- This is a brief sketch of the life of Martha Barney Kerns. More stori es may be found in the Memories section.
Martha Barney was the ninth and last child of James Henry Barney and E ffie Malinda Nebeker Barney. She was born in Annabella, Sevier County , Utah, on August 22, 1924. She had two older brothers, Von and Dewit e, and six older sisters, Lora, Elma, Hazel, Reva, Vivin, and Edith.
Her brother Von wrote: "I remember what a musical genius Martha was . When only two or three years old, she would get Reva's or Hazel's h armonica and play a tune through on the radio and then she would be ab le to play it from then on."
The Barney children enjoyed many evenings at home when their father sa t in a wooden rocking chair with Martha on his lap, Edith, Vivin, or R eva sitting on the arms of the chair, and the rest of the family sitti ng around the room. He played the harmonica and they all sang together .
The Barnes were active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -Day Saints. Martha was baptized and member on April 1, 1933, when sh e was eight years old.
Martha's father died April 12, 1935, when she was ten. He had suffere d with a brain tumor for a few months. Times were hard and money scar ce in the years that followed.
Martha attended elementary school in Annabella and then went to Monro e for the upper grades. In the summer of 1937, she was secretary o f a first year 4-H cooking club. In 1939, she performed musical numbe rs in a South Sevier Stake seminary program. She sang with two other s and played a cornet duet with Glyde Gleave.
Martha and her sister Edith left home and moved to Benecia, California , to help with the war effort. There, they worked in the Benecia Arsen al. Martha linked up 20 mm shells to be used in a machine gun. She w as then promoted to "Gittney driver" (fork lift) loading out trucks an d railroad cars.
One day, Martha and Edith were walking down a street when a sailor whi stled at them. That's how they met Donald Everhart Kerns. He was i n the US Navy and was on shore leave. Martha and Don began dating, fe ll in love, and were married June 10, 1942. By state laws, Martha wa s old enough (18), but Don was not 21, so he had to have his parents ' permission. His parents met them in Redding, Shasta, California, fo r the wedding.
It appears that when Don shipped out again, Martha went to Cassel an d stayed with Don's parents and helped in the family store. Later, sh e went back to Annabella, Utah, to be with her mother for the birth o f her first child, Donald Lee Kerns.
After the war and Don's discharge from the Navy, he went to Annabell a to be with Martha and their son. Then they moved to Big Bend, Califo rnia, where Don worked in a sawmill. They went next to Cassel, Califo rnia, where they took over and operated the family's ranch on the Risi ng River. Their second son, Johney Neal Kerns, was born while they we re there.
Don became very ill and could no longer operate the ranch, so they mov ed to Annabella with Martha's family while he recovered. They planne d to return to the ranch, but another relative took it over, so Don an d Martha settled down in Burney, California, where Don found work i n a saw mill.
In 1953, Martha and Don took over the family store business in Cassel . This was a rough time for them due to the rundown condition of th e business and a huge debt left by another family member. They worke d hard, long hours to keep the general store, gas and service station , and small restaurant going. Sometimes Martha operated all three b y herself. They also had rental houses and a small motel. Martha di d all the bookings, cleaning, and laundry for the motel. With hard wo rk by all, the business was on its feet and all old bills were paid.
While they ran the store, three more sons were born to Martha and Don : Steven Wayne, Charles D., and Randall Dean Kerns. Charles (Chuck ) died at birth.
Martha was very active in PTA, Cub Scouts, band and music, and especia lly the local theater. Martha and Don loved taking part in performanc es, doing comical skits, or musical numbers. They, along with their n eighbors, provided a lot of entertainment for people from miles around . Martha was involved with the organization, set up, and production , as well as performance. She involved her sons in performing, too, a nd supported them in their school activities.
In about 1967, Martha and Don leased the family store and moved to the ir Families Creek property about two miles away and relaxed. Then, th ey returned to the store property.
In the mid 1970's, they leased the property and started to build a ne w home not far from the store. They spent the winters in Arizona an d St. George, Utah, enjoying life and retirement. While in St. Georg e, they did a lot of temple work.
In 1979, the lease on the store fell through, so their son Donald Le e took over the business to relieve them from having to go back to wor k. Martha still went almost every day to help all she could and giv e Donald a break.
The four sons grew up and married. Randy lived and worked in Hat Cree k, California, as a mechanic and tree specialist. In 1987, at age 29 , he was killed in an accident while fighting a forest fire.
Don and Martha received their temple endowments and were sealed togeth er on June 11, 1985, in the Oakland California temple.
Don died in San Francisco, California, on April 21, 1997, at age 73 . He was buried in the Burney, Shasta, California cemetery. Martha l ived 11 years more as a widow. She died October 7, 2008, in Californi a at age 84. She was buried in Burney beside her husband.
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1924 - 2008 (84 år)
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