Frandsens celebrate birthday on July 15
GUNNISON—A sweet, elderly woman in Gunnison celebrated her 100th birthday on July 15 with her loving husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Remarkably, her husband, Allen, is scheduled to mark his 101st birthday in August.
Evelyn Frandsen was excited to share some of her experiences over her long life.
Evelyn and Allen got married on March 30, 1942. Most of her career was teaching in the South Sanpete School District.
She talked most about wonderful travels with her husband throughout their life.
Evelyn said they made it their goal to travel some place around the world once per year.
“The world is beautiful, and we’ve been all over,” she said. “And we’re happy that we [traveled].”
The Frandsens have ridden camels, elephants and ostriches. They have traveled to the North and South Pole, Israel, Egypt, India, and the Philippines, where they served a mission together.
“We would like to go back to Israel again because that’s where the Savior was born,” Evelyn said.
“We’ve had a lot of fun and a wonderful family,” she said. “We’ve had a long, happy life.”
Evelyn said as her children grew up, they would ask her what she and their father wanted for them.
“I want you to always love the gospel and to always be educated,” Evelyn would tell them.
Evelyn said she has always had a testimony of the Savior and lived the principles of the gospel, and that’s how she raised her children.
“If you don’t have a sense of principles, you are not going to have success,” Evelyn said. “You have to know what’s good and what’s bad.”
She said the biggest difference between the time she was growing up and now is how the history of the country is taught.
“I grew up in World War II; it was very patriotic, but today, the kids don’t even know what the Constitution is,” Evelyn said. “It’s a sad situation.”
The protests that are occurring around the country today would never have happened in the time she grew up in, Evelyn added.
“My advice is to teach [children] what the country is all about and why it’s such an important country,” Evelyn said. “All I know is I love this country, I love the people here [in Sanpete], and I’ve been happy.”
