When Carol was 11 years old her father looked for better work and found it in Tacoma, Washington. They moved there in January of 1937. On their way they passed the Malta house where her future husband lived. Her father worked in Washington for 3 years and then moved to Eugene Oregon for a year and a half after which the family moved to Los Angeles.
Carol's personality was most like her father and sister Jeanne. They were social, outgoing and friendly. Her sister Gayle took after her mother Irene in that they were both more reserved.
The year was 1941. Carol and her family live on Hobart Blvd. Today there is a grocery store at that location. (Western and Martin Luther King Boulevard) In 1945 Carol went to BYU where she was taken back by how friendly everyone was.
Clyde, father
Irene, mother
Gayle, sister
Jeanne, sister
Selma, grandmother
Book on Carol's life
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| 154 East 13th South, Salt Lake City, UT, First home for Carol Thomson |
Her favorite movies are any of them from 1930 – 1960. The rest of them make her embarrassed. At 25 she went on a 2 year mission, Texas, Spanish speaking. Her areas were El Paso - 6 months, Texas Houston - 14 months, Sante Fe - 4 months and her mission president was President Lorin Jones who previously worked for the Southwestern Indian Service.
After her mission Carol went to San Jose State because it was affordable and while there she received a BA in Occupational Therapy. Carol says Occupational Therapy is from the waist up and Physical therapy from the waist down. She lived in the apartments.
At 38 she met and married James Gardiner. Her advice for new stepparents: Keep your mouth shut.
Carol is known for her charm and sense of humor. She has an amazing memory both current and long term. Carol is a great cook who was known for her potato salad, wheat bread and fried chicken. All of her grandchildren and great grandchildren love Carol and visit often. After the death of her husband James in 2007, Brent and Holly moved in with her.
She remembers birthdays and with detail can tell you how each of her children, great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren are doing. Carol is an amazing person. She has been completely active in the LDS church her whole life and loves being with the saints.
Clyde Roland Thomsen b July 4, 1899 in SLC, was an accountant in Tacoma, Eugene, OR, Los Angeles and enjoyed playing golf. In the 1940 census he was in Eugene, OR.
Peter Christian Kilian Thomsen, was Clyde’s father . He married Selma Oberg who was from Sweden and died after the birth of their last child, Glen. Peter emigrated from Denmark where he had a “street meeting conversion.” After joining the church he worked his way across the ocean twice times on bread and coffee. Peter was an engineer for the SLC streetcars. He worked six days a week for 10 hours a day. Of his girls only the oldest girl was active in the church. All the boys were active. Peter insisted that all his boys attend priesthood. They had nine children:
1. Margie
2. Denton an assayer
3. Leroy Alma, did real estate in LA
4. Clyde, accountant
5. Karna
6. Edna
7. Hazel
8. Douglas (Pete)
9. Glen
Irene Clarkson, Carol’s mother, was born April 23, 1902 in Trout Creek which is a small farming community, located along the Pony Express/Overland route in northern Snake Valley, north of Partoun, Utah and south of Callao, in the western part of Utah. It is known for having one of the most remote chapels in the church.
They later lived in Holiday, SLC. Her father was Charles Robert Clarkson and mother was Alvira Stout. Alvira is the daughter of Hosea Stout who came west in the first company with Brigham Young and is a famous early Mormon pioneer.
Hosea Stout (September 18, 1810 – March 2, 1889) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement, a Mormon pioneer, and a lawyer and politician in Utah Territory. One of Stout's greatest contributions was as a diarist. The "Diary of Hosea Stout" has become an invaluable resource for historians of the Latter-day Saints in the nineteenth-century.
Here are Clyde’s four children:
A. Carol b. Dec 18, 1925
B. Blaine b. May 13, 1927 married Dawne Edling and worked for a utility in Glendale, moved to Huntsville, UT and later to Alaska for a time and in 2014 is in Logan. They had five children:
1. Edline
2. Marren
3. Maryanne
4. Karl Christian
5. John
C. Gayle December 20, 1928 died 1996 of diabetic complications
married Don who died in 2001. He worked on diesels and later dynamometers as a supervisor in the business. They had 10 children:
1. Jannie
2. Clay, mission
3. Benn, mission
4. Darren, mission
5. Nicole, mission
6. Lisa
7. Della
8. John, died but got active before he did
9. Andrea
10. ?
D. Jeanne b. March 6, 1931 d 2011 of a burst aneurysm after lots of surgeries, her husband is Dale Hanks, alive in 2012. He worked for years for TRW and still teaches computer in 2012. They had nine children of which 8 lived:
1. Donald
2. Kenneth
3. Ernie
4. Anita
5. Heidi
6. Carmen
7. Nancy
8. Laura
9. David
1930 census:
1940 census:
Carol's life:
CTG from Kent Gardiner on Vimeo.
Carol's Heritage from Kent Gardiner on Vimeo.
Carol on Elaine Dying from Kent Gardiner on Vimeo.
Carol on Suzanne from Kent Gardiner on Vimeo.
Clarkson and Clegg from Kent Gardiner on Vimeo.
Kent,
A member of my ward told me her grandchildren are not interested in being with her. I don't think she paid the price of being around when they were growing up. Look at the attention that Mother gets from her grandchildren. She and Dad paid the price and it is paying off. As President Uchtdorf said "love is spelled T-I-M-E."
Carol on JHG from Kent Gardiner on Vimeo.
2007:
“You know you were the most difficult of all the children,” Carol told me in no uncertain terms.
“Yes, mother and you know how sorry I am about that,” I replied as I had often said.
Later in the day, in the hallway, mother stopped me and looked me squarely in the eye and said, “Kent I want you to know how much it means to me that you have made peace with me.” Of course I was thunderstruck, overwhelmed, and totally surprised. This was special. I mumbled my appreciation. A few weeks before we had sat at Dad’s bedside as he slipped away and during the following hours I felt closer to Carol than I ever had before. We took time with each other and shared our feelings and thoughts about life and family. Of course I empathized with how difficult it was to blend families, a subject close to her heart. Now in the hallway, completely unexpectedly I was being forgiven.
I am not sure exactly what takes place when one forgives another but it seems to be a mixture of maturity, gratitude, empathy, kindness and the realization that we are all trying to do our best under trying circumstances and that we are works in progress, not finished products. Whatever the process is I know that it is a completely cleansing and totally fulfilling experience whichever end you are on.
Before Suzanne died I told her how sorry I was for all the problems I had caused her. I can still see her standing there in the front room hearing her reply,“ Kent, you know, we grew up together, I really love you. I will love you forever.” Well there you have it, the crowning moment in our relationship was one of forgiveness. Her words brought me great peace.
Notes:
Whenever truth comes to the earth everyone gets riled up against it.
Sometimes women remember a mistake and they never let it go. My two mother in laws were very busy women.
You lucked out on your wives.
Carol: The dryer is a great invention but so is fresh air. I like the smell of fresh sheets dryed on the line. The eternal laundry. Lots of things have changed w all the conviences. I like the old fashioned days. Carol stumbles along.
I liked having the kids in the home and the grandkids and great grandkids. Everytime tje kids got married i thought what is taking yiu so long (to have children). I liked to see them all. Sometimes I think it was better when we lived in family groups because you knew the grandkids better.
Some of our boys acted like , don't bug me, leave me alone.
I am not sure why this generation thinks having kids gets in the way of their fun. All of my female grandchildren are in charge when they come here.
Boys brains aren't as girls.
Deborah: kent likes projects. Kent: Jim liked his projects. Carol: yes he did and I was one of his first.