How World War II Shaped My Family

Today, December 7, 2016, is the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. This event brought the United States into WWII and changed many lives forever. Four lives that I know and love whose future was written by the events of WWII are two sets of my grandparents. My maternal great grandparents Elvin and Virginia Hegstrom, and my paternal grandparents John and Carol Larson. I would like to share their stories in honor of today.

Elvin was the son of Swedish immigrants. Both his mother and father immigrated to the United States as children. They met and married here. Both of their families left Sweden for America because they had converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Unlike today, back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, foreign LDS converts moved to Utah to be with the rest of the saints.

Elvin and Virginia were dating when war broke out. Elvin's mom asked Virginia to marry her son so that he would not sign up in the military. They were already in love, and at 19 and 17 years  old, Elvin and Virginia got married. But marriage didn't stop him. He tried to sign up for the Air Corps, but received a draft notice into the Army Infantry at the same time. He was told to fulfill his draft assignment.

He ended up in France where he got shot in the leg during battle. The other American soldiers near him thought he was dead and left him on the field. During WWII, not every soldier had a gun or helmet. Elvin did have a gun and a helmet. A soldier who did not have either tried to take Elvin's. Elvin grabbed a hold of that soldier and asked him to help him get medical help, and in return, Elvin promised that soldier his gun and helmet.

Elvin spent the rest of the war healing in a hospital back in the U.S. where Virginia joined him. Their first three babies, a boy and twin girls, did not survive their first year. Their fourth baby, an other girl, did survive. Her name is Linda and is my maternal grandmother.  They had two more daughters, Sandy and Loma, and one more son, Robert. Virginia was not a member when she married Elvin. She converted some time after their marriage, and my grandma Linda told me she was about 7 or 8 when they were sealed as a family. Grandpa Elvin spent the rest of his working life in a sugar factory in Nampa, Idaho, and as a farmer as well.

Linda married Kent Peterson and they had five children: Deborah, Darren, Deanna, Derek, and Devan. Deborah, you know her as Debbie, is my mom. Virginia, Linda, Debbie and I have taken lots of four generation photos throughout the years. Elvin was a loving and funny grandpa when he was alive. He loved to tease. He called most of his grandchildren "Jack". The leg Elvin was shot in was always skinnier than the other, and he walked with a limp for the rest of his life.

He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's during the final years of his life. When he passed away, he didn't know who most of us were. But not knowing who we were didn't stop him from being loving and kind. Even though he didn't remember us, he still treated us like family. He still hugged all of us and told us that he loved us. When I got married, my grandma Virginia was unsure of bringing Elvin into the temple because his Alzheimer's sometimes caused him to act out. I asked her to try, that I believed the Spirit would help him stay reverent. When it was time for everyone to hug and congratulate us, I thanked Grandpa Elvin or coming and he hugged me and patted me on the back and said, "Of course! I love you honey, I'm so proud of you."

Grandpa Elvin passed away in October 2012 when I was pregnant with Benjamin. Grandma Virginia is still alive and Benjamin and Luna are her great-great grandchildren! Their story is truly inspirational as they are wonderful examples of enduring to the end through the trials of war, losing children, and disease. I love them both so much, and I hope to live up to their examples.

John Larson was also the son of Swedish immigrants who came here because they converted to the LDS Church. They were incredibly poor, and so John chose the military over college; in fact, college wasn't even an option for him. John signed up for the Navy. After training and tests, the Navy sent John to the University of Michigan to study Naval Architecture rather than send him overseas to fight. John had an amazing math brain.

While studying Naval Architecture, John also ran track for Michigan. He lettered in 1945. When the war was over, John needed a different job. He got a job in education, and worked different education jobs until he retired. He was a building facilitator for the school district, a registrar at a junior high school, and eventually taught math. He married Carol Wisdom when he was 29 and she was 18. They had 12 children: Susie, Carl, Nancy, Selma, Glenn, Anna, Cynthia, John, Doug, Julie, Vickie, and Mark. Their fifth child, Glenn, is my dad.

My grandpa John used his architecture degree to design and build their family home in Los Angeles, California and St. George, Utah. My grandma Carol still lives in the St. George home. Because of being able to go to college, and later working in education, grandpa John instilled the importance of education into all of his children. Some of his children and grandchildren also chose to make their careers working in education. For my grandma and grandpa their children and grandchildren came first. They have never missed a wedding, baptism, baby blessing, game, or performance. They support us in all we do.

My grandpa John passed away in February 2015, when I was pregnant with Luna. His health had been poor for over 10 years when he died. I told him and my grandma that I was expecting an other child about a month and half before he died. That was the last time I saw and spoke to him before he passed away. I am so grateful to have shared such a special moment with him. His life teaches to value education and family.


Both of my grandfathers, though they lived different lives, were amazing husbands, fathers, and grandfathers. They loved and cared for their families very much. They serve as wonderful examples of hard work and love. I hope to be able to honor them by being a good mother and teacher.