Dessie's story
Dessie Kinder (Andreason-Hofeling) had her share of (and then some) earthly trials.
Dessie was born in Spanish Fork. Her husband died at the age of 35 leaving her to raise 7 children (the youngest was brand new). Desie was a hardworking woman and her story is inspiring.
Dessie remarried and had one more child. The great Depression was in full fling and he worked for the WPA but there just wasn't enough money. Dessie and her daughter Alice worked at the Poultry Plant plucking feathers form chickens earning .25 cents per hour. One day at work Dessie slipped and broke her back. The Poultry Plant gave her a little bit of money as a package for her injuries. Dessie knew that there would not be enough money for rent for her large family so she took that money and bought 3 Army Tents and some property in Chesterfield.
At that time, Chesterfield was just like a desert with dirt roads, lots of weeds and no running water or plumbing. The family put up 2 tents in front and one in back of the land and connected them with tarps. They used lumber for floors and some to stabilize walls. They laid carpet & rugs on the wood. She divided the tents into rooms and had a coal stove to heat the tents. When the coal ran out, it was time to go to bed. Winters were bitter cold.
The family had no transportation and so they walked everywhere. But even with all these struggles Dessie encouraged her family to worked together and they were cheerful.
In the spring of 1938 a strong west wind blew over the tents and scattered and ruined all their possessions. The local newspaper ran a story about how this devastated the family. With the help of relatives a 2-room home was built on the property. They used cardboard boxes to line the house. It took 2 more years for Dessie and her family to have enough money to line the walls of the home with sheetrock.
She was loving and kind, a great mother and grandmother and involved in the community. She loved her neighbors in the Chesterfield area and surrounding communities. She was cheerful and busy.
Dessie lived in that home until 1971. She then moved in with her daughter Alice. Dessie died in 1984 at the age of 89.
