Queen Mary Jean Willie

1964's Queen of the May, Mary Jean Willie was crowned by her consort, Martin Peterson.

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Mendon Utah Logo

Mendon May Day— 1964Mendon May Queen, Mary Jean Willie (center).

Mendon May Day Celebration To Be Saturday May 2nd— Mary Jean Willie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mervyn Willie, has been chosen as queen to reign over the Mendon May Day celebration on Saturday, May 2nd. The Sunday school superintendency is making plans for this event. The traditional maypole dance will begin at 10:30 a.m. when twenty-eight little girls dressed in red and white will dance under the direction of Mozelle Sorensen assisted by Irene Bodily and Lorna Ladle. An interesting program will follow the crowning of the queen by her consort.

Mendon Slates Traditional May Day Fete— Members of the Mendon Sunday school superintendency, Ned J. Bodily, Owen Sorensen and Martin Anderson, have plans under way for the traditional May Day celebration, to be held this year on Saturday, May 2nd. At 10:30 a.m. Queen Mary Jean Willie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mervyn Willie, will be crowned by her consort Martin Peterson, son on Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Peterson. Her attendants and their partners are Tawna Bartlett, Robert Richards; Vicky Sorensen, Vaughn Buist; LaVerna Taylor, Jeffery Hiibner; Mary Muir, Michael Buist. Following the coronation, twenty-eight little girls dressed in green and white will dance the maypole under the direction of Mozelle Sorensen, Lorna Ladle and Irene Bodily. An interesting program will follow. In the afternoon sports will be sponsored by Mendon City officials.

May Day Fete At Mendon Saturday, Events Listed— Ross Shelton, former resident of Mendon and now of Sunset, Utah, will be the speaker at Mendon’s May Day celebration on Saturday, May 2nd, an 10:30 a.m. Mr. Shelton is the son of Verl Shelton. May Queen Mary Jean Willie will be crowned by her consort, Martin Peterson. Her flower girl is Jolene Bodily, three year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ned J. Bodily, and the crown bearer is Mary Jean’s little brother Dean. The queen’s attendants and their partners are Tawna Bartlett and Robert Richards, Vicky Sorensen and Vaughn Buist, LaVerna Taylor and Jeffery Hiibner, Mary Muir and Michael Buist. Following the coronation, twenty-eight little girls dressed in pink and green will dance the maypole. An interesting program will follow in the schoolhouse. Wade Christiansen’s family from Banida, Idaho, will entertain with music and songs. Lora Lee, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Hardman, Logan, will play the cello, and Fern Buist will give a reading. A children’s dance will be held at 2:00 p.m. There will be afternoon sports with races for everyone. Floyd Israelsen of Young Ward will be there with his ponies for the children to ride. There will be concession booths. There will be softball games between Benson and Mendon, and between fathers and sons. Mendon Orchestra will play for the big dance in the evening. Everyone in the valley is invited to join in the celebration. Picture Caption: Mendon’s May Queen is Mary Jean Willie, center. Her attendants are LaVerna Taylor, Vicky Sorensen, Tawna Bartlett and Mary Muir. The annual celebration will be held this Saturday, May 2nd, on the town square beginning at 10:30 a.m.Mary Jean Willie and her May Day Court.
Picture Caption: Mendon May Day court includes little flower girl and crown bearer, Jolene Bodily and Dean Willie; May Queen Mary Jean Willie, center, and attendants LaVerna Taylor, Robert Richards, Vicky Sorensen, Martin Peterson, Tawna Bartlett, Michael Buist, Mary Muir. Absent for the picture were Vaughn Buist, Jeffery Hiibner. Celebration is Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

Picture Caption: Mendon May Day— May Day in Mendon tomorrow will find tiny Jolene Bodily and Dean Willie as flower girl and crown bearer in the court of May Queen Mary Jean Willie. The crowning of the queen will be held at 10:30 a.m. on the town square. This will be followed by the dancing of the maypole, a program, and in the afternoon a children’s dance and games. There will be a dance at 9:00 p.m. in the schoolhouse to conclude the celebration.

Printed May Day Program: Mendon May Day, May 2nd, 1964, 10:30 a.m. On the village green the crowning of the queen. Queen’s Court: May Queen, Mary Jean Willie; Consort, Martin Peterson; Flower Girl, Jolene Bodily; Crown Bearer, Dean Willie. Attendants with their Partners: Tawna Bartlett with Robert Richards; Vicky Sorensen with Vaughn Buist; LaVerna Taylor with Jeffery Hiibner; Mary Muir with Michael Buist. Maypole Dance Instructors: Irene Bodily and Lorna Ladle. Maypole Dance Accompanist: Mozelle Sorensen. The 28 Maypole Dancers for 1964—

1964 May Pole Dancers
Debera Larsen Carolyn Barrett Deborah Bartlett Karine Ladle
Janet Larsen Tamara Gittens  LaJan Richards  Susanne Jensen
Melanie Sorensen Marsha Leishman Becky Yonk Cindy Larsen
Doreen Sorensen Susan Hulme  Loryn Baker  Brenda Hardman
Gloria Richards Jean Sorensen Janette Kidman Shelley Maurer
Karen Hiibner Linda Sorensen Wendy Edlund  LuAnn Baker
Koya Baker Kathy Maurer Diane Humphreys Angela Cheney

                                        
Program in the School Auditorium: Featured speaker, Ross Shelton. Afternoon Activities: Ball Games— Little League; girls; men vs. boys. Horse Rides. Concessions. Dances— Children’s Dance at 2:00 p.m.; Adult Evening Dance at 9:00 p.m. Thank You and Notes: Prepared In Honor Of: Those who’ve gone before, who began our May Day celebration. T. Kay Sorensen: whose vitality in song has become the standard of the present in reaching the deepening past. Ellen Ladle: whose love of the folk music and years of service, has built a tradition in the hearts of Mendon. Mozelle Sorensen: whose dedication to teaching has extended the nearly unwritten past to the ever-rising youth of the present… [All of 1964’s May Day activities were held in the auditorium of the 1935 yellow brick schoolhouse due to the poor weather with snow.]

May Day— A large crowd attended the May Day celebration, Saturday, despite the snow and rain. The crowning of the Queen, Mary Jean Willie, by her consort, Martin Peterson and the maypole dance was held in the school gym. Singing of the May Day songs led by chorister, Mira Baker with Mozelle Sorensen at the piano. The maypole dance was beautifully done by the twenty-eight girls in their pink and green dresses and streamers. Superintendent Ned J. Bodily was master of ceremonies. Wade Christensen and family of Banida, Idaho entertained with music and songs. Fern Buist gave a reading. Lora Lee Hardman, accompanied by Sherry Bucher played a cello solo. Ross Shelton was the featured speaker. Remarks by Bishop Fred Sorensen. The children enjoyed dancing in the afternoon. No afternoon sports on account of the weather. A large crowd attended the May Day dance at night with the Mendon Orchestra in attendance.