Elayne Bybee

Remembers Zelma

 

Elayne Bybee gave Zelma’s life sketch at her funeral held Thursday, March 2, 1989.  Elayne has given much helpful, impressive service to the family.  Elayne is Samuel South’s grand-daughter and Zelma’s niece.

 

I think if you smell sawdust, you can usually find a South nearby. It was this love that brought them from Utah to Island Park to cut ties for the Union Pacific Railroad.

 

In doing a history of the sawmills, I find there were only 123 sawmills in 1923 in the state of Idaho, and our grandparents had one of them in 1923. There was a South sawmill in Island Park for more than fifty years, operated first by our grandparents, then by our uncles, and later by Barney's sons, David and Barry.

 

Zelma's files are filled with beautiful letters.  I want to share one with you today, which is typical, written in November 1987 and sent to me. It was written by a man whom she heard speak at a Know Your Religion Series in St. Anthony.  It reads:

 

'From the very center of my being I thank you for the lovely lap quilt numbered 2,556. It represents the gentle, kind, compassionate qualities that our Savior possessed and taught in the scriptures.  I have traveled to several foreign countries and in nearly every state of the union, giving talks on Church history. The other night was the first time that anyone came out of the audience and wanted to give me a gift.  It touched my heart and let me know deep inside that our Father in Heaven loves all of us because Zelma Schwartz expresses the love He feels for each of us by giving quilts to those with whom she wishes to share her talent.’

 

Zelma, you make people know that you are a child of God, and they are a child of God. Please, Heavenly Father, bless Zelma and let her know that each recipient glows inside because she cares about them.  Give her the special rewards and peaceful feelings she deserves."

 

 

Marj Knapp South

Remembers

 

The South family played a part in getting that beautiful Brownstone LDS Fourth Ward Church in Idaho Falls constructed. It has always been the most beautiful building in that vicinity. They furnished labor and much of the rough lumber.  When it came time to shingle the steep steeple, they couldn't find anyone who would go up and do it. Grandpa’s brother, William R. South, came down from Island Park when he learned of the problem and shingled the steeple.  He was in his 80's.

 

 

Ren’s youngest daughter,

Jo Anne Thornock,

Remembers

 

I do not remember either of my grandparents very well, but I am sure they were very good people, and I know they taught my father how to work and how to get along well with other people. I would like to share an experience that our family went through that instilled this in my mind.

 

On October 28, 1965, just two months before Gaylon and I were to be married, our sawmill burned to the ground.  Here is just a small portion of an article written in a trade journal published in salt Lake City. It was entitled,

“Sheer Ingenuity Builds Miracle Mill — Rare Example of Raw Resourcefulness.”

 

“In an age of sophisticated specialization, examples of raw jack-of-all trades resourcefulness are rare in the business world. That's why the comeback story of South & Jones Timber Company in Evanston, Wyoming is all the more remarkable.

 

In 1965, the mostly family-owned partnership was nearly wiped out by a fire which destroyed their mill. Uninsured loss was estimated at $50,000. Naturally, the first thought of these hardy, pioneer-like lumbermen was to start over and build a new mill.  Now 66, Ren South suffered a heart attack two years ago and now is semi-retired (re-treaded), which in a small lumber operation involves about as much activity as an average full-time business man faces.

 

He came to Evanston in 1938 and has 54 years in the timber business behind him. Despite the obstacles, this rich heritage and experience, combined with modern-day resourcefulness, form a solid foundation on which a successful family business can be built for the principals, their children and grandchildren.

 

This kind of small, family togetherness is certainly cast in the American tradition and. its survival is in the best interest of the future.”

 

Too many of us are inclined to take too many of our good things for granted.  In this case, we were so close to the forest we could see the trees.  I will be eternally grateful to my family and their examples in my life. Great-grandfather, Charles South, was truly a pioneer. Grandfather, Samuel Rich South, followed in his father's footsteps paving the way for my father, Lorenzo Snow South.”