Given at funeral services
28 Oct 1958
I feel very humble and honored to have
been asked by the family to say a few words at these services today.
We, the Hansen family, have always
considered Uncle Frank, that is the name I have always heard our family call
him, a very dear friend and neighbor.
All through the years since I have known
him, he has in his friendly, courteous way called me Mrs. Melba, and Mother
Hansen was always affectionately called Auntie by him and Father Hansen-Uncle
John.
He was born near Topeka, Kansas, 1
September 1881 to George and Mary Ann Anderson Proctor.
His mother passed away while there. In his teens the family moved to Eureka,
Utah. At the age of 17 he met and married
Elizabeth Sarah Williams. They had a
family of 4 girls and 3 boys. They moved
to the Spanish Fork area about 1904. His
wife dies 2 December 1918.
In May of 1923 he married Rosabelle Hall
Helm. She died May of 1936.
About a year ago while visiting us one
afternoon he was reminiscing over his earlier life. About when he worked in the mines at Eureka
and his experiences there. It was all
interesting to me. I only wish my memory
would serve me better so I would have remembered all he said. He told of working with an uncle of mine and
jokes and good times they had.
When Winford and I were married some 37
years ago, he worked for Utah Idaho Sugar Company. I came to know him very well as he visited
the Hansen’s often.
I worked here in the Primary at the time
and if the men were busy and I didn’t have a way to the church, Uncle Frank was
around and was always ready and willing to give me a lift.
He did love to stop by and eat dinner with
us. He was always willing to take Mother
Hansen to town if need be or to Relief Society or any place she needed to go if
her folks were busy. He was always kind,
courteous, and accommodating.
I think he had some fine traits of
character, honesty, courage, ambition, dependability and integrity.
I think these few words by Alice Cary
describe his character well.
True worth is in being,
not seeing—
In doing each day that
goes by,
Some little good—not in
dreaming of great things to do by and by.
For whatever men say in
their blindness
And in spite of the
fancies of youth,
There’s nothing so
kingly as kindness,
And nothing so royal as
truth.
For many years he was employed by the J.M.
Sumsion Contractors of Springville. He
was a labor foreman, but most of the time he worked on the gravel crusher and
loaded gravel trucks. Winford has been
with Sumsions too for several years and driven gravel trucks most of the
time. Many times he has made the remark that
Uncle Frank was the perfect, dependable truck loader. The same amount of gravel in each truck. As far as scales were concerned, he says
Uncle Frank didn’t need any and that there isn’t anyone who can do as perfect a
job as he did.
We could say of him—He had a sense of
obligation and trustworthiness to his employer.
I think we may define his character in
these lines of Charles Dickens:
“It is well for a man to
respect his own vocation whatever it is, and to think
Himself bound to uphold
it, and to claim for it the respect it deserves.”
While the Sumsions were over here a year
ago making gravel, they employed Uncle Frank as night watchman. Even though he was afflicted with arthritis
and wasn’t too well, he was always on the job and he worked as long as his
health would permit.
Shortly after that he had an accident and
since that time his health has failed more.
While he was in Salt Lake with his
children during the winter, we called to see him a couple of times. I can’t express in words how glad he was to
see us and how grateful he was that we called by. I am thankful we took time
out to call on him because we felt so helpless otherwise in not knowing what to
do in his hours of affliction.
He was indeed thankful for his
children. Times when I have called to
see how he was he told me how good they were to him. I know that recently they have made many
trips to visit him.
Father’s Days were highlights of his life,
as all the children who possibly could come did so with good things to eat and
to have lovely family get togethers.
At Christmas time of last year and other
years when I took our Relief Society gift to him, he was so thrilled and happy
he could hardly refrain from crying. As
I said before, he was so appreciative of every kind word or deed shown him, and
it always filled my heart with joy to do whatever I could for him.
I think his thanks could be expressed in
these few lines by Frances Angermayer:
Thanks for the smile you
gave me today,
You’ll never know how it
paved the way
With joy—How it made
everything right.
Thanks—now—I am not
afraid of the night.
Thanks for the kind
word.
I didn’t tell you,
But I held it close the
long day through.
Your kind words made me
brave in a trial.
Thanks for your
kindness.
Thanks for your smile.
We could say of him:
He did not seek the
wealth of the world,
No prestige, no power,
nor fame,
He did not ask for
honors to grace
The plainness of his
name.
His life is rich with
priceless gems
When truth and faith
applaud,
When friends can look at
him and say
He has won the trust of
God.
I pray the Lord will bless you children,
grandchildren always, and give you solace and comfort and a source of relief in
know that your father is at peace and rest.
In conclusion I wish to read these lines
entitled
God
Lives
God lives, he holds the
key of life,
He guides us through
this world of strife,
We know and feel his
presence near.
In Him we conquer care
and fear.
He gives us strength and
peace divine
We know He lives and
life in mine.
God live, he ever
knoweth best.
In Him our heart is free
from pain.
Our tears have not been
shed in vain,
God lives, and He
protects us all,
He lives and answers to
our call.
God lives and shared His
blessed love,
He lives to send gifts
from above.
God lives and tells us
He is light.
He lives and tells us
all is right.
My we all remember the fine
characteristics of Uncle Frank and our
association with him and thereby live better and strive always to be kind to
one another.
