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Paul Willes and Beth Dixon Cheney mission journals, histories, and writings, 1975-1994

 Series
Identifier: MSS 8423 Series 1

Scope and Contents

Contains materials relating to the missions served by Paul Willes and Beth Dixon Cheney to the Canada Halifax, Canada Winnipeg, Taiwain Taipei and Salt Lake City family history missions. Includes journals, autobiographies, branch histories, correspondence, a missionary release certificate and other writings collected by the Cheney family during their missionary service. Materials dated 1975-1994.

Dates

  • 1975-1994

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 Paul Willes and Beth Dixon Cheney mission papers must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.

Biographical History

From the Collection:

Paul Willes Cheney (1917-2013) was an entrepreneur, inventor, school bus driver, and Latter-day Saint missionary.

Paul Willes Cheney was born on November 2, 1917, in Upton, Wyoming, to parents Samuel Milton and Anna Maud Staley Cheney. He spent his childhood on a ranch in Wyoming, then after moving to Gooding, Idaho, he attended the high school there. He served an LDS mission in the Western States Mission. On November 19, 1941, he married Beth Dixon (1921-2007) in Logan, Utah, and together they had 6 children. He enjoyed many occupations during his life including creating and building businesses, farming, car salesman, taxi service, and inventing the “Cheney Chair,” for safer bathing; he also worked as a school bus driver for 40 years. He served in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout his life, including serving as Bishop in 1979. Along with his wife, Beth, he served 4 more missions for the church: Canada Halifax Mission, Canada Winnipeg Mission, the Taiwan Taipei Temple Mission, and the Salt Lake City Family History Mission.

After Beth passed away, Cheney married Christina Lin on December 18, 2009, and together they completed over 63,000 records in the FamilySearch Indexing program.

Cheney died on July 26, 2013, in Gooding, Idaho.

Biographical History

From the Collection:

Beth Dixon Cheney (1921-2007) was a devoted wife and mother, and active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who loved most serving others.

Beth Dixon Cheney was born on July 3, 1921, in Manard, Idaho, to parents Riley Lyman and Alva Retta Robinson Dixon. She attended Gooding High School and the Agricultural College in Logan, Utah. She married Paul Willes Cheney on November 19, 1941, in Logan, Utah, and together they had six children. She was a devoted wife and mother, and supported her husband in all his business ventures. She taught her children to be resourceful, honest and hard workers. Beth served four missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Canada Halifax, Canada Winnipeg, Taiwan Taipei Temple, and Salt Lake Family History missions, where she loved serving others.

Beth died on March 2, 2007, in Gooding, Idaho.

Extent

2 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Materials arranged in chronological order.

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

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