Emma Dutson

EMMA AMELIA (HUNTER) DUTSON

She was born on July 14, 1923, in Taft, Kern Co., CA, to Walter Pierce & Jessie Ventom (DeFriez) Hunter, at the home of a friend, Mrs. Ayer, 427 Asher Street, Taft, CA.

Her three older sisters had Whooping Cough at the time of her birth, so Mrs. Ayer took care of Emma for the first month or so of her life. Mrs. Ayer had no children of her own. She said to Emma’s folks, 'you have all those other girls and I want this one', but her folks wouldn't give her away!

In 1929 or 1930 the family moved to 300 Jackson Street, Ford City, a suburb of Taft, CA where her Daddy built a home.

On Aug. 28, 1931 she was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

In 1936. her family moved to Coalinga, CA when her “Daddy” was transferred to the Kettleman North Dome Hills facility, where he continued to work as a Gas Engineer in the Oil Industry.

During 1936-1940 she attended Jr. & Sr. High Schools. During those years, to earn money, she did baby-sitting and also house work for a Dentist's wife.

In March of 1940 she met “my sweety”, as she called Parley Dutson, in Coalinga, CA. He and his Companion, Elder Thurman A. Burch, were sent to Coalinga as LDS Missionaries.
Her sister, Tessie and Emma were to welcome them to the area, at the home of Bro. & Sis. Buttcane, who were away to another appointment. Tessie (her sister) liked Elder Burch and Emma 'knew' then that Elder Dutson needed her to be his 'Future Companion'.

A few months later, on 10 June 1940, Emma graduated from Coalinga Union High School. She kept her Graduation Tassel and it hung in her front room for many, many years.

She attended Jr. College for one year in Coalinga, then became a Public Stenographer for the Coalinga Chamber of Commerce doing stenography for several bosses:
l the Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce;
l a Lawyer, Attorney Arthur Blank who continually smoked a cigar all day;
l the President of an Oil Company, who was German. It was difficult to understand his broken English;
l the Constable, and for a Policeman, who administered Driver License tests to 16-year-olds, who were attempting to obtained their Driver Licenses. Emma had to give them color-blind tests.
It was during this time of being a stenographer, that she took time off from work to travel by train to Salt Lake and Ogden, UT and then by the Trolley, the Bamburger that went from Ogden to Logan, UT. Parley was home on Furlough from the Army. He had written to her to come to Logan to meet him. “'Twas wonderful to see him again”, she said. They spent a few days together, then he returned to his Army Post in Alabama and she to California, after she visited her sister Tessie who lived in Oakley, Idaho.

After returning home, Emma continued working for the Chamber of Commerce for a while, then became a Telephone Operator, where she worked until WWII ended in 1945.

In January 1946, Parley came by train to Hanford, CA to bring Emma to Logan, Utah, where we were married in the Logan Temple for Time and All Eternity on 10 Jan. 1946. They drove her Daddy's Studebaker from California.

On Dec.13, 1948, she gave birth to a healthy son, David Parley Dutson, who later married Sharri Clark.

On July 10, 1950, she had her second son, Russell Steven Dutson, who later married Sherrie Smith.

And on Oct. 17, 1952, her last son was born, Duane Hunter Dutson, who later married Pamela Roberts.


Another date of importance to Emma was Sep. 19, 1953, when she was sealed to her parents in the Logan Temple.

A busy mother of 3 active sons, she supported Parley's work as a Master Electrician. He worked in several States: Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming and New Mexico. They decided to keep their home in Logan as their 'Home Base' so that their children didn't have to move from place to place during their education years. It was hard and lonesome for both of them, to be separated when Parley was away from home on his jobs.

On 10 Aug. 1997, twenty years ago, Parley passed away. During that time Emma spent her time caring for the house, the yard and being engaged in her church and an honorary member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP).

She faithfully served in the Primary for many years and was a Counselor in Relief Society two times and a Visiting Teacher.

During 1997-2001 she was an active member of "Home Evening Group" which had been organized for 25 years. Only Widows and Singles could join. The Group disbanded because of deaths and illnesses.

She had hobbies:
l House Keeping
l Reading
l Sewing
l Knitting
l Crocheting
l Gardening
l and learned to use a computer to e-mail her children and grandchildren.



WE love you, Emma, Mom, Grandma…. You have shown us the way. But go now, and be with your loved ones and your “Sweety”.

Graveside services will be held at the Logan City Cemetery on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 at 12:00PM with a viewing prior at Allen-Hall Mortuary, 34 E Center St., Logan, Utah from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM.