Like Ellen's neighbors-the Jones kids, we couldn't even play a drum with a spoon and a bucket but by dang we tried hard enough to have the Sperry sisters tell us to knock it off on they would lock us down the cellar! After Joe passed away at about 80 is when they threw the party for Ellen. One of the older gentleman from West Payson delivered her flowers for her daughters flower shop, then asked her if she knew any single women her age and class that liked music. She stood right up and said she was available, so Ellen and Mr. Taylor of Taylor Ranches tied the knot, and after he died, she was bound and determined to return to the Garrett Ranch Headquarters in Nephi and become BAD! Yup, this is the gal that was a Sunday go to meetin sister; stenographer for the Stake Patriarch, and played the piano and organ for most funerals and church for ions. She was Bound And Determined to live to 100. She did, but when that day hit, she said that was enough, and her two kids-Bob Garrett and Marian Mikkelson gave her permission to be elevated, she did. I visited her just before she passed away and we talked of her transition. Although she and Joe were different, they were the same, and she acknowledged he would be the first one then to greet her......and she was released from the hackamore the earth held her back. Happy Day Ellen. Well done.