Audrey Godfrey

Audrey Ann Montgomery Godfrey said in her 1953 Weber High School graduation talk, “No man stands alone.” As she grew older, she would add the words “no woman stands alone either.” Throughout her long life, she, at the right time and in the right ways, championed women’s rights and made sure that they were never forgotten. Born March 1, 1935 in Ogden, Utah, Audrey, the daughter of William Floyd Montgomery and Adrianna Van Zweden, loved barns, wildflowers, working in her father’s cherry orchard, and good books. Early in life, she learned that fine prose flowed from her pen and while still in grammar school won a Daughters of the Utah Pioneers writers contest, later serving as editor of the Weber High School student newspaper. She also wrote a monthly column focused on Weber County history which was published in the Ogden Standard Examiner. Just last year, 2021, she received the Sons of the Utah Pioneers “Modern Pioneer Award” from the Temple Fork chapter.

Blessed to come from a large family of achievers, her siblings included sisters Rosemary (Max) Jones, Sylvia (Lamont) Hunt, Laurie (Don) Evans, and brothers James, Robert (Jelean), and Michael (Dianne) Montgomery. The Montgomerys came from English, Scottish, Danish, and Dutch stock and operated an orchard in North Ogden on land homesteaded by her pioneer family.

Graduating from Weber High School in May of 1953, Audrey enrolled in Weber College where she received scholarships which were augmented by the pay she received working as a telephone operator and retail sales clerk. After winning a KSL scholarship, she enrolled at Utah State University where she served as manager of the school’s radio station and as a features writer for the Aggie student newspaper. While attending Utah State University, she met and married Kenneth W. Godfrey, the son of a Cache County farmer. They were married on September 17, 1956 in the Logan L.D.S. Temple. Audrey was the mother of five children: Ted K. Godfrey (Angie) of Ogden, Utah, David W. Godfrey (Emily) of North Ogden, Kathleen Godfrey of Marina, California, W. James Godfrey (Diane) of Cedar Hills, Utah, and Matthew C. Godfrey (Carrie) of Layton, Utah. She counted sixteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

After her children were grown, she enrolled in Utah State University’s graduate school and earned a master’s degree in history. A member of the Mormon History Association, she won awards for articles published in the Utah Historical Quarterly, The Arizona and the West Journal, The Salt Lake Tribune. Her studies of the Utah War included her article “Housewives, Hussies, and Heroines: The Women of Johnston’s Army” which won the Utah Historical Quarterly best title award.

Active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Audrey served as a Primary president, as a Young Women’s leader, and in a Relief Society presidency in the Logan East Stake. She and her husband authored the History of the Logan East Stake, Women’s Voices: An Untold History of the Latter-Day Saints, and other books as well. She conducted history tours of Latter-day Saint Historical sites and traveled to England, Denmark, Egypt, Palestine, and Norway. Moreover, she taught at the Nauvoo, Illinois Joseph Smith Academy, served missions in Salt Lake City, was a temple officiator, and contributed to the book By Study and Also By Faith, a history of the L.D.S. Church’s Seminaries and Institutes. In addition, the small volume Our Heritage knew the point of her pen.

Audrey passed peacefully on July 2, 2022 at her home in Logan, Utah. She will be remembered as a loving, caring wife, mother and grandmother who was cheerful, kind, thoughtful and stood up for her beliefs. A viewing will be held in the Lundstrom Park First Ward Chapel (1260 N. 1600 E.) on Saturday, July 9, 2022 at 9:00, with funeral services afterwards at 11:00. Internment will be in the Logan City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family urges contributions to the USU History Department: Dan McInerney Scholarship in her honor. We also wish to thank Intermountain Homecare and Hospice and Aegis Home Health Care for the care they provided to Audrey. Funeral arrangements by Allen-Hall Mortuary. www.allenmortuaries.com

The funeral will be livestreamed and can be accessed by clicking on the following link:
CLICK HERE FOR THE LIVESTREAM LINK