HER MANY FRIENDS

HONORED BY THE BYRON WARD

TRIBUTE BY:
MILLIE B. EGAN

TEMPLE SERVICE

DEATH

Edited and Expanded By: David J. Wardell (1990)

Copyright © 1990 By: David J. Wardell. All Rights Reserved.   Reproduction or redistribution of this page in any form is strictly prohibited.

Page Revised: October 05, 2002

"Aunt Ray" was born June 30, 1860 in Kaysville, Davis, Utah, a daughter of Ephraim Myres Lindsay and Jane Parish. As a small child she had dark brown eyes and hair. She was idolized by her two older brothers.

After the family moved to Bennington, the boys all got farms and Rachel began a lifetime of nursing. She was known as Nurse Ray Lindsay in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming.

In 1909 her mother took sick in Byron, Wyoming and Aunt Ray left Idaho to take care of her. She cared for her mother for ten years before she died in 1919. Aunt Ray continued to care for the sick in Wyoming during the remainder of her own life. She helped many of her nieces and nephews as their children were born.

She had many friends that loved her as they loved their own kindred and mother. They called her blessed for she was blessed with the gift of drawing many to her and helping them to live better and fuller lives. She cared for all who needed her in sickness and death administering to their needs as did the Savior.

The Byron Ward gave a party in honor of Aunt Ray in November, 1923 and a friend Millie B. Egan wrote and read this tribute at that time:

"I feel honored in the privilege thus offered me on this grand occasion, in paying tribute to Aunt Ray Lindsay. I do not feel that I have words to express the appreciation of the worth dear Aunt Ray is to each and every one of us. Her life is an inspiration to each and all for she is gifted with great ability, and endowed with the rarest of virtues. Her gentle and friendly disposition, her pleasant personality and her goodness draws everyone to her.

"She is sympathetic and charitable and delights in making others happy. She has attained the highest kind of development through her thoughtfulness of others, her unselfishness, and her personal sacrifices. I know that her testimony to us would be that the greatest happiness in her life has come to her in doing good to others.

"By her cheerful disposition she scatters gladness to all who are about her. It is by this grand disposition of hers that she is able to meet the many little trials with laughter and song. She is able to look on the brightest side of life and find the best in everything, and get the best out of life.

"She can always find some good virtue in everybody no matter who they may be. Her soul is filled with love for humanity, with patience rather than her own selfish desires. She rejoiceth in truth. Her right hand has always been extended to those who need help. She has healed many a wound by her comforting word of love for those in trouble. We know she has made great sacrifices for the blessing of others and has followed example of Christ by suffering wrong rather than doing wrong. She has been an example for good to all her associates through her sweet spirit and earnest work. We all know her to be gifted with tender affection and solicitude as she will go by day and night to relieve the suffering of the afflicted and dying. Her faith and example is an uplift and will ever be bright in one’s memory, for she is one who is able to encourage comfort and bliss by her genuine love. She has made others loving by her gentle thoughtfulness; she has made others kind by her courage; she has given strength by her wisdom. Her influence will promote one to good and noble action, Her life is therefore an inspiration. My highest ambition is to be worthy of her love and confidence.

"Let us each and all ever appreciate the privilege we have had in associating with Aunt Ray Lindsay and feel in our hearts that it has been a great privilege in knowing such a wonderful person. Let us not only show our appreciation of her loving service to us by word, but let us ever remember to give her comfort and happiness in return for her wonderful love and untiring labors to us. Let us cultivate the power to see the good in others and not be selfish in our praise of each other."

Adella Weaver Robison wrote a poem, "The Nurse" as a tribute to nurse Ray Lindsay.

Aunt Ray’s last days were her best for she went to the temple and did work there for her kindred—fulfilling the promise given to her that she would be a Savior on Mount Zion. She died 7 May 1933 in Byron, Big Horn, Wyoming. The community lost the most loved saint among them and many felt they lost their second mother.

An Original Poem In Honor Of:
Rachel Virginia Lindsay

By:
Adella Weaver Robison

This Dear Dear Nurse
Is God’s special gift,
To a suffering world.
She their loads can lift.
He endowed her with
Unselfish character,
And he loved to work
Hand in hand with her.

He gave to her feet
Such a quiet tread,
And a cool hand
To ease a fevered Head.
He gave her a smile
To light the dark way
Of the dying; her name
Is the last they say.

Kind angel of mercy
She gives her best
Her time, her talents,
Her strength and rest.
Healing and blessing
In her own gentle way,
Her lifetime for others
Gives Dear Aunt Ray.

Though sometimes to her
Life might empty seem.
She has filled more lives
Than she ever could dream,
With sunshine and sympathy.
And all is recorded
In heaven above ...