Hearing Our Heritage

40: Max & Nettie Nelson: Flicker of the Ticker and the Family Keeps Getting Bigger

Max and Nettie Nelson are two of the finest people you could ever meet. Their love has spanned more than sixty years, enduring serious hardship along the way while remaining steady through it all. Both were raised on family farms in Eastern Idaho as faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where hard work, music, family, and the gospel became central parts of their lives from a young age. Max first noticed Nettie as a teenager while attending stake conference, and after serving a mission to the Eastern Central States, the two were reunited. The happy couple were married in the Idaho Falls Temple in 1962 and eventually settled in Boise, where they raised seven children and built a home centered on faith, love, and family. Today, their posterity includes dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and their ultimate hope is that their family will continue to love each other, love the Lord, and stay true to the gospel that has guided their lives together.

39: Thayne Curtis: Curtises Don't Quit

Thayne Curtis is a strong and generous man who has done—and continues to do—a great deal of good in this world, quietly and without any need for recognition. He was raised in Idaho by good parents, working on the family farm with his siblings.He eventually was called on a mission to Pennsylvania, where he met his sweetheart, Cathy, as she was also serving. Together they had three wonderful kids: Lance, Jason, and Katie. He later joined the military and became a dog handler—a position he loved and one that proved to be a great blessing in his life. Because of it, his family had the opportunity to live in several places, including New Mexico, Idaho, and Alabama. Upon retiring, Thayne and Cathy settled in Boise, where he began a job as a software architect, and he has been with his company for 32 years. Far too early in her life, Cathy was diagnosed with dementia, and Thayne became her loyal, diligent caregiver through that time. He did not shirk his responsibilities and took it as an opportunity to show his dear wife an incredible amount of love before she passed away. Nowadays, Thayne is still working, building furniture, driving his Tesla, and best of all, being grandpa to his awesome grandkids. His life has taken many twists and turns, but throughout he has remained faithful to the Lord and submitted to God’s will.

38: Jay Swenson: A Life Planted in Service

Royal Jay Swenson is a hardworking, thoughtful, and deeply spiritual man whose life has been shaped by service and love for his family. He was born on July 9th, 1933, in Pocatello and grew up on a small dry farm in Eastern Idaho. There he learned the value of hard work and responsibility at a young age. Jay developed a lifelong passion for agriculture and education, which led him to attend Brigham Young University and later Utah State. He met his wife, Ann at BYU, and the two were married in 1953. Shortly after, Jay was drafted into the Korean War and was deployed to Germany for 18 months.  The Swensons raised seven amazing children: Lynda, Jacquie, David, Michael, Sally, Ceci, and Jennifer. Together they navigated military service, frequent moves, and many of the various challenges of life. Throughout his career in agriculture and soil science, Jay was often at the forefront of new ideas and programs, while also serving diligently in the Church wherever his family lived. Jay is a faithful follower of Christ and that belief has shaped his entire life.

37: Ann Swenson: From Wartime London to a Home Full of Family

Ann Swenson is a strong, curious, and deeply faithful woman whose life has been shaped by resilience, service, and love for her family. She was born in 1933 in London, England, and grew up during World War II. Ann’s father was away for five years during the war. He had not been rescued at Dunkirk and then became a prisoner of war in Switzerland.  After the war, Ann immigrated with her family to Canada and later moved to Provo, Utah to attend BYU. She married her husband, Royal Jay Swenson, in 1953, and together they raised seven amazing children while navigating frequent moves, financial challenges, and everything in between. An avid lifelong learner, Ann returned to school later in life, earning two bachelor’s degrees, becoming a registered nurse, and completing a master’s degree in social work. She’s devoted her life to caring for others—as a mother, a nurse, and a temple worker for over thirty years—and is known for the deep, constant love she has always shown her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. A devoted follower of Christ, Ann’s story is one of perseverance, faith, and creating a home where family has always come first.

36: Sandi Ross: 5 Kids, 53 Temples, and 80 Beautiful Years

Sandi Ross is a bright, beautiful, giving woman who has devoted her life to working hard and caring for her family. She grew up in Panguitch, Utah, where she enjoyed working on the farm with her dad and riding her horse, Bess. Her father tragically passed away when she was only fifteen years old, and their family moved to Salt Lake. Just before graduating high school, Sandi met and married Grant Duane Ross in 1961. Together, they raised three children, Kathy, Karla, and Kelly, and two of their seven grandchildren they owned and operated Sandi’s Drive-In in Richfield. Sandi eventually went on to work for Utah Power and sat on the executive board of the Union. She was the first female to do so and was on the board for twenty-five years. Sandi is a devout follower of Christ, and along with Duane, they visited fifty-three temples and served a temple mission to Lima, Peru.