Peggy Jean Seely

Peggy (Mom/Grammy) was born during the Great Depression years to Clive and Pearl Henrie, the first of three daughters. Jobs were scarce, and her dad had a hard time finding work. The first two years of her life, the family lived with Pearl's parents in Salt Lake...Charles and Anna Nelson. Peggy never knew her paternal grandparents as both had passed away before she was born. Peggy's Grandpa Nelson saved her life on two occasions. As an infant she got really sick and her body started convulsing. Grandpa Nelson gave her a Priesthood blessing, and she was healed. He later told her that during the administration he felt the presence of an evil spirit trying to possess her body, and in turn try to enter his. He recalled it being the most terrifying thing he had experienced in his lifetime. Grandpa Nelson saved her again when at age 2 she fell into the irrigation ditch in front of the house. He would say to her in later years that he knew her life had been spared because God had a mission for her to perform. Peggy loved her grandfather dearly. Not finding adequate work in Utah, Clive moved his family to Southern California where he found employment. The family lived in Newhall in the San Fernando Valley where Peggy started school, enjoyed going to the drive-in theatre in Burbank (the first to be built in the U.S.) and "Movie Town" (later called Hollywood), and visiting their cousins, the Timms, in Los Angeles. Laddy and Dixie were like a brother and sister to the Henrie girls. Summer vacations were nearly always spent in Salt Lake City with Grandma and Grandpa Nelson and their cousins. Those days created wonderful memories for Peggy...shopping downtown, visiting Temple Square, trips to Liberty Park, listening to life stories told by Grandpa Nelson while sitting on the front porch in the evenings. When Clive was offered a job in San Diego as an auditor for the U.S. Navy, the family moved to Ocean Beach into a one-bedroom home when Peggy was seven. The U.S. was engaged in WWII. The family experienced air-raid drills, and the girls liked to watch the soldiers in boot camp march by their house several times a day. Their food was rationed, and Pearl would save all her cooking fats to sell to the store to be used for ammunition. While living in Ocean Beach, the girls received their first home hair permanent...wavy hair was in style. Years down the road, Peggy would do the same to her own daughters, much to their dismay. Peggy took piano lessons for 3 years from Alice Ibey who also started the 3 sisters singing together when Peggy was 11, Connie, 9, and Lorraine, 7. The first song they learned and performed was "We Ever Pray For Thee." It launched their musical career. The family moved to one of the war housing projects not too far away...but it gave them more living space, and allowed them to save money toward the purchase of their house in El Cajon five years later. Memories during this time included participating in band where she played the drums and percussion, winning 2nd place in an oral poem contest in 9th grade titled, "Ma and the Auto," learning to swim at the YWCA, picnics at Presidio Park, learning to sew (at which she became very proficient), and singing. The Henrie Sisters were doing a lot of singing at that time. Pearl sewed matching pastel formals for them. They sang at church and school events, service club luncheons, and appeared in a light opera in Coronado. During her sophomore year the family moved to El Cajon, which became "home" for them. Peggy attended and graduated from Grossmont High. The Henrie Sisters continued singing together, participating in competitions and performing on the Smokey Rogers TV show on San Diego's Channel 8. They had a 2nd TV appearance on Channel 5 in Los Angeles as part of a talent competition, where they placed 2nd. The fame of these sisters caught the attention of 2 particular LDS missionaries serving in the San Diego Mission who also loved to sing...Elders Bud Hodges and Morris Seely. Peggy first met Elder Seely at a ward youth Christmas caroling party. Elder Hodges had been telling him about the Henrie Sisters, and Elder Seely looked forward to hearing them sing. He wrote in his missionary journal of the time when he and Elder Hodges with their companions had been invited to the Henrie's home to celebrate Elder Hodges' birthday. Morris brought his clarinet, and Bud borrowed Clive's trumpet and they had a great jam session. Peggy wrote that the missionaries were always something very special to them, that they were responsible for her obtaining a true testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His church on this earth. It was Elder Hodges that got her to read the Book of Mormon for the first time. Additional skills Peggy learned at this time were baton and choir directing, and knitting, which she used often throughout her life. When she directed music, she always used a baton. After graduating from high school, Peggy worked at Bank of America for a year as a bookkeeper, and then decided to go to BYU. There were a number of boys that hoped to marry her, but she was holding a torch for Bud Hodges. But as fate would have it...Morris was attending BYU, while Bud was attending Utah State...BYU won out :-) Peggy's first reunion with Morris on campus was at the first BYU football game. She and her roommate sat down just a few rows from where Morris was sitting, and was surprised when he called out to her. Peggy made the next move by inviting Morris to the Preference Ball. She writes, "Morris had the testimony of the gospel, missionary and church background, and a wonderful family that I had been looking for in a husband...plus his irresistible personality. His sweetness and humble ways made me fall deeply in love with him." It created an emotional conflict for Peggy. She loved two men and didn't know what to do about it. She decided to fast and pray for guidance, and felt the spirit confirm to her that Morris was the man she should marry. The two were married and sealed as husband and wife on June 25, 1953 in the Manti Temple. They spent a year in Mt. Pleasant and then moved to Vista, CA where Morris taught school and they raised their 6 children. Peggy helped supplement Morris's income with money making opportunities that allowed her to be a stay-at-home mom, which was a great blessing to the family. She tended children, was an election poll supervisor, sold Avon, Mary Kay, and Shaklee health and wellness products. She knew how to stretch the family income such that her children never felt a lack for things in life. She sewed outfits, made bread (12 loaves at a time), canned fruit from Morris's productive garden, crocheted and embroidered precious heirlooms. She actively served in the LDS church as a teacher, leader, and music director in the Sunday School, Primary, YW, and Relief Society organizations as well as teaching Seminary for five years. However, Family History work was her true passion. She devoted more than 30 years of her life to family research, compiling family records and histories, and organizing reunions with Morris. She was loved for her works of compassionate service and sacrificed personal wants to give her children opportunities. She was ever their #1 fan. After Morris retired from teaching, they returned to Utah, eventually settling close to their two sons in Santa Clara. Morris passed away in 2007, and Peggy longed to be reunited with him...at last she is. Their influence and legacy extend to their 27 grandchildren and 47 great-grandchildren.

Peggy Jean Seely

May 25, 1933 - January 20, 2014