1958 and 1959 Historical Record
The following entries were taken from historical reports prepared by ward clerks.
January 5, 1958
Reed Gibbons was sustained as Superintendent of the YMMIA with Russell Gammon and Homer Gessel as Counselors. Norman Johnson was sustained as a Sunday School teacher.
January 19, 1958
Geri Gammon was sustained as Relief Society Chorister. Ruth Barker was sustained as Relief Society Topic Teacher. Bill Casper, Zella Davidson and Hollie Davidson were sustained as teachers in Sunday School.
January 26, 1958
Alice Johnson was sustained as Mia Maid Leader. Audrey Briggs was sustained as a teacher in MIA. Wendell and Geraldine Merrill were sustained as Dance Directors.
March 15, 1958
Banquet and Program was given by the Building Committee for the Building Fund.
March 30, 1958
For Relief Society, Joann Eppich was released as Secretary and Joan Casper was released as Work Director. Lois Collier was sustained as Secretary and Helen Cunningham as Work Director.
April 19, 1958
MIA put on carnival for Building Fund.
June 1, 1958
It was voted that Branch should purchase a farm without any help from the Welfare Department.
A Junior Sunday School was organized and Miriam Johnson was sustained as coordinator with Judy Prefontaine as Secretary, Ann Barrow as chorister, Sharon Merrill as organist and Charlotte Prefontaine as a teacher.
June 15, 1958
Audrey Briggs was released as a teacher from the MIA. Ida Kelly was sustained as Beehive leader.
August 31, 1958
Annual Ward Conference
Some of the people listed on the Ward Conference form were:
As the Committee on Ward Teaching, Members of the Bishopric with the following division supervisors: Lloyd Poulson, Russell Ferguson and Winfred Merrill. At another time during the year, Emmet Richeson was also listed as a member of the committee.
As President of the Priests Quorum under 21, Bishop H. Grant Bleazard and as Secretary Stanley Briggs.
Bob Coltrin was Secretary of the Teachers Quorum.
Deacons Quorum: Arlyn Wilson, President, Lloyd Bleazard, First Counselor, and Mike Prefontaine, Second Counselor.
January 4, 1959
The Priesthood gave their sustaining vote for the 1959 farming operation.
January 11, 1959
The Ward sustained the Bishopric in borrowing $10,300 from Connell Bank for financing of the Ward Meetinghouse. Vernon and Donna Cook and Erma Horton were released from positions held in the MIA. Bardella Johnson was sustained as Activity Counselor in the YWMIA. Irvin Howe and Mike Prefontaine were sustained to be ordained Teachers in the Aaronic Priesthood.
January 18, 1959
Those sustained were: Albert Johnson as Counselor in the YMMIA; Charles Coltrin as Scoutmaster; Erma Horton as Relief Society Magazine Representative; Joyce Rigby as Chorister in Relief Society; Elaine Merrill as Relief Society Organist; Charles Coltrin as Sunday School Teacher.
January 25, 1959
Sustainings: Ina Woodard as Counselor in Primary; Pam Ferguson as Secretary in Primary; Ann Barrow as Teacher in Primary.
February 1, 1959
During the past week, Brother Wilson of the General Building Committee toured the Church farm.
February 8, 1959
Gerald Ferguson was sustained to be ordained to the office of Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood. LaRae Woodard and George Bakan were sustained as Dance Directors in the MIA.
February 15, 1959
Colleen Ferguson was sustained as a teacher in MIA.
February 22, 1959
Lynn and Lloyd Bleazard were sustained to be ordained to the office of a Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood.
March 15, 1959
Sustained: Betty Perkes as Primary Teacher, LaRae Woodard are Primary Secretary, Robert Perkes as Priests Advisor in Aaronic Priesthood.
March 22, 1959
Myra Gessel was sustained as Work Director in Relief Society. Betty Perkes was sustained as a Teacher in the Junior Sunday School.
June 31, 1959
Enid Coltrin was released as a Counselor in Relief Society. Those sustained were: Audrey Briggs as a Counselor in Relief Society; Betty Cook as a Teacher in Primary.
May 10, 1959
Sustained: Bryce Cheney as Explorer Leader in YMMIA; Leonard Ferguson as Assistant to the Sunday School Superintendent; William Cook as Secretary to the Aaronic Priesthood under 21; William H. Robison to be ordained a Deacon; Lynn Bingham to be ordained a Priest; Derrell Sharp to be ordained a Deacon.
May 31, 1959
Marilyn Shelton was released as Primary Organist and sustained as Counselor in the Primary. Luetta Monson was sustained as Organist in Primary.
June 14, 1959
Sustained: William E. Robison as Counselor in YMMIA; Gayle Mackay as President of YWMIA with Lola Herron as First Counselor and Bardella Johnson as Second Counselor; and Gordon Mathews as Branch Clerk.
June 21, 1959
Necia Gibbons was sustained as Primary Secretary.
June 28, 1959
Those sustained were: Robert Cunningham to be ordained a Deacon; George Withers as Assistant to Sunday School Superintendent; Jean Withers as Primary Teacher; Cleo Mann as YWMIA Sports Director.
This spring has been exceptionally windy, causing the crops to blow out, some of them having to be planted 2 to 3 times.
July 12, 1959
Elaine Merrill was released as Drama Director of the YWMIA. June Monson was sustained as Drama Director. Julie Mathews was sustained as Ward Librarian.
July 13, 1959
Larry Blaine Adamson, a High Priest, passed away in a Seattle, Washington, hospital. The cause of death was chronic nephritis. He has been serving as a Stake Missionary.
July 19, 1959
Brother Harold S. Davis of the Richland Stake Presidency formed a ward from the Columbia Basin Branch. Those released were: H. Grant Bleazard as Branch President; William F. Rigby as First Counselor; Cecil W. Barrow as Second Counselor; Gordon L. Mathews as Branch Clerk; and Boyd Mackay as Assistant Branch Clerk.
Those sustained were: H. Grant Bleazard as Bishop; William F. Rigby as First Counselor; Reed J. Gibbons as Second Counselor; Gordon L. Mathews as Ward Clerk; and Boyd R. Mackay as Assistant Ward Clerk.
July 26, 1959
Those sustained were: All officers and teachers of the Sunday School, Primary, Relief Society, YWMIA, YMMIA, with these exceptions: Albert S. Johnson as Superintendent of YMMIA; Jeanne Mackay as Secretary and Joyce Mackay as Attendance Secretary of the YWMIA; Bishop Bleazard as President of the Priests Quorum with Stan Briggs as Secretary; David Coltrin as President of the Teacher’s Quorum with Irvin Howe as Secretary; Arlyn Johnson as President of the Deacon’s Quorum with Roger Merrill as Secretary; Robert Perkes as Priests Advisor; Ernest Baker as Teacher’s Advisor; George Withers as Deacons Advisor; William Cook as General Secretary of Aaronic Priesthood under age 21.
July 27, 1959
Those set apart were: Leland George Withers as First Assistant to Sunday School Superintendent by H. Grant Bleazard; Albert Johnson as Superintendent of the YMMIA by William F. Rigby; William E. Robison as Activity Counselor of the YMMIA by Albert Johnson; Gayle Mackay as President of the YWMIA by H. Grant Bleazard; Lola Herron as Age Group Counselor of the YWMIA by Gordon L. Mathews.
August 9, 1959
Those sustained were: Arthur Lee, Charlie Coltrin and Enid Coltrin as Sunday School Teachers.
August 16, 1959
Ward Conference Morning Session. 116 in attendance, plus the Junior Sunday School.
President Thompson presiding, with Reed Gibbons conducting. It was held in the Columbia Basin Ward Meetinghouse. Main topics were: Responsibility as Church members, Home Life, and Genealogy.
Ward Conference Evening Session. 140 in attendance. President Thompson presiding and William F. Rigby conducting. Speakers were Bishop Bleazard and President Thompson.
August 23, 1959
Arlyn Johnson was sustained to be advanced to a Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood.
September 13, 1959
Those sustained were: Ardith Bakon as Drama Director in the MIA; Cecil Barrow to work with sports and dancing in MIA; June Bitton and Roma Sharp as Teachers in Primary; Mary Bleazard and Hortense Nelson as Beehive Teachers; Gordon and Julie Mathews to be in charge of the Mutual Marrieds Class of the MIA.
September 27, 1959
Those released were: Ada Taylor as Primary President, Marilyn Shelton as First Counselor, Ina Woodard as Second Counselor, and Necia Gibbons as Secretary.
Those sustained were Ina Woodard as Primary President, Shirley Cheney as First Counselor and Necia Gibbons as Secretary; Winfred Merrill as Age Group Counselor in YMMIA; and Ida Kelley as Era Director.
September 28, 1959
Some callings: Leonard Robert Ferguson, Second Assistant in Sunday School.
Helen Cunningham as In-Service Trainer in Primary.
Jean Withers and Ada Dial Taylor as Primary teachers.
Rhoda Lee as teacher in Sunday School and YWMIA.
Winfred Merrill as Manual Counselor in YMMIA.
October 25, 1959
Roma Sharp was released as Primary teacher and sustained as Second Counselor in Primary.
November 1, 1959
Elder Max Merrill departed for the Mission Home. He has been assigned to the West Canadian Mission.
November 29, 1959
Courtney Nelson was sustained to be ordained as a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood. Pam Ferguson was sustained as Dance Director in the YWMIA.
December 5, 1959
Arden F. Horton passed away at his home in Eltopia, Washington. The cause of death was a coronary occlusion.
The crops planted on our Ward Farm this year were wheat, sugar beets, peas, clover, alfalfa, milo and beans. Nearly all of the peas blew out and were replaced by beans. The income from the wheat and beets was good. The income from the rest of the crops was very poor. The main source of our Building Income Fund is through the raising of these crops. Each family of the Ward participates in this project.
The following entries were taken from historical reports prepared by ward clerks.
January 5, 1958
Reed Gibbons was sustained as Superintendent of the YMMIA with Russell Gammon and Homer Gessel as Counselors. Norman Johnson was sustained as a Sunday School teacher.
January 19, 1958
Geri Gammon was sustained as Relief Society Chorister. Ruth Barker was sustained as Relief Society Topic Teacher. Bill Casper, Zella Davidson and Hollie Davidson were sustained as teachers in Sunday School.
January 26, 1958
Alice Johnson was sustained as Mia Maid Leader. Audrey Briggs was sustained as a teacher in MIA. Wendell and Geraldine Merrill were sustained as Dance Directors.
March 15, 1958
Banquet and Program was given by the Building Committee for the Building Fund.
March 30, 1958
For Relief Society, Joann Eppich was released as Secretary and Joan Casper was released as Work Director. Lois Collier was sustained as Secretary and Helen Cunningham as Work Director.
April 19, 1958
MIA put on carnival for Building Fund.
June 1, 1958
It was voted that Branch should purchase a farm without any help from the Welfare Department.
A Junior Sunday School was organized and Miriam Johnson was sustained as coordinator with Judy Prefontaine as Secretary, Ann Barrow as chorister, Sharon Merrill as organist and Charlotte Prefontaine as a teacher.
June 15, 1958
Audrey Briggs was released as a teacher from the MIA. Ida Kelly was sustained as Beehive leader.
August 31, 1958
Annual Ward Conference
Some of the people listed on the Ward Conference form were:
As the Committee on Ward Teaching, Members of the Bishopric with the following division supervisors: Lloyd Poulson, Russell Ferguson and Winfred Merrill. At another time during the year, Emmet Richeson was also listed as a member of the committee.
As President of the Priests Quorum under 21, Bishop H. Grant Bleazard and as Secretary Stanley Briggs.
Bob Coltrin was Secretary of the Teachers Quorum.
Deacons Quorum: Arlyn Wilson, President, Lloyd Bleazard, First Counselor, and Mike Prefontaine, Second Counselor.
January 4, 1959
The Priesthood gave their sustaining vote for the 1959 farming operation.
January 11, 1959
The Ward sustained the Bishopric in borrowing $10,300 from Connell Bank for financing of the Ward Meetinghouse. Vernon and Donna Cook and Erma Horton were released from positions held in the MIA. Bardella Johnson was sustained as Activity Counselor in the YWMIA. Irvin Howe and Mike Prefontaine were sustained to be ordained Teachers in the Aaronic Priesthood.
January 18, 1959
Those sustained were: Albert Johnson as Counselor in the YMMIA; Charles Coltrin as Scoutmaster; Erma Horton as Relief Society Magazine Representative; Joyce Rigby as Chorister in Relief Society; Elaine Merrill as Relief Society Organist; Charles Coltrin as Sunday School Teacher.
January 25, 1959
Sustainings: Ina Woodard as Counselor in Primary; Pam Ferguson as Secretary in Primary; Ann Barrow as Teacher in Primary.
February 1, 1959
During the past week, Brother Wilson of the General Building Committee toured the Church farm.
February 8, 1959
Gerald Ferguson was sustained to be ordained to the office of Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood. LaRae Woodard and George Bakan were sustained as Dance Directors in the MIA.
February 15, 1959
Colleen Ferguson was sustained as a teacher in MIA.
February 22, 1959
Lynn and Lloyd Bleazard were sustained to be ordained to the office of a Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood.
March 15, 1959
Sustained: Betty Perkes as Primary Teacher, LaRae Woodard are Primary Secretary, Robert Perkes as Priests Advisor in Aaronic Priesthood.
March 22, 1959
Myra Gessel was sustained as Work Director in Relief Society. Betty Perkes was sustained as a Teacher in the Junior Sunday School.
June 31, 1959
Enid Coltrin was released as a Counselor in Relief Society. Those sustained were: Audrey Briggs as a Counselor in Relief Society; Betty Cook as a Teacher in Primary.
May 10, 1959
Sustained: Bryce Cheney as Explorer Leader in YMMIA; Leonard Ferguson as Assistant to the Sunday School Superintendent; William Cook as Secretary to the Aaronic Priesthood under 21; William H. Robison to be ordained a Deacon; Lynn Bingham to be ordained a Priest; Derrell Sharp to be ordained a Deacon.
May 31, 1959
Marilyn Shelton was released as Primary Organist and sustained as Counselor in the Primary. Luetta Monson was sustained as Organist in Primary.
June 14, 1959
Sustained: William E. Robison as Counselor in YMMIA; Gayle Mackay as President of YWMIA with Lola Herron as First Counselor and Bardella Johnson as Second Counselor; and Gordon Mathews as Branch Clerk.
June 21, 1959
Necia Gibbons was sustained as Primary Secretary.
June 28, 1959
Those sustained were: Robert Cunningham to be ordained a Deacon; George Withers as Assistant to Sunday School Superintendent; Jean Withers as Primary Teacher; Cleo Mann as YWMIA Sports Director.
This spring has been exceptionally windy, causing the crops to blow out, some of them having to be planted 2 to 3 times.
July 12, 1959
Elaine Merrill was released as Drama Director of the YWMIA. June Monson was sustained as Drama Director. Julie Mathews was sustained as Ward Librarian.
July 13, 1959
Larry Blaine Adamson, a High Priest, passed away in a Seattle, Washington, hospital. The cause of death was chronic nephritis. He has been serving as a Stake Missionary.
July 19, 1959
Brother Harold S. Davis of the Richland Stake Presidency formed a ward from the Columbia Basin Branch. Those released were: H. Grant Bleazard as Branch President; William F. Rigby as First Counselor; Cecil W. Barrow as Second Counselor; Gordon L. Mathews as Branch Clerk; and Boyd Mackay as Assistant Branch Clerk.
Those sustained were: H. Grant Bleazard as Bishop; William F. Rigby as First Counselor; Reed J. Gibbons as Second Counselor; Gordon L. Mathews as Ward Clerk; and Boyd R. Mackay as Assistant Ward Clerk.
July 26, 1959
Those sustained were: All officers and teachers of the Sunday School, Primary, Relief Society, YWMIA, YMMIA, with these exceptions: Albert S. Johnson as Superintendent of YMMIA; Jeanne Mackay as Secretary and Joyce Mackay as Attendance Secretary of the YWMIA; Bishop Bleazard as President of the Priests Quorum with Stan Briggs as Secretary; David Coltrin as President of the Teacher’s Quorum with Irvin Howe as Secretary; Arlyn Johnson as President of the Deacon’s Quorum with Roger Merrill as Secretary; Robert Perkes as Priests Advisor; Ernest Baker as Teacher’s Advisor; George Withers as Deacons Advisor; William Cook as General Secretary of Aaronic Priesthood under age 21.
July 27, 1959
Those set apart were: Leland George Withers as First Assistant to Sunday School Superintendent by H. Grant Bleazard; Albert Johnson as Superintendent of the YMMIA by William F. Rigby; William E. Robison as Activity Counselor of the YMMIA by Albert Johnson; Gayle Mackay as President of the YWMIA by H. Grant Bleazard; Lola Herron as Age Group Counselor of the YWMIA by Gordon L. Mathews.
August 9, 1959
Those sustained were: Arthur Lee, Charlie Coltrin and Enid Coltrin as Sunday School Teachers.
August 16, 1959
Ward Conference Morning Session. 116 in attendance, plus the Junior Sunday School.
President Thompson presiding, with Reed Gibbons conducting. It was held in the Columbia Basin Ward Meetinghouse. Main topics were: Responsibility as Church members, Home Life, and Genealogy.
Ward Conference Evening Session. 140 in attendance. President Thompson presiding and William F. Rigby conducting. Speakers were Bishop Bleazard and President Thompson.
August 23, 1959
Arlyn Johnson was sustained to be advanced to a Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood.
September 13, 1959
Those sustained were: Ardith Bakon as Drama Director in the MIA; Cecil Barrow to work with sports and dancing in MIA; June Bitton and Roma Sharp as Teachers in Primary; Mary Bleazard and Hortense Nelson as Beehive Teachers; Gordon and Julie Mathews to be in charge of the Mutual Marrieds Class of the MIA.
September 27, 1959
Those released were: Ada Taylor as Primary President, Marilyn Shelton as First Counselor, Ina Woodard as Second Counselor, and Necia Gibbons as Secretary.
Those sustained were Ina Woodard as Primary President, Shirley Cheney as First Counselor and Necia Gibbons as Secretary; Winfred Merrill as Age Group Counselor in YMMIA; and Ida Kelley as Era Director.
September 28, 1959
Some callings: Leonard Robert Ferguson, Second Assistant in Sunday School.
Helen Cunningham as In-Service Trainer in Primary.
Jean Withers and Ada Dial Taylor as Primary teachers.
Rhoda Lee as teacher in Sunday School and YWMIA.
Winfred Merrill as Manual Counselor in YMMIA.
October 25, 1959
Roma Sharp was released as Primary teacher and sustained as Second Counselor in Primary.
November 1, 1959
Elder Max Merrill departed for the Mission Home. He has been assigned to the West Canadian Mission.
November 29, 1959
Courtney Nelson was sustained to be ordained as a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood. Pam Ferguson was sustained as Dance Director in the YWMIA.
December 5, 1959
Arden F. Horton passed away at his home in Eltopia, Washington. The cause of death was a coronary occlusion.
The crops planted on our Ward Farm this year were wheat, sugar beets, peas, clover, alfalfa, milo and beans. Nearly all of the peas blew out and were replaced by beans. The income from the wheat and beets was good. The income from the rest of the crops was very poor. The main source of our Building Income Fund is through the raising of these crops. Each family of the Ward participates in this project.
