Carol Jean Warnke

Information contributed by Mary Alice Warnke Westover Grace Hunter Warnke was born 28 April 1911 in Garland, Utah, to Samuel Chandler Richards Hunter and Isabella Alice Walker. The family lived in Garland. When she was ten years old her mother died and she went to live with her sister, Margaret Hunter Talbot, and her family. They lived in Garland until Grace was fourteen; and then they moved to Ogden, where they lived until Grace was about seventeen years old. At that time Grace moved to Denver to join her father who had moved there. It was while she was living in Denver that she met Bill Warnke. Ralph William Warnke or Bill, as he was known, was born 30 September 1908 in Griffin's Mill, New York, the son of Carl Hans and Elizabeth Brinkert Warnke. His mother died within several months of his birth. His father was left with seven children and was unable to care for them all, so Bill was put into a foster home where he was raised by Henry Phillip and Mary Wood Mohnk. When Bill was sixteen, the family moved to Denver where he met Grace. Bill and Grace were married 7 February 1929 at the mission home in Denver. After their marriage they moved back to New York and lived in Buffalo for nine years. Their first child, Carol, was born in 1931. Grace was very active in the LDS Church while they lived in Buffalo. She was Relief Society President and also helped the missionaries in the area. She sang in groups and directed the music at church. She also opened her home to visiting church authorities. She was hostess to Elder Bruce R. McKonkie, Elder Mark E. Peterson, and Elder LeGrand Richards. Bill observed all this activity with interest, and on 23 July 1933 he joined the LDS Church. Bill and Grace were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on 10 August 1934. Bill worked in New York as a cab driver and also as an appliance repair man. Their second daughter, Mary Alice, was born in 1937. Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Salt Lake City, where Bill worked for the Bendix plant repairing washing machines. Later he worked for PIE Trucking Company as a driver. In 1944 their daughter, Barbara, was born. The family missed Bill when he was away from home trucking, so in 1946 they moved to Tremonton, and then to Collinston in 1948, where they rented the Johnson farm next to the Potters. In 1949 their son Billy was born. In 1955 they moved to Corinne and then in 1958 to Bear River City where Bill farmed for the church. In 1962 Bill and Grace moved back to Collinston where they bought and ran the Collinston Store and post office. They lived in the north half of the store building. Grace enjoyed people and was happy to be able to see them at the store. Over the years Grace was always very active in church and also in community activities and PTA. Grace worked with the women's division of the state legislature where she was secretary for a time. She was Cultural Refinement teacher in the Relief Society, as well as being the stake leader for the same class. She held many stake leadership positions. She was Primary President, Relief Society President, Mutual President, and held positions as counselor in these organizations. She enjoyed all types of hand work. Grace died 3 December 1975. After her death, Bill continued to run the store and post office until it closed in 1982. He stayed in Collinston until 1990, when he moved to New Plymouth, Idaho, to be near his son Billy and his family. He died at New Plymouth on 6 September 1990.(1989 in obituary) ***** Note: This account lists the mother of Ralph William Warnke as Elizabeth Brinkert. Family Search lists the mother of Ralph William Warnke as Elizabeth Timm.