Grace, Henry, Laura, Lulu, Raymond, Viola, Etta & Esther Brizzee

Laura Edna Brizzee was born 27 January 1891 to Henry Willard Brizzee Jr. and Esther Ann Catlin Brizzee.  She was born in Grouse Creek, Utah.  Her brothers and sisters are Roy, Viola and Nellie.

Laura contracted pneumonia at the age of two years and suffered from poor health.  Henry moved his family to Arizona and Laura’s health improved.  Laura started to school at the age of eight.

When Laura was 13 years old her parents moved back to Grouse Creek where her father ran the ranch of his widowed mother, Emily Amanda Rockwell Tyrrell.  Laura learned to bridle and saddle a horse and to work in the fields of hay, grain, potatoes and the vegetable garden.

They lived in Grouse Creek for just two years when Laura’s mother, Esther Ann, became sick and was advised to go back to Arizona.  So they moved again.

Laura married Charles White on 20 July 1906 and they settled in the Sulphur Spring Valley where they raised vegetables.  Two children were born to them:  Roy Charles White on 23 October 1907 and Willard Earl on 29 April 1910.  In 1911 they sold their home and ranch and moved to California.  In 1913 Laura and Charles were divorced.

Laura took Willard with her and Charles took Roy with him.

Laura was living in Grouse Creek, Utah with her sister and working to support herself and her child, when she met Joseph Valentine Lee.  Laura was baptized in 1914.  In 1915 they traveled to Salt Lake City to be married.  Finding the temple closed they returned home.  On their way through Almo, Idaho they met their stake president and he married them on 22 June 1915.  They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple  6 October 1915 and Willard was sealed to them.

Their first home was on Kimball Creek in Grouse Creek, Utah, where twins (Edna and Ella) were born on 1 April 1916, April fools day.  The next little girl, Idella was born 8 August 1918.  They moved to Yost, Utah where her husband operated a saw mill.  Their first son, Norman was born 11 March 1921.

A new stake was organized and they were asked to go to Malta to assist in its organization. While in the Malta area three more daughters were born to them:  Myrtle, 14 November 1923: Grace, 3 March 1926; Elsie, 7 August 1928.  Laura worked in the Stake Relief Society and as the first counselor in the YLMIA.

On 3 June 1930 they moved to Heyburn, Idaho.  Laura was called to be the Primary President in the Heyburn ward.  She also served as:  visiting teacher, Primary teacher, Junior Gleaner teacher, Sunday Schoolteacher and Jr. Sunday School Coordinator.

In July 1937 Laura’s prayers were answered when a knock came on her door.  Upon opening it, there stood her oldest son, Roy White and his lovely bride, Serena Bayliss White.  Roy explained that he had met this beautiful Mormon girl.  He was later sealed to Joseph and Laura in the temple.

In her later life, Laura, was flying to Arizona with relatives when their plane crashed outside of Ely Nevada.  Miraculously all five aboard survived.  Laura suffered for years from that accident.

Laura died 25 September 1965 from cancer and is buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn, Idaho.