Mildred Bennion Eyring

Mildred was born in 1896 to Marcus & Lucy Smith Eyring in Granger. She was a hard worker and a brilliant student. Mildred was also known for her musical abilities, she played the organ and often accompanied at local church functions. She graduated the University of Utah with a degree in Health & Physical Education. After graduation she taught at the University of Utah for 7 years and then went on to teach at the University of Wisconsin.

It was at the U of Wisconsis that Mildred met and married Henry Eyring a brilliant chemist and physicist. Henry taught at Princeton, in Germany, Berkley and several other places. Mildred & Henry were a dynamic duo.

Henry wrote over 600 articles on chemistry and was a favorite to win a Nobel Prize for his work. Although he never received the Nobel Prize, he received many other accolades for his  brilliance.

Mildred was always active in the communities she lived in and served on the LDS General Relief Society Board. She was a dutiful mother.

I saw several articles about her wonderful debating skills. This is from the SL Telegram 4-1-1914

There are many articles about Mildred's commitment to the Women's Sports Organization at the University of Utah while she was a professor there. She often Umpired, served as a referee or a judge for various sporting activities at the University of Utah. 

This is a Uof U newspaper dated: Feb,6,1925

Mildred's husband Henry Eyring

Mildred with her husband Henry Eyring and 3 sons

One of Mildred's sons is Henry Bennion Eyring. He is also a brilliant educator, community and church leader (serving as 2nd counselor in the LDS Church Presidency)

One of my favorite stories about Mildred was told by her son Henry Bennion Eyring.  He talks about the importance of education in the family. His mother Mildred always encouraging her boys to work hard and learn as much as they could. One night 2 of Mildred's sons were watching a "Tawdry Comedy" at midnight. They knew that they should not be watching this entertainment and especially not at midnight.  He said that his mother walked into the room and pulled out her scissors and cut the cord.  You would think that would be the end of the TV but not so.  The next day one of the sons used a cord from another old appliance and fixed the TV. When the boys came home from school the TV was in the middle of the floor totally broken. Mildred said something like , oops, it slipped out of my hands.  Now that was the end of the TV in the Eyring home. 

The boys were taught to use their time wisely and work hard. I guess TV was too big of a time waster in the family.  He said " With no television in the home, family members had more time for each other and more time to pursue interests, develop talents, and engage in sports and other activities as a family. Over the years President Eyring has honed his cooking skills (he makes his own bread), discovered a knack for woodcarving, and learned to paint with watercolor. On occasion he will send a thank-you note or a watercolor painting as a remembrance."

Henry B Eyring often talks about his dear mother and how inspiring and fearless she was. She was magnificent and expected excellence