Carol Irene Thomsen Gardiner was the oldest child of Clyde Roland Thomsen and
Irene Clarkson. She was born December 18, 1925. The family lived at 154 South SLC from 1925 to 1937.
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.
Carol Thomsen Gardiner is the
oldest child of Clyde Roland Thomsen and Irene Clarkson. She was born
December 18, 1925. The family lived at 154 East 13th South, Salt Lake
City from 1925 to January of 1937. She had 2 sisters Gayle and Jeanne and 1
brother Blaine. Blaine is living in
Logan. Gayle and Jeanne have passed
away. Carol's personality was most like
her father and sister Jeanne. They were social, outgoing and
friendly.
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. Her father worked in Washington for 3
years and then moved his family to Eugene Oregon for a year and a half after
which the Thomsen family moved to Los Angeles.
In 1945 Carol went to BYU where she
was pleased to find that everyone was friendly.
At age 25 she went on a 2-year mission to Texas--Spanish speaking.
Her areas were El Paso for 6 months, Houston for 14 months and Sante Fe for 4
months. 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. She worked for a
number of years as an Occupational Therapist.
In 1961 when Carol was 36, her
brother Blaine, who was living in Glendale CA, came to Inglewood where Carol
was living and said, “I want you to meet someone, can I bring him to meet you?”
Carol said, “Yes.” The next Sunday Blaine brought James Gardiner to meet
Carol. James was a widower with seven
children. Six months later they were
married. When she married James, Carol
took on the challenging role of raising 7 step-children. She was up to the many
challenges. Carol was a great cook who
was known for her potato salad, wheat bread, fried chicken and pot roast. On January 28, 1963 Carol gave birth to James
Thomsen Gardiner. According to Carol, JT
inherited his mother’s height and his maternal grandfather Clyde’s charm and
sense of humor. All of Carol’s children, grandchildren and great grandchildren
love her and try to visit her often. Carol is a mother, grandmother, and
great grandmother to a large posterity.
Carol’s husband James passed away in
2007. Carol lived in the same house in Glendale,
California from 1961 until she moved into the Sunrise in June of 2014.
Carol is known for her charm and
sense of humor. She is an amazing person. She has been completely
active in the LDS church her whole life and loves being with the saints.
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| 154 East 13th South, Salt Lake City, UT, First home for Carol Thomson |
Her favorite speakers are Neil Maxwell and Gordon B. Hinckley and anyone who tells stories. When asked what are your favorite foods she said, “I like all of them. I like trying new foods.”
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:
1961 7 October, Marriage to James Gardiner
Carol's life:
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."
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I'm 99% on the time frame. The location is looking north from the north side of the Marriott Center at BYU and it is April Graduation. My guess is that it is Jeff's graduation in April 1979. I was not there. Mom and Dad took that trip alone. (I was in 9th grade and was in the first year of my crazy goal of 4 years of perfect attendance at Seminary.) If I am right about the event, I have the graduation program that mom is holding.
Here is my reasoning for thinking April 1979. As I can recall & figure out, Mom & Dad only attended 4 graduations at BYU: Your's in May 1970 & as I recall it was in the Smith Field House since the Marriott Center did not exist at the time; Jeff's in April 1979; Kris's in April 1987 (& although the snow level on Timp looks about right, the cars are a bit too old and mom was not wearing that outfit at Kris's graduation); and mine in August 1988 (wrong month for picture). While Sandy & Gayle earned AA's from BYU, I do not recall mom and dad attending their graduations, but I could be absolutely wrong on this. JT
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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. Every time time 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.
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| 1366 Cleveland Road Where Carol lived from 1961 - 2014 |
Obituary:
Irene Carol Thomsen Gardiner 1925 - 2019
Irene Carol Thomsen Gardiner, age 93, passed away April 8, 2019 at Sunrise of Sandy, 2130 E 9400 S, Sandy, UT 84093. A funeral service will be held April 13 at 12:30 pm with a visitation at 11:30 am (closed casket). The casket will be opened after the family prayer. The location of the service is 1535 E. Creek Rd, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84093. Food will be served by the ward, for the family, after the burial. The burial will be at 4900 S Memory Ln, Holladay, UT 84117
Carol was born December 18, 1925 to Clyde and Irene (Clarkson) Thomsen in Salt Lake City and was the oldest of four children. Growing up Carol lived in Utah, Oregon and California. She attended Brigham Young University and served a 2-year mission in the Southwest Mission in Texas, Spanish speaking, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her areas were El Paso for six months, Houston for 14 months and Santa Fe for four months. She said that her “mission was a great pleasure in all respects.” After her mission Carol went to San Jose State in California and received a BA in Occupational Therapy and worked as an Occupational Therapist for one year. In 1961 she met and married James H. Gardiner. After raising her family in Glendale, California, she moved back to Salt Lake in 2014.
Carol’s life was based on her testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ with family at its center. Her brother, Blaine introduced her to James Gardiner, who was a widower with seven young children and with their marriage she took on the challenging role of raising and loving seven stepchildren. In 1963, she gave birth to James Thomsen Gardiner to make it an even eight. She loved her husband and loved raising their children together in the gospel. She served in the church in many callings and especially enjoyed being secretary for different organizations because she got to know everyone that way. She talked to everyone and made friends easily. She was known for her quick wit and her positive and appreciative nature. She was a great cook who made delicious homemade wheat bread. Her love and care for her husband and children was always a top priority for her.
Carol is survived by brother Blaine Thomsen; eight children: Kent, Sandra, Mark, Janice, Gayle, Jeffrey, Julie, and JT; 35 grandchildren; 69 great grandchildren with two on the way; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her loving husband James Hulet Gardiner, sisters Gayle (Thomsen) Blackmer, and Jeanne (Thomsen) Hanks.
