Robyn Curtis Anderson Life Story
Foreword
On October 18, 2011 we
walked into the oncologist’s office together to prepare for another miracle in
Robyn’s 4-year journey with ovarian cancer. We walked out of the office a short time later realizing
that this time it was not to be, and we talked about what things she would like
to accomplish in the days, weeks and maybe months she had remaining. I asked if she wanted to write a personal
history. Wisely, she knew that she
did not have the time and energy to do so. However, she knew she had left behind a lifetime of notes to
her husband and children and a precious letter written on Easter in 2010 that
shared her testimony and some significant life experiences. Much to our
surprise, she “graduated” to the next phase of life just 10 days later. There was neither time nor capacity to
write such a life story even if she had attempted it.
Shortly after she passed away, I was inspired by
some writings of Elder Dallin H. Oaks, describing how he wrote a life history
for his first wife after her passing.
I decided that I wanted to do my best to complete this for Robyn as my
gift to her and to our posterity. For family members, our children, older grandchildren
and friends I hope this will recall some happy memories of days with her. For
those who did not have the opportunity to know her, I hope this will help you
to better appreciate the wonderful legacy she left for you. I hope you will
read and enjoy it, talk about it, laugh, perhaps shed a few tears, and find
inspiration in her life experiences.
It would bring me great joy to be able to write
this more eloquently to better capture the essence of her feelings and life
story. There is also the concern
about her early years, when I was not by her side to observe. However, I have
invited family and friends to share their memories, and I have drawn from those
abundantly. Shortly after she passed away, I also discovered two college papers
written at BYU in December 1976 and January 1977 in which she wrote about her
life up to that point. She also wrote a life sketch for the Littleton Second
Ward Relief Society in 2001. I have relied heavily on those and the memories of
her siblings and friends to write the early story of her life, often borrowing
their words or something very close when possible. So, this has multiple authors,
not all properly credited. Her journals and mine, memories of friends and
family, and scrapbooks she so diligently compiled have been a helpful source
for the joyous 36 years after we met. Hopefully you will be inspired as this
story unfolds during your reading just as I have been experiencing most of it
with her.
It has been a joy to review her journals, photos
and writings. “Replaying” her life
has just reinforced in my heart how very blessed I am to be married to such a
noble woman – one who loves God, loves other people, and deeply loves her
husband and family. I do hope the lessons from her life will help us to live an
abundant life of vision, purpose, love and above all, to be true to all that
matters most.
-Lane Anderson
Robyn Curtis Anderson Life Story
First Flight
Robyn arrived in the family nest on December 6,
1957 to parents Marvin Raine and Carrol Romney Curtis. Observing her open mouth
and tiny kicking legs shortly after birth, they thought she looked just like a
little bird, and it seemed the name “Robyn” fit her energetic spirit quite
appropriately. She became the fifth of seven children, and she felt extremely
close to her two older sisters and four brothers. As a child, she had long,
golden brown hair that fell in ringlets. Her sister, Natalie, described her as delicate
and beautiful, petite and feminine, athletic and full of ready laughter.
Joys of Childhood
The family home on Millicent Way in Oak Hills on
the East Bench of Salt Lake City afforded a wonderland of opportunity for
adventure and play, and it was often the center of social gatherings for
neighborhood children. Robyn made mud pies, sipped honeysuckle from vines on
their back balcony, played fairy castles in her mother’s rock garden, and ran
with neighbor children across their yards and through the foothills of the
mountains behind the family home. She and her friends built big forts out of
furniture and blankets in the basement family room or back in the storage area.
Marv and Cory often had something set up to amuse themselves and the
neighborhood children. One of the most legendary was a zip line that ran from
behind the Curtis garage and across the yard and fence to the second story of
Burnson’s house.
She enjoyed playing kickball with her brother,
Chris, and other siblings in the basement before it was finished. They
exchanged secret letters with Mike and Linda Burton by way of mailboxes
attached outside their bedroom windows. Some late nights found her and Chris
sitting back-to-back in the blue living room with all the lights on in the
house, awaiting the return of their parents after convincing themselves that
the creaky house noises had to be someone lurking in the basement. They also
spent long hours playing board games such as Aggravation and Masterpiece.
Laborious sessions of doing dishes were brightened with “kitchen tag” using the
dish rag – a tradition her children carry on with some enthusiasm.
In these carefree days, they often left home and
went off to play without really telling anyone where they were going because
they played all over the area. Most neighbors didn’t care if the children cut
through their yards or played night games – there was a certain license to roam
freely beyond normal property lines. However, the Curtis home was often the
center of family and neighborhood activity. Robyn’s parents were the only ones
in the neighborhood who let them play team tag in their yard – a game that
involved hiding and searching for kids in all of the bushes, trees and gardens.
Their friends were always welcome, and they did a lot of entertaining over the
years.
Many days were spent playing in the mountains
that backed up to their neighborhood. They hiked and took lunches up to
different rock or spring destinations. Behind Wilma Young’s house was an area
they called Honda Hills. With family and friends she rode over paths and jumps
that had been created by the children in the neighborhood. Later as an adult
she reflected, “We lived at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains on the East Bench
of Salt Lake, and I spent a great deal of time playing and hiking in them. To
this day, the mountains [are] where I love to be the most.”
Robyn and Natalie had Schwinn Sting Ray banana
seat bicycles that extended the possibilities for their playground. In addition
to Honda Hills, they rode to Rotary Glen with the Burtons or Wilkinsons, or along
the long top street of Vista View Drive when they just wanted the freedom of
wind blowing their hair and no one telling them what they needed to do. One
day, they rode right over a giant rattlesnake that lay perpendicular in the
road in front of Tommy Lowen’s house. It was quite a bump, and they lifted
their feet off the pedals and screamed. Further investigation revealed that his
father had chopped off the snake’s head with a shovel, and Tommy had laid it
out intentionally to terrorize the next unsuspecting girls who came along. It
did.
Living so close to Hogle Zoo provided other
adventures. Bringing three bottle caps from Winder Dairy or Cream ‘o Weber
Dairy earned a free entrance to the zoo. She and her friend, Liz Nibley, went
to the zoo regularly throughout the spring, summer and fall by collecting and
redeeming bottle caps. It was an attractive hangout. They were always aware of
what new animal had just been born and what feature was being remodeled.
Across the street from Hogle Zoo was This is the
Place Monument, another site where many summer days were spent. The statue of
Brigham Young, Robyn’s great, great, great grandfather, looked down on them
from a granite pedestal as they enjoyed the opportunities for play on the hill.
Goodly Parents
 |
| Marvin and Carrol Curtis |
Robyn reflected on feelings about her parents
during these growing up years in a personal history she wrote for Relief
Society in the Littleton Second Ward in 2001. She said, “My parents had a profound
effect for good on my life. I think that one of the reasons I never seriously
questioned the reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that it was so
intertwined with who they were, and the fruits of gospel living were so evident
in their lives that I always felt it must be true.” In the letter to her
children for Easter 2010 she said, “From my earliest recollections, I have
instinctively known that I had a loving Heavenly Father who knew me and placed
me here on earth in the very family I came to. My Patriarchal Blessing states: ‘You
are richly blessed to have been born of goodly parents who accepted and lived
the Gospel of Jesus Christ and set a worthy example and taught you the
principles of truth in your infancy. You have had the sacred privilege of being
born and raised in this environment under the guidance and leadership of your
Heavenly Father through the gift and power of the Holy Ghost.’ My parents
taught me the gospel from my infancy, and their lives were so reflective of
their love of the Lord and their testimonies that I never had cause to question
that it might not be true. I am one who has always believed and had a desire to
follow the gospel plan.”
“I remember the day I was baptized very clearly.
My father, Marvin R. Curtis baptized me. In those days girls wore jumpsuits
instead of dresses. It was in the Monument Park Stake Center in Salt Lake City,
Utah in the baptismal font. I felt so clean, I didn’t want to step on an ant for
fear of making a mistake. Of course, it wasn’t long before I learned the lesson
that I would make mistakes, but that I could be clean through repentance. I
loved Primary and can still sing many of the songs I learned there. I remember
developing a special love for Jesus and feeling His special love for me during
my Primary years. Our home was a place of love, fun, and gospel learning. I
particularly remember a Family Home Evening when my mother laid out the Plan of
Salvation with cardboard figures she had made. That made a great impression on
me. My parents were gifted teachers and speakers. My dad served in the Stake
Presidency as a counselor or the Stake President most of the time while I was
growing up, and I can still vividly remember most of his Stake conference
talks. He had a way of painting a picture in our minds and then teaching a
gospel principle from it. All of that was strengthening to my testimony.”
“One of the things my parents gave me that I hope
I can pass on to my children: roots and wings. Roots – they taught me correct principles,
wings – they let me govern myself. Roots – they instilled in me a feeling that
I had a great heritage of ancestors and relatives, not just in our family but
our pioneer heritage in the church and the founding fathers who secured freedom
for us in America. Wings – they helped me believe that anything was possible in
my future that I could do or be anything I wanted to be.”
“My dad spent most of my growing up years in
heavy church service, but I don’t remember ever feeling neglected or like he
was away a lot. He made a concerted effort to spend time with us, and
boating/fishing/camping outings were one way he did that. One of the things I
have learned from my dad is that of balance. He worked hard, he played hard, he
served in the church, but the important things at home never went neglected, he
had a strong testimony and was a gifted speaker – very good at teaching
principles of truth, yet he had a wonderful sense of humor.”
“My mother was clever, especially in drama. She
wrote and directed roadshows and other programs. She made our family Christmas
cards each year, always original. She read voraciously, and ours was a home
where ideas were constantly being discussed and explored. She was a gifted
teacher. She was also a marvelous listener – so attentive to speakers, and in a
group was described as an orchestra conductor – drawing out each person to make
sure they had a moment in the limelight. Probably her greatest trait was that
of concern for others.”
Carrol (Robyn’s mother) loved to have Robyn and
her sisters learn and recite readings and poetry for the family and friends.
They learned good diction and how to project as they recited these. Robyn
continued to collect poetry and sayings throughout her adult years, often
posting them on the refrigerator as inspiration for the family.
Childhood Challenges
Being taught to share as children included
rooming with her sister, Natalie. What a joy to have a sister close in age.
They played troll dolls and made a playhouse out of two large cupboards in a
little hallway right outside the downstairs bathroom. They created felt doll
clothing, collected berries for food and constructed serving ware from foil gum
wrappers. Robyn learned early to be a good, supportive listener. She enjoyed
laughing at Natalie’s witty remarks and made her and many others feel so
clever.
However, it also had its childish challenges. As
the younger sister, she was convinced that Natalie’s bed was always in
the best location, she always got to do things that were more fun, and
she got all the in-style fashionable clothes that were seemingly cuter than
Robyn’s. Rarely
were
these feelings really warranted. However, they sang songs to each other while
providing back rubs before bed. This sisterly ritual usually unfolded with
Natalie “generously” offering to rub Robyn’s back first, and Robyn could then
rub her back afterwards. Robyn soon noticed that Natalie had arranged this so
she could fall asleep during her turn for a back rub. Natalie confessed to this
small manipulation in later years. However, most of the time Natalie would try
to do anything to please her, but Robyn said she was never satisfied if it
seemed that Natalie had something better. As she grew older, she realized she
was competing with Natalie and needed to change this pattern. With time and
normal childhood adjustments, she learned to set the competition aside, be
content to just be herself and to find her own way to happiness.
When Robyn was about five or six years old, the
family went camping at Mirror Lake in the Uintas. The family piled all the gear
into the light blue Plymouth station wagon, including Uncle Dale’s very
musty-smelling canvas tent. They arrived late in the afternoon, and their Mom
and Dad tried to figure out how to put up the tent, build a fire, get fishing
poles set up and fix dinner while all of the kids screamed and ran around wildly.
As their exasperation built, the parents must have had a growing sense of “did
we really do this on purpose?” At the peak of the chaos, Robyn grabbed hold of
her Dad’s leg and wouldn’t let go. It must have seemed to her that it was the
only way to get his attention. It did not have the desired effect since he was
distracted by someone’s snagged fishing pole, burning food, Mom’s tears, smoke
in his eyes and so on. So, Robyn just turned toward him and took a big bite out
of whatever was in front of her. You may never have seen a polio survivor jump.
However, her brother, Marv remembers that he could not only jump, but he could
also dance and let out a pretty good war cry better than the wildest Native
American he had ever seen.
Another fall from grace occurred at Uncle Ray’s
cabin. They had a huge swing on the side of the mountain that went high into
the air. It was really quite scary and dangerous, which was part of the thrill
of it. On one visit, someone was pushing Robyn quite vigorously. Suddenly, she
shot out of the swing and went flying through the trees and “into the clouds.”
Her brother Cory said he thought she would burn up upon reentry. The family
rushed to her aid and found her dazed and a bit out of sorts hundreds of yards
down the hill. Although she didn’t walk normally for weeks, she was fortunately
not maimed permanently.
The worst mishap Robyn endured as a child was
actually about modesty. She and Natalie had been given bright
red
pine
stilts for Christmas. They walked all over the house on them. Needing something
more challenging, they tried navigating the stairs and then, in a flash of
inspiration, they turned them into a slide off the back of the couch. The great
fun of this included a severe thump of a landing at the bottom. When Robyn took
her turn to slide down the four wooden sticks, one of them caught her pajamas
and embedded a significant sliver in her bottom. Bleeding ensued. Because their
parents were out for the evening, they had to call their neighbor, Dr. Haynes,
to come over and operate. Robyn had to bare her bottom while her siblings all feigned
sympathy through their snickers. However, she somehow survived the humiliation
and wisely did not repeat the stilt slide ever again.
Robyn’s father taught the children to respect
their mother. One Sunday, when Robyn was quite young, the kids had been quite
rowdy and not been very helpful at home. Having occurred for some time, it
finally came to a head one day. Her Dad called the children together in the
family room and told them that mother had run away. They felt so badly and
talked about how mean and inconsiderate they had been. Her Mother left a note
that did not indicate when she would be back. They decided to jump in and help
around the house. They found their Mother at church, and she came back home
again. Of this experience Robyn wrote, “We learned to respect our parents, and
it was demanded from us not by force, but by example.”
In her elementary school and early junior high
school years, Robyn went through a dark period of whining and crying. Her
siblings called her “Aunt Erma” after an aunt she had never met but apparently
seemed to them to be an absolute grouch. She could
never be happy with anything, and she would complain about everything. Anytime
Robyn acted that way, her siblings would call her Aunt Erma. Nothing would make
Robyn more upset. It seemed to her like they never called her anything else during
that period. Recollections are
that her mother was in the midst of cancer treatment and perhaps with Matt as a
newborn as well. Robyn was likely just looking for some mothering. When she was
called Aunt Erma, she would often just go in her room and cry because she
thought that her family didn’t love her. However, the beauty of Aunt Erma was
that she wanted to change. Her sister and father both told her that they never
saw anybody try as hard as she did. Robyn noted that if you were called Aunt
Erma, you would probably be highly motivated to change, too!
This Aunt Erma period had a great impact on her
life. Later, as a young adult when she felt like complaining, she felt so
guilty that she would never say anything because she didn’t want to be a
grouch. This probably contributed to her very cheery temperament. However, time
and perspective caused her to realize that those who love you try to help, and
she came to look at Erma as an act of love from her family. In a brief personal
history she presented to the Littleton Second Ward Relief Society she said, “I
had a very happy childhood, and feel very blessed to be in the family the Lord
placed me in.”
One other thing that helped her overcome the Aunt
Erma persona was her performance in school. She
did well
academically, raising her self confidence. She had teachers who built her up
and made her feel valued. She was also blessed with lots of good friends and
confidence from participating in student government in every school she
attended.
Budding Politician
Growing Talents
Robyn loved music and learned to play the piano
and guitar. She would sit long hours playing and composing at one or the other.
She participated in several choirs over the years. She did not feel she had a
particularly great voice, but usually sang alto or second soprano because she
loved to read notes. In fact, she had a beautiful voice that developed over the
years. She was also a natural athlete, allowing her to easily pick up a variety
of sports over the years.
Family Recreation
Robyn had a father who created magical memories.
Although he had suffered polio in both his legs, he was interested and able to
buy a boat and teach his children to water ski. The family spent several
evenings a week on lakes in the Utah mountains learning to slalom ski and boat.
They often camped or made dinner over coals into the summer evening. According
to Natalie, Robyn was a natural athlete and a delight to be with in this
setting, always wanting to help and please. Much of the family vacation time was
spent at Flaming Gorge or Lake Powell with neighbor families. These were
magnificent adventures that became cherished memories. Although neither parent
could water ski or hike very well, they were very forward thinking in providing
this way to bring the family together.
Although neither of her parents could snow ski
either, they provided opportunity for their children to learn and the freedom
to enjoy this sport as well. According to Natalie, Robyn was a beautiful snow
skier and fun to be with as she could be seen tearing down the hills with her
long hair flying behind her, sporting a big grin on her face. It brought her
great pleasure then and later as an adult to tackle a slope.
A Time of Great Loss
Robyn’s mother discovered she had breast cancer
while she was pregnant with her youngest son, Matt. Robyn was about 8 years
old. She battled the disease for six years, going in and out of remission. She
eventually passed away just before Robyn’s 15th birthday.
Robyn’s father was stake president of the Monument
Park Stake on the East Bench of Salt Lake City. After the Saturday evening
session of stake conference, the doctor told her father that it was time to
call the family to the hospital for the last time. Rosy
and Mike were married by then, and Matt was the youngest of seven children at age
eight. All gathered around the hospital bed, and they saw their mother rise to
the occasion, looking beautiful and serene. She expressed to each of the
children how much she loved them. She then told them that if there was anything
they could do in their lives to make her happy, it would be to look out for
those who are discouraged, lonely, unloved, or
needed a friend and take them under their wings and care for them. She
emphasized the importance of seeking out and friendshipping the friendless. Wrote
Robyn, “This was the epitome of her, and all we had to do was look to her for
the example of what we should be.” They all knew her time was nearing the end.
Robyn’s father didn’t want to leave the hospital
for the Sunday session of stake conference. However, Carrol insisted she would be fine, and he should go
and give the talk they had prepared together on the Book of Mormon. So, Marv Jr. stayed with his mother
while Dad fulfilled his responsibility at conference. Of this time Robyn said, “I
sang in the choir and cried through the whole meeting. It was a tender time.”
Natalie recalls, “Robyn was on the stand as part of a youth choir. One of Dad’s
high councilors had called the hospital on his own accord to check on mother’s
status and was told she had ‘expired.’ The rumor went like wildfire through the
stake center. Robyn heard it on the stand, but would not leave her post. My
strongest childhood memory of her may be of seeing her white face, in control,
singing on the stand while she believed her mother had died. It turned out to
be a false rumor. The nurse had misunderstood the name or something. But Robyn
didn’t know that. She did the thing required of her.”
Carrol passed away early the next morning on
Monday. Dad was with her and had asked Natalie to stay home from school with
Matt. He picked up Chris from school and told the two little boys together on
the blue love seat in his bedroom that their mother had been called to heaven.
At Clayton Junior High, Robyn remembers being called down to the principal’s
office where she found her Dad.
They were left alone so he could tell her the news. She recalled, “During
the days that followed, we were just enveloped with the love of the Savior and
our friends and ward members and relatives.”
 |
| Carrol |
Of her mother’s impact on her life, Robyn said, “Mother’s
life as well as her death have had a most profound influence on me. I am always
told that I am the child that looks most like her. Especially my smile. And
when I think of people who I admire and want to become more like, she certainly
heads the list.”
A New Role
Natalie took over as “mother” for a year until it
was time for her to go to BYU. By that time, Marv had married, Cory was on a
mission, and just Robyn and two younger brothers were left at home. Robyn said,
“I took over the shopping, cooking, laundry, and carpooling for the three years
I was in high school. I never looked on it as a burden, but a privilege, though
it was challenging at times, and I do remember being overwhelmed on some
occasions. For this reason, I never worked in high school as many of my friends
did. When I was accepted at BYU, I was torn as to whether I should leave my dad
and two younger brothers or go, but my dad insisted that I go and have that
experience.”
Motherless Daughter
On March 4, 2001, she shared her life story with
the Relief Society sisters of the Littleton Second Ward and reflected on the
impact of losing her mother as a teenager. She said, “While I have been very blessed in my life, I have
had my share of challenges. Losing my mother has been huge to me, especially as
I have had babies and forged my way into womanhood and all of its choices. In
some ways I have felt like Anna Quindlen, who wrote: ‘We’re different, those of
us whose mothers have gone and left us to fend for ourselves. For that is what
we end up doing, no matter how loving our fathers, family, or friends: on some
deep emotional level, we fend for ourselves…The truth is that there is no one,
ever, in your life like your mother. And that’s true even if she’s a bad mother…Your
mother is the mirror, the point from which you always begin. It is who you are…There
is something primitive about this love, and this loss.’”
“In other ways, however, I have been blessed with
many surrogate mothers and people who have watched over and helped me through
the years, including my mother in law, my Mom Darlene and my sisters. So many
of you [Relief Society Sisters] have blessed me with your love and interest and
example. I look to so many of you for my example of how to mother adult
children as I am moving into uncharted territory.”
A New Blessing
As Robyn’s father moved forward with his life, it
brought new blessings and challenges to the family. Robyn wrote, “That next
summer, Dad met a wonderful woman whom he fell in love with and married. He had
been single for five years. We were all very happy for him, because we knew how
lonely he was for a companion, and Darlene was a jewel. She was a convert of
only three years, having been a Catholic nun in the convent for thirteen years.
She has a fascinating conversion story, which she traveled around the Salt Lake
valley and shared for several years. She, of course, had never married – so
inheriting a family of seven children was often compared to the Sound of Music
story. Darlene bent over backwards to fit in to our family and to love us all.
In spite of that, there were times of adjustment for each of us, because while
we wanted our dad to have a wife, we didn’t particularly want a new mother.
Also, it represented a change in my close relationship with my dad. But she was
a shining example of graciousness in all circumstances, and over the years has
won a special place in all of our hearts. She is the only [Curtis] grandmother
our children have known.”
 |
| Darlene and Marvin Curtis |
“Those of you who have blended families know the
pain of editing your past. Inasmuch as my parents moved out of my childhood
home, and Lane and I have lived away for so many years, and out of respect for
my stepmother, we didn’t talk much of our childhood and over time I realized I
had largely lost my past. Also, our family pictures were all in slides which I
had only seen maybe once or twice in twenty years. I wasn’t sure I could trust
my memories, and felt a large loss over this. I also wanted to preserve our
family history for our children. So,…I decided I wanted to make a family
history video…”
“This brought so much healing to me personally,
as to each of my siblings. Also Darlene, as it cemented her place in the
family. It also recorded pictures and voices of each member of the family,
including my dad’s testimony, which is priceless. A little over a year after
making the video, my father passed away. Six months after that, my youngest
brother, Matt, passed away. He had had Cystic Fibrosis all of his life. What a
treasure it is to have this now!”
 |
| Matt and Amy |
High Times in High
School
Robyn was very popular in high school. Said Cory
to her later, “In a day [and] age when almost everyone joins a click of some
kind during high school to indulge their insecurities, you were part of
everyone’s click! You were absolutely loved by everybody in every segment of
high school society and everyone felt you were their best friend….You were the
Mother Teresa of East High. Every week you would bring some friendless person
home for Sunday dinner and show them love.” Natalie noted, “Robyn was the
natural friend of the underdog and had many ‘lost’ friends who she cared about
and included in her circle. I can picture an assortment of faces that attended
her through the years. Even in her early married years in Evanston, there were
lonely, single people who stopped by her home and were brought in and welcomed
into the family, which has always impressed me as a trait very similar to our
mother, Carrol.” Natalie observed,
“..being beautiful and kind and popular never turned Robyn’s head. She was
completely at peace with her sense of self, her love of people and her
foundation belief in the Lord.”
Of a dating panel for the stake young men, Cory
recalled, “They had struggled to get the guys to show any real interest in any
of the activities … everyone was just too busy. But when you agreed to sit on a
dating panel and field questions about what young women look for in young men,
the whole world showed up to take notes. It was really just a sneaky way of
filling the room to capacity for an event that otherwise would have been tough
to get the guys to come to.
Everyone in the stake wanted to date you.”
Natalie described Robyn’s dating when she wrote, “She
had flair and style and was in high demand for dates and dances. She was not an
intense type of girlfriend. She liked and would date whoever called, having a
good time with everybody, but she was noncommittal, enjoying the sociality more
than any one man. Until Lane, of course. And even then, she did her part to
spread hope and cheer in Salt Lake while Lane was spreading the gospel on his
mission.”
Robyn approached high school with great vigor and
energy. She participated in Pep Club as a junior, marching in formation at games.
It was a fun experience for her. One Saturday journal entry records, “Pep Club
keeps me so busy, but so happy. We have been having marching practices,
marching practices, and more marching practices. We decorated the football team’s
houses the other night and had so much fun. I am really getting psyched about
good old EAST HIGH!”
Robyn loved music, and she would sit long hours
playing and composing at the piano or guitar. She even taught guitar while in
high school. Natalie remembered hearing “her lilting laughter while teaching a
guitar lesson and wonder what child could resist learning from her.” Her father
particularly enjoyed her guitar and singing and would often ask her to play and
sing, often shedding a few joyful tears. She took up performing on the guitar as a duo
with her good friend, Mary Smoot. They developed a great collection of both fun
and melodic songs and enjoyed singing at a variety of events together. They
sang with energy and enthusiasm. This talent was also later put to good use as
a leader at girl’s camp and around a number of campfires with family and
friends. She taught her children to play the guitar which has perpetuated this
talent in the next generation.
 |
| Mary Smoot |
She tried out and earned membership in the a’cappella
choir at East High School. She was quite confident with her voice. However, a
choir teacher set her back a bit during tryouts for the most elite choir before
her senior year when he told her, “Well, you will never earn a million bucks
with that voice.” She did not make that choir, and it hurt her deeply because
she felt she was very well qualified. More importantly, the sting of this one
remark hurt her confidence in her singing talent for years to come, even as an
adult. This experience reinforced in her heart the importance of always building
up and encouraging others, especially when working with youth. She made the
best of her experience in choir and became Vice President her senior year. She helped organize an a’cappella trip
to Washington D.C. from April 13-18, 1976. They sang on the steps of the nation’s
capitol and in the Rockefeller Center during this important bicentennial year
of the nation’s history. They also had opportunity to visit sites in Washington
D.C. as well as Mt. Vernon, Valley Forge, Williamsburg, and Jamestown.
Quick thinking on her feet afforded her the
ability to participate in impromptu speaking with the forensics team, and she
was in the school production of “Scrooge”. She was also recognized for
participating in vocal music, the Leopard staff, symposium, pep club and Girl’s
State. Her life was very full and busy in high school.
Robyn was both attractive and popular with other
students at East. She was voted Sophomore Attendant and then elected Homecoming
Queen her senior year. She also had a love for student leadership and ran for
office throughout her years of school. When she ran for Studentbody Historian
of East High, family members helped her create her skit, and they all went to
see her perform it in the assembly. She dressed up as a preacher and had the
audience yelling hysterically. She was victorious and served on the East High
School Board of Control for the 1975-76 school year with Allen Hughes
(President), Lisa Ramsey (Vice President), Cathy Romney (Secretary), Bryce
Jolley (Business Manager), David Bradley (A.B. of E. President), Karen Haglund
(E.H.A.G President), Marylee Taggart (Head Cheerleader), Jean Hoole (Eastonia
Editor), Clay Clemens (Leopard Editor), Peter Evans (Senior President), Todd
Stevens (Junior President), Jim Matheson (Sophomore President), and Matt
Christensen (Freshman President). They outlined more than three pages of goals
and objectives for the year as a board that included a resolve to “do the best
job we possibl(y) can. As a board we should strive for a high degree of excellence
regardless of what the activity is.” Robyn had natural leadership ability, and
this opportunity to serve the studentbody was a joy that resulted in the
creation of some deep friendships. She also experienced the frustrations of
apathy among some students that deeply troubled her.
Just prior to graduation her senior year, fellow
officer, Cathy Romney, passed away from Leukemia and resulting pneumonia on May
21st. The school held a
special assembly on May 22nd during which Robyn made a presentation with
Allen Hughes and Peter Evans in her honor.
Robyn was one of six East High student graduation
speakers on June 4, 1976. Her speech entitled “The Risk of Wings” spoke about
exercising some risk to branch out because “you can’t accomplish anything if you
never take a chance. All the great heroes take a chance. Are you going to let
fear stunt your growth?” she asked. “Go ahead and take that risk. You won’t
regret it.”
Mountains
Robyn loved being in the mountains. She enjoyed
the solitude there as well as sharing it with friends. One summer day she took
a hike with some high school friends to Dromedory Peak in Brighton. It was a
beautiful sunny day when they began the trek up the mountain. They passed a
glacier and pursued the peak with great confidence. However, on the descent
they encountered a small blizzard. They encountered a dead end that left the
only way out to jump a 3-foot ravine and slide down the glacier. Robyn accidentally
overjumped the ravine and slid down the first short glacier, hitting a rock. It
caused her to do a summersault in the air, hit another rock, and land on top of
another long glacier. She couldn’t move and just lay there momentarily. She
said, “My body was shaking so bad that I could not stand up. I was weak. All of
a sudden a chill pierced through my body, and I knew that the Lord had spared
me. It was no little thing. It was so clear to me. It was one of the best
lessons I had ever had on humility. I wouldn’t have made it without divine
intervention.”
Robyn took a course at BYU in administrating
girls’ camp and served as a counselor at Brighton Camp after her Freshman year
of college at BYU. She loved
helping the young women and was able to enjoy being outdoors while she worked. This
was valuable experience that assisted her in girls’ camp assignments in later
years.
The Beginning of an
Eternal Affair
The summer before her senior year at East High, Robyn
was invited to go on a blind date with Lane Anderson by her friend, Ranch
Kimball. She knew who Lane Anderson was and had once timed a debate he participated in, but she did not know him personally.
After an initial August date, they went out a couple of weeks later. Soon they
were dating regularly. It was clear that there was mutual interest in keeping
in close touch while Lane served a mission to the Germany Munich Mission
beginning in January 1976. They wrote each week. It certainly had some impact
on the steady flow of dates during the remainder of her senior year of high
school. However, she didn’t seem to mind. Although they had not made any
commitment and she was free to date while he was gone, there seemed to be
something special in their relationship that was worth holding on to.
College Days
Having the encouragement of her father to go to
BYU, Robyn was off to become a freshman at the school named for her ancestor,
Brigham Young. She greatly enjoyed the new possibilities for education and
socialization it presented. After her freshman year, she transferred to the
University of Utah for her sophomore year of school in anticipation of Lane’s
return in case something developed there. While at BYU and the University of
Utah, she continued to date a number of boys. She had five or six of them
propose marriage to her, the last being the night before Lane returned from his
mission. She politely declined all of them.
Robyn recalled, “During my college years at BYU
and the U of U, I had the opportunity to date many young men. This was mostly
during the time I was writing to Dad (Lane) who was serving his mission in
Germany. I received five or six marriage proposals during this time – most of
which I was not even tempted by. One young man wanted me to fast and pray to
know if it was right. I’ll never forget my Dad’s comment – ‘Why would you fast
and pray to ask the Lord something you already know? You know it’s not right –
you never felt it was right.’ I learned not to tempt the Lord, and these were
years of seeking to discern the guidance of the spirit. One young man I was
quite taken with and was very vexed to know whether it was right with him or
Dad (who I still loved and was writing). As I pondered my feelings, I realized
that my feelings for this young man were those of infatuation, but were not
constant. There were some times that I felt uncomfortable with the way he acted
or the things he said. As I thought about Dad, I felt a constancy of goodness
and surety about him. That was confirmed when he came home and we dated. This
tutored me in being guided by the Spirit. My Patriarchal Blessing promised: ‘Choose
worthy companions and you will be guided to the chosen one to be sealed for
time and all eternity.’ Surely that came to pass, and I know Dad is the chosen
mate for me. I am honored to stand at his side, and he has been a faithful and
dear companion these many years. Knowing we are sealed together for eternity is
a deep comfort and joy to me. I am so blessed.”
An MRS Degree
When Lane returned from his mission in early
February of 1978, it was if they just picked up where they left off, but with
two additional years of maturity and experience. On
April 8th, they were engaged to be married. Lane took her out for
dinner at the Hibachi restaurant and then drove to a
hillside near Ensign Peak on the North side of Salt Lake City and
offered her a fortune cookie as the city lights flickered below. The fortune
inside asked, “Will you marry me?” Taken a little by surprise, she regained her
footing and threw here arms around Lane with a resounding “Yes.” They were
married on July 6, 1978 in the Salt Lake Temple by A. Ray Curtis, Robyn’s
Uncle. A honeymoon trip to Sun Valley followed.
Creating a Home and
Growing a Family
Family life began in the beautiful home of
Clarence Wonnacott at about 13th Avenue and G Street on the Avenues
neighborhood of Salt Lake City. He and his wife were completing the third year
presiding over a mission for the church, and the family needed someone to tend
the home. It provided nice accommodations for the first year of marriage. The
first expansion of the family occurred on April 21, 1979 when Jennifer Jane was
born and brought new opportunities for love and service. She was delivered by
brother-in-law, Gregg Olsen, who was in medical school at the University of
Utah and on rotation in obstetrics at the time. It was special to have him involved in Jennie’s
delivery.
The Wonnacotts returned from their mission in
1979, and a duplex at 426 9th Avenue between E and F Streets became
home for the Andersons. The Ensign Second Ward nearby afforded opportunities
for service and fellowship. Lane completed his bachelor’s degree in Communications
with an emphasis in Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Utah
in December 1982. He began working for Harris and Love Advertising in downtown
Salt Lake City. Robyn worked briefly for Zion’s Bank before becoming a
full-time mother when Jennie was born. She taught guitar lessons at Utah Music
Academy for a while and allowed Lane some special bonding time with Jennie when
she was away on some evenings.
In 1982, Lane was accepted to the J.L. Kellogg Graduate
School of Management at Northwestern University. In August 1982, the family
moved to Evanston, IL to live in a six-plex at 1320 Central Street, known
affectionately as “Mormon Manor.”
At the beginning of the second year of business
school, Anne Rebecca was born in the Evanston Hospital on October 4, 1983. It
was a long-awaited arrival. The night before, the small family of three was out
purchasing refreshments for a brand management forum Lane was to conduct the
next day. Labor pains began as they ate at a fast food restaurant. It appeared
that Annie might be born on Lane’s birthday. However, she held off just long
enough to have her own special day.
After Lane completed two years of business
graduate school, he took a job with Kraft Foods in Glenview, IL, and they found
a three-bedroom home to purchase in Skokie, IL. While in this home, Lindsay
Catherine was born on April 30, 1985. She was delivered so quickly that the
obstetrician missed the delivery, and the same resident that delivered Annie
did the delivery. She was adored by her older sisters. Three years later,
Kristen Carrol was born on May 10, 1988. All three girls born in Illinois were
born at Evanston Hospital, and all four daughters were a great joy to their
parents. For Robyn, being a mother
was her heart’s desire, and these beautiful daughters brought her happiness.
She planned and carried out Joy School (a mother’s co-op pre-school) for the
girls with other mothers and learned to be a Brownie leader in the girl scout
organization.
After seven years in Illinois, the Spirit created
stirrings that the family should relocate to Denver after an offer was made to
join the Flagship Group. An ideal home was located and purchased at 5928 E.
Jamison Lane in Englewood (later Centennial), Colorado. It was a red brick home
at the end of a cul de sac with a large back yard for a garden and play area.
The family moved just before Jennie was to start 5th grade and Annie
was entering Kindergarten.
While in this home, Robyn and Lane experienced
great desire to bring two more children to the family, but for some reason they
would not come. This was a great trial of faith for Robyn. She wrote, “We
always wanted to have a large family, and when our family didn’t continue to
come as we had planned, I began to question why the Lord would not reward our
desires – and it was in this wilderness that I experienced the most defining
moments of my faith.”
“After several years of pleading, I pulled away
from the Lord emotionally for a brief time. I went to church and went through
the motions but felt abandoned and hurt. One day, I was reading in Job 23 and
came upon these words: ‘Oh, that I knew where I might find him! That I might
come even to his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth
with arguments. I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand
what he would say unto me…I go forward but he is not there; and backward, but I
cannot perceive him: on the left hand…but I cannot perceive him; he hideth
himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way
that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” This scripture stopped
me in my tracks. It hit me like a ton of bricks. This life is not to test the
Lord. It is to test me. And I wanted to ‘come forth as gold’ as did Job. I
realized I had been putting my faith in the miracle I wanted and not the Lord
Jesus Christ. My whole attitude changed, and I felt desirous to be faithful –
come what may – and I did not worry any more about whether we would have more
children. It was in the Lord’s hands and I was going to be faithful to Him
regardless. My Patriarchal Blessing says, ‘Search the scriptures diligently,
regularly, and earnestly and the vision of eternity will be opened to your mind
and you will receive greater insight and perspective…’ Surely, that was true.
How I treasure the scriptures!”
“It was during that time that I came to know that
this was not necessarily about whether the Lord loved me and was willing to
give me what I wanted, but about whether I would be faithful regardless of what
happened. I committed I would. I would not trade that experience for anything
now. Interestingly, not long after that, we were blessed with our last two
children, Whitney and Nathan.”
It had been seven years. Whitney was born on July
24, 1995 at Swedish Hospital. She was born so quickly, the obstetrician missed
her birth (a familiar scene), and her Dad got there just in time from parking
the car. The name “Whitney” had been picked out ahead of time. Her parents
wondered if they should pick out a more pioneer-oriented name because of her
birth on July 24th, the anniversary of the Mormon pioneers arriving
in the Salt Lake Valley. However, they decided to stick with the name “Whitney”
and gave her the middle name of “Janice”, her Anderson Grandmother. As it
turned out, Grammy was blessed as a baby by Elder Orson Whitney. So, Whitney’s
first name added some significance with the middle name of her grandmother. She
was born just a day after her cousin, Ashlin. Both were born while the Anderson
family was having a reunion at Bear Lake.
Nathan was born on September 23, 1997 at Swedish
Hospital. His parents warned the doctor of the speedy births that had occurred
with his siblings. So, he rushed to the hospital when called. Nathan had the
longest labor and delivery of any of the children, not being born until the
following morning. So much for predicting arrival times of our children. His
first name means “Gift of God.” He was given Curtis, Robyn’s maiden name, as
his middle name.
Joys of Motherhood
Robyn loved being a wife and mother. It was her
ultimate desire to bless the lives of her family. She was very attentive to her
children. She was usually very involved in assisting as a mother in her
children’s classrooms in elementary school for parties and activities. She and
Dad actively attended school programs and activities. During the long summer
days, she would plan Anderson Fun Camp to ensure there were both fun and
educational activities for her children. Special excursions to places in Denver
as well as a personal day for each child to spend time with her were usually on
the agenda.
She was not afraid to take initiatives to make
their school experience better. Jennie recalls one such experience. “When I was
attending Middleton Elementary school in “Chicago, I remember coming home one
afternoon and telling Mom about playing hopscotch during recess. She was
appalled that we were playing with rocks and that we weren’t using the ‘REAL’
hopscotch design. In true Romney fashion, she immediately tracked down and
ordered 15 hoppy taws from SLC and marched over to the school to get them to
repaint the hopscotches. I remember her coming over during recess and
personally teaching the kids how to play hopscotch the ‘right’ way. Looking back
and knowing now what kind of herculean effort this must have been for her with
little kids, I love thinking about her wonderful ability to see something she
could do to make something better and jumping in to do it.”
Birthdays were time for celebration. No one could
put on more creative birthday parties for her children and their friends. Among
the themes for birthday parties over the years were the backwards birthday
party, magician’s visit, old ladies’ luncheon, pirate’s treasure, outdoor
adventure, doll delight and many more. She was right at home directing one
activity after another. Between her creativity and love of children, it was a
natural for her. The birthday cake would also tie in to the party and added to
the fun. Each child was made to feel very special.
Robyn was very attentive to the needs of each
child. When Nathan struggled with reading, she took great care to tutor him
with a special reading course so he would catch up with his peers. It has been
a marvelous blessing. When Whitney struggled with some anxiety and depression
as a young child, she worked very hard with her to get professional help and in
assisting her through this challenge successfully. She spent time helping the
kids find good friends they could associate with. She also spent time
organizing and conducting Joy School, a mother’s co-op preschool so her
children could get to know other children and begin to learn some social
skills. As children entered high school, she loved being at as many of their
sporting events as she could, cheering them on enthusiastically. While battling
cancer, she volunteered to serve as a guide for a cross-country meet, marking
the second mile and directing the youth forward. The sign she held was symbolic
of the distance she went to serve her children and others.
At home she was a devoted teacher both at family
home evening and in the moments when life had important lessons to teach.
Of her children Robyn wrote, “I adore each of our
six children, and parenting has been my greatest joy and most remarkable
schoolmaster. One of the things I have learned, though, is that particularly
for stay-at-home moms with young children – parenting can be a lonely and
exhausting experience at times. Two things I have had to learn the hard way: 1)
take time to fill your well so you have something to give. I have come to love
reading, tennis, scrapbooking and time with other women as ways to fill my
well, and 2) remember there are seasons of life and everything does not need to
be accomplished in the same season…”
A New Challenge
Managing a household and six children stretched
Robyn to capacity. Jennie just started college at BYU when Nathan was born.
With children from college to preschool, there was much to balance to meet all
the varying needs. Of this time of life she wrote, “They were such a joy in our
home, but managing six children of such varying ages became a great challenge
for me. Dad was called as Bishop shortly after Whitney was born and he and his
partners had just acquired the My Twinn doll company. It was an exciting
venture, but required 50+ hours a week of his time on top of many hours as
Bishop. We both loved the Lord and felt committed to his being a good and
faithful Bishop as well as father. By the time Whitney was about four and
Nathan was about two, it became apparent that I wasn’t coping very well and
upon some testing was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety. This was
completely foreign territory to me – issues I had never dealt with before. I
will always feel badly about the burden this created for each of you in the
family as I was struggling to cope with life during this time. I will never
forget the night Dad called all of you into the living room and shared this
with you. I felt like I had failed the family. I felt I had let everybody down
including myself and the Lord. But as the ensuing weeks and months passed, I
got the needed help and I experienced the power of the atonement in my life. I
felt the Lord literally lift the burdens of my mind, the hurts of my heart, and
plant in me a new mind and heart. As I did my part of work at it, He certainly
made up more than the difference, and to this day – years later – I have not
once gone back to those old patterns. He truly changed me. He also taught me
that I had not failed my family in being imperfect, but that my example of
working through difficult challenges with His help would be a blessing to them
in time. I hope that has been the case, and I hope each of you has felt the
same healing from that time that I have. I know that the atonement is real and
that through it the Lord can heal and cleanse us.”
“So many were the joyful years before and after
that time raising a family with Dad. My patriarchal blessing says: ‘No greater
joy can come to you than that of being a mother in Zion.’ That is surely true.
Being a mother has been my greatest joy in life and continues to be – and now
that is expanding to grandmotherhood as well!”
She loved her sons-in-law as well and took them
in as her own. Scott and Jennie married on January 4, 2004. Lindsay and Kris
married on June 28, 2008 just a few months after Robyn had completed her first
round of chemo. In 2010, Kristen and Annie planned weddings just four weeks
apart. There were 5 wedding events spread over 7 weekends. She was undergoing
chemo treatments for cancer during this same time. As she reflected on these
pending weddings she said, “Some have asked if I am stressed about the upcoming
weddings. My answer is consistent. ‘It is all joy. I’ve looked forward to these
days for years – to have my daughters marry the right person at the right time
in the right place. What could be better than that?’ It truly has been all joy,
and each of you – Scott, Ian, Kris, and Brent are the perfect mates for our
daughters. Each of you is a treasured and delightful addition to our family.
Dad and I love each one of you so very much and we look forward to celebrating
these special occasions.”
Family Recreation
Over the years, the family enjoyed many outdoor
experiences together. In early years, the family often went camping in the
mountains of Utah, Wisconsin and Colorado. Memorable vacations were created
with the burro rides into the Grand Canyon, boating at Lake Powell, visiting
American History and Church history sites on the East Coast, meeting Billy Buffalo
with a camper in Yellowstone, years later navigating a mobile home through
Yellowstone, having the magical experience of Disneyland and California
beaches, later enjoying Disneyworld and the Kennedy Space Center, visiting
Boston and tandem biking through the National Park in Maine together to name a
few. In between were enjoyable visits to the timeshare in Vail, including
hiking, cross-country skiing or snow shoeing, biking down from Vail Pass, and
time in the hot tub and pool. Tennis became a fun family sport along with biking
the paths around our home. After a memorable Christmas in 2007 when
each family member received their own pair of snow shoes, the family took a fun
snow shoe hike together and has enjoyed doing that since to pick out a
Christmas tree or just enjoy the mountains. Much of this has been driven by the
family’s love of the outdoors which began with Robyn. Most important has been the time and the
fun memories created with time together. 
A Passion for
Education
Robyn attended her freshman year of college at
Brigham Young University and then the next almost two years at the University
of Utah. She interrupted her college to become a mother to Jennie. After
Kristen started elementary school, Robyn went back to school by taking a class
or two at the University of Denver and then enrolled at Regis University. Most
all of her credits were accepted except for one “Teachings of the Living
Prophets” class from BYU. Regis provided opportunity to earn credit for life
experiences that provided equivalent education. Robyn completed all but 18
credit hours for a degree by the time Whitney was about to be born. She was in
her element at school and proved herself to be a straight “A” student. She
thrilled at the intellectual discussions and exploring great ideas. She came
alive when studying and learning.
Completing her bachelor’s degree was always a
great desire of her heart. She put her family first and did not have a chance
to complete that goal. However, she learned to study and explore topics extensively
and to a greater degree than most college courses would allow. She did an in
depth study of the School to Work program being proposed in the school system
and nationally and presented to the Board of Education. When she wrestled with
depression, she educated herself and shared her learning from books and
experience with numerous people.
When cancer invaded her life, she studied voraciously to learn about
both cancer and nutrition.
Much was learned from her own life experiences.
She wrote to her children, “At one time, you may recall, I became very
politically involved in a local school issue. I had the opportunity to
experience first hand the rigors of elections, misunderstandings,
political maneuvering, and the desire to please all people. During that time I
learned the importance of standing by true principles and the importance of
personal integrity, regardless of what others may think. I was tutored by these
lines in my Patriarchal Blessing: ‘Be fixed and immovable in the defense of
truth. Be not mislead by the sophistries of men.’”
Natalie summed up her educational experience well
when she wrote, “Robyn always regretted not
graduating
from college. I hope that in her continued role of teaching the gospel and
watching over her family in new ways, she has been shown the largeness of her
spirit by virtue of her study and her discipline. Robyn put herself through the
university of life on scholarship and with high honors. This I witnessed.”
Devoted Service
Of her opportunities for church and community
service, Robyn wrote, “My testimony has also been greatly strengthened as I’ve
had opportunity to serve in the church and the community, to associate with
good people in and out of the church. I have learned so much from the examples
of others who live a Christ-like life. I feel privileged to have shared so many
blessings from Dad’s church service as well.”
Throughout
her adult years, Robyn was called to a wide variety of church assignments. Among those were nursery leader, cub
scout den leader, primary teacher, primary music director, primary president,
young women camp director, young women president, and counselor in the ward
Relief Society presidency. After
Lane served as bishop of the Littleton Second Ward, she and Lane served
together as young single adult advisors in the ward and jointly taught a young
single adult Sunday School class. She always approached any assignment with vision
for what needed to be accomplished and worked with great diligence. Having natural leadership ability,
being a follower was a more difficult challenge than being a leader. However, she handled both with humility
and grace.
As
a young woman leader, she developed a great attachment to these young women. She most loved working at girls
camp. She was in her element
there, whether it was singing by the campfire, directing a program or helping
the young women develop confidence in themselves. She was also very gifted at being able to put on events for
children and youth. One evening
when she was serving as a cub scout den leader, the Cubmaster failed to show up
for pack meeting. She and Brent
Hicken put together a fun evening in the cultural hall for the cub scouts with
but minutes to pull something together.
The Joy of Becoming
Nana
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| Caroline and Katherine |
When grandchildren began to join the family, she
entertained the opportunity to become a wonderful grandmother with the same
vigor with which she had approached motherhood. She chose “Nana” as her name for
the grandchildren. She went to help with the births of
Katherine and Caroline after they were born to Jennie and Scott. She was at
the hospital to hold Daniel when he was born to Kris and Lindsay during his
short 36-hour life experience. In spite of worsening cancer symptoms, she went
to help with the birth of Jordan when he was born on February 28, 2011. She
enjoyed holding back yard tea parties with the girls, dressing up in silly
costumes and talking about nothing that was serious or of substance. She
enjoyed playing Barbies with the granddaughters and cars and trucks with
Jordan. It was her joy to be on the floor playing or holding a new infant.
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| Daniel |
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| Jordan |
An Unexpected
Intrusion
Like a joyous party invaded by an unwelcome
intruder, Robyn found her life changed significantly in November 2007. While
playing tennis with some ladies in the neighborhood, she was experiencing
severe pains. One of the ladies, recognizing the symptoms, insisted she get to
the doctor and have it checked out rather than waiting three weeks for her
regularly scheduled doctor’s checkup. After some scans and a visit with the
doctor, she learned she had stage three Ovarian cancer. She faced surgery the
following week and five months of aggressive chemo treatments.
 |
| Dr. Schmitz |
She accepted this with determination and faith.
Reflecting on this experience 2-1/2 years into it, she wrote to her children, “Well,
life is a constant adventure, and this most recent challenge of cancer has been
the biggest yet for me. It has challenged me physically, emotionally, mentally
and spiritually. But I want to share with you some more lines from my
Patriarchal Blessing that have given me guidance and comfort: ‘Accept the
challenges that come to you with an open mind and heart. Seek your Heavenly
Father in earnest prayer and you will receive the strength and courage to
resist temptation and come out triumphant in every test.’ Cancer has given me
the opportunity to learn how to repent of attitudes and behaviors that needed
changing, and to feel of His healing hand as I have strived to make personal
changes.”
“I have come to know the Lord more surely through
the challenges of this disease. I have felt His touch through the love and
service of others, including each of you. I have learned to pray more earnestly
and listen more carefully to His promptings. He has given me strength and courage
I didn’t think I had, and faith I didn’t believe I had the capacity to develop.
I want you to know without equivocation that I know that the Lord lives, I know
He knows me and loves me and cares about our family. He knows and loves each of
you. He is aware of us. He has been walking by my side. I feel His care and guidance
constantly.”
She developed great love and trust in the Savior.
The conclusion of her testimony stated, “I trust Him. I trust that He is
guiding us, and that He will bring to fruition what is best for each of us in
the big picture. I have come to a point where I am not trying to manage the
outcome. I am at peace doing all I can do and trusting Him with the outcome He
knows is best. That is part of my testimony as well – trusting Him. He is
trustworthy. I hope you can trust Him too. This is my testimony. It is a
privilege to share it with you.”
A Parting Thought
In a school paper for Mrs. Smart, Robyn was asked
to write a creed. The first and last sentence of that creed were, “May I so
live, that, my life will be a song of praise unto God.”
For all that knew her, Robyn’s life was just
that. She lived a life of love and concern for others, from those within her
close family circle and to those more distant who needed the attention and love
of someone to reassure them of their value and importance.
“May I keep a constant pulse, that never stops,
or slows down. That I may always be accomplishing something or striving for a goal.
Always pushing for a new experience or bit of knowledge. That this beat may
remain steady and strong.” She attended life with anxious concern to do what is
right and to be true to what her Heavenly Father expected of her. She was
always working on “being better.”
“I would that I could be a strong leader, singing
justice, but willing to follow another who sings his own justice.” She had many
opportunities to be both a leader and a follower, and worked very hard at both.
Robyn was true to her personal creed. The summer
before passing away, she led out in the development of a family motto, “Be
True.” It includes being true to
the Lord and His commandments (purity), true to ourselves (integrity), true to
our word (dependability), true to our family (loyalty), and true to the needs
of others (charity). She lived this, and I am sure will continue to attend to
the needs of our family on the other side, with quiet encouragement to do just
as she did and would encourage us to do if she were here: “Be true.”
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