Shirley Jane Swallow

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWC6-QLH
• Initiatory (LDS): 19 Sep 1955, SLAKE

Notes:

Shirley Jane Swallow Gotchy was born November 18, 1930 at the hospita l i n Fillmore, Utah.
She was the fifth and last child of Thomas Swallow & Vanda Duncan .

She was raised in the small town of Meadow, Utah, as the daughter of a m e rchant and farmer. It was her job to do the dishes and mop the floor s i n addition to tromping the hay. She was always busy throughout the d ay w ith her chores and school work. Then in the evening all the youth s got t ogether at somebody’s home, fixed food, and socialized. This w as the h ighlight of her day.

She was planning on going to on a mission for the Church of Jesus Chri s t of Latter-day Saints, but when it came time for her to go there was n o t enough money to send her. So she went off to college at the Branch A gr icultural College known today as Southern Utah University. She spen t tw o years there and then moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, where she work ed a s a dental assistant.

It was in Salt Lake City where she met and dated my father, Stanford Low e ll Gotchy. They were soon married and had five children: 2 girls a n d 3 boys.

Shirley is grandmother to 21 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren . S he always had her house full with them as she was always babysittin g or t hey would be there visiting her.

The Ancient Egyptians believed that upon death they would be asked two q u estions and their answers would determine where they would continue the i r journey in the afterlife. The first question was, "Did you bring joy ? " The second was, "Did you find joy?" It is safe to say that Shirley br ou ght and found joy in her posterity. Shirley was a very giving person . I t was often said of her that if you asked her what time it was she w oul d give you Big Ben.

Mother taught us to give service without even thinking twice about it . I t is because of that value, that each of my children also has that a s par t of their character.

Shirley was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints a n d remained active and gave service in the Church all her days. She ma d e sure her children also went to church and was active through their yo ut h.

I remember one time as a stubborn 12-year-old that I did not want to att e nd church and told my mother so. She calmly stated that, “If I wante d t o break the Sabbath by not attending Church that I could really brea k i t by cleaning the whole house and wash all the dishes in the cupboard s b y hand.” Needless to say I was very active in the Church .

There was never any doubt in my mother’s mind whether the Church was tr u e or not. She knew it was true. She did not have any earth-shaking ex pe riences to explain why she knew, she said that she had always known it , a s her testimony had grown as she did .

My mother’s love for the Church was taught to us. She knew the gospel a n d knew what was right. She made sure that we followed the gospel. Sh e a lways knew where we were and what we were doing. She made sure we we re w here we should be, doing what we should be doing. I thank her for t hat!

She put great stock in our getting an education and made sure that we we r e actively engaged in getting one. I believe that mother was proude r o f me, that I was, when I received my PhD in Clinical Psychology. I c an t ruthfully say that it was because of the values that Mother instille d i n us in how to get in and work that got me to that place .

My mother was a wonderful woman. She lived her life with the courage a n d purpose. Despite whatever dreams she may have had for herself and h e r career, she turned her focus to our family. Her family became her li fe . She always sacrificed her own needs for those of our family or love d o nes. She had an incredible spirit who has persevered through everyth ing . We miss her caring spirit and love .

Shirley married Stanford Lowell Gotchy, Jr on 4 Oct 1951 in Roy, Weber, Utah, United States, and was divorced. Stanford (son of Stanford Lowell Gotchy and Florence Ida Jane Graham) was born on 29 Apr 1927 in Aberdeen, Grays Harbor, Washington, United States; died on 5 Apr 2005 in Marion, McDowell, North Carolina, United States; was buried on 9 Apr 2005 in McDowell Memorial Park, East Marion, McDowell, North Carolina, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWC6-QG6
• Initiatory (LDS): 4 Dec 1975, SLAKE