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Irma Grainger Gottfredson family papers, 1904-1988

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 7615 Series 2 Sub-Series 4

Scope and Contents

Includes family scrapbooks for the Bringhurst, Steele, and Grainger families. Materials dated 1904-1988.

Dates

  • 1904-1988

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Open for public research.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Gottfredson family papers must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.

Biographical History

Irma Grainger Gottfredson (1904-1988) was married to David Booth Gottfredson and raised five children in Richfield and Salt Lake City, Utah.

Irma Grainger Gottfredson was born on April 5, 1904 in Toquerville, Utah, to Benjamin Christopher Grainger and Eleanor Campbell Bringhurst, but spent much of her childhood and adolescence in American Fork, Utah. She was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on September 1, 1913. She attended West Junior High School and LDS High School, but left school before her senior year to start working. She married David Booth Gottfredson in the Salt Lake Temple on September 13, 1922, and after living in Salt Lake until David received his B.S. from the University of Utah, the couple moved to St. Louis, Missouri, for medical school. After moving back to Salt Lake in 1926, Irma began taking U. of U. extension classes. The family then moved to Richfield in 1928, and Irma was very involved in school and community. She finished her high school education at Richfield High School in 1936, was the president of the Lady Lions and of the Sanpete-Sevier Federated Womens' Club, and was active in the Red Cross and the Richfield Study Club.

Irma and David had five children together. Marjorie was born in 1923, Joyce in 1925, David Booth in 1930, Susan in 1936, and Peter Shelton in 1949. Peter Shelton died seven days after he was born, and David Booth passed away in 1954 at age 24 after a long struggle with muscular dystrophy.

When the National Guard was called to service in 1941, David was stationed in San Luis Obispo, California, Irma and her children became "camp followers" and before David was shipped overseas, she had followed him to Los Angeles, California; Ft. Lewis, Washington; Camp Pickett, Virginia; and Camp Meade, Maryland. Irma moved the family back to Salt Lake and enrolled in classes at the University of Utah. David was sent home to recuperate from injuries and was eventually discharged in 1944.

David and Irma bought a home in Salt Lake for their 22nd anniversary, where they lived until both of their deaths. Irma died on December 30, 1988, eleven years after the death of her husband.

Extent

22 folders

4 folders

Language of Materials

English

Other Finding Aids

An additional finding aid is available in the repository upon request.

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

Contact:
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States