We have created this website to share the personal histories of our ancestors. Common sunames are Skankey, Sorensen,Cooley,and Bird.
The following is a copy of hand written notes by Marguerite on scraps of paper: "Mom & Dad would set on the porch & sing hymns - They would enjoy the view - Children would sing with them. Father took boys out of school to work - Fall & Spring long walk to school. Neighbors would come when the [they] killed a pig - they would take pork home - Every one helped - each other. Grandfather - Grandmother. Work on mts - No water & lights - mother made soap from pig fat - Washed by hand - sometimes went to spring to wash."
Marguerite was born 3 Jun 1909 in Mendon, Utah. She lived in Logan where she finished high school and two years of college. She married Dr. Alphonso O. Skankey 27 Jul 1929 in San Francisco, California.. They were later sealed 28 Aug 1965 in the Oakland Temple. They lived in San Bruno where Al was in general practice for 35 years. Their four children were born there. They moved to San Mateo, California in 1949.
Some of Marge' activities were Girl Scouts and Red Cross, She starterd a "Friendly Visiting" Program for visiting the aged in San Mateo County. She also worked in most of the Church auxillaries. Written by Marguerite Skankey, 1966
Logan, Feb 20, 1931 It was written a few weeks after the death of her mother. (typed as written)
Dear Daughter Margrett,
Just a few lines from dad Skanchy. I feel to write you and to congratulate you and Bless you for your ventures of Motherhood in fullfilling and of the great and Eternal law of promulgating the name of our family and may the Lord Bless you with health and Happiness through Life Long Jounrey may you live long and enjoy your children with a loving Mothers care of watchful care there is no greater life then to enjoy your own children grow up and become Men and woman to carry on the great plan the Lord has destined for all his children here on Earth in obedience to Law and order of this Earth of ours. Dear daughter you do not know how much we adore your spirit and character as a modle Mother you do not know how much we feel repaid for our strugles through our life journey when we relize the standard our children have attained in usefulness to our fellow men and advancement of Gods Laws we recall back when Alfonzo, Anton, Verna and Thelma were just Babies how proud and Happy we were the joy of every day, in caring and watching over them as they grew up. There is no greater Joy, in a person soul then this and Margrett I know you will enjoy the same eternal thing in lifes journey as we have, we all feel proud of you and Alponzo we feel proud of your Loving Mother and Father O.W. Cooley, Lavell, Cicele, Vern, and Dear Genivive they all give us joy and Happiness to continue forward in doing our part. Margerett our heart goes out with yours in berefs of our member in our family one so Loveing and Dear to us, but that 'great' Thought enbeded in our souls according to Gods great Eternal planes we shall again meet each other and live for ever with each other May the Lord bless you understand this Trial in its true light.
Father Cooley and Genivive are coming down to Cal to see you as soon as spring comes. We visit each other often and everything is going along senciablely. and feeling that sometimes we do not understand why trial comes to us, but some day we shall understand. these triles commenced at the Garden of Eden, with promises of Glory for Repay to test our faithfullness and obience to the Eternal Laws -- I shall write you as often as I can. Dear I am kept very Buisy every day here at the store and getting along nicely Anton is kept busy also, he seem to have plenty Radio work all over the vally his name is hearold as an Radio Expert and the profecers at the A.C. Recommends him to everybody who has Radio Trouble and I must say that he is having good success in his adventures he should be working for some big Manufecture Rado Co, well we are all enjoying good health at Home although there seem to be lots of flue around the winter this season hasbeen a sevier one on the poor people but spring will soon be here.
Dear Lula is doing fine also our little Baby girl Lula Mother has been with her for 2 weeks she is going back Home Sunday to Vernal. I hope if everything gois all right I should like to make you a visit this next Summer. Verna has been Home a couple of times this winter for a few days visit
Well Dear Margarett I will close for this time with the Best of Love wishes from us all. Dad Skanchy
Marguerite was born June 3, 1909 at Mendon, Utah at 3 o'clock in the morning. Blessed by Bishop M.D. Bird, Aug 1 1909. Marguerite Cooley baptized July 7, 1917 by Jacob Miller. Confirmed by Thomas Morgan July 7, 1917. Member of Logan Fifth Ward. John I Adams, Bishop. R.O. Larsen, clerk.
Marguerite received her two years normal certificate Jun 1929 at the age of 19 years old.
Marguerite married Alfonso Oliver Schankey [her spelling] July 27, 1929 at San Francisco, California. Alfonso was born June 2, 1903. Blessed August 1903. Baptized Logan Temple June 3, 1911.
Marguerite was baptized (on the 100 anniversary of the Angel Moroni,) for 5 women in the Logan Temple on Oct 20, 1923. Went with the Cache Stake Primary. There was baptism done for 2100. Oct 23 Marguerite baptized for 10 members on Cooley record. Nov 20 Marguerite baptized for 20 members on Cooley record.
A Blessing by GEORGE R. HILL, Patriarch, upon the head of MARGUERITE COOLEY daughter of OSCAR W. COOLEY and MARGARET BIRD born June 3, 1909 at MENDON,UTAH.
Sister Marguerite, in the name of Jesus Christ and in the authority of the Holy Priesthood I place my hands upon thy head and seal upon thee a Patriarchal Blessing as the spirit of the Lord shall direct, which shall be a comfort unto you while you live upon the earth.
Thou art one of the daughters of God that sang together when the plan of the creation of this earth was laid before you, when all the sons of God shouted for joy. Thou wast retained in that heavenly existence that you might come forth in this important age and pass through an experience that would prepare you to return again to the presence of your Heavenly Father crowned with glory and eternal life.
Thou are of the royal tribe of Ephraim and the blessing promised unto that chosen tribe shall be thine to enjoy. The Lord has a great work for you while you live upon the earth and as you prepare yourself for your mission in life by prayer and by research and accept the calls as they come unto you, your mind will develop and a preparation will come into your heart preparing you for every duty, labor or calling coming unto you. You will be called into positions in the Church and in the organizations and societies of your sex that will make of you a leader in the midst of the daughters of Zion. You will be called into very important positions and wonder why feeling you inability to perform such labors but as you rely upon the Lord and accept the calls as they come unto you, the Lord will descend upon you by the power of his Holy spirit and you will hear the whispering of His Holy spirit in your ear directing your labors and preparing you for the positions you are called to fulfil.
The gift of faith will come upon you which shall be your guiding star and cause you to do and say things which your judgment might not approve, but which shall elevate you in the minds of the people and give you favor in the sight of the Lord. You will take delight in visiting people especially those who are afflicted and as you enter into their homes you will seem like an angel of light and of mercy coming to their relief because of your great faith.
You will be sought after far and near and the blessings of the Lord will attend you wherever you go. You will take great delight in expounding the Gospel. Many will listen to your voice and give ear to your words and praise the Lord because of your ability to expound the truth.
You will be advanced and called to labor in the different organizations of your sex until you have had experience in all and thus you will become a leader and receive the praise and the honors of the people, and of the Lord. You will be blessed with wisdom and become noted for your wise sayings and correct counsel given in the organizations to which you shall belong.
The Lord will bless you with a companion in life that will be a man of God upon whom you can lean for support counsel and advice. The Lord will entrust into your care some of his choice spirits,sons and daughters and give unto you wisdom to rear them in the love of the Lord in obedience to parents and to priesthood and thus your offspring shall bear your name after you to the glory of the Lord.
You will live upon the earth and see great changes among all nations preparing the hearts of the people for a reign of peace and the coming of the Savior.
I seal upon you the blessings of the new and everlasting covenant and seal you up beyond the powers of the destroyer and receive an exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom of our God. I seal these blessings upon you through your faithfulness and in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. # 1015 Logan, Utah July 12, 1925 Vol. 618 pages 426-429
At last we were all registered and ready to start. Such suffering and torture I had never gone through before. I was tired and ready for bed. There was no bed for me that night. The first dance had made me forget how tired I really was.
The seven-thirty bell rang. We all pounced out of bed and hurried into our clothes. There was not time for breakfast as our first class started at eight. Of course we couldn’t find half the things we wanted to take with us. We weren’t responsible as it was our first day of school at college.
At last the first day’s work was over. Lessons – there were so many to do we didn’t know where to begin. As we started for home we were hailed by some boy friends. We stopped but not for long. Soon we were driving down the highway and every lesson was forgotten.
Days passed quickly. The football season was open. We had all gone to the games;learning the yells and trying our best to beat the mighty seniors in our card plays on the sidelines.
Sad but true the midterm brought its exams. Oh they were exams too. We all decided to study the rest of the year or we would be returned to our fathers sooner than was expected. We did study. We stayed home nights trying to figure out how this and that was done and what it was all about.
Xmas holidays came. Everyone was happy. It meant two weeks of fun without school to worry about.
Two weeks were gone, it seemed like two days. In spite of that fact we were all glad to get back to school and see our friends again. Registering was not so hard this time. It was soon done and we were discussing the school scandals with our friends.
We found school much easier this term. We were not afraid of the Profs or the mighty seniors. We fooled in the halls with our friends and “kidded” our Profs in classes.
The Military Ball and Jr. Prom were soon coming. This meant a date and a new evening dress. Now they were both doubtful. We got dates and new dresses too. The balls were certainly successful, very formal and everyone was at his best.
Basket ball was at its best. The VAC had won most of the games. We were all ready to cheer the team as it marched on the floor. They were our school heroes so why not cheer.
At last the winter quarter was over. All our work was in, our exams over and our rent paid.
Spring quarter started with a bang. We jumped right into the middle of our work. There was only ten weeks to complete our courses, this meant lots of studying. Did we do it? No, we were over taken by an epidemic of spring fever.
Everyone was interested in track. This year the girls were going to hold a track meet. The meet was held. I resulted in one sprained ankle and two or three badly skinned knees.
At last it was the last week of school. The Buzzers [the year books] were out and everyone was busy autographing them. The final exams were all over.
All the students were leaving. It seemed kind of hard to loose half our school friends. But as they left they promised to return to the dear old Aggies school next year.
RÉSUMÉ written by Mom when applying for a position in the American Red Cross Organization, 1 February, 1957, San Mateo, California.
...My volunteer activities in San Mateo County have been quite varied. I have always been involved in activities concerning my church and during the time I held other volunteer positions in other agencies, my church work continued.
At present I am holding an executive position in the women’s group of my church. I have gone through the complete series of leadership and counseling positions with children in the scouts as cub leader, brownie and scout leader and summer camp counselor.
I have been on the board of directors of the American Association of University Women for the past three years; for two years on the elective board; and was a director at large. This is a working board directing the activities of 900 women on which I have held three chairmanships,that of general section chairman of the American Red Cross and I am now the Director of Service for the pilot study for the Friendly Visiting program of San Mateo County.
Mrs. A.O. (Marge) Skankey, October Personality of the Month. Mrs. Skankey will display, demonstrate and talk on the subject of making wreaths from pods, cones and dried material. For the past three years Mrs. Skankey has made the beautiful Christmas wreaths sold at Podesta and Baldocchi. [An elite florist in San Francisco.] Supplies, including material from Mrs. Skankey’s own “Friendship collection” from all parts of the country, may be purchased at country House to make your own holiday wreaths. Her first talk and demonstrations will be at 10:30 A.M. preceding the first luncheon seating and again at 2:00 following the second seating.
Country House, Ladera Shopping Center, Alpine Road, Ladera, is operated and staffed by members of auxiliaries to the Children’s Health council to help maintain its program of medical diagnosis and treatment of handicapped children in this area.
My Mom was a remarkable person. For most of her life she was a human dynamo. She loved her family and friends, beautiful music, flowers, going to the symphony and to the mountains. She was attracted to lovely dish ware and porcelain figurines, antiques, and traveling. She was talented in creating artwork out of cones, producing gorgeous quilts, sewing her clothes, and skilled in many kinds of stitchery. She loved working with children, and I could go on and on.
But today I’d like to reminisce about five areas that she stressed in the home, starting from the time we were little children. But first, before I begin, you might be interested to know that our family was run on the 90-10 plan. Dad earned 90% of the income and did 10% of the raising of the children. Mom did 90% of the child raising and 10% of the income, and most of her earnings came while Dad was in his training.
Number 1. The first area was family togetherness. Mom loved the family. She wanted it to be strong and binding. She constantly planned outings to encourage good experiences together. We went on picnics to the beach, excursions to the mountains, and to the parks. She established holiday traditions and special day remembrances. Her favorite time was Christmas. She made each one memorable with parties, decorations, delicious foods, and our special Christmas Eve family nights. On Christmas Day relatives and friends gathered to share our festive dinners. Verna and Thelma were always part of those happy occasions.
She wanted my brothers and me to like each other, and to have fun together as she had done with her brothers and sister.
I think she succeeded because the three of us were pretty good friends. Bob even took me to my first high school dance, and it was fun!
I want to thank my brothers and their gracious wives and children for all they have done for our family, and to tell them how much I love and appreciate them. Alice and Sue were truly loving daughters to Mom and Dad.
I also want to thank Clyde for joining our family at a time when Mom needed a special friend. Clyde is a patient, kind, thoughtful loving person and I think Mom just melted in his presence. In the letter that she wrote at Thanksgiving time, she said, “This Thanksgiving we are thankful for each other. We have had such a great life together. We feel blessed that our children love us and are happy for us. We hope we have a few more of these wonderful years.” We love you too Clyde. [He attended the funeral.] And Sylvia [Clyde’s daughter], thank you for accepting Mom so lovingly.
As Bob, Richard, and I got married and moved away and the children came, Mom took every opportunity to bring us together. She kept in touch by letters, birthday cards, telephone calls, and if anyone came to town....it was the “open-door” policy. She has slept and fed more people at her house than anyone else I know.
Once she called us and said, “Congratulations.” I said, “For what?” She answered, “It’s your anniversary!” She had remembered; we had forgotten.
Up to the very end she was gathering the family. And isn’t it fitting that one of the last things she has done is to gather her family and friends.
Number 2. Mom was a stickler for dependability and honesty. They seem to go hand in hand. If we accepted an assignment, or said that we’d do something, then we did it. That’s all there was to it. I can remember her saying – “If you said you’re going to do it, then do it. You must be dependable.”
One time I got mixed up on my baby-sitting appointments and ended up with two jobs for the same night. It was close to the time to go when I realized my predicament. Rather than disappoint anyone, she went and baby-sat one family while I went to the other.
Number 3. Another area that was basically part of Mom’s nature was compassion and service. When I was very young she took one of my dolls, my chocolate doll, made a new dress and hat for it, and we delivered it to a family of meager means. It must have been one of my Dad’s patients.
She liked to make people happy....to ease their burdens. She was very active in Red Cross service, Brownies and Girl Scouts, and in Friendly Visiting. This was a program for visiting elderly people who either lived alone or in rest homes who were forgotten by everyone else. She had the talent to soften the grumpiest soul or most disheartened and leave them with a smile on their face. She gave hope to the discouraged and enjoyed helping those in need. Richard also did much work in the Red Cross service organization.
Mom was friendly to all people and especially to her neighbors. She enjoyed being a Good Samaritan. Once when we were returning from a trip to Utah on the train (I was about 16), she struck up a conversation with a French Jesuit Priest (Father Toumee) who was coming to South San Francisco to a new post. Evidently he didn’t have a place to stay so Mom invited him to spend the night in our home. I’m sure Dad was surprised when he met us at the train station with our guest.
Later that night Dad reminded her that she had brought a total stranger into the house, and after all, what did we know about him.” Actually, she did become concerned during the night when she heard his footsteps going though the house. She almost panicked when she realized he was in the linen closet. I don’t think she got much sleep that night. In the morning she was relieved when Father Toumee commented, “I had a hard time finding the bathroom last night.”
How can I mention compassion without remembering how Mom lovingly cared for Dad through the challenging years of his stroke. She was an angle of mercy to him.
Number 4. Mom wanted us to learn to work. We started doing chores in the house, doing dishes and cleaning, and some work in the garden. Then I branched into baby-sitting. She added variety to my work by speaking with some neighbors. Pretty soon I was washing walls for them and doing the kitchen cleanup for their parties. But no matter how hard we worked, Mom could out-do any of us. She could clean, dig, paint..... you name it and she could work circles around us. She led the way by her example. I think it really pleased her in her later years when her hands ached with arthritis, to have her children or grandchildren give her a hand in the yard or home.
Number 5. Last of all, Mom wanted us to learn to make our own decisions, but she was there to guide us. There were not too many restrictions placed on us, however if we ever asked for permission to do a questionable activity, she would say, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you; but you make up your own mind!”
When I stepped over my bounds she simply said, “No.” At the time I might have been annoyed, however, in later years I could certainly see the wisdom in her guidance. One example was while I was attending my third year of college. I called home and said that I was going to quit school and become a stewardess. She answered, “I know that your Dad wants you to finish school first, then you can go into being a stewardess. I’ve had some great experiences because I followed her advice.
When it came to the Church, I can remember over hearing a talk she gave to Bob one day. She said, “Just know that some of your ancestors gave up their homes and families, left their countries and all that they had so they could come to America and be close to the Church. Some of them walked across the plains. Now if it meant so much to them, the least you could do is give the Church a thorough investigation. Then it is your choice if you want to be active in it or not.”
In closing, I want to thank Mom for all the stories she read to us when we were children, for all the tender care and love she gave along with Dad that helped us to know that we were special and that we were attached to something solid – the family. I thank her for the constant concern and counsel and teachings that never ended, and for helping us to realize that it’s what’s inside a person that counts and not just the outside effects that the world often sees. I’m thankful that she stressed the family, dependability, honesty, hard work, and charity and allowed us the portion of fee agency that we could handle. These are the things we have tried to pass on to our children.
She was a good Mom – just what we needed. I pray that we all have grown stronger and happier because we knew Mom.
Ojai, Calif. Marguerite Cooley Skankey Jackson 79, passed away December 25, 1988 in Ojai.
Born June 3, 1909, in Mendon, Utah to Oscar Wood and Margaret Bird Cooley. Married Alphonso Oliver Skankey, July 27, 1929. Later solemnized in the Oakland Temple. He preceded her in death on April 12, 1985. Married Clyde Isom Jackson Sept. 6, 1986.
Survived by: Her husband; two sons, Dr. Robert A Skankey, M.D., Ojai, Calif.; Richard Skankey, Salt Lake City; daughter, Mrs. Bart (Barbara) Christenson, Woodland, Utah; brother, Vernon A. Cooley; sister, Mrs. Lorin (Genevieve) Richards; 23 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren.
Friends may call at the family home in Salt Lake Ciry, Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. Private services will be held Saturday. Interment at the Mendon Cemetery in Mendon, Utah. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the American Heart Association. 12/28, 12/29