Alan
Lois
Kristine Rasmussen Turner
Lois
Kristine Rasmussen was born on July 20, 1907 in Draper, Utah to Hans Fredrick
Rasmussen and Anina Marie Mikkelsen. Her parents were both from Denmark. Hans
was born in Lyngby, Randers Denmark in 1880 and Anina was born in Ugilt,
Hjorring, Denmark in 1877. Nina as she was called by her family came to America
when she was 6 years old. Her parents had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day saints and she and her brother had come with her father on this long
voyage. They came on the Steam Ship Nevada and arrived in New York City on July
2, 1883. Nina’s mother and the rest of her family came at a later date. Her
family settled in Draper, Utah.
Hans
came to America from Denmark with his Brother John or Johannes in Danish. Hans
arrived in New York City on July 8, 1904 on the Baltic. They then went by train
to Chicago and from there they went on to Utah to visit with cousins who had
encouraged them to come to Utah while on L.D.S. Missions in Denmark. Hans
stayed with relatives in Draper. While there he met Anina Marie Rasmussen who
could speak Danish fluently but also spoke good English and had been her parent’s
interpreter since they came to America.
Lois’s
father had been trained as a Tailor in Denmark and kept this career in Draper
after he was able to open his own shop. Hans later relocated his family to
Midvale, Utah and opened a new Tailor shop.
Hans
and Nina had the following Children:
Lois
Kristine Rasmussen July 20, 1907
Ermma
Nathalie Rasmussen March 13, 1909
Nina
Genevieve Rasmussen April 15, 1911
Harold
Peter Rasmussen March 1, 1913
Clara
Winifred Rasmussen February 28, 1915
Arthur
Frederick Rasmussen April 14, 1918 Died May 3, 1918
Helene
Beatrice Rasmussen June 27, 1919
Arvid
Milton Rasmussen June 27, 1922
Lois attended school in Midvale and later
attended Jordan High School where she graduated in 1925. She met Harlo Dewayne Turner while working at
Utah Poultry, a feed store where she worked as a Bookkeeeper. They were married
on September 14, 1934 in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah by David O McKay. Elder McKay was in the Quorum
of the 12 at the time but would later become the president of the LDS Church.
Lois
and Dewey as she called him settled in Murray, Utah where Dewey grew up. Dewey
had been married before but his first wife Adella had passed away in 1932 from
a debilitating illness. He met Lois and they were married in 1934. Lois and
Dewey had five children, Jackie born in 1935, Beryl born in 1936, Lynn born in
1938, Della Born in 1943 and Norma Dee born in 1945. They lived most of their
lives in Murray, Utah but lived in several different homes. Dewey had several
different jobs and careers. He worked in the Murray Smelter as a guard and also
worked as a Murray City Policeman. He and Lois ran their own paint store for a
short period of time but they had to give up this business as it did not work
out. Dewey also was the Head Sanitarian or Chief Sanitarian for Salt Lake
County. He quit this position in the Mid Sixties and ran for county commissioner.
He lost in the primary election. He had all of his kids and grand kid’s out
walking the streets putting up hand bills on people’s doors. Many of his
grandchildren remember going door to door hanging this handbills for their
grandpa to get elected. Lois of course was by his side through this and
provided all the support she could through all of their business and political
ventures.
Lois
had a job as a Genealogist during this time. She was a professional Genealogist
working for Yale University doing genetic research. She did twin research
trying to see if twins was a genetic probability. She was asked to show if
children who were twins would have twins as well. Lois did this work as well as
her own genealogy research most of her life. She tried to bring her own
grandchildren into her profession. Almost all of her grand kids went with her
to the Genealogy Library in Salt Lake City to work on their own genealogy. She
would take us to the LDS Church office Building and the four floors on the west
side is where all of the Genealogy records were kept at the time. Now they have
a Family History Library on West Temple Street in Salt lake City, Utah. Lois
went to this building when it first opened.
Dewey passed away on September 9, 1975 from
a Heart Attack. This attack came on quickly and he was taken to the Hospital
but died that day. Dewey was buried in the Midvale Cemetery on September 13, 1975
just one day before his and Lois’s 40th wedding anniversary. Lois continued with her genealogy work after
Dewey’s death and enjoyed being with family and doing her other hobbies such as
knitting. Her and Dewey lived on their farm most of their life and they built a
home at 555 West 6400 South in Murray that was on the acres that Dewey owned.
Their son Lynn had helped them build this house and he built duplexes next to
his parent’s home. When Dewey passed away Lois moved into one of the duplexes
and Lynn and his family moved into Lois and Dewey’s home. This was a much more
comfortable arrangement for Lois as she was only one person and did not need a
big house anymore.
Lois
as she got older had issues with health and also had problems with dementia. It
was decided that she should move into her oldest daughter Jackie’s home in
Sandy, Utah so she could be taken care of easier. All of her family who lived in Salt Lake Valley
came to Jackie’s home to care for Lois and help her with her daily living
needs. Lois passed away on June 12, 2004 in Sandy, Utah in the morning. Her daughter
Della was watching her that morning as Jackie and her husband were at the
Draper Temple that morning where they were temple workers. Della called her son
Mark, Lois grandson who was a nurse to come and check Lois vitals.
Lois
funeral was on June 16, 2004 and was at the L.D.S. Church in Murray, Utah where
she had gone to church almost all of her life on the hill at the end of 7th
West and 6400 South. All of her family was in attendance and all took part in
her funeral. Lois was buried in the Midvale Cemetery next to Dewey who had died
28 years before. Lois was 96 years old at the time of her death and would have
turned 97 in July if she would have made it that long. Her legacy of family and
family history work and research she did will live on in her family. We all
have a better appreciation of our Danish Heritage because of Lois Kristine
Rasmussen Turner.
Bibliography
Autobiography of Hans Fredrick Rasmussen on Family Search
Website
Autobiography of Anina Marie Mikkelsen on Family Search
Website
Autobiography of Harlo Dewayne Turner on Family Search
Website
Hans Fredrick Rasmussen Emigration Ancestry New York Passenger
List, SS Nevada July 2, 1883
Passenger 147
Personal memories of Alan Christensen Grandson
Turner Family Genealogy records in Authors possession
Author: Alan Christensen Fallon, Nevada
Dated Completed: June 26, 2015
