FOND MEMORIES OF AUNT MARY BUNKER
Written by Luella Leavitt
When I was a young girl, I heard my parents talk about Mary McQuarrie Bunker. She was about the same age as my mother, and was with her in church and social activities in the early days of Ogden City. There was three weeks between their weddings. My parents were married April 25, 1860. Aunt Mary McQuarrie was married to Edward Bunker, Sr. soon after, as his third wife. Edward’s first wife, Emily Abbott, was my father’s oldest sister, making him my uncle. Mary was an attractive, husky, Scotch girl, bright eyes, rosy cheeks, fun loving, but modest in what she said and did. The family gave a wedding supper to Aunt Mary and Uncle Edward. For a little sport, my father, Myron Abbott, dressed as a girl with a white apron and ribbons in his hair and acted as a waiter at the tables.
The two couples were called to Dixie and came together, but my mother’s health was so poor, father returned to Ogden while the Bunkers stayed on. Mary’s name was often mentioned in our home, and when I met her, it seemed I had always known her. On the early morning of November 18, 1877, we arrived in Bunkerville. Aunt Mary was the first woman I saw. They were living in the United Order, as one big family, even eating at the same table. Aunt Mary was head of the women in charge of the cooking. We sat around a campfire visiting. Aunt Mary came up behind Thomas D. Leavitt who was sitting in a squatting position, she pulled him over backward and sat down in his place, making a good laugh. She was full of fun and everyone loved her. Aunt Mary was handy with the sick and was later called into every home and was present at every birth. Some of her maxims are: “Every heart knows its own sorrow, and the only cure for heartache is prayer to our Heavenly Father for His healing influence.” Also, “There is many an aching heart behind a smiling face”, and “If you smile the world will smile with you. If you frown, you frown alone.” Once Aunt Mary was given a beautiful painting as a prize for being the most popular lady in town. She was selected by the Old Folk’s Committee to have her photo placed on a souvenier to be given to the old people of the community on Old Folk’s Day. She brought sunshine with her calls into the homes of the people. When her health broke, she went thru seven years of suffering. She was very patient thru it, never complaning and smiling when folks came to see her. There were special fasts and prayer I held for her by her family and friends, for she was truly a mother to _________
Source:Brent Bunker