Hearing Our Heritage

Hearing Our Heritage

Hearing our Heritage is a podcast that showcases the life stories of elderly individuals in their own words. Each episode delves into the triumphs, tragedies, family relationships, and life experiences of one featured individual. The podcast is readily accessible on all major streaming platforms, enabling loved ones to easily access and listen to the stories of their parents and grandparents. read less

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20: Nancy Warren: A Life of Fun, Faith, and Family

20: Nancy Warren: A Life of Fun, Faith, and Family

Nancy Warren is an adventurous, hardworking and caring woman. She was raised in Salt Lake City where she had a childhood that she called “A little rebellious”. That culminated in her eloping with her sweetheart, Kenny, when she was only seventeen. They had over sixty years of marriage and welcomed five kids into their family. She is an incredible mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She has enjoyed many different pursuits, activities, travels, and adventures. Nowadays, she suffers from blindness but keeps a smile on her face and has a fantastic sense of humor. As I sat with her, she talked to me while knitting, which I found amazing. You may hear her knitting needles clack together throughout the interview. She spent her life serving her family, those around her, and the lord. Her love for life is contagious.

Episodes

20: Nancy Warren: A Life of Fun, Faith, and Family

20: Nancy Warren: A Life of Fun, Faith, and Family

Nancy Warren is an adventurous, hardworking and caring woman. She was raised in Salt Lake City where she had a childhood that she called “A little rebellious”. That culminated in her eloping with her sweetheart, Kenny, when she was only seventeen. They had over sixty years of marriage and welcomed five kids into their family. She is an incredible mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She has enjoyed many different pursuits, activities, travels, and adventures. Nowadays, she suffers from blindness but keeps a smile on her face and has a fantastic sense of humor. As I sat with her, she talked to me while knitting, which I found amazing. You may hear her knitting needles clack together throughout the interview. She spent her life serving her family, those around her, and the lord. Her love for life is contagious.

19: Norma Christiansen: 101 Years of Wisdom

19: Norma Christiansen: 101 Years of Wisdom

Norma Christiansen is an incredible, sharp, witty, kind, 101 year old woman. She has spent her life in Wisconsin where she grew up as the only child of hardworking parents. She played the clarinet in the band and studied to become a teacher. She taught school for many years and worked as a school librarian. She met and married Eugene and together they raised their sons, Glen and Mark. She is a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who has taught her children that everyone pitches in to help. Throughout her 101 years, Norma has seen many changes in the world and faces several personal challenges. She is an inspiration to those around her and remains an optimistic example to her loved ones.

18: Margene Koller: Two Kids and Traveling (NO MUSIC)

18: Margene Koller: Two Kids and Traveling (NO MUSIC)

Margene Koller has had an amazing life full of adventure. She is an avid family historian with many fascinating stories from her heritage. She worked as a school teacher for many years before marrying her husband Frank. Together, they raised two children while moving all over the world. She's a positive, bright woman who has been close with the Lord her entire life.

17: Margene Koller: Two Kids and Traveling

17: Margene Koller: Two Kids and Traveling

Margene Koller has had an amazing life full of adventure. She is an avid family historian with many fascinating stories from her heritage. She worked as a school teacher for many years before marrying her husband Frank. Together, they raised two children while moving all over the world. She's a positive, bright woman who has been close with the Lord her entire life.

16: Rees Bandley: A Rock'n'Roll Redemption Story

16: Rees Bandley: A Rock'n'Roll Redemption Story

Reese Bandley has one of the most dramatic yet inspiring stories I have ever heard. He has had some major highs and some serious lows. On many occasions and through faith in God, he has found the strength to turn his life around. He's an avid car enthusiast, burn survivor, serial entrepreneur, music lover, father, husband, and follower of Christ.

15: Joan Furner: Farming, Five Kids, and First Grade

15: Joan Furner: Farming, Five Kids, and First Grade

Joan Furner is the salt of the earth. She is kind, funny, beautiful, and faithful. She is part of the Parrish family, who are prominent in Centerville, Utah where she has lived most of her life. She grew up on a farm and enjoyed singing in her younger years. She met her husband, Blair, through a blind date set up by her mom. Together Joan and Blair raised five incredible children. Joan was a stay-at-home mom until all her kids were grown and then she went to college and became a 1st grade teacher for fifteen years. She and Blair served a mission in Spain and she has been a faithful disciple of Christ throughout her life.

14: Richard and Anna Wilstead: From Meeting at the Mezona to Seven Kids

14: Richard and Anna Wilstead: From Meeting at the Mezona to Seven Kids

Anna and Richard Wilstead are a wonderful couple from Arizona. They have been married since 1969 after meeting when Anna was sixteen and Richard nineteen. Together they have seven children, Lorianne, Gregory, Jeffery, Elizabeth Kenneth, Curtis, and Deborah They have worked hard their entire lives, since they were young teens, to provide for themselves and their family. They have both had fascinating experiences in a variety of different careers. But, the best part of their life has been raising their kids and all that entailed. They are both faithful members of the church and love their all of kids and grandkids so much.

13: Thom Rothey: Bears, Brokerage, and Being the Best Husband and Father

13: Thom Rothey: Bears, Brokerage, and Being the Best Husband and Father

Thom Rothey has had an amazing life. He has five great kids, five bonus kids, many grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. His life began in Ogden, where he had a fun childhood but faced some serious hardships in his family. He met his eternal companion, Helen, in high school, and they were married after he returned from his mission to the Northern States. He received a degree in Chinese history and Chinese, and then a Master's in Public Administration. He worked for the California Senate, as a farmer in rural British Columbia, and as a mortgage broker. He lost his sweetheart, Helen, to cancer after an incredible 40 years of marriage. Later, he met and married his beautiful wife, Becca, and they have enjoyed 16 wonderful years together.

12: Richard Smith: The Painless Dentist and Faithful Patriarch

12: Richard Smith: The Painless Dentist and Faithful Patriarch

Richard Smith is a wise, gentle man who has lived a faithful and blessed life. He is married to his lovely wife, Norma, and together they have four sons and have many grandchildren, and even a great grandchild. He was raised in Utah and after attending BYU, working many jobs, joining the reserves and getting married, he ended up in Kansas City for dental school and then set up his practice in California. He has travelled the world doing humanitarian dental work as well as serving four missions abroad and then for three years at the conference center. He has been bishop and a stake patriarch and has blessed the lives of many.

11: Norma Smith: The Service Queen

11: Norma Smith: The Service Queen

Norma Smith is a happy, bright bubbly and beautiful woman who loves her family more than anything else. She was raised in humble circumstances as a young girl before her mother remarried. She was an actress and she attended Brigham Young university where she met her husband, Richard. Together they have built a beautiful life and have four wonderful sons. She has spent her life serving others including on five missions with her husband. Norma has lived such a selfless, service focused, happy and blessed life. She has an adoring family and attributes all her blessings to the Lord and her faith.

10: Dorothy Tall: A Teacher, a Mother and a Saint

10: Dorothy Tall: A Teacher, a Mother and a Saint

Dorothy Tall is a beautiful, vivacious, caring woman. She is the mother of five children and has been married to her sweetheart, Tom, for fifty-eight years. She is the daughter of German immigrants and had a very happy childhood. She has devoted her life to her family and her faith in God. She had an incredible career as an elementary school teacher and was beloved by so many students. She worked hard to balance her job with raising her children. She is a humble, positive person who makes the people around her feel loved and appreciated.

9: Tom Tall: Husband, Father and Western Wear Extraordinaire

9: Tom Tall: Husband, Father and Western Wear Extraordinaire

Tom Tall has a remarkable story. His journey began in the hills of Los Angeles. He eventually landed at Snow College before being drafted into the army and stationed in Germany. He graduated Brigham Young University at the age of thirty-three and travelled all over the western United States selling western wear. As an expert salesman, he has overcome many obstacles and experienced a variety of fascinating jobs. He met and married his lovely wife, Dorothy and together they have five amazing children. He and Dorothy have both worked so hard to provide a beautiful life for their kids and the home they have been in for over forty years. His unwavering faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ has been a cornerstone through his extraordinary life.

8: Gloria Melendez: Life is Good

8: Gloria Melendez: Life is Good

Gloria Melendez is one of the most beautiful, kind, positive and resilient people I’ve ever known. She has had a fascinating life full of learning and travel. She is a devoted mother and grandmother who has been a faithful member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints her whole life, including serving three missions. Her story takes place all over the world but has a common theme of “life is good”. Despite some serious hardships she has chosen to be happy.

7: Gary Bikman: A Tribute On His 80th Birthday

7: Gary Bikman: A Tribute On His 80th Birthday

If you spend five minutes with Gary Bikman, there's a good chance he'll have you laughing. He's a quick-witted eighty-year-old with a fascinating history and an inspirational life. He married his first wife, Suzy, after falling in love at BYU, and together they had nine wonderful children. After tragically losing Suzy to cancer, he remarried his now-wife, Sheila, and inherited four more children. He has spent his life carrying on the business his father started, as well as participating in local politics. He's a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he will tell you that his faith in God has carried him throughout his life.

6: Lester Broadhead: Life's LESsons

6: Lester Broadhead: Life's LESsons

Lester Broadhead is a kind and humble man, who has learned some really profound life lessons throughout his journey. He explains those lessons through entertaining and unique stories from his 80 years on earth. He was born in rural Utah to fairly old parents, he played sports and loves cars. He has 4 kids to whom he was a single father to for a while, and then had 2 more with his wife, Diane. Les’ stories are something special!

5: Bill Cranney: Airplanes, Africa, Auto Parts and Ann

5: Bill Cranney: Airplanes, Africa, Auto Parts and Ann

Bill Cranney has spent his life providing for his family, enjoying sports and the outdoors, and diligently serving the Lord. From his stories it’s clear that he has tried, all his life, to do the right things and do what he has been asked to do– which has actually quite a bit. He and his wife Ann raised four strong, successful, athletic kids. Bill also started and owned his own automotive parts business, and together the Cranneys served 5 church missions.

4: Ann Cranney: A Life Fueled by Service

4: Ann Cranney: A Life Fueled by Service

Ann Cranney is a gentle, kind soul. She has devoted her life to raising her four amazing children and serving in the church. She is a capable and hard worker who says she has hard time sitting still for long. She has always enjoyed being busy and doing good. She met and married her sweetheart Bill when they were just freshmen at BYU and together they had four kids. Ann was the full-time mom and was super involved with her kids’ various activities. Later in life, she took that work ethic to Nigeria, Ghana, San Francisco, Virginia and Cypress as a missionary for her church.

3: Ellis and Carolyn Allred: A 70 Year Legacy

3: Ellis and Carolyn Allred: A 70 Year Legacy

Did you know that only .1% of marriages make it to 70 years? Well, Ellis and Carolyn Allred are in that tiny group that makes it to their platinum anniversary. The two met in high school, have 5 amazing children and one foster son. The couple worked hard to build a faithful family, served in the church, and loved each other the whole way through. This episode is honor of Ellis Allred who passed away just 17 days after this interview. Ellis and Carolyn are truly an inspiration.

2: Rea Rader: A Priceless Woman

2: Rea Rader: A Priceless Woman

If you talk to Rea Rader she will probably try to tell you that she's had a very ordinary life, but she has nearly 90 years of stories that say otherwise. She spent her childhood in rural Utah— at times without power or plumbing! She met her sweetheart, Bill, when she was still in high school, and they raised their six children together. They also ran a physical therapy office and served two church missions. She has 31 grandchildren, 43 great-children, and 1 great great and another on the way. If thats not an extraordinary life, I don’t know what is.

1: Jan Johnson: Cheaper by the Dozen, Almost

1: Jan Johnson: Cheaper by the Dozen, Almost

Jan Johnson is a kind, happy and beautiful 84 year old woman. She has filled her life with love, service, and laughter and has shared it with her beloved husband Ted, their 11 children, 48 grandchildren and many great grandchildren. Listen as she shares the funny stories from their family farm and the inspiring perspective that has carried her throughout her life. If you, or someone you love, would like to be featured on an episode of Hearing our Heritage, email us at hearingourheritage@gmail.com.