Week 10 - Strong Women - Irene Elizabeth Gladys Chown Edwards

So strong women.

Who to choose?  I've known a lot.  My wife?  One of the strongest people I know.  Physically, spiritually, and more.  She has and can accomplish anything.
My mom, grandmothers, all of them are and were strong.

But I had one person on my mind a lot the past week.  My great-grandmother, Irene Elizabeth Gladys Chown Edwards.  I knew her a little, but I was only 7 when she passed away.  I do remember meeting her a few times, but not a lot of specifics.

But she was strong.  She had 12 kids and fostered others.  She lived in Australia during some hard times.  In the words of her husband, he described her as having a heart of gold.

Irene at age 18.


Both her and her husband converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints in 1922.  They decided to uproot their family and moved to Canada for the sole purpose of being able to raise their children where the Church was strong.  They wanted their kids to have a solid foundation for growth in the Church and wanted them to marry Church members to have strong families.

Not an easy thing to do with that many kids.  But she succeeded.

So why has she been on my mind the past week?  I was going through some old papers of my Grandpa Edwards and found her handwritten account of her conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.  I didn't know that I had this and it honestly made my day finding it.

Now to distribute it to all that I can.

Thanks Grandma Irene.