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Shelly J. Williamson personal papers, 1945-2003

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2666 Series 2

Scope and Contents note

Contains family records, autobiographies, legal documents, multiple personality disorder memories, pet files, residence files, and stamp collection. All pertain to Williamson's life, career, health, and hobbies. Also contains Williamson's loose files. These materials include letters, personal papers, memorabilia, notebooks, and newspaper articles. Includes some full editions of newspapers like the Daily Universe, and many of the newspapers chronicle disasters, such as the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Also include other articles and flyers for local events. Dated 1945-2003.

Dates

  • 1945-2003

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Restrictions Apply. All collection materials will become available at the time of Shelly Williamson's death.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Shelly J. Williamson papers must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the Special Collections Board of Curators.

No collection materials are to be digitized or electronically reproduced.

Biographical History

From the Collection:

Shelly J. Williamson (1945 - ) was a public school teacher and librarian. Born and raised in Tennessee, Williamson has lived in New York, Maryland, California, and Utah.

Shelly J. Williamson was born Martha Grace Shortt on July 31, 1945, in Rogersville, Hawkins County, Tennessee, to Nathaniel Delaney and Mildred Mae Tompson Shortt. Shelly has changed her name twice from Martha Grace Shortt to Martha Grace Montgomery in 1987 and again to Shelly Jean Williamson in 1993. Williamson was raised in Rogersville, where she was a student and a high school cheerleader. She entered Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Memphis, Tennessee, on a scholarship in 1963. In 1965, she changed education paths. Williamson entered East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee, where she studied Elementary Education until 1966. While studying at ETSU, she met Joe Gueron. They were married in 1966. Williamson again switched schools, and in 1969 she graduated from the University of Maryland in College Park with a B.A. in History. That same year, she and Joe decided to divorce.

Williamson lived and worked in New York State briefly before entering law school at the University of Maryland in 1970. She left law school after one semester because of illness. In 1974, she re-entered school, this time at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. There, she earned an M.S. in library science.

In October 1976, Williamson met missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She became a member of the Church on January 1, 1977. Since her baptism, Williamson has been a devout Latter-day Saint who allows her deep faith in God to influence all aspects of her life.

Williamson worked as a librarian in Tennessee elementary schools and public libraries until 1985, when she left to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served in the Anaheim California Mission from April 1985 to November 1985 and in the Salt Lake City North Mission from November 1985 to February 1986.

After her mission, Williamson held a variety of jobs in northern Utah including: cataloger at Dugway Proving Ground in Tooele, Utah and in the Historical Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah; adjunct faculty at Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City, Utah; office manager at BAR/BRI of Utah East Salt Lake City, Utah; independent study course materials specialist at the University of Utah Bookstore in Salt Lake City, Utah; department secretary for Army ROTC at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah; vault coordinator at LDS Motion Picture Studio in Provo, Utah; and Section 8 housing specialist at the Housing Authority of Utah County in Provo, Utah.

Many of Shelly's experiences have been influenced by her medical history. She is a survivor of both multiple personality disorder and cancer.

Extent

2 boxes

12 folders

Language of Materials

English