OPHEILA FARLEY SHAW Written by MADELEINE MARRIOTT HARROP, Opheila's Niece My mother is Mary Agnes Farley Marriott. Her eldest sister was Ophelia Farley Shaw. Aunt Ophelia was about the same height and stature as her mother. It seems that all of Mother's sisters resembled each other in some degree excepting Aunt Ophelia. Perhaps Aunt Ophelia resembled more her father's side of the family, the Farley line. Ophelia was married very young to Francis Shaw who as a young man was somewhat deaf. This condition became more serious until he was stone deaf. The deafness was a great handicap to him and to Aunt Ophelia, too. They had a large family but the rearing fell to Aunt Ophelia while her husband cared for the horses and did many manual chores to provide for the family. Aunt Ophelia was a most capable wife and mother. One night Ophelia sent for my mother, her sister Mary, to come and be with her when one of Ophelia's children was very ill. Mary was there when the child passed away. Aunt Ophelia did everything in her power to instill in her children a great desire to gain knowledge and achieve. Her eldest daughter, Olive Blackham, had three children, two boys and a daughter. Ollie's husband, took ill and died from pneumonia as I recall. Cousin Ollie found work teaching school and her mother cared for her children. This was a great responsibility. Ollie's children and grandchildren grew to be outstanding people in their professions. Although Aunt Ophelia lived on Washington Boulevard near 8th Street, just a few blocks walking distance from our family home on Porter Avenue near 12th Street, we didn't have the pleasure of her company often because of her heavy responsibilities. However, we heard loving things about her from our Mother and Aunts. It has been my pleasure to know several of her daughters and her two grandsons, attorney Sammy Blackham, and podiatrist, Ben Blackham. Many times after I was married, I took Aunt Ida Ferrin and Mother to Salt Lake City to have Dr. Blackham care for their feet. In later years, Mother was often visited by Oril Shaw Norseth and her husband Judge Parley Norseth and by Sammy Blackham and his wife Grace. Also Vida Shaw Wilcox and her husband Chet were very devoted to Mother. One son of Aunt Ophelia's was nicknamed Wick. Another daughter was Vera, who was my school teacher.