Orth, Alice Griffiths, 1912-2004
Biography
Alice Griffiths Orth (1912-2004) was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Australia.
Alice Griffiths Orth was born on May 29, 1912, in Tyldesley, Lancashire, England, the ninth of ten children of John Samuel Rainford Griffiths and Alice Birchall Griffiths. The family moved to Australia to make a better life when Alice was just nine months old. Alice was only educated until the age of 13, then had to stay home to help her mother take care of the family after her father was court-ordered out of the home due to alcoholism and abuse.
In 1932, looking for something to do, Alice began attending the Enmore Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sydney, Australia. Here she met John William "Bill" Orth, who was visiting from Brisbane for the opening of the Harbour Bridge, and they were soon engaged. John baptized Alice on June 20, 1932, and the two were later married on November 19 of the same year at the LDS chapel on Gibbon Street in Wooloongabba, Brisbane, Australia (the same chapel where Alice had been baptized). They raised five children together: Gretta (July 1933), Bryan Noel (March 1939), John William (October 1944), Kathryn Ethel (July 1947), and Leslie (after July 1953). In 1936, the family moved to Sydney, but struggled to have a secure place to live due to the lack of work during the Great Depression. They survived by taking odd jobs and selling hand-sewn and knitted aprons and baby clothes.
In about 1952, the family applied for and was granted a Housing Commission home in Lidcombe (a suburb of western Sydney). In 1958, after the marriage of their daughter Gretta, the family moved back to Brisbane. In December 1959, the family traveled to the new temple in Hamilton, New Zealand, to receive their endowments and be sealed together (as well as Alice and John to their parents); they also received patriarchal blessings from the temple president, who was also a patriarch. In March 1962, they lost their son Bryan to cancer as he was about to serve a mission. In 1970, Alice and John were able to travel to the United States to visit relatives and several temples (in Utah, Idaho, California, and Hawaii), and in 1975, they visited England (including the London temple). John served on the church's local High Council for nine years and filled many other callings until his death in March 1990; he was buried in Hemmant Cemetery in Brisbane.
Alice served as Relief Society president at least three times and also held callings in the Stake, visiting teaching, and wherever else she was needed. She died on January 19, 2004, at Salvin Park Nursing Home in Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia, and was buried next to her husband in Hemmant.
Citation:
FindaGrave.com, accessed July 18, 2024 (Alice Griffiths Orth, born May 29, 1912, in Lancashire, England, to John Samuel Rainford Griffiths and Alice Birchall Griffiths; joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1932, baptized by fiancé; married John William "Bill" Orth in 1932, five children: Gretta , Bryan Noel (1939), John, Kathryn, Leslie; died January 19, 2004, in Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia, buried in Hemmant Cemetery and Crematorium)FamilySearch, accessed July 18, 2024 (born in Tyldlesley, Lancashire; ninth of ten children; family moved to Australia to make a better life when Alice was nine months old; married November 19, 1932, in Brisbane, Australia; baptized June 20, 1932, by John William Orth; Gretta born July 1933; in 1936, family moved to Sydney, struggled to have secure place to live due to lack of work during Great Depression; survived by taking odd jobs and selling hand-sewn and knitted aprons and baby clothes; Bryan born March 1939; John William born October 1944; Kathryn Ethel born July 1947; about 1952, family applied for and was granted Housing Commission home in Lidcombe (suburb of western Sydney); 1958, after marriage of daughter Gretta, family moved to Brisbane; in December 1959, family traveled to new temple in Hamilton, New Zealand, to receive endowments and be sealed together; Alice and John sealed to their parents; received patriarchal blessings from temple president, who was also patriarch; March 1962, lost son Bryan to cancer, about to serve mission; Leslie born some time between July and December 1953: six years after sister Kathryn, while mother was 41, according to Gretta's account; husband died March 1990, buried in Hemmant Cemetery, Brisbane, Australia; Alice died January 19, 2004, while in Salvin Park Nursing Home)
Personal history of Alice Griffiths Orth (MSS SC 1005), 1977 (1970, Alice and John took trip to United States to visits relatives and several temples (Utah, Idaho, Calfornia, Hawaii); in 1975, visited England, including London temple; John served on High Council for nine years, filled many other callings until death from heart disease in March 1990; Alice Relief Society president three times, also held callings in Stake, visiting teaching, wherever else needed)