Senior Citizen Spotlight

Kristine is the daughter of L. Keith Johanson and Grace Lythgoe Johanson. John is the son of John J. Sommers and Lucille Bates Sommers. Kristine is Morgan born and raised where her only venture outside of Morgan County was a year and a half in Superior, Nebraska where John began his career after graduating from the University of Utah. John lived in Devil’s Slide from a newborn until about 18 months old when his father John J. Sommers was transferred from the Devil’s Slide Plant of Ideal Cement Company to the plant in Trident, Montana. John lived there for a year and a half until just after he turned 14 when his father was again transferred back to the Devil’s Slide Plant. Both Kris and John graduated from Morgan High School (“Go Trojans!”).

About a year after John returned from a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the East Central States Mission (Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia), Kris was spending the day with John’s sister and when they came to the house, a relationship started that has lasted over 53 years (51+ of them married). Kris and John were married in June of 1972 in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After that, they packed up their belongings and moved to the small town of Superior, Nebraska where John began his career in the cement industry. Their family began in 1974 with the birth of their first child, Shari Sommers Carter. The family continued to grow with three boys – John K., Cameron S., and Barry L., then their youngest, a daughter, Shannon. The five children then grew into a family of 30 with 16 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Now, two of the grandkids are married. 

John worked in the cement industry from graduation from college (actually working there as a summer employee for three summers prior) for over 41 years before his retirement in June 2013. Kris was mainly a very involved mother whose jobs included being the first PTA President of the middle school. She also started a dance instruction program that she taught for eight years. Both Kris and John have been active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many capacities in five different congregations and four different buildings all while residing in the house purchased in 1976. When their children were growing up, John enjoyed coaching them in soccer, baseball, and basketball. He also attended Scout Camp for nine years and with an assignment on the Stake High Council, attended Girl’s Camp for five years.

Kris and her sister Jennifer (Johanson) George started a business of silk flower arranging called Never-Wilt Plants. Kris also designed a laundry bag that she patented and sold for over 20 years in her business called M.O.M. & Company (Mothers of Missionaries). She has also written several songs and has her own YouTube Channel (Kristine Sommers Music) that features some of those songs.

Kris and John have traveled to many places at home and abroad during their lives. They have been to Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, and Canada. John has been to every state in the USA except seven all while maintaining the best trips have been to Yellowstone and the Tetons. They began taking two grandchildren a year for the “Yellowstone Trip” and continue to do so, with only three trips left to get all 16 grandchildren some very special alone time with Grandma and Grandpa.

One of the highlights of their lives was the opportunity to be involved in an international cement industry conference. When the new plant at Devil’s Slide was complete, this conference met in Salt Lake City and John was asked to be the Local Chair of that conference. Kris was so gracious to accept the role of Chair of the Spouse Program and between them produced the premier conference for that organization. They continued their involvement with the conference for 18 years with John ending up on the Executive Committee and Kris enjoying the trips all around the country. They spent many hours on the road traveling to Pullman, Washington to see their daughters Shannon and Shari and family there and then went the opposite direction to see their son and his family in Ramona, California. They were so happy a little over five years ago when they all moved back to Utah.

“We love living in Morgan and comment almost every time we enter Weber Canyon that it is so nice to be going to our lovely home in Morgan and getting away from all the ‘stuff’ down below. The views are tremendous and we never tire of them,” said the Sommers. “The people in Morgan are wonderful and the pace of life is one we love. In our minds, there is no other place we would like to live than in Morgan.”