History of Frank & Lucinda Tyler Carpenter by Lucinda, installment #7

My mother and dad were called to go to Mesa to work in the Temple. Then we moved into their house. We were all busy now. The farm was planted to cotton and that made work for every one, planting, cultivating, chopping, hoeing and picking. Then from the river farm we picked corn and beans for eating and canning, gathered turnips and carrots to eat and sell to the market, milked cows, drove them to and from the field, and did all the numerous other things that had to be done.

Although there was plenty of work to do, the boys usually had some time off and they spent many hours roaming about, cutting trails through the thick tamarack, making hide-outs and tree houses.



All this time the children were growing up and until now they had all been at home sharing their work and their joys together. But soon they began to branch out. In 1930 Bertha graduated from Gila Jr. College and then went to Flagstaff to finish her course as a teacher. Later she started teaching second grade in Thatcher where she taught for many years.

In 1931 Ora left for Los Angeles to attend beauty school. After she finished, she got a job and worked there until the time of her marriage, December 3, 1938.

Florence went to Phoenix and took a secretarial course, and Ivan went to Los Angeles and attended a trade school.

When Afton was 17 he joined the National Guard. A year later war broke out and he was sent over seas to Panama, Australia and New Guinea. When Floyd was 18 he was drafted and sent to Germany and thereabout. Reid was drafted at 18 and did most of his work in Korea.

Those were the dark days, filled with tension and worry – not knowing what the next day would bring. All we could do was put our faith and trust in our Heavenly Father and hope for the best. It seemed the war would never end, but at last it did and then there was so much rejoicing. In 1945 our boys came home and what a happy, thankful homecoming it was! They were all whole, well and strong in body and mind. My heart was full of joy and gratitude to my Heavenly Father for watching over them and protecting them through all those terrible years.