Life Sketch of
Joseph Vern Reynolds
Father of Margalee Reynolds Pickett
This is a typed version of the life sketch, of Joseph Vern Reynolds written by Keith
Reynolds March 1, 1982 and retyped in August 2004.
Joseph Vern Reynolds was born on September 18,
1903 at Lawrence, Emery County, Utah, the third son
of six boys born to Fritz Earl and Nellie Moore
Reynolds.
At the age of eleven he and his family migrated by
covered wagon to Idaho, first settling in Tyhee, near
Pocatello, then later moving to Groveland Idaho, just
outside of Blackfoot, Idaho.
As a youth Vern was diagnosed to have a heart
murmur as a result of rheumatic fever when he was
about four years old and his mother was told that he
would never live to be an adult. Despite this affliction
throughout his life he participated in sports as a
youth; pole vaulting, track and baseball. He became
a proficient baseball pitcher and pitched for the
Blackfoot baseball team for several seasons in the 1920’s, with his brother Lloyd, who
was the catcher. He remained an avid fan of baseball, softball, basketball and football,
rarely missing one of the high school or college sporting events. He especially enjoyed
watching the small children in the Little League teams.
After moving to Groveland, Idaho to a farm, Vern’s father died of influenza during the
epidemic in 1918. Although Vern was only 15 years old this necessitated terminating his
formal education after completing the eighth grade, but he continued throughout his life
searching for knowledge. He loved the scriptures and he loved books pertaining to the
history of this country, especially the early history of the people that helped to settle and
build the West. He also enjoyed books about archeology.
During the next few years following his father’s death, he spent working at various farms
in the Groveland and Blackfoot area. He worked on the Blackfoot Dam at age eighteen
and then took a job at the County Assessor’s Office in Blackfoot. During this time he met
and courted Margaret Burt.
Margaret was the second child of Henry Simpson and Jessie Thorpe Burt, born on May
23, 1908 in Wellsville, Utah. Her early childhood was spent in Idaho Falls, Idaho, where
her father owned and operated a butcher shop. They later sold the shop and moved to a
farm in Groveland, Idaho, where she met Vern. They were married on June 25, 1924 in
the Logan Temple.
During their early married life together Vern worked at the sugar factory in Blackfoot and
farmed. He also worked in service stations and grocery stores to support his growing
family. During the time he was managing a service station, he was stricken with
rheumatism and for one and one-half years he was unable to walk. He and Margaret
lived in a couple of small rooms in the back of the station and many times he crawled to
help Margaret service the cars.
In the Fall of 1934, Vern accepted a position of manager of the general mercantile “Rock
Store” owned by Jim Thompson in Challis, Idaho. In 1936 he was called to be Bishop of
the newly created Challis Ward of the Lost River Stake. He was set apart by John Wells,
April 12, 1936, and served until his release on August 25, 1940 when William Dixon was
called as Bishop.
While in Challis, Vern worked at various occupations (and) became quite a ‘jack-of-alltrades’, (including) a paper hanger, painter, carpenter, firefighter, and miner. He
accepted work in May 1941 at the Yankee fork for the Snake River Mining Company as
storekeeper for the gold dredge. One of the most memorable years for the family was
the year 1941-1942 living at Custer and commuting each morning the six miles to school
and to work at the dredge campsites.
In the early summer of 1942 Vern became seriously ill with a strangulated hernia and
was taken to Blackfoot, Idaho, where he was operated on for a double hernia. By the
time he was recovered the shut-down of the dredge was imminent due to World War II,
so the family never returned to the dredge.
Upon his recovery he obtained work for the Jesse M. Chase Company in Pocatello,
Idaho and was trained in tire repair and recapping. He continued in this type of work
after the Jesse M Chase garage closed, working for Vern Herzog and also for the
Bannock Tire Service until his retirement due to ill health in January 1974.
Vern had a deep religious conviction and faith all of his life. At age fourteen he was a
secretary in the Groveland Ward Sunday School. He was always grateful for his
experience as first bishop of the Challis Ward. He served as financial clerk in the
Pocatello Second ward, and as Stake High Priest Secretary and High Priest Group
Leader. These positions were interspaced with many teaching assignments which gave
him an opportunity to study and share the Gospel which he loved so much. His
testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel remained strong all of his life. Vern had a
love and affection for people and was always willing to give a helping hand to all who
needed his help.
Vern and Margaret celebrated their Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary in June of 1974 at their
home at 134 Sough Fourteenth Street in Pocatello Idaho, where Margaret resided until
her death. They were joined in their celebration by relatives and friends and by their five
children, Vern LaGene, Keith, Michael, Colleen (Mr. Sidney Harman), and Margalee
(Mrs. Charles Pickett) and by 21 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Vern
passed away on October 3, 1974 in Pocatello, Idaho.
As of this writing, Vern and Margaret now have 25 great-grandchildren.