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THE UTAH NEWSPAPER HALL OF FAME "Your hometown paper, rightly conducted, is as necessary to the community as the schools or the banks," he insisted in print. And, perhaps conceding the paper's criticism might not always be totally justified, he cast in lead at his Linotype keyboard on another occasion, "The trouble with some of us is that we notice the mote in the other fellow's eye and are not aware of the beam in our own." The Wasatch Wave for years said on its front-page flag that it was 'The People's Paper," remembers Helen Mountford, the publisher's widow. "When he finished paying off the loan on it, he said, 'Maybe it was the people's paper for 50 years, but now it's mine!'" she concluded. Helen Curtis, daughter of a Payson physician, became his wife on October 7, 1931, when both were teenagers. Their marriage endured for 42 years, producing, in that order, sons, James R, Asa and Dr. Paul C. and a daughter, Karen. Four years after Frank's wedding, his mother, the widowed Mary Mountford, was wed to Nephi C. Hicks, one-time publisher of the Provo Post, who is now enshrined in the Newspaper Hall of Fame. Frank's interest in Utah State Press Association - 'State' would later be deleted from the title ~ was at its height during the time he newspapered in Heber City. Elected a director in 1949, he ascended to the presidency in 1953. Extending his interests to the National Editorial Association as well, he attended three nationwide journalistic conclaves during the '50's and in that time-frame was initiated into Sigma Delta Chi. The Wasatch Wave, annually a top contender, earned General Excellence honors in state press competition for both 1956 and 1958. Though never the sweepstakes winner, the Wave and, later, the News, were frequently lauded, in addition, for their Community Service projects. The last move of his newspaper career came on June 30, 1958. Leaving son Jim in charge of the Wave, 'Deacon' purchased the Washington County News at St. George from Clyde and Nora Lyman. The community in 'Utah's Dixie' was on the 589 |
