Grandmother's Maids - Mina

Mina
I'm sorry this detail is so blurry.  I had trouble finding photos of her.

For many years, (like half a century, I think) a wonderful woman named Mina Mørch was a maid for my Bestemor.  A fixture in the Strand household, I got the impression she loved my Bestemor dearly and looked up to her.  She never called Bestemor Søster Strand or Fru Strand or even Sigrid, it was always “Strand”.  Mina was a diminutive lady with a quiet dignity.  Her wrinkled face had once been quite pretty.  She often asked Bestefar for advice and for priesthood blessings.  I know she worked very hard all her life, yet was faithful in paying her tithes and offerings and attending church.

Mina’s husband was an alcoholic and a ne’er do well kind of guy.  Together they had 16 children – all single births!  Mina kept her 16 children clothed and fed by taking in washing and ironing and working for my grandmother and probably others.  Mina was also one of my grandmother’s best friends.  Bestemor once asked Mina why she had so many children when her husband was such a scoundrel.  “He’s my husband, Strand” was all Mina answered. 

Mina was a woman of great faith in God.  From her 16 children, the Lord raised up the first Stake President of the Oslo, Norway Stake, and it’s first patriarch.

There’s a funny story about Mina’s husband (which may or may not be apocryphal!).  One night he was in charge of getting the children to bed, as Mina was working late.  They had a tiny apartment and the children slept on sofas and pallets all over the place.  When Mina got home, she asked how everything had gone.  “Not bad,” her husband replied.  “Except for this one here.”  He pointed to a youngster sound asleep nearby.  “He gave me a devil of a time.”

“Well, no wonder,” answered Mina, “he’s not one of ours.”

Mina was thrilled when I was born, as I was born on her birthday, the 18^th of October.  She considered it quite an honor that one of Strand’s grandchildren was born on her birthday.

This sweet woman worked her fingers to the bone until she was quite elderly.  Then, her oldest children took over and finally provided her with a better life.  Mina had always longed to see Salt Lake City.  The kids all chipped in when Mina turned 70 years old and sent their mom on a trip to Zion.  She was thrilled beyond speech.

Our whole family drove up to Salt Lake City during her stay to spend some time with her there.  I was so thankful that this wonderful lady got a chance to realize her dream before she passed from this life.  It was the last time I saw her alive.  I loved her a lot.


Mina, Anne-Berit, Marianne and Jay at the "This Is The Place" Monument outside of Salt Lake City, Utah, circa 1967