Charles Albert Binkerd (Bert): Nedra's Memories

by Nedra McFarlane (Binkerd)

          Charles Albert Binkerd was born March 31, 1895.   Everyone called him "Bert."  In his adult years, he had black curly hair and had side burns.  While he worked in Park City, Utah, he was called "Bozo."

          His parents were Charles William Binkerd and Jennie Jane Jones Binkerd.     At the time of Bert's birth, his parents were living in Dorsey, Nebraska.  His brother Robert Cady Binkerd was born September 17, 1897.  There was no friendly relationship between the two boys in the earlier years but later on, feelings changed for the better.

          The family came to Utah from Nebraska for more work when Bert was about nine years old.  They came west in a wagon (but didn't consider themselves a pioneer).  They were farmers but were looking for any kind of work.

          Bert had a close relationship with his father.  Bert also had beautiful penmanship.

          Charles William was a very pleasant man.  When it came to punishing the child, he believed it was better right after the act and not hours later.  

          The marriage of Charles William and Jennie wasn't unhappy even though she was always gone.  She worked quite a bit in the pharmacy.  Jennie didn't seem to think of the family or want them to think of the family when other people’s needs were involved.  Bert helped financially by giving money to his mother.

          Bert lived with the Grey family (in Park City, Utah).  They accepted him as part of their family.  They belonged to the  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and he attended church with them.  As a result of their religious faith and example, he always had a blessing on the food.

          His father was glad that they accepted Bert so well.  Bert never felt neglected by his father.  Charles William would come and visit him and help the Grey family out in any way that he could.

          Charles William got ill.  It was thought it was caused by the mines.  Bert moved to Salt Lakewhen his father became critically ill to help out.  Charles William died March 30, 1927.  It was on Bert’s birthday.  Bert took over his father's job after Charles died at Utah Power and Light when he came back.

          Bert graduated from the eighth grade in Park City.  He attended night school at West High Schoolin Salt Lake City, Utah.  He had 10 months left to get his diploma when he died.

          At the U.S. smelter, he rented books cheaply.  He got three books for $1.00.  When the books were returned in good condition, he got .75 back.

Bert worked for the teamsters for two years while he was in Park City.  Being a teamster entailed that he was sometimes to drive a wagon that had horses hooked to it down the steep canyon to deliver goods.  One time while doing this, the horses were spooked and Bert ended up being thrown into a tree and receiving a head injury. 

When he was 17 years old he joined the army.  He was baptized into the Presbyterian church while serving in Washington.  He only did it for a girlfriend and he never attended  the services.  He secretively would have liked to have been a fireman.

Bert is on second row, first soldier on left (sitting sideways)
This picture was taken in France

          Edna and Nedra McFarlane met Jennie Binkerd at the drug store.  Jennie was upset that a rumor was going around that Bert took advantage of a girl.  Jennie asked the girl if the rumor was true.  She denied it.  She said he was a perfect gentleman.  Another guy had asked her out but she was repulsed by him so he spread the rumor.   It was here that Jennie introduced Bert to Nedra.  Bert knew how to treat a lady.  He also did a lot of teasing.  He wanted to go out every night but she wouldn't.  She would go out with him every Wednesday and Sunday.  That made him respect her more.

         

          Bert and Nedra went together for four years.  Nedra's family accepted him real good.  They thought a lot of Bert.

          He called her "Sis" because if he ever had a sister, he would want her to be like Nedra.

          Religion never affected their dating.  He respected her religion very much.  He always went to Sunday School with her. He was always a gentleman. 

          Whenever he was sick, he would ask to be administered to by the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  He also believed in eternal life very strongly.  When Ardendied on September 25, 1937, a fellow said that they wouldn't have their son in the next world.  Bert stood up, pounded his fist and said, "By gosh, he is our baby and no one else is going to claim him."

          If he had lived long enough, Nedra felt that he would have been converted to the L.D.S. faith.  He had been reading the Book of Mormon secretly and believed what he had read.  He didn't want to be criticized so that is another reason he read it in secret.  He called it also a history.  He was humble when reading the Book of Mormon.  Once Nedra realized this, she didn't pressure him but let him go at his own speed.  She was thrilled that he was interested.

          They were scared to death to get married.  They were married November 16, 1934.  Nedra was 27 and Bert was 37 years old.  The marriage ceremony was 468 Redondo Ave at their parents home.  It was on her brother's A.W. McFarlane's birthday.  They had two ceremonies.  Nedra wanted to be married by a L.D.S. bishop whose name was Clarence Shank.  Bert wanted to be married by the Reverend Elmer Goshen.  (Bishop Shank blessed Ray because of his poor health).  They had eight or nine years of a very happy marriage.

          Bert and Nedra had three children.  They were:

                 Raymond William Binkerd (born  November 7, 1935)

                 Frank Binkerd (born December 2, 1939)

                 Arden Wayne Binkerd (born September 20, 1937)

                            died September 25, 1937

         

Bert stood up for the family.   He never let anyone insult or embarrass his wife or family.  One time he got into a fight because of this.

          Nedra called him "Tiny" because of his size.  He was 6'3" and weighed 230 pounds.  He carried it well.  His normal weight was about 200 pounds.

          Ray has the same built as Bert  Chuck has some of the same mannerism also as Bert.  One of those mannerisms  is biting his lip.  Scott teases like Bert.  He can do it with a straight face. (There were many times that Nedra would watch her sons and grandsons and felt as if she were looking at her husband again).  Bert liked to hug a lot.

          When Frank would pout, Bert would ask if dad could sit on his porch.  This would make Frank laugh.

          He disciplined the children and loved his family very much.  They came before anything else.

          Bert picked up the trait of helping the underdog.  It was secretively done at time. Ray and Frank picked up this trait.

          Neighbors respected the whole family.  The family was rich in family and friends.  The kids were taught that the family ate together.

          Bert and Nedra thought that children were important and it was the parents duty to answer the children's questions no matter how small.  It was important to the child and if they didn't get the answer from the parents, then they might get a wrong answer somewhere else.

          Bert and Nedra tried to never argue in front of the children.

          Nedra had an inferiority complex but Bert loved her so much that he made her come out of it.  He would say that she was a good cook, good housekeeper, wife, etc. and that "no one  was better than you."  He always gave compliments.

          Bert was a gardener.  He loved to work with flowers.  When they first moved to Eighth East in Salt Lake, the first thing that went in was a garden.

          At work, he was eating lunch when a fellow worker meant to throw a monkey wrench into the lunch box.  A gust of wind blew it and it hit Bert behind the ear.  That night he had a severe headache.

         

          The next day before he went to work, he gave Nedra an extra big hug and kiss.  By 3:30 p.m. he was in the hospital.  He wasn't feeling well so he decided to come home from work.  He became disoriented on the bus and collapsed on the street. 

          When he was taken to the hospital and his head was shaven and x-rayed, they found cancer of the brain.

          The doctor, at that time, thought that when he was hit by the monkey wrench, it activated the cancer that may have been caused by an earlier accident in his life.

          Nedra didn't blame the fellow who threw the monkey wrench.  The thing that she felt bad about was that the guy committed suicide because of guilt.

         

          Harriet Dunn (Nedra's mother) died a year before Bert on june 14, 1943.  Six hours before Bert went into a coma and died, he told Nedra that he was going to see her mother and Arden before she would.

          Bert died June 2, 1944 in Salt Lake City, Utah after six weeks of illness.

          Bert was a companion to his boys.  Ray was eight years old  when Bert died.  Ray was extremely close to his dad and took the death extremely hard.  He withdrew into himself at that time.  Ray in later years remembers his dad as a big man who had a sun tan complexion.  He doesn't recall anything negative about his father.  He remembers his father as calm and as someone who enjoyed gardening and working with his hands.

  Frank was five years old.  He also took the death hard. He really missed his dad. Bert was a companion to his boys.  Nedra has sick spells.  Frank lived with Edna McVey (aunt).  Ray lived with family members and eventually ended up at St. Anne's orphanage for awhile til Nedra got back on her feet.

         

          Years after Bert had died (around February 1969), Nedra was in the Salt Lake Temple.  She felt Bert sitting next to her.  She then heard his voice say to her "good work is being done."  The next day or so, Jack Binkerd (nephew) called and said he had everything ready for the Temple work to be done.

         

(Nedra McFarlane Binkerd told this life story to Toni Binkerd about 1977.  The whereabouts of the original copy is unknown.  Hopefully I understood my notes taken that day accurately (after such a long time) so that we may have this second copy of  this life history.)