Alma Staker (Mormon Pioneer)

Obituary of Alma Staker

Alma Staker, 95, buried in Utah

AGED PIONEER OF UTAH AND IDAHO DIES AT ST. ANTHONY, CHURCH WORKER

St. Anthony, Jan. 23—funeral services for Alma Staker, 95, pioneer of Utah and Idaho were held Saturday afternoon in the Yellowstone stake tabernacle at St. Anthony with Bishop Severn Swensen of the Second Ward officiating. Music was furnished by the Second Ward choir with Delmont White as conductor and Yerda Mason at the organ. The body was taken by rail to Lawrence, Utah, for burial, accompanied by Mrs. Eleanor Fullmore, a daughter and Mrs. David Larson, a granddaughter.

Alma Staker was born July 15, 1837, at Kirtland, Ohio. When a boy of six, he became acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith. In 1847 the Staker family started west with a company of saints. On account of poverty and adverse circumstances they were forced to remain a Winter Quarters, Iowa, for a few years. In 1852 the company again started west with Henry Miller as leader. They were members of the memorable body of Saints who crossed the Missouri River on ice.

Their wagon which contained all their earthly belongings was made entirely by Alma Staker, then a boy of 15. After many hardships and trials the company reached the Great Salt Lake Valley. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Young in 1857. In 1859 they moved to Sanpete County where he enlisted in the Utah State Militia and served in the Black Hawk Indian War. He served as a Minute Man from 1865 to 1867 in the George Tucker Company. In 1869 he moved to Mount Pleasant and helped lay out the town.

In 1912 the Staker family moved to St. Anthony. He is survived by four children: Mrs. Elizabeth Day of SLC, Mrs. Martha Miller of Farnum, Mrs. Eleanor Fillmore, and Nathan Staker of St. Anthony. He is also survived by 35 grandchildren, 105 great grandchildren, and six great, great grandchildren.

*We have his patriarchal blessing.