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She married Edward James Carpenter from Park City, Utah, just before her 18th birthday on September 26, 1929, in Heber City. His mother had nicknames for all of her sons and he was always known as Bert. They lived in Park City and he worked in the mines there. Four of their children were born there:
Barbara Elaine Carpenter born July 3, 1930
Erma Marie Carpenter born September 2, 1931
Betty Deon Carpenter born September 4, 1934
Helen Colleen Carpenter born November 25, 1936
In 1938, they moved to California where Bert worked in the gold mines and done tunnel work. They lived in Redding, Murphy, Angels Camp and on a sheep ranch.
Four years later they moved back to Heber City, Utah, where their long awaited son was born, Robert Ferren Carpenter on December 14, 1943. They built a home next to La Vern’s parent’s home. It was not finished when World War II broke out. Bert was drafted into the navy. La Vern and the girls put the lawn in and the shingles on the back of the roof. Bert was in the navy only a few months and they sent him home with a medical discharge. He never left the states. His discharge was from Ferrigate, Idaho in May 1944.
When he returned home, his brother-in-law, Royce Moon, who was a contractor, hired him to work for him for a number of years. They built schools, business places and some houses. Later he worked on Wanship Dam. That is where he was working when he took sick. He was hospitalized and later died February 14, 1955, in Salt Lake City. Was buried February 18th in the Heber Cemetery.
La Vern went to work while Bert was in the navy. Robert was quite small. She did the laundry for the Heber hospital for several years. She and the girls would take the clean ones to the hospital and bring the dirty ones home before the girls would go to school. La Vern didn’t drive very much so the girls and she would use a wagon and in the winter they would use a sleigh.
After Bert died, she received social security. Helen and Robert were still home. She went to Provo Vocational School to become a nurse. She got her LPN license and worked in the Provo Hospital and in a nursing home. La Vern cleaned both theaters in Heber for many years. The girls helped her.
La Vern went to the temple and was sealed to Bert April 26, 1956, a year after he had died. Robert was still a child so he was also sealed to them for eternity. Erma was sealed to them on August 29, 1969.
La Vern married Warren Oaks in Elko, Nevada, on March 19, 1966. She got a job at the Heber Hospital and later worked at the Heber Valley Care Center until she retired when she was 75 years old. La Vern and Warren were very happy and did many things together. When the worlds fair was in Seattle Warren took La Vern to see it and visit with Barbara. They had a good time. It was a marriage that was good for both of them as they were lonely. He died in Heber City September 23, 1978.
La Vern was always doing crafts, making beaded things, embroidery, rugs, quilts, you name it she made it. She could never be idle. She loved to travel and Erma took her many places which she really enjoyed. No matter how difficult things were La Vern always took her family to church. Dad didn’t go but that did not deter her from doing what she felt was important.
She loved the church and never missed her meetings and always fulfilled her callings in the church. Her niece, Eva, used to set with her and her mother at church and when they sang they had loud voices and both sang off key but sang with all their hearts. Eva said, “When they sang you could not stay in key so I just had to quit singing, but I loved hearing them because they sang with so much spirit.”
The last trip La Vern went on was in the spring before she died. Erma took and 2 grandsons to Durango, Colorado and rode the train to Silverton. It is a beautiful ride and the scenery fantastic. They spent several days there. When they returned home Kay’s girl had her first baby. La Vern was so proud. She finally could take a five generation picture and they were all girls. She put it in the newspaper. Erma was angry because it was just a picture. She wanted to get a better one when they were all dressed up. Erma stated, “It was good she forced us into it because she died right after that and we would never have had the chance to take another one. I shall always treasure this picture for it was the last picture she had taken.”
La Vern’s health deteriorated after she retired. She had heart problems and diabetes. She spent a lot of time in Wyoming with her daughter, Erma during the summer but she didn’t like the winters so she would return home or go visit Helen in California. When she became very ill she went to live with Erma. Erma’s husband had died so she would take her dog and go to stay with her mother but they decided it was time for La Vern to live with her permanently. She was hospitalized in Evanston, Wyoming, and died on August 30, 1991. Erma had sent for all the kids and they were all with her when she died. She was buried in Heber City, Utah, on September 3rd.