Temporary Deadline Change For Upcoming May 15 Edition

 

The Payson Chronicle has a deadline change coming up. The deadline for all submissions for the May 15, 2024, edition has been moved to Thursday, May 9, due to our press operator’s schedule requirements that week. Please have your submissions to us by 12 PM.

We will resume our usual Friday (Monday by Noon final) deadline after.

Please contact Mike Olson at thepaysonchronicle@msn.com or 801-465-9221 if you have any concerns.

The Payson Chronicle

145 East Utah Avenue #5

Payson, UT 84651

 

Trees removed and earth and asphalt shifted. Downtown Payson renovation, looking westward across Utah Avenue from First East Street.

Paysonians Old And New: We Want Your Downtown Payson Story

Downtown Payson has a rich history and hopeful future. The Payson Chronicle is collecting the community’s memories and wishes related to this district in a preservation project tentatively called "Downtown Payson Stories."

Tell us your stories of Downtown Payson. We want to read generational tales about the old opera house, movie theaters, and cultural centers. And new venues for entertainment! Consider the civic and public spaces: the former city hall and police station, Payson City Library, and Memorial Park. We want to hear stories about the drugstores, diners, shops, salons and lumber yards. Tell us about past and present domestic life in and close to Downtown Payson's periphery. These are memories and thoughts that are meaningful to you.

The possibilities extend beyond the scope of the ideas mentioned above, so long as the stories tie in with the downtown district.

Compose your story and submit it to us electronically via paysonchronicle@gmail.com, or deliver it to us in person or by mail at 145 East Utah Avenue #5. We invite you to share this invitation with friends, family, and strangers--Paysonians old and new.

Many will be considered for publication in The Payson Chronicle newspaper. Photos are encouraged.

Downtown Main Street work continues—with a rather striking work truck at the lead. 

The Downtown Scene

 

Looking eastward along the south side of First North betwixt Main and First East streets, Payson, there are the Daley Freez drive-thru diner and Zions First National Bank. 

Kevin Bacon Comes To Payson

 

In This Week’s Edition

 

 

 The Red Pine renovation has reached the tip of Memorial Park. Road closures include 300 South Main, shown here.

In This Week’s Edition

 

Mourning the Passing of Our Friend: Forthcoming Funeral Service

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. 

All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”

~ Helen Keller

Larry Don Houser

November 14, 1944 - March 31, 2024

Our loving Husband, Father & Grandfather Larry Don Houser passed away at the age of 79 on March 31st 2024 after a ten year battle with Parkinson’s. Larry was born on November 14, 1944 in Payson, Utah to Donald and Shirley Houser. He loved to reminisce about his childhood memories that often included his best friend and big sister Verla Mecham. Although brother and sister, Larry & Verla enjoyed a very close friendship throughout their lives. We are grateful to know that they are together again.

Larry met his sweetheart and Eternal Companion Leila Greenhalgh at the young age of 18. They were married and sealed in the Manti Temple on September 6, 1963. Larry and Leila were an incredible example of a picture perfect marriage. While they did experience many trials and adversities throughout their lives, together their enduring love always got them through. The two of them were inseparable, hand in hand, attached at the hip, and no unkind words were ever said about one another. Their love never dimmed over the years and still burns today after 60 years together. They raised three beautiful daughters together enjoying many camping trips and spending quality time together.

To Larry, his girls were his everything and later in life that expanded to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved and supported each one of them throughout all of their different endeavors.

Larry graduated from Payson High School in 1963. He worked in the grocery business for 48 years, after which he retired and enjoyed spending more time with his Sweetheart and family. Larry was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He had a strong testimony of the gospel and it was shown by the way he lived his life, and his Christlike example.

He is survived by his Sweetheart Leila Greenhalgh Houser, his daughters: Brenda Frazier (Mark), JoAnn Kunzler, and Julie Nelson (Dustin), 11 grandkids, and 18 great-grandkids. He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister, and his son-in-law Rick Kunzler.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to A+ Hospice and his sweet nurses: Lindsey O’Brien and grandson Jordan Degraw for the great care they gave Larry in his last days.

Funeral services will be held Friday, April 5th, 2024 at 11:00 am in the Mountain View 7th Ward Church, located at 681 E. 500 N, Payson, Utah. A viewing for family and friends will be held Thursday, April 4th from 6:00-8:00 pm at the same location. Interment will be in the Payson Cemetery.

Mourning the Passing of Our Friend: Forthcoming Funeral Service

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. 

All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”

~ Helen Keller

Colleen B Davidson

“Have I Done Any Good in the World Today” was the motto Colleen B Hunt Davidson lived by each day until the day she died at age 96 (3/23/1928 – 3/28/2024).  Colleen was a stalwart member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, having been raised by faithful parents (Thomas & Garnet Hunt of Salem, Utah) and having her own experience of knowing God loved her from a very early age (4½) when experiencing the death of a baby sister. 

Their family worked hard on the farm. At about age 7, she was divinely saved from drowning in a stream under the weight of a workhorse and lived on to perform a mission of love on this earth.  Some of her fondest childhood memories were planting flowers on the cellar rooftop and going to the park watching her father play baseball. She continued that tradition by playing ball herself, coaching, and watching her grand/great grandchildren play. 

 

At age 17, Colleen met and married Robert N. Davidson. They made their home in Genola, Utah.  Colleen and Bob raised 4 children and happily invited in their spouses. She became a widow at age 67. 

Although her main occupation was “Making everyone’s day happier”, she also helped assist occasionally with finances by working at the Tooele Munitions Depot, Montello train station (where she learned to make wonderful pies), Barbizon, Ray’s Grocery, Walmart, Mesquite Senior Citizen’s, Peppermill Resort, Hardware Store and gas stations. (As of 2 years ago, the gas station owner said he’d hire her back any time she wanted – and that she’d probably outwork the other employees.) 

Colleen loved the beauty of the Earth and always kept a flower-filled yard and tidy house, which was open to all.  Not only did she love flowers, but animals, rainbows, sunsets, the mountains…

  

She lovingly and faithfully served in church leadership & other positions in Relief Society, MIA, Primary, but especially loved working with the children and Visiting Teaching.  Colleen loved her Savior, the scriptures, her temple experiences, and always supported family and ward missionaries.  

She was preceded in death by her parents Tom & Garnet Hunt, siblings: Carol, Zera, Arvel, and Sam, her husband Robert Davidson, a daughter Patricia Faught, and son-in-law J.D. Mitchell.

 

Colleen is survived by her siblings Mae Morrill, Donna Allen, Don (Linda) Hunt, Norma Jean McConnell, Gordon (Betty) Hunt; her children Nolan (Carolyn), Craig (Carrie), Marie Mitchell, and son-in-law Guy Faught.

Additional beloved blessings came in the form of 27 Grandchildren, 79 Great grandchildren, and 33 Great Great Grandchildren. 

Funeral services will be held Friday, April 5th at 11:00 am at the Spring Creek Ward, 1080 South 930 West. Viewings will be held Thursday, April 4th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Brown Family Mortuary and Friday at the church from 9:30 to 10:30 am prior to the services. Interment will be in the Salem City Cemetery.