March10

Bethany Chaffin
17 Apr 1925-22 Nov 1991
My paternal grandmother, Bethany Chaffin, was born Bethany Ann Uehlin on 17 Apr 1925 in Flint, Michigan. She was the only surviving child of John Arthur Jennings Uehlin and Emma Mary Cecelia Cook (Koch.)
Even as a child, Bethany loved to read and write; she says she can’t remember a time when she didn’t have her nose buried in a book.
Both of her grandparents owned summer cottages near Otsego, Michigan and she spent many summers there during her formative years. She enjoyed hiking and swimming and falling asleep on the screened-in porch to the sounds of crickets and the waves lapping against the shore just 200 yards away.
Bethany was in the “cradle roll” of the Presbyterians but didn’t attend church much due to her parent’s objection to organized religion. She apparently always had religious yearnings, however; something she could hardly account for and which went largely unfulfilled until, in her teenage years, she joined the Presbyterian church choir and played piano for the children’s group.
When Bethany was just seventeen, she enrolled at Michigan State College. During her second year at school, she met the man who would eventually become her first husband: Lamar C. Eskelson, my paternal grandfather. At the time, Lamar was on a special “singing mission” for his church, the Mormons, and, as such, was assigned, in a non-proselytizing capacity, to do “community outreach” through vocal concerts in the greater Flint and Detroit areas. This was in 1942, during a time period when the Mormons were looking for unique ways of doing missionary work on account of the fact that many of their traditional territories had been closed due to World War II.
Once his mission was through, Lamar joined the US Armed Forces. He and Bethany continued to write to one another and evidently began to nurture warm feelings toward one another. Lamar eventually converted and baptized Bethany as a Mormon (a pre-condition of their marriage) and the two were then wed on July 8, 1945, in her parent’s backyard. It was not a marriage that her parents either supported or approved as they were concerned about Lamar’s ability to provide for their only daughter.
Lamar was then dispatched to Paris; it was at the end of the war. He drove an ambulance and played guitar and sang in a military band. During his free time, he studied opera with Madam Lizst, a descendant of Franz Liszt, the Hungarian-born composer, pianist and teacher. By this time, Bethany was already pregnant with the couple’s first child and had moved back to Flint to live with her parents for the duration of her pregnancy.
On May 10, 1946, Evan John Eskelson was born in Flint, Michigan. His grandfather tried to call him “Butch” but the nickname evidently didn’t stick because he was such a cute and smiling baby.
After Lamar was discharged from the service and back in the states, the young family relocated to nearby Chicago so Lamar could continue his musical studies at the Chicago School of Music. Here, they lived in an abandoned school house in Libertyville, Illinois while trying to make ends meet on the GI Bill. It is around this time, too, that they took a trip to Utah and were married and sealed in the Salt Lake Mormon temple. One subject of family lore involves a chance encounter the couple had on the Salt Lake temple grounds following their sealing, with then Mormon President, Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr. Lamar was proud to introduce his wife to Smith and paid her a compliment saying he felt like she was already living her adopted religion better than he was. To which Smith evidently replied, without missing a beat: “Well, you better get busy, Brother!” before briskly walking away.
On July 26, 1948, Christian Dee Eskelson was born in Libertyville, Ill. The obstetrics bill was paid by one of Lamar’s voice students.
On May 24, 1950, Laurel Lavon Eskelson was born in Chicago.
In July, 1950, the family moved to Midvale, Utah, where they set up quarters in an old milk house with concrete floors.
On Nov 20, 1951, Bethany left her husband and took her children to Largo, Florida, to live with her parents. The young kids live with their retired grandparents while Bethany goes back to school full-time to get her teaching degree at the University of Tampa.
In 1954, Bethany received her BS degree and obtained her first job teaching English at Boca Ciega High School. The family buys a home in St. Petersburg, which they call their “happiness house.”
On July 15, 1959, Bethany married Richard Owen II, a stocky Welshman from New Jersey, one of her former students at the community college. As a condition of their marriage, Bethany converted him to Mormonism.
On Sept 21, 1960, the family is joined by youngest sister, Richelle Owen.
On July 15, 1961, the whole family is adopted by Richard Owen. They all have their last names changed to “Owen.”
The following year, Richard leaves the family for work in the Philippines, never to come back.
On July 15, 1963, Bethany marries Arlon Dorris Chaffin, whom she also converts to Mormonism. Her parents approve of the marriage (a first!)
In 1964, Evan, her oldest son, gets accepted on scholarship to attend Brigham Young University and moves to Provo, Utah. While back in Utah, he finally has a chance to get reacquainted with his estranged father, Lamar.
In 1965, Evan receives a mission call for Norway, a two-and-a-half year mission. While he is away, his “steady” is in a serious car crash, goes into a coma and stays on life-support for a year. He converts six people to Mormonism.
In 1967, the family are all adopted and sealed to Arlon Chaffin. Their last name is now “Chaffin.”
In early 1968, Evan returned from his mission. He is now living with his father and his father’s second wife in the “Burton Ward” in South Salt Lake. While living here, he meets Gladys Owina Tripp, my mother. On April 3, 1969, Evan and Gladys are married in the Salt Lake Mormon temple. March 5, 1970, I’m born.
June 10, 1970, Evan graduated from BYU with a BS in Secondary Education, majoring in Psychology, History and Geography. In September of that year, he begins teaching at the Utah Technical College.
In 1972, Arlon leaves the family and moves back to Florida.
On April 24, 1973, Bethany Chaffin marries Frank Julius Lemperle, a bishop, in the Salt Lake Temple.
In 1974, while Laurel is attending BYU, she comes down with mononucleosis and takes a semester off from school, convalescing at Bethany’s home. They collaborate on several songs during this time, including “Salt Lake City” (words by Bethany Chaffin, Music by Laurel Chaffin Roth). In December of that same year, Bethany self publishes “Infant Child”, a Christmas song she has written, under the Chelle Publishing Company moniker. I have a letter from his grandmother saying the song was written for me.
Sept 18, 1975
An article on Bethany Lemperle appears in the Sunset News called “Creative Writing” by Verda F. Welling.
1976
Frank builds a cabin for Bethany in Mantua.
July 1976
Bethany Chaffin creates and produces a full-length bicentennial choral pageant entitled “The Truth Shall Make You Free”, featuring a 100-voice choir and a cast and crew which totaled almost 300 in number for the Pioneer Stakehouse.
Sept 15, 1977
Bethany featured in the Sunset News in an article about writing.
1977
Bethany publishes her autobiography, These Things I Remember.
1978-1979
Bethany teaches eight classes in creative writing each term, writes four Teen Scenes for the Stake and edits three ghost-written books and a small book of her student’s poetry published under the “Chelle Publishing Co.” logo.
March 1979
Bethany writes, directs and produces a forty-minute film (“Home Again to Zion”) depicting the 75-year history of the Pioneer Stakehouse and edits a 60-page companion book (which later became a 104 page history), and contributes original songs (lyrics only) for the celebration, including “Song of Everlasting Joy” and “Morning Hymn”, which has been chosen to possibly be included in a new LDS hymn book.
March 1979
Bethany called to serve in the 32nd Relief Society presidency of her stake (call postponed due to other obligations or an illness?).
Dec 1979
Bethany conducts Handel’s “Messiah” at Westside Community School.
1980
Bethany writes her first romance novel, Early in Autumn. It sells to Manor Books but the contract is cancelled due to their financial difficulties. The novel remains unpublished.
Summer 1980
Bethany holds three writer retreats at her cabin in Mantua.
1980
Legacy of a Long and Gentle Season, Bethany Chaffin’s first book in print, is published by Nobel Publishing, Orem, Ut, 1980.
Christmas 1980
Bethany conducts Handel’s “Messiah” again with the Community Chorus, performing seven times, including once at the Cannon Stake and at various wards and nursing homes.
1981
You Too Can Make History, Bethany’s chapbook about writing your own personal history, is self-published by Chelle Publishing Co.
1982
Frank Lemperle diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
March 1982
One Against the Storm- a Nightmare of Terror in Utah by Stanley C. Mann, ghostwritten by Bethany Chaffin, is published by Bailey/Sullivan.
Nov 25, 1982
Bethany publishes a humorous first-person piece in the Desert News about cats entitled “I love cats… when they’re gone.”
Jan 30, 1983
Bethany publishes a first-person piece in the Sunday Desert News about living with a husband who has Alzheimer’s.
1983
Bethany Chaffin’s Whence Comes the Rain, a Mormon romance novel, is published by Horizon in hardback. There are two different dust jackets: one features a younger couple because Bethany thought the couple was too old on the first dust jacket.
Christmas 1983?
Bethany writes (with Brent Fotheringham) and performs “Prepare Ye The Way” a 22-minute Christmas cantata for sopranos, altos, tenors, and baritones (SATB).
1984
Bethany Chaffin’s Write at Home and Sell is self-published. This book was sold to students during her writing seminars at the Craft House and elsewhere.
Christmas 1984
“Hosannah” a Christmas cantata, is written and performed by Bethany Chaffin (arranged by Kathy Sullivan).
1984
Bethany Chaffin wins first place in the adult book category for Whence Comes the Rain at the annual Writers’ Roundup Club dinner.
Mar 14, 1985
The Box Elder Journal publishes an article entitled “Creative writing class slated spring quarter” about two creative writing classes Bethany Chaffin will be teaching beginning in March.
Mar 20, 1985
The Lakeside Review publishes an article entitled “Local Author to Teach Class” about Bethany Chaffin’s upcoming writing class in Clearfield.
May 2, 1985
The Ogden Standard-Examiner publishes an article entitled “Teacher has books, will travel” by Diane Kulkarni about Bethany Chaffin and her creative writing workshops.
1985
Bethany Chaffin’s Caring for Those You Love, a Guide to Compassionate Care for the Aged is published by Horizon.
1986
Bethany writes On Extended Wings: The Art of Writing Poetry with co-author Joyce Ellen Davis.
Spring 1986
Bethany publishes a personal essay in the Mormon journal Dialogue entitled “Living with Alzheimer’s Disease: A Wife’s Perspective” detailing her experiences with providing for Frank Lemperle’s care following the onset of his dementia.
In the late eighties, Bethany moves to Mantua, Utah, permanently. She becomes the Justice of the Peace and establishes the town’s first library.
1987
Randall Romance publishes Bethany Chaffin’s Jenny’s Window, a sequel to Legacy… about John and Veta’s daughter, Jenny, an eighteen year old who falls for a returned missionary named Thor Hanson.
Sept 13, 1986
Bethany Chaffin receives a third place honor from the League of Utah Writers for the unpublished article “A Special Kind of Victory.”
April 16-18, 1987
Bethany Chaffin leads “Its Lofty Spires Shall Rise” a choral pageant script she has written for the Box Elder Tabernacle dedication (music by Stan Zenk). Bethany also served as Pageant Chairman.
Sept 1987
Bethany Chaffin is named the Writer of the Year by the League of Utah Writers.
July 10, 1988
Bethany is profiled as the Mantua Writer in Residence by Jerry Johnston, a staff writer of the Deseret News.
Sept 10, 1988
Bethany Chaffin receives a 3rd place honorable mention from the League of Utah Writers for her published featurette “The Day That Lightning Struck.”
Bethany Chaffin receives a 3rd place honor for the unpublished full-length book Terror in the Tetons.
Sept 17, 1988
Emma Mary Cook Uehlin, Bethany’s mother, dies at the Pioneer Memorial Nursing home of cancer.
Sept 15, 1990
Bethany Chaffin receives a third place honor for the unpublished song “I Hate It” (from her upcoming musical adaptation A Gentle Season) from the League of Utah Writers.
Summer 1991
Bethany Chaffin is working on a musical adaptation of Legacy… entitled A Gentle Season. Her granddaughter, Ginger, is spending the summer with her in Mantua, helping her to write some of the songs.
Nov 22, 1991
Bethany dies unexpectedly from complications due to spinal meningitis, following a brief hospital admission. She is buried in the town cemetery in Mantua, Utah.
In addition to her own creative works, Bethany left a rich legacy of writers in her wake; many of the people who originally discovered their voices in one of her writing workshops have since become established writers themselves, including Sherry Ann Miller.
