Althea Andelin

LIFE SKETCH FOR ALTHEA ELIZABETH ROBERTS 1925 TO 2015

(Althea wrote her sketch)

ALTHEA ELIZABETH ANDELIN ROBERTS passed from this life on October 23rd, 2015

She died from problems of congestive heart failure, damaged lungs and kidneys.  She was born May 26, 1925 in Richfield Utah; the 5th child of B.Y. Andelin and Gladys Genevieve Jensen.  Her family moved to Ogden when Althea was two years old and she lived in the Ogden vicinity all of her young years.  She attended Ogden City Schools graduating from Ogden High School with the class of 1943.  She wrote the opening pages of the school’s Year Book for the class of 1943. It was a black book with a big orange tiger on the front cover.  Because it was the first part of the WWII era the book was unique.  It was an anxious time. The book tells that because all the boys were leaving for war after graduating from high school everyone, boys and girls, found it all very exciting.  The parents were not so thrilled.  There was a mass exodus immediately after Althea’s graduation took place.  Althea saw nearly every boy from Ogden High leave for war.  Some were able to stay for the first quarter at Weber State but after that only seven to nine boys were at Weber.  Many of these young men who left with eagerness did not return.  Her brother Lee left for active duty when she started high school and he did not return for five years.  He fought in the Pacific Theatre.

These episodes made indelible inroads into Althea’s memory because she saw the Hitler regime, its beginning and growth.  Also she saw how difficult it was to uproot that terrible culture and how devastating it was in its path.  She saw it begin and saw it end after much death and suffering of thousands of people in it’s invasion of the world. The impact of these two made a real and indelible part in her life.

Althea graduated from WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY in 1945.  Weber was a two year college at the time so she continued her education at UTAH STATE with a Speech English composite major.  She left UTAH STATE with 120 credits when only 150 were needed for graduation.  This was about two quarters of class work to finish.  Times were lean and money hard come by.  She ran out of money and there were no student loans available at that time because the war was not yet over.  This was one of the regrettable things in her life even though she continued with extension classes from Rick’s College, BYU and Utah State Universities.

While she was at Utah State her first poetry was published.  She has seven of her published poems housed in the National Library of Congress as winners in National contests. She was listed in WHO’S WHO IN AMERICAN POETS and WHOSE WHO IN INTERNATIONAL POETS. Many of her poems have been read on K.S.L. Radio and one about King David was read on National Public Television. Her professor at Utah State told her she had more natural talent than any student he had ever taught.  She was honored by this compliment.

She married Melborne Roberts in 1950 and they had five wonderful, good looking and brilliant children: Syd Hensley, Chell Roberts, Neesha Terry, Bern Roberts, and Kass Madsen.  All have filled full time missions for the L.D.S. church and all have attended college.   At the present time Althea and Mel have 34 grandchildren and 38 great grandchildren. Ten of her grandsons have attained their Eagle Scout merit badge award, and seven other grandchildren have filled full time missions for the L.D.S.  Church.   One grandson died at age 20.

Althea was active as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints all her life.  She sang for the Prophet, President Heber J. Grant, when she was ten years old.  She walked two blocks with President David O McKay while he was walking up to the church for tithing settlement.  She cherished this experience.  Althea was an avid teacher of gospel in the Young Women’s program and Relief Society for over 65 years.  She also taught Special Interest, Spiritual Living and Gospel Doctrine in Sunday school.  She was the Stake speech director, wrote and produced many Road Shows, and served on the Sunday School Stake Board of the Roy North Stake.    She wrote many holiday presentations and executed them in sacrament meeting for the Sandridge (previously called the 18th ward) ward for a period of four years wrote many roadshows and acted in many of them as an adult. She taught all ages and groups in her church callings.

Althea received a golden gleaner award from the Young Women’s program in the LDS church, which was the highest award given at that time it was equivalent to an Eagle Scout. It was a coveted award and not earned by many. This required the publication of one of her writings.  It also required teaching Young Women’s classes in her local ward and being chairman of many Stake and Ward activities in Salt Lake City.  She spent many hours of dedicated organization and logistical planning for these activities.  She was a first place winner in the Salt Lake City L.D.S Church Speech tournaments in 1952 where she received a gold cup.   She and her husband served as Stake Missionaries where she taught young children the lessons in preparation for baptism.   As a couple she and Mel, her husband, were ordinance workers in the Ogden Temple for many years.

Althea was an active participant in the political scene starting when she was about 10 years old.   She attended Democratic caucuses with her father.  She became an active Democrat for several years and served as a delegate at the State Democratic Convention.  She changed her party affiliation when the Democrats began to change and adopt progressive and liberal attitudes of which she did not agree. After changing to the Republican party she became active and served as a delegate for the Republican Party twice.

She was President of several Civic groups including P.T.A President in Idaho Falls.  She attended the National Convention for P.T.A. held in Boise Idaho and met national dignitaries in that area and in political interests through P.T.A.  She sat on a round table discussion regarding young people and drugs and another at the University of Utah regarding the same subject.  She said : “IT DID NOT DO MUCH GOOD DID IT?”

She planned, designed and built a float (with much help) which was the winner of the Grand National Award  in the Idaho Falls 24th of July Parade.  She was always an advocate of Weber State University and was President of the Emeritus Alumni after serving eight years on the Emeritus Council.  She helped fund a perpetual art scholarship in her father’s name at Weber State.  She also sponsored a little deaf child in Viet Nam to secure his schooling for eight years.  This enabled him to learn signing and basic reading and writing, and helped prepare for productive adult life.  She corresponded with him a little.

She worked for Mountain States Tel. and Tel. Co. for ten years, in Ogden, Salt Lake and Idaho Falls.  She was a Service Representative and worked with the public.  While she was there she received a compliment that influenced her life.  One of her co-workers said, “ Althea you will be a true asset to any place you go to live.  You will always fit in with good rapport and be a valuable contributor.”  Althea always cherished this remark.

Althea became a Secretary for the schools in Idaho and after leaving Idaho Falls she again returned to working in the schools in Roy and Ogden for seven years.  She worked at Weber State for several years as a secretary of the Physics Dept., then changed her occupation and went to work for Computer Sciences Corp. at Hill Field.  She retired from there at age 65.

She was president of the Civic Club of Ririe, Idaho and President of the Idaho Falls Poetry Association.  She was an organizer and first president of the Wasatch Writers in Northern Utah.  She served as president of the Ogden Poetry Association and was on the State Board of Directors for Fine Arts in Salt Lake City.  She was an officer in the National Pen Women Association for seven years.  Over the years she received several first place awards in the Arts and Craft division of the Pen Woman’s contests.  She wrote a book of poetry of over 100 poems and she compiled two cookbooks and her personal life history (four full books) of over 700 pages.  She conceived the idea and initiated the complete BOOK OF MEMORIES from Weber State’s previous students for which she received a Presidential award.  She also contributed to the compiling of WWII veterans history and experiences, which was also published by the University.

Althea Roberts was a selfless woman who gave her life to service and love.

Althea Elizabeth Andelin Roberts

May 26, 1925 ~ October 23, 2015

Althea Elizabeth Andelin Roberts passed from this life on Friday, October 23, 2015.

She was born May 26, 1925 in Richfield Utah; the 5th child of B.Y. Andelin and Gladys Genevieve Jensen. She graduated from Ogden High School in 1943 and from Weber State University in 1945 with an associate’s degree. She continued her education at Utah State studying speech and English.

Althea is survived by her husband, Melborne Roberts, who she married in 1950, and their five children: Syd Hensley, Chell Roberts, Neesha Terry, Bern Roberts, and Kass Madsen. Althea and Mel have 34 grandchildren and 38 great grandchildren.

Althea was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all her life. She was a teacher of gospel in the Young Women’s program and Relief Society for over 65 years. She was the Stake speech director, wrote and produced many Road Shows, and served on the Sunday School Stake Board of the Roy North Stake. She and her husband served a two-year stake-proselyting mission, a three-year temple mission, and were ordinance workers in the Ogden Temple for many years.

Althea worked for Mountain States Tel. and Tel. Co. in Ogden, Salt Lake and Idaho Falls. She also worked as an administrative assistant for public schools in Idaho Falls and Roy Utah and for the Physics Department at Weber State University. She retired at age 65 from Computer Sciences Corp. at Hill Field.

Althea was President of several Civic groups including P.T.A President in Idaho Falls. She designed and built a float that won the Grand National Award in the Idaho Falls 24th of July Parade. She served as President of the Weber State Emeritus Alumni. She received a presidential award for her work on the complete “Book of Memories” from Weber State and she contributed to the compiling of WWII veterans history and experiences published by the University.

One of her great loves was writing poetry. She was President of the Idaho Falls Poetry Association, was the first president of the Wasatch Writers in Northern Utah, and President of the Ogden Poetry Association. She was also an officer in the National Pen Women Association. Over the years she received several first place awards in the Pen Woman’s contests. She wrote a book of over 100 poetry poems. Seven of her published poems won national contests and are housed in the National Library of Congress. She was listed in Who’s Who in American Poets and Whose Who in International Poets. Her poems have been read on K.S.L. Radio and on National Public Television.

She was a selfless woman who gave her life to service and love. She was deeply loved by her family. Thank you Hospice HNCU, Shelly, Burch Creek Home Health, Amber, and Susan for such loving care.

Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2015 at the Roy LDS Central Stake Center, 4900 South 2000 West. A viewing will be held Wednesday October 28th from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Roy Mortuary 3333 West 5600 South and Thursday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.

Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Gardens of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Road.