Djalmar Emanuel Lund
By Constance Irene Lund
Djalmar Emanuel Lund, son of Rasmus Hansen Lund and Petrine Jensen was born 4 May 1882 in Sollested, Lolland, Denmark. His parents were well-to-do. They owned considerable property including a hotel. The Lunds joined the Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) in 1890 and emigrated to Utah with Djalmar, arriving in Salt Lake City, 3 September 1893 when he was 11 years old. Djalmar lived with Marius and Dagmar Lund, an aunt and uncle, in two-room house for a few months until his father started a grocery store at 339 State Street.
Djalmar was baptized 3 October 1893 by John T. Thorup in Salt Lake City, and confirmed 5 October by Joseph McMurrin. He was sealed to his parents in April 1895. He lived in Salt Lake City until the Spring of 1895 when he moved to Pleasant Grove with his parents. The Lunds bought a 90 acre farm. Running a farm and selling fruit and vegetables was very different from running a hotel, but the Lunds made good. While in Pleasant Grove, Djalmar was ordained a deacon by Bishop I. E. Thorne and was later made secretary of the Deacons Quorum. He had had some schooling in Denmark and made good progress in the school at Pleasant Grove. Neighbors, trying to influence their teenagers for good often said, "why don't you act like Djalmar Lund? He is always so neat and clean and polite." A few years later the family moved to Crescent. Djalmar helped pay for a home for the family, paying $2500 in 3 years. Djalmar came to Salt Lake City and worked in a fruit store on State Street. He attended the 9th Ward in 1901.
In 1902 he met Aagot Marie Randby at the Queen of the May Celebration through a friend, Dagmar, who already knew him and liked him at the time and was knitting him some socks. Aagot had been crowned queen of the celebration. He was very much taken with her. He courted Aagot and married her in the Salt Lake Temple on 27 May 1903.
On 2 June 1903 in the Salt Lake Temple Annex, Djalmar was set apart as a missionary. On 3 June 1903 he departed for the Scandinavian Mission, leaving a new bride. His wife lived with his parents in Crescent while he was away. The day he left for his mission he wrote in his journal: "I did not sleep any that night. My thoughts being upon my loved one which I had left; not to mingle with them for two years or more. I left them with the hope within me that God, our Heavenly Father, would take them as well as myself, under his kind keeping and protecting hand while I would be away, that when the time comes that I again can return to dear Zion in the valleys of the mountains, and find them all among the faithful and living and enjoying health and strength."
On his mission, Djalmar was under the direction of Adam L. Petersen and Han Christian Hansen. Djalmar presided over the Otter Branch and then over the Odense Branch. He was much loved by the people with whom he labored on his mission. He was invited to friends for dinner or chocolate and cake almost every day. He was not only a missionary but sang in the choir and played the accordion. It was the custom to deliver tracts and books and have gospel discussions, which he did faithfully.
He wrote on one occasion in his journal after arriving by boat in Rudlyobing, Langeland: "As soon as we landed we sought a lonely spot where we knelt down in prayer and asked God to help us to find the people whom we were searching for; we then went up town and the first person we met was an old lady. We stopped and asked her for information. We got all that we needed. Here we saw the answering of our request to our Heavenly Father." (We as a family think this was an inquiry concerning his relatives. He was trying to trace his genealogy. Because he served in Norway, the home of his wife and in Denmark, his homeland, he had the opportunity to visit relatives and trace their lineage.)
While on his mission, Djalmar met Aagot's parents. Her father objected to her marrying a missionary, but was very impressed when he met Djalmar, who always had his shoes shined and clothes pressed. One incident to show his helpfulness and dedication to his work: at a Sunday School outing on his mission he writes: "When going home, I helped some friends with their children on account of the rainy weather. After I called on Sister K. Nielsen where I had Rodgrod whereafter we went to the hill to go out and attend a baptism. Sister H. Nielsen and M. Jacobsen were along to help with two young ladies who were to be baptized. I performed the ordinance after the manner which our Savior and the apostles performed it. We performed this ordinance in the middle of the night so as not to be disturbed by anybody."
When Djalmar returned from his mission he and his wife lived on the west side in a little house where their first child, Evangeline, and second child, Thelma, were born. He worked for Madsen Furniture Company full-time and went to night school at L.D.S. Business College. The couple planned to build a new home on West Capitol Street. While this construction was started, Aagot and the children lived in Ogden with a cousin. They started out with two rooms - kitchen, dining room, and an out-house. The family located in the 24th Ward, Salt Lake Stake in 1911. Djalmar was ordained a Seventy on 4 November 1919 and was set apart as one of the presidents of the 30th Quorum on 5 September 1926, the same year he was appointed a member of the Temple Committee of the Ward. He was also made the head of the genealogical committee at this time.
Upon graduating from L.D.S. Business College, he found employment with Western Building and Loan Co where he was employed for 35 years as an accountant and later as the head accountant. In 1929 the Lunds moved to the University Ward and a beautiful new home at 266 Douglas Street. Djalmar was a ward clerk for ten years, serving under three bishops and eight bishoprics. He was on the Temple Committee for six years and a secretary of the High Priest Quorum. After his retirement, Djalmar worked for the American National Insurance Co. and as an assessor in the Murray District. He always claimed that because he paid his tithing, he was never out of work.
He went on several interesting trips in his life. In 1928 he and his two nephews, Earl and Irvine (in their car) left for Los Angeles, the boys to their home and Djalmar to visit his brother Sophus and family. "We left the 18th of December at 6 o'clock a.m. and was at my brother Sophus's hotel (Elmar) at 8 o'clock the next morning on the 19th. Of course tired but I was welcomed. Every day they showed me around and spent a lot of money on me. They took me to all the best theaters, to Hollywood several times. One evening we went to a party with Sophus and Louise's best friends, Mr. and Mrs. Openshaws, had a fine dinner and an awfully good time there. One evening we went to the Elks Club house and had a fine dinner there with a band playing. After dinner the Openshaws invited all of us to a show in Hollywood. On the 1st of January 1929 we went over to Pasadena to see the Tournament of Roses, the most wonderful parade. The floats were covered with flowers and different designs. Just think the 1st of January and it was so warm that I had to take my coat off and was sun burned on my chest. New Year's Eve we went down town (11 o'clock) to see the New Year's celebration. I have never seen so many people out. There were three to four lines of cars and such wild, grownup people. Everybody was acquainted and said and did what they wanted. On the 5th of January, Earl and I left the Hotel at 7 o'clock a.m. and came to St. George that evening, stayed over in Hotel Arrowhead, then left early the next morning. We arrived in Crescent the 7th at 1:30 in the afternoon. Anne, Alex, Vera met us with dinner."
Djalmar went to Seattle, Washington as a delegate for the Danish Brotherhood. It was his first trip on an airplane. He was very uneasy. He attended the meetings fulfilling his assignment as treasurer of the organization and then enjoyed spending time with his daughter, Evangeline, who resided there. He took Evangeline on a boat trip through Puget Sound. His son-in-law gave him a salmon, which he brought home to his wife and presented it to her at the airport. His brother, Alex, died while he was in Seattle, and because he was detained, he made his first airplane trip to the funeral.
In 1955 Djalmar and Aagot, granddaughter Eleanore, and children Margot, Aubrey, Gordon, Temmie, and Connie went to Yellowstone Park. Two bed motels and accommodations in the park made for spoon style sleeping at night, but oh so much fun. Fishing Bridge was the scene of Djalmar's first attempt at fishing. He caught an eight inch fish, his very first catch. He was rewarded with having his picture taken with it. We took a tour of the park, seeing all of the points of interest. Bears were in abundance. One met one of the family going to the john in a fur coat. Thelma took a picture of one as it approached her.
Many trips were made to Sacramento to see their daughters, Thelma and LaVon. This was usually done at Thanksgiving time and was the highlight of the year as they journeyed on a train. Djalmar loved Christmas. It was a ritual to make pepperknutters with the children. All of the family got around the kitchen table and rolled the spicy, hard confections. They were cut into small pieces and then baked. We didn't enjoy eating them as much as making them. The Christmas tree had to be carried to their home as the couple did not own a car. Djalmar did not worry about the budget at this time of the year. The gifts that each child was to receive was doubly checked to be sure they were adequate. The tree was decorated Christmas Eve and the gifts placed under it to completely surprise the children Christmas morning. There was a tradition that the children really loved: before the tree decorations were removed, the family would light the candles, hold hands and sing around the Christmas tree. Christmas tree parties, a Danish and Norwegian festivity, were the delight of all of the children. Everyone would dance around the Christmas tree. They served hot chocolate and cakes and Christmas stockings were given to the children, who always came attired in their best clothes usually received as gifts at Christmas.
Family nights were held regularly. Chairs were put in a circle. The family would kneel and pray. Lessons were presented on the gospel. The children were always urged to attend Sunday School. At that time, the older members of the family attended Sacrament meeting. Saturday night was bath time. A big tub was placed in the center of the kitchen. The children were lined up by Father Saturday night and all of the shoes were shined. The children wore white starched dresses with colored bows and white shirts. Violin, piano and saxophone lessons were encouraged by the parents. Dancing lessons were provided for those interested.
Many trips to the park on the trolley with a nickel for lunch were enjoyed by the children. Their mainstay was potato salad carried in a glass jar. It was very difficult to make the choice as to how that nickel would be spent. Trips to Salt Aire on the trolley were more of a rarity.
Djalmar enjoyed a rich life, loving his children and enjoying the companionship of his wife. Many a midnight snack was enjoyed after the children were in bed. Danish pastries and Glaus goodies were treats for the twosome as they laughed and reminisced together.
Djalmar passed away on 11 July 1966 in a nursing home after a bout with cancer and several heart attacks. His eyesight failed him after he had had cataract operations on both eyes and an automobile accident jarred the eyes causing them to not heal properly.
(Submitted by Constance Irene Lund Neel, a daughter)