President

Religious Educator for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

I have always had a deep desire to give back to my community. Growing up in Shelley and attending Shelley High School, I developed a strong affection for eastern Idaho and its rich heritage. The homestead, in particular, has always been close to my heart. I dearly love the Winston family, who started the homestead, and I feel a special responsibility to help carry on their legacy. For me, serving on the board is not just about preserving buildings, but about honoring the people, stories, and values that shaped this community.

I worked as a wildlife ecologist for five years before transitioning into full-time religious education. I hold both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology, and I bring a scientific background, a love of teaching, and experience in nonprofit leadership to the board. Beyond my career, I helped found Builders of Hope International, a nonprofit that travels to Mexico to build homes for impoverished families in communities south of Ensenada MX. These experiences have strengthened my passion for service.

I strive to bring organization, honesty, loyalty, and a vision for the long-term future of the homestead. I see the homestead not only as a piece of history but as a living space where community, heritage, and education can thrive together. I am energized by the opportunity to work with generous and talented community members who give so much of themselves, and I hope to build bridges that ensure the homestead continues to inspire future generations.

I am utterly obsessed with animals! My two wonderful little goats live at the Homestead and never fail to make visitors smile. You’re always welcome to stop by and meet them. Beyond that, I love spending time outdoors, caring for animals, and finding joy in small, meaningful moments. A favorite quote that guides me is, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Vice President

I attended Utah State University, where I was honored to make the honor roll. I have been married to my husband, Reed, for 52 years. Together, we raised four children and are now blessed with 15 wonderful grandchildren. For much of my career, I sewed custom wedding dresses and formal attire, as well as provided alterations, and I also owned and operated a house cleaning service for 30 years.

I was inspired to serve on the Snake River Historical Homestead Board because of my love for community, family heritage, and preserving the stories and traditions that connect generations. I believe in maintaining our history for the benefit of both current and future generations.

My professional background includes entrepreneurship, creativity, and leadership. Running my own businesses taught me the value of hard work, organization, and dedication—skills I now enjoy using in community and nonprofit work.

I bring to the board both community connections and leadership experience. I have served in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a Relief Society President, in Young Women’s and Primary presidencies, and as a member of the Stake Relief Society Presidency. I also serve in the community as President of the North Bingham County Camp of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, where I have also held the position of Historian. I recently completed a two-year term as President of the Friends of the North Bingham County Library.

Something personal about me is that I love working with others to strengthen our community and preserve our history. Faith, family, and service are central to who I am, and I’m grateful for the chance to bring those values into my work with the Snake River Historical Homestead Board.

Treasurer

I am Lynn Williams, and my most treasured role is being a wife and mother. My husband, David, and I have been married for nearly 50 years, and together we’ve raised 10 wonderful children. Our family has grown to include 10 children-in-law and 40 grandchildren (and counting!), which fills my life with joy. Alongside raising a family, I’ve been a homeschool educator for over 40 years, and I also direct and teach multiple choirs.

I became involved with the Snake River Historical Homestead Board because of my daughter, Anna Williams, who invited me to participate. I was happy to help, and I’ve grown to love the mission of preserving history, strengthening community, and creating opportunities for families to connect.

My professional and personal background is deeply rooted in education, organization, and service. Running a large household and homeschooling for decades taught me how to manage time, create order, and adapt with flexibility. Directing choirs has given me leadership and teaching experience, as well as the joy of building community through music.

I bring to the board a perspective shaped by family life, faith, and community service. I’ve served faithfully in various church callings over the years and have been involved in humanitarian projects that have enabled me to give back in meaningful ways. I’m a go-getter and enjoy staying active and engaged with those around me.

Something personal about me is that I truly love life. My family, music, and opportunities to serve bring me happiness every day. I value family, service, and community, and I look forward to contributing those values to the Snake River Historical Homestead Board.

Secretary 

Horticulture Aide, University of Idaho, Bonneville County Extension

Treasurer, Cedar Point Camp, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers

I first visited the park as a parent chaperone for my daughter’s 4th-grade Idaho history field trip.  I have always loved history and grew up in a place that embraced a rich heritage.  I instantly fell in love with the park and knew I wanted to be a part of whatever was happening there!

I briefly taught family consumer sciences in high school.  I now work in horticulture, where I get to play with plants and bugs all day- which I love!  I assist with the Master Gardener program in Bonneville County and across the state.  I also spend some of my time on marketing, advertising, website design, curriculum development, volunteer training and enrichment, secretarial work, teaching, and many other activities.

I have a deep love for pioneer and local history as well as a passion for serving my community, especially teaching young minds. Currently, one of my favorite quotes, 

“More grows in the garden than the gardener knows he has planted.” Old Spanish Proverb

Project Manager

I jokingly refer to myself as retired, I am anything but. Before volunteering at the park, I served on the Shelley Supporters of the Arts, where I was a founding member and held the position of Secretary on the board. I currently serve on the Shelley Kiwanis Annual Spud Day Committee, where I am responsible for organizing the Chalk Walk each year, and on the board of the Snake River Historical Homestead. Here on the Homestead, I am the Missionary Service Coordinator and the Project Manager

I started out helping a few days a week in 2024 on the Homestead, teaching the missionaries how to work with leather and burn designs into wood. I started coming to the Homestead every day, where I fell increasingly in love with the people, the property, and its history. I was asked to stay and be on the board as the property changed hands to the North End Recreational District. I found myself wanting to bring to fruition the full potential of this park.

Ever since my first job, I have always held positions that put me front and center among the people.  I was always taught to do a job and do it right. My first job began at the age of 16, when I worked as a busser at a local sit-down restaurant. Six years later, I became the General Manager, where I knew how to run every station in the building. Two years later, I moved on to the local phone company. I started there as a sales agent answering inbound calls. They put me through school, where I studied business and marketing. I held several positions there, including Training SME and DSL/DIRECTV SME, and devised contests and promotions to boost employee morale. During this time, I also served as a CWA Union Steward. I then became a Local Area Manager, in charge of small business recruitment, residential retention and growth, and general PR for all of Bingham County.

One of the benefits of my prior employment history and community service is the people I’ve met and the connections I’ve made. I am of the mindset that two heads are better than one, and three heads are better than two.  

I have this favorite quote I like to use at the end of all my emails, and is even displayed in my home: “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget the way you make them feel.” ~ Carl W. Buehner. The motto I try to live by is to always do the right thing, even when it might be the hardest thing. Doing what is right is not the easiest, but it is the right choice nonetheless. I want others to remember me by the morals and ethics that guide me on this journey called life.

Event Manager

I have an associate’s degree in journalism and a bachelor’s degree in education with a minor in journalism. I have worked in public relations and print media. As a result, I value preserving history and enriching future generations. My media writing experience enables me to effectively convey the mission of the homestead and share what it has to offer families and the surrounding communities.

I am a wife and the mother of six children, four of whom are adults. I hold tightly to traditions that build unity and character. I know the ins and outs of juggling many facets, especially as we have homeschooled for 10 years.  I also started a business more than 15 years ago. My “brain children” were born, and I have had thousands of sales. I designed my brand and continue to manage and create all the things that come with an online business. 

I love to create. This is a quality I recognize from my Divine Creator. I love to see my creations flourish and bring joy to others. I have three sewing machines, two sergers, and two embroidery machines that are front and center in this cherished creation process. I also have two ovens that bake my kitchen creations to tempt tummies and tantalize taste buds. scription

Sons of the Utah Pioneers

Jeff Hayes, retired UPS driver.  Presently, a member of the Eagle Rock Chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneers.

The Snake River Homestead Park already has historical monuments that have been donated by local chapters of the SUP, of which I have been a member for the past eight years. Seeing the park, I realized that its success can help our local chapters fulfill our mission of preserving history for generations to come. 

I have a high school education and have taken some general courses in junior college.
I served four years in the United States Marine Corps as a track vehicle and tank turret repairman. After my time of service, I worked as a forklift mechanic and later in the parts department of an M. H. Equipment until I was laid off due to a major recession. I have occasionally worked in the financial services industry. Later, I worked for a family member on an exotic bird farm for several years in Anaheim, CA.

I got a part-time job with UPS as a loader and went on to being a full-time delivery driver, and eventually a semi driver. I spent a total of 28 years there, where I experienced a lot of interaction with customers and businesses, and retired in 2016.
Over the years,s I have served in many callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including Priesthood presidencies. I have also served as a board member and president of the Eagle Rock Chapter of the SUP.

My hope as a member of the Park board is to use my life experiences to enhance further the park's appeal to the public and children, and to preserve the history of our local community. Allowing people to get a sense and appreciation of what life was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I also feel it is important to gather volunteers to accomplish this mission. Community involvement will develop and preserve the character of this local area.

I am actively developing a garden using natural soil-enhancement techniques. This year, I doubled the size of my garden.

Sons of the Utah Pioneers

I’m a retired Education IT professional and a proud member of the Sons of Utah Pioneers (SUP). I joined the Snake River Homestead Board because I genuinely wanted to serve, and because I saw an opportunity to build a symbiotic relationship that could benefit both the Park and our SUP chapter. It felt like the right place to put my time, energy, and experience.

If I had to sum up what I bring to the board, I’d say it’s ideas, plain and simple. After a lifetime of work, service, and a few unpaved roads along the way, I’ve learned to see things from different angles and offer perspectives that help move projects forward. I enjoy contributing wherever I can and being part of something meaningful for the community.

This quote from Will Rogers pretty much sums me up (except I don't golf): 

First-  Eventually you reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.

Second-  The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting for.

Third-  Some people try to turn back odometers.   Not me, I want people to know “why” I look this way.   I’ve traveled a long way and some of the roads weren’t paved.

Fourth-  When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think Algebra.

Fifth-  You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.

Sixth-  I don’t know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.

Seventh-  One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.

Eighth-  One must wait until the evening to see how splendid the day has been.

Ninth-  Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.

Tenth-  Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft.   Today it’s called golf.

Garden Specialist

I grew up on farms here in this area. My parents kept dairy cows throughout my youth and raised potatoes on our 70-acre farm. I later studied Art Illustration at Utah State University, and I’ve devoted my life to creative expression as a visual artist.

I’m also the steward of 15 acres of land that, through years of vision and work, is now filled with a wide variety of fruit trees, apple, pear, peach, cherry, apricot, and plum, as well as many evergreens and deciduous trees. Each year I raise a large garden, and I especially love experimenting with new varieties of fruits and vegetables like cantaloupe, celery, watermelon, corn, beans, peas, kale, and spinach.

For 25 years I served as a scout leader in the Boy Scouts of America. I’ve always felt a deep ability to connect with youth and to see the good in those I mentor.

I simply love to grow things. Even now, at age 75, I feel a strong desire to stay involved in nurturing growth, whether in the soil, in a community, or in the lives of the people around me.

Garden Specialist

As a youth, I spent my days tending a variety of farm animals and fur-bearing animals, cows, pigs, sheep, horses, goats, and mink. Those early experiences instilled in me a deep love for the outdoors and for farm life.

I earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and later a master’s degree in Educational Psychology, driven by my desire to teach and help people. From 1978 to 1984, I worked in Utah school districts as a teacher, athletic coach, and counselor. I also served a proselytizing mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1974 to 1976.

I am married and the mother of five children. Together with my husband and family, I have helped maintain a small 70-acre farm where we grow grain and alfalfa and raise sheep.

I have years of experience growing large gardens, maintaining them, harvesting the produce, and preserving it. I’ve continued my education as a trauma resolution coach and work as a substitute teacher. Now, at age 72, I’m especially interested in volunteering in meaningful ways that strengthen our community.