Fanny Elizabeth Ostler

by Hope Spencer Beus 1958

My mother, Fanny Elizabeth Ostler was born July 15, 1871 at Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the daughter of Oliver Radford Ostler and Louisa Boyden. Her home was a modest one, as her parents were in humble circumstances all their lives. There were nine children to maintain. Grandfather Ostler (Oliver Radford) worked most of his life as a clerk in a grocery store. He kept a hive of bees at home. While there was not much money there was an abundance of love in their home. It was always open to relatives and friends. At various times grandmother Ostler (Louisa) took children of friends of relatives into her home as members of her family and cared for them when they were in the city and away from home. Mother, being the second from the oldest child in the family was often kept at home for helping her mother and had very little schooling. Her parents encouraged her in church work and in her love for music. As a young lady she sang in the Tabernacle Choir under the baton of Evan Stevens and attended the World’s Fair in Chicago with the choir in 1893. On April 11, 1894, she married George Sterling Spencer in the Salt Lake Temple. Three days later father left for a foreign mission. He at first was sent to England and quickly transferred to the Netherlands. While he was gone mother lived with her parents and helped support father in the mission by sewing for a dressmaker in town. When father returned it was difficult to get work in the midst of a panic (economic depression). He obtained employment as a parcel wrapper in Z.C.M.I. In 1900 when they had three children, Orson 27 months, and two girls (twins) 7 months, they all three died within 11 days, Orson with typhoid fever, and the twins with whooping cough. This was a time of intense sorrow and unrest for my parents. At night, when my mother could not rest she would walk and walk until she could sleep. They were so upset they broke up house keeper and lived with mother’s older sister, Sara Louisa and Dave Barber. In the summer they made a fresh start, by purchasing a lot in Forest Dale. This was the section of the city actually outside the limits then which George M. Cannon purchased and sub-divided, selling only to friends of his who were L.D.S. people. The land originally comprised a farm of Brigham Young’s. They lived through the summer in a tent, while their house was built. Though it was a small home consisting of one large kitchen and small bath and back porch (enclosed) they gave space to a small conservatory at the south west corner of the house, with two walls of glass. Their love of flowers was strong. Here they raised plants which they used to beautify the lots. Here six children were born. When the twin boys arrived father decided if children were coming two at a time he needed to enlarge the house, so east of the little home a large two-story home was built. This was a lovely, sunny home with a large dinning and living room across the entire width of the house. This could be opened into a large parlor and a large entry hall. The three rooms were often used for dancing and parties. Beth, the last of the children was born here. Mother had some secretarial work in the church auxiliaries before her marriage, but after the children came she devoted her full time to her family except for singing in the choir. Forest Dale Ward was organized and grew to be the largest ward in the church. There were wonderful families there, large ones with large homes and broad lawns. There was a prevailing spirit of happiness and cooperation. The best place in the world, we thought. When the older children were no longer small, mother took up work in Relief Society. She was counselor to Marion M. Cannon for many years. She enjoyed her work and loved Sister Cannon very dearly. Our home was a gathering place for the neighborhood. The boys played marbles in winter using the border of the center rug in the living room for a ring. In summer out doors was like Liberty Park. In 1914 when Beth was a baby we spent two weeks in a tent in the Weber Canyon (upper). We all liked it so much father decided to build a summer home there. We moved into it next spring. Here mother opened her heart and home to friends and relatives by the dozen. We always had company. It seemed there were never too many children for mother to manage. We all helped, washing dishes, carrying in wood in winter. Dusting was very sketchy and ironing nonexistent. High spots of the time were week-ends when father and often other grown ups spent time there. Often we had 20 or 30 people at times. Except for trips to Salt Lake for fruit canning we stayed all summer. The home in Salt Lake was the scene of many banquets for bank employees, Dutch saints and family friends, Elders’ dancing parties etc. As the family grew up there was talk of selling the large place, after three were married, so that mother’s work would be less. Hiram left for the German-Austrian mission in 1931. He said "Don’t sell the old home; I want to come back to it." So the old home was kept. Hiram never returned there. He passed away in the mission field at Basil, Switzerland. Our parents were heart broken they could not attend missionaries’ farewells for years. Only the Gospel sustained them. They moved to Parleys Ward next door to Claron’s home the next year at 2002 East 21^st South. They saw, in a few years, this section grow to be thickly populated. Ione and Beth were married while they lived there. Mother loved Relief Society and always attended. She was a visiting teacher for 28 years and sang in the ward choir both in Forest Dale and in Parleys Ward. She gave this up when she reached the age of 82. Mother and father celebrated their golden wedding in 1944 with a family dinner, followed by an open house for friends at the Lion House. The immediate family celebrated the 60^th wedding with them. Mother had excellent health until the last few years when she developed heart trouble and other ailments common to age. She loved people and was a steadfast friend to many. Mother loved to sing all her life. The grandchildren remember the many songs she sang for them. I always regretted that we missed much of this relationship of grandparents or our children did, because we did not live close enough to visit often. When mother was 77 Bertha had a recording made of two of her songs and gave each of her children a record for Christmas. We have enjoyed it for years; and especially did our younger ones enjoy it. Among her hobbies were rug making, quilting and crocheting. She made innumerable quilts, most of which she gave away. Each child received several when he was married. Nephews and nieces all had one and most of the grand children. Some grand children were very young when she died, at the age of 85. She passed away September 22, 1956 after a happy week; saw the King and I with friends, did her visiting teaching for Relief Society, spent a full afternoon visiting with her two remaining brothers, Uncle Gene and Uncle Elmo, and had just taken some freshly baked bread from the oven a few minutes before she died, before the Doctor could arrive. My mother was a wonderful person. Brother Woollry said, "She was a fine lady! She goes to the other side with very good prospects indeed." Mother said in late years, "Our friends are all going, there will be none left to attend our funerals." The day she was buried a host of friends paid tribute to her. Among them were many old neighbors’ children from Forest Dale and many who spent some time with us on the Weber, long ago. Mother bore many sore trials with great fortitude. Indeed she was and is a fine person.