After Josie died Andrew lived all alone in the big house. Dividing the house into four apartments provided some rental income. Andrew seemed lonely and lost, so Spencer and Camilla rented their little house and moved in with Andrew to look after him. In 1922, at age sixty-four, Andrew considered himself still reasonably fit, but he could no longer run the farm himself, so he rented out his acreage.
In November a group of fifteen Church leaders came to Arizona to hold a series of stake conferences. Among the visitors was Mary Connelly, a member of the Young Women’s general board and editor of the Young Woman’s Journal. Andrew noticed this attractive unmarried woman of forty-six.783 A friend characterized Mary as “well educated, quiet, dignified, literary, strong, patrician, intelligent, and full of faith, compassion, and ‘right good will.’” She won respect everywhere.784
She impressed Andrew enough to motivate his travel to Salt Lake City in December “on business.” He sought to become personally acquainted with Mary. His journal notes that he “called at home of John Connelly 27th Ward, had supper and accompanied Mary E. Connelly to 27th Ward meeting, spoke.” The next day, after Sunday meetings, he “went home along with Sister Connelly.”785 Three days later he returned home to Thatcher. In March he wrote,
I have not recorded anything about my courtship, as it has been kept quiet for sacred and other reasons. I met sister Mary E. Connelly here at our conference in November [20th]. . . . [In Salt Lake in December I] met and conversed with Miss Connelly on several occasions during my stay for six days. . . . [Since December 23] I have never failed writing every day, until by my determination and devotion I have won her and we will make our arrangements during my visit to Salt Lake [when I come for conference].786
Things had not gone perfectly smoothly. At first Mary had been put off somewhat, feeling that he was rushing things. His sister Alice warned him that Mary should not be pushed. In his year-end summary he said, “I was very much upset thru misunderstanding in a letter from Mary . . . but thru her prayers all came out alright.”
In April they were together part of every day until he left for Arizona on the 10th. He wrote, “The little girl seems to love me so that we are having a good time together.”787
He came back to Salt Lake City on May 29 and on June 5, 1923, he married Mary Elizabeth Connelly in the Salt Lake Temple. After the sealing ceremony in the temple they held a reception at the Connelly home for a flood of guests. They then spent a month in Salt Lake City enjoying the time together while Andrew used his multiple skills to paint and fix up the Connelly family home.
Andrew and Mary Connelly, 1923.
Their time together in Salt Lake was probably the most leisurely, pleasant time of Andrew’s life, with a new love, satisfying work around the house, being entertained continually, and receiving public respect.788 They went to Arizona for four days to introduce her to the people there, but she then returned to Salt Lake City alone to finish her editorial duties and prepare to leave her elderly father for a new home.
Andrew did not slow down much with age. He said in August 1923,
I presume I have done more in this 39 days than I have ever done in such a given time. Have checked up on all matters affecting the best interests of the stake. . . . I have worked every hour when awake. . . . frequently I am at my desk at 4:30. . . . I take physical exercises and a cold bath every morning. At sixty-five years of age I am in the enjoyment of perfect health, in fact the best natural health in my life. Vigorous and strong as iron, have wonderful indurance, work hard 16 and 18 hours a day. All of my faculties are in perfect order except a little hard of hearing in my right ear. I eat and sleep like a child and work like a horse. I know my children love and respect me and I feel my services are appreciated.789
In October, Mary and her niece Agnes arrived in Thatcher. After she settled in, Mary felt reasonably comfortable, although it was a major change from the city life she knew. She and Andrew participated in a series of meetings, going from the Maricopa Stake and the Mesa Temple cornerstone laying to Globe and across most wards of the St. Joseph Stake to El Paso and the Juarez Stake.790
Proof of Andrew’s courage is found in this journal entry on Christmas Day: “After dinner I took Mary out and gave her lessons on car driving. We run into the car of Bro. Shumway, did it much damage.”791
788. This is true despite the fact that he had his tonsils out during this month. Andrew Kimball, Journal, June 18, 1923. He also had “a speck on my eye lid, called cancer by the physicians, it was removed by Radium.” Andrew Kimball, Journal, 1923 year-end summary.
