Ancestral File Number: 7PJ7-K7
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE LIFE OF AUSTIN GUDMUNDSEN

(An open letter to the members of the Inglewood Stake, written in 1980 by
Austin and Myrl.)

Austin Gudmundsen was born to Lettie Austin Gudmundsen and Abraham Gudmundsen
on
March 22, 1898 in Lehi, Utah. He grew to be a studious boy and worked hard to
get an
education. As a teenager he was Assistant to the Chemist in the Lehi Sugar
Factory, helping to further his college education. He attended the University
of Utah, the California Institute of Technology at Pasadena, and received his
Master's Degree from Carnegie Instituteof Technology, at Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania.

Austin married Myrl Goodwin ofLehi, Utah, September 16, 1921 in the Salt Lake
Temple, and were later blessedwith four children: Richard Austin, Lois (died
as a child) , Stanley Edwin,and Ruth. They are grandparents of thirteen, and
great-grandparents of two. (as of 1980)

When working for the City of Salt Lake, Austin was assigned to the City
Engineering
Department, but later accepted a position as instructor in the engineering
department at the University of Utah. Here he taught for seven years. Austin
was active in the church, serving as counselor to Brother Marion G. Romney in
the 33rd Ward Sunday School Presidency.

In 1929 he (Austin) moved with his family to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he
did research atthe United States Bureau of Mines in connection with the
Carnegie institute.Upon our arrival in Pittsburgh, we located the church
(chapel) and found itbeing reorganized by President Heber J. Grant.
President Grant tapped Austinon the shoulder and said, "We want you to be
Branch President". We were strangers and knew President Grant only as
President of the Church. This was a real challenge (meaning performing
research and being Branch President), but theProphet, in setting him apart,
promised Austin great success with his studies,which proved to be true and of
great value.

(Scott A. Gudmundsen Note: Myrl told me that when President Grant told Austin
that he wanted him as Branch President, that they had said, "But President,
they don't even know us here!"To this, President Grant replied, "But the
Lord knows you." It should also benoted that some missionaries asked
President Grant for permission to take a photograph of him. He replied in the
affirmative, and then touching Richard Gudmundsen, a child of Austin's, on the
shoulder, said, "If this little boy canbe in the picture too!" This
photograph is a treasured item in the Gudmundsenfamily.)

In 1931, Austin accepted a position with A.O. Smith Corporation inMilwaukee,
Wisconsin, as a research and development engineer. This was our home for the
next sixteen years. While in Milwaukee he was President of the Branch until
the mission was organized into a stake by President Heber J. Grant,at the
conference in Chicago. President Grant ordained Austin as Bishop of the
Milwaukee Ward, and instructed him to always remember that he (Austin) wasthe
first Bishop to be ordained in the state of Illinois since the exodus of the
saints.

Later on, Austin accepted a position with McCullough Motors Corporation and
moved with the company to their new home in California. We settled in
Inglewood, and after only a few months Austin was made a counselor to
President Barlow, serving for more than a year and a half. A division was
madein the stake. Austin was set apart as President of the Inglewood Stake
by Brother Spencer W. Kimball. His counselors were Brother Lloyd Presturch
and Brother William Wooley. Later another division was made. Austin chose
Ralph Chalker and Robert Smith as his counselors. These were wonderful years,
full of development and progress.

When Austin was released, instead of moving to LakeHavesu, Arizona, we moved
to Leisure World in Laguna Hills. It proved to be avery happy venture.
Austin and I were set apar

1. 2. Richard Austin GUDMUNDSEN  
2. 3. GUDMUNDSEN  
3. 4. GUDMUNDSEN  
4. 5. Lois GUDMUNDSEN   b. 28 Mar 1926, Salt Lake City,Salt L,Ut; d. 14 Feb 1929.

Ancestral File Number: 7X5W-1K

Ancestral File Number: 7X5W-2Q

Ancestral File Number: 7X5W-0D