Here is Judy’s life history in her own words: I was born in Torrington, Wyoming on Feb 17, 1940, to Alex Backer and Helen (Wasmiller) Backer. I lived on a farm near Huntley, Wyo. In the fall of 1955, I moved to Torrington, Wyo. I started attending high school in Torrington in September 1955. A boy in my home room introduced himself to me; it was Michael Lundgreen. After a while, he got enough courage to ask me for a date and I told him I couldn’t date until I was 16 years old. He then asked when I would be 16. A week before my birthday in February 1956, Mike asked me for a date. He took me to a movie on my 16th birthday. That’s when our relationship began. He was my fi rst date.

Mike took me to our high school proms when we were juniors and seniors. When we graduated, Mike and I walked together when the class marched into the school for graduation. (Note that B for Backer is not next to L for Lundgreen). Everyone else was in alphabetical order.

After graduation I moved to Broomfi eld, Colo. and stayed with my Uncle Dave and Aunt Lillian Backer. I got a job at the McKinney Fire Insurance Company in Denver where I fi led and typed insurance policies. I used some of the money I earned to buy a complete set of Revere Ware pots and pans and a three-piece set of Samsonite luggage.

On Thanksgiving Day 1958, Mike gave me an engagement ring. We were married at the First Congregational Church in Torrington on July 26, 1959. Mike had just fi nished his freshman year at the University of Wyoming, majoring in electrical engineering. We spent our honeymoon in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We spent our wedding night in a motel in Custer, S.D. After my marriage, I worked as a homemaker and raised four children with Mike.

Mike baptized and confi rmed me a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 23, 1959. I worked at the Bank of Laramie fi ling checks and running a posting machine. One holiday season I worked at the Ben Franklin dime store in the jewelry and candy departments and wrapped gifts. On Aug. 25, 1960, we were sealed for time and eternity at the Idaho Falls Temple in Idaho. At this time, I was pregnant and had morning sickness; I had to eat crackers to feel good. Cynthia Ann was born to us on Feb. 24, 1961. I was one class short of being able to graduate from the LDS Institute of Religion; my education was cut short by the birth of Cynthia. On May 28, 1962, Mike graduated from the University of Wyoming with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with honors.

On Dec. 25, 1962, Susan Marie was born to us. In February 1963 we moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where Mike went to work for Collins Radio. Our only son, James Michael, was born June 17, 1966, and our last daughter, Julia Kay, was born June 24, 1970.

We moved to Estherville, Iowa in February 1973. Mike went to work for Weigh-Tronix, Inc. In the summer of 1981, we purchased an empty lot in Fairmont. Mike and I did the painting and stained and varnished all of the woodwork. In the spring we planted the trees and shrubs. In 2015, we moved to the Dewey Street Condos in Fairmont.

In January 2000, Mike and I were called to serve as ordinance workers in the St. Paul, Minn. temple in Oakdale, Minn. We served until January 2016.

Mike and I walk several times a week for about 1.6 miles. In the summertime we walk along the bike trail west of Sisseton Lake and during the winter we walk in the mall. We have fi fteen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.

I enjoy reading the scriptures and the Sunday School lessons. I also read and subscribe to several magazines. My favorites are the Fairmont Sentinel, Cappers Weekly, Ladies Home Journal and of course, my many “wish” books. I recently read the book, The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews.

My hobbies are cooking, baking, playing the piano, singing, working in my flower garden and going camping with Mike. On our 50th wedding anniversary we went on a cruise to Alaska with Mike’s brother Dave and his wife Penney and our daughter Cindy and her husband, Ron.

For our 60th wedding anniversary in 2019, our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren gathered at the Holiday Inn in Fairmont for a wonderful celebration. It makes me happy to know that we can be together forever as families.

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]