- Lora Barney was the first daughter and second child born to James Henry Barney and Effie Malinda Nebeker Barney. She was born January 6, 1909, in Annabella, Sevier County, Utah. A neighbor, Mrs. M. A. Abbott attended. Lora had an older brother, Von, a younger brother, Dewite, and six younger sisters: Elma, Hazel, Reva, Vivin, Edith, and Martha.
As the oldest girl in the home, Lora helped her mother with household chores. When a little girl, she stood on a stool to knead bread and help with the cooking. Lora became an excellent cook and her baking skills were extraordinary.
Annabella was a farming community and the family had a root cellar to keep their food supply in. Lora often went to the root cellar to get items for family meals. Money was scarce in the Barney family so Lora was happy that she had earned a dime of her own. Her mother asked Lora to go to the root cellar and she went, dime in hand, but while getting the supplies, she dropped it. She looked, but could not find it. Lora was a child with a lot of faith. She got on her knees and prayed that she could find the dime. When she rose from her prayer, the dime sparkled in front of her. Her faith in prayer was strengthened as she knew that Heavenly Father heard and answered her prayer.
Throughout her life, Lora had a strong faith in prayer and the gospel of Jesus Christ. She was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints on August 12, 1917, at age eight.
Lora wrote, "One day I was cleaning the cupboard. I came to a pretty sugar bowl. As I was admiring the beauty of it, my father said, 'I see you like the sugar bowl . . . . If you look inside, you will see some money. That is not our money, it belongs to our Father in Heaven. Each first of the month Sunday I take the money to the Bishop. We as a family have put in ten percent of the money we have earned.' I never did look in to see how much money was in it. I knew where it belonged and was happy I had a part in it. . . . I was taught many things that have stayed with me. I had wonderful parents and I love them."
Lora's mother taught her to knit and Lora helped her knit socks. She wrote, "Mother knitted socks for the men in the war . . . I was so proud that my mother could make such pretty socks and I could put the heel and top on some of hers. I always enjoyed doing craft work."
Lora grew up in Annabella. Her father taught school in other towns some years and moved his family for the school term, but they returned to Annabella for the summer. The children worked in the garden and sugar beet fields in the summer. In the evenings, they had a good time singing together.
Lora attended school in Annabella and then in Richfield as she got older. She graduated from LDS Seminary in Richfield in May of 1927.
Lora married Ardell Clay Knight who also grew up in Annabella. They were married Wednesday, June 17, 1931, in the Manti Temple. On Friday evening, they were honored at a reception and dance in the Annabella Amusement Hall.
Lora and Ardell lived in Annabella for a few years. They were involved in church and community activities. In 1932, Lora directed a one-act play put on by the Beehive girls. Later that year, a daughter, Joanne, was born. A second daughter, Lorna, was born in Annabella in 1935, about three weeks before Lora's father died on April 12, 1935, of a brain tumor. Lora was the only one of the Barney family who was married at the time of his death.
Ardell worked on the family ranch in Annabella for a few years and then he went to work in the Western Auto store in Richfield. Lora and Ardell bought a house in Richfield near the school that their daughters attended They were delighted when their son, Roger, was born in Richfield in 1941.
Ardell accepted a management position with Western Auto in Monterey, California, and the Knight family bought a home in Seaside, a suburb of Monterey. Lora worked side by side with Ardell in the Western Auto store fdor many years.
Ardell suffered a heart attack and was prompted by the Holy Spirit that if he served the Lord throughout his life, he would be made well. From then on, Ardell and Lora were active in the Church and served in many positions. Ardell served as Bishop of the Seaside Ward for more than 20 years. Lora served for many years in Primary and Relief Society. At age 83, she was still serving as Relief Society secretary.
Ardell left Western Auto because of his medical condition and went to school to learn about the new television technology. He and Lora opened their own store, Knights' TV and Appliance, where they sold and serviced television sets and appliances. They worked side by side in this new venture.
Lora loved yardage, even though she had no desire to sew. She opened her own yardage store and enjoyed purchasing beautiful fabrics to sell to her customers. Lora was friendly and likeable and enjoyed getting acquainted with her customers.
In planning for retirement, Lora and Ardell sold the yardage store and the TV and appliance store and bought a home in Modesto, California, near their daughter Joanne and her family.
They also traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, to visit their daughter Lorna and her family.
They liked to keep busy, so Lora and Ardell opened an antique business in Modesto. When their son Roger came to live with them to help them in their old age, Ardell and Roger made and sold jewelry.
Ardell died of congestive heart failure on March 11, 1996, in Modesto, at age 83. Lora lived seven years as a widow. She did not drive a car, so was grateful for Roger's help during those years. She loved to crochet and made beautiful afghans of every kind that she gave away to family and friends.
Lora loved people and those who visited her home were welcomed and treated to candy, cookies, cake, pie, or whatever she had. She loved sweets and eventually developed diabetes.
Lora lived a gospel-devoted life filled with service to others. She and Ardell assisted many fellow travelers spiritually, financially, and gave service wherever they saw a need.
Lora died of heart failure on February 28, 2003, in Modesto, California, at age 94.
(Lorna Knight Clarkson and Grace Diane Barney Jessen contributed to this history which was compiled in 2018.)
Lora Barney was the first daughter and second child born to James Henr y Barney and Effie Malinda Nebeker Barney. She was born January 6, 19 09, in Annabella, Sevier County, Utah. A neighbor, Mrs. M. A. Abbot t attended. Lora had an older brother, Von, a younger brother, Dewite , and six younger sisters: Elma, Hazel, Reva, Vivin, Edith, and Marth a.
As the oldest girl in the home, Lora helped her mother with househol d chores. When a little girl, she stood on a stool to knead bread an d help with the cooking. Lora became an excellent cook and her bakin g skills were extraordinary.
Annabella was a farming community and the family had a root cellar t o keep their food supply in. Lora often went to the root cellar to ge t items for family meals. Money was scarce in the Barney family so Lo ra was happy that she had earned a dime of her own. Her mother aske d Lora to go to the root cellar and she went, dime in hand, but whil e getting the supplies, she dropped it. She looked, but could not fin d it. Lora was a child with a lot of faith. She got on her knees an d prayed that she could find the dime. When she rose from her prayer , the dime sparkled in front of her. Her faith in prayer was strength ened as she knew that Heavenly Father heard and answered her prayer.
Throughout her life, Lora had a strong faith in prayer and the gospe l of Jesus Christ. She was baptized and confirmed a member of the Chu rch of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints on August 12, 1917, at age ei ght.
Lora wrote, "One day I was cleaning the cupboard. I came to a prett y sugar bowl. As I was admiring the beauty of it, my father said, ' I see you like the sugar bowl . . . . If you look inside, you will se e some money. That is not our money, it belongs to our Father in Heav en. Each first of the month Sunday I take the money to the Bishop. W e as a family have put in ten percent of the money we have earned. ' I never did look in to see how much money was in it. I knew wher e it belonged and was happy I had a part in it. . . . I was taught ma ny things that have stayed with me. I had wonderful parents and I lov e them."
Lora's mother taught her to knit and Lora helped her knit socks. Sh e wrote, "Mother knitted socks for the men in the war . . . I was so p roud that my mother could make such pretty socks and I could put the h eel and top on some of hers. I always enjoyed doing craft work."
Lora grew up in Annabella. Her father taught school in other towns so me years and moved his family for the school term, but they returned t o Annabella for the summer. The children worked in the garden and sug ar beet fields in the summer. In the evenings, they had a good time s inging together.
Lora attended school in Annabella and then in Richfield as she got old er. She graduated from LDS Seminary in Richfield in May of 1927.
Lora married Ardell Clay Knight who also grew up in Annabella. They w ere married Wednesday, June 17, 1931, in the Manti Temple. On Frida y evening, they were honored at a reception and dance in the Annabell a Amusement Hall.
Lora and Ardell lived in Annabella for a few years. They were involve d in church and community activities. In 1932, Lora directed a one-ac t play put on by the Beehive girls. Later that year, a daughter, Joan ne, was born. A second daughter, Lorna, was born in Annabella in 1935 , about three weeks before Lora's father died on April 12, 1935, o f a brain tumor. Lora was the only one of the Barney family who was m arried at the time of his death.
Ardell worked on the family ranch in Annabella for a few years and the n he went to work in the Western Auto store in Richfield. Lora and Ar dell bought a house in Richfield near the school that their daughter s attended They were delighted when their son, Roger, was born in Ric hfield in 1941.
Ardell accepted a management position with Western Auto in Monterey, C alifornia, and the Knight family bought a home in Seaside, a suburb o f Monterey. Lora worked side by side with Ardell in the Western Aut o store fdor many years.
Ardell suffered a heart attack and was prompted by the Holy Spirit tha t if he served the Lord throughout his life, he would be made well. F rom then on, Ardell and Lora were active in the Church and served in m any positions. Ardell served as Bishop of the Seaside Ward for more t han 20 years. Lora served for many years in Primary and Relief Societ y. At age 83, she was still serving as Relief Society secretary.
Ardell left Western Auto because of his medical condition and went t o school to learn about the new television technology. He and Lora op ened their own store, Knights' TV and Appliance, where they sold and s erviced television sets and appliances. They worked side by side in t his new venture.
Lora loved yardage, even though she had no desire to sew. She opene d her own yardage store and enjoyed purchasing beautiful fabrics to se ll to her customers. Lora was friendly and likeable and enjoyed getti ng acquainted with her customers.
In planning for retirement, Lora and Ardell sold the yardage store an d the TV and appliance store and bought a home in Modesto, California , near their daughter Joanne and her family.
They also traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, to visit their daughter Lorn a and her family.
They liked to keep busy, so Lora and Ardell opened an antique busines s in Modesto. When their son Roger came to live with them to help the m in their old age, Ardell and Roger made and sold jewelry.
Ardell died of congestive heart failure on March 11, 1996, in Modesto , at age 83. Lora lived seven years as a widow. She did not driv e a car, so was grateful for Roger's help during those years. She lov ed to crochet and made beautiful afghans of every kind that she gave a way to family and friends.
Lora loved people and those who visited her home were welcomed and tre ated to candy, cookies, cake, pie, or whatever she had. She loved swe ets and eventually developed diabetes.
Lora lived a gospel-devoted life filled with service to others. She a nd Ardell assisted many fellow travelers spiritually, financially, an d gave service wherever they saw a need.
Lora died of heart failure on February 28, 2003, in Modesto, Californi a, at age 94.
(Lorna Knight Clarkson and Grace Diane Barney Jessen contributed to th is history which was compiled in 2018.)
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