Item Detail
-
Arrington, Janell Ravsten
-
1926-
-
MSS SC 1006
-
Autobiography
-
Janell Ravsten Arrington was born in Clarkston, Utah in 1926 to Frank Matthias, a local farmer, and Verona Allen Ravsten, an elementary school teacher. Janell's parents taught her the importance of education and she attended B.Y.U for a year until the family finances ran short. Refusing to defer her education, she attended beauty school in Twin Falls, Idaho. On 29 May 1946 she married Howard Glenn Arrington and they made their home in Twin Falls. She and her family are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Throughout her life, Janell served in many capacities within the church and community. She served as a Relief Society President, Young Women's President, music leader, Primary teacher, and Sunday school teacher. She also served on the local PTA Council for 13 years and received the Lifetime Membership Award. Janell worked as an aide and an election judge for schools, she presented book reviews in Idaho and Northern Utah, and she has written small plays, skits, and narrations. She is the mother of five children.
-
Janell Arrington's autobiography consists of 9 typewritten pages. She shares stories of her childhood in Clarkston, Utah, a farming community, and she also writes of her education, family, and personal beliefs. She describes her parents and the two grandmothers that taught her the value of service, hard work, and education. As a mother she passed these values onto her children and encouraged them to find joy in music, books, theatre, and the L.D.S. Church. Janell describes the trials of dealing with hypoglycemia for 25 years without knowing what caused the headaches, depression, weakness, and confusion. Although Janell was told not to have more than one child because of this illness, she was able to have four more children and later raise two Indian children adopted through the Indian Placement Program. Janell is not so interested in chronicling her life as she is in expressing her personal philosophy that happiness comes through giving service to others. Writer
-
1846-1918