Thora Tryphena Hales Mecham

Thora Tryphena Hales Mecham, 96, died July 6, 2009 at her daughter's home in River Heights. She was born November 8, 1912 to Hial Bradford Hales and Mary Emeline Brown in Richfield, Utah. She grew up with six siblings who have all predeceased her: Nida, Brown, Reed, Leo, Iona, Don and Betsy, who died in infancy. They lived in several small towns where her father farmed and worked in the mines. Looking back on her childhood she said they were very poor but didn't realize it because all the families around them were poor as well. She was a bright child and double promoted in elementary school, but very shy in class and often frightened to answer the teacher's questions. Despite that, she did well in school, learned to play the piano, had a beautiful singing voice, became a good seamstress and had a special gift for drama. She later became a teacher herself and taught forty-one years. She graduated from Pleasant Grove High School, then completed a two year teacher certification program at BYU and began teaching elementary school. She met Earl Leon Mecham "dragging" Center Street in Provo, Utah. They were married June 13, 1942 in Evanston, Wyoming. Soon thereafter Earl was deployed to Burma in World War II where he remained for the next three and one-half years. After Earl's return from the war, a son and daughter were born to them and they were all sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, June 28, 1949. Two more daughters followed and they built a home along the Provo River where Earl worked a fruit farm and Thora continued to teach school. During this time, she returned to BYU and completed a bachelor's degree in elementary education. In 1962, the family moved to the Uintah Basin on a cattle ranch fifteen miles north of LaPoint, Utah. Thora continued her teaching career and raising the family. In 1978, Thora retired, the ranch was sold and they moved to Smithfield, Utah where they made many friends and enjoyed being around children and grandchildren. Earl died May 25, 1994. The following year, Thora went to live with a daughter in North Logan and eventually moved to Pioneer Valley Lodge where she lived for nine years making more dear friends. Thora had a strong, unwavering testimony of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many capacities in the church including a mission with her husband to the New Mexico, Albuquerque Mission. She continued to attend the temple, serve, share her testimony,
And set an example for her family into the last days of her life. She enjoyed the outdoors, hiking, riding horses, gardening, and remained physically active until the last few months of her life. Thora loved driving fast cars and as a result had many close calls in her younger years. She had an active mind and increased her learning through travel, reading, and studying until macular degeneration took most of her vision in her later years. Even then, she continued to listen to tapes and cd's of the scriptures, magazines, and books. She was always up on current events and politics and served as a state delegate in the Utah Republican Convention in 1976. She is survived by three children: Ronald Marilyn Mecham, Linda Fox, Arlene Bob Christensen, fourteen grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Annette, a son-in-law, David K. Fox and two grandchildren, Shavon Mecham Bair and Micah Mecham. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 11, 2009 at the North Logan 2nd Ward Chapel, 1105 East 2100 North, North Logan. Friends may call Saturday morning prior to the services from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Smithfield City Cemetery. The family would like to thank all those who helped care for Thora during these last six months of ill health. Condolences may be extended to the family online at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com .