AudrEy Rynhart Kirton
Audrey was born in 1892 in the Netherlands. She was a beautiful woman and had a good education. She had studied to
become a teacher before her family converted to the church in 1910 and migrated from Holland to Cardston, Canada in about
1914 since it was easier to get into Canada than the U.S. at the time of WWI. Johannes sailed on the ship "Tunisian" in 1913 to
prepare a way for the family. Audrey's brother Gerrit sailed alone a year later on the "Victorian" in 1914. Adriana, her mother
Gerritje, and her younger brother Johann came on another ship later that same year. Her older sister Johanna was engaged
at the time and decided to stay in Holland. The voyage was mostly uneventful; however, their ship was detained for a short
time by a German U-boat looking for ammunition and weapons. When none were found, the ship was allowed to continue.
While in Cardston they helped financing the Cardston Temple. The family later moved to Vancouver and then Utah in 1920.
When Joseph came into her life she was in a medical program studying to become a midwife (she was so stressed by the
first live birth she attended that she decided it wasn't for her and never did it again). Audrey was working at a candy factory
wrapping chocolates with Joseph's cousin Elizabeth when they were introduced. They were married on October 22, 1922.
Audrey was a meticulous housekeeper and a very proper woman; she brought many of her Dutch
traditions with her. She was well educated and sometimes had a hard time with some of her less
educated farmer neighbors in Draper. Because of her views she didn't participate much in the
community, or attend church even though she had a testimony of the gospel. She did bring religion
into the house as she often read the bible, and she would always listen to the gospel programs on
the radio. Audrey loved her new country America, and
believed that her children should be good Americans.
She didn't speak Dutch unless she was talking to her
brothers on their occasional visits. She also didn't
carry over many of her old country traditions, but
occasionally make traditional treats.
Audrey was a good cook and her specialties were
divinity candy, sponge cakes, angel food cakes and
pies. During WWII, neighbors would sometimes use
their food stamps and rations to purchase flour and
sugar, and then bring supplies to her so that she could
make them a special cake or pie. Thanksgiving dinners were always memorable with a fresh turkey, homemade
stuffing, vegetables from the garden, cauliflower with white sauce, and dewberry and mince-meat pies.
She was also very artistic and could draw and paint well. She knitted well and made clothing and blankets and
tatted lace doilys. At Christmas time, she would finger-paint a beautiful winter scene on the window in her living
room. Before her kids were born she worked with another woman making china sets in a shop, and after a break
when her kids were older she would ship in find porcelain and china green ware from Germany and then paint and
fire it in a kiln in her back yard. Many people were recipients of her work, some were winners of the evening card
games that were played at her home. She passed away in July of 1965.
Categorized as SAINT Tagged KIRTON, RYNHART
Marie Garrett
Joseph Mason Kirton