Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Mary Eliza "Mamie" Coon


Mamie came from a great pioneer heritage, the daughter of pioneers Mary Worthington and James David Coon. In the fifties, we (Marsha and family) would visit her from Bountiful almost weekly at her house north of South High School, just off State Street in Salt Lake City.

She and John were called “Mom and Pop” by everyone in the family. Edrie, who never married, and a grandson, Raoul, lived with her. (Pop died while we were in Alaska.) She still played the guitar on request, which stood in a corner when not in use. Juggling pins sat in another corner.

The mild smell of root cellar vegetables came from the basement, in an otherwise spotless, dustless house with hardwood floors. “Mom” told of earlier times when, as a child, her family lived in Pleasantville, and Indians would stop, as they passed by on the dirt road, and ask for food. They always shared their food. The Indians were not begging. It seems they saw this as “rent payment” for the use of their land.
 "Pop" and "Mom" Thomas at Liberty Park. Sunday August 26th, 1944.

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