Lehi People
Lehi Historical Society and Archives: Scaddens extolled for fabulous storytelling, library programs, BSA service
Editor’s Note: The Lehi Historical Society and Archives is proud to present the stories of its Lehi Heritage Day 2022 honorees. The story of Duane and Linda Scadden is the sixth of nine articles featuring this year’s honorees. Each couple will be celebrated at Lehi Heritage Day on Sept. 5, beginning at 2:30 p.m., in a parade, a celebration with the mayor, city council and public and a meet-and-greet. The free, city-sponsored event celebrates those who have given tremendous service to Lehi andhonors Lehi’s remarkable history. This year’s theme is “100 Years of Beautiful Lehi Homes.” For more information on Lehi Heritage Day or the Classic Car and Bike Show, see lehihistory.com.
Lehi Library’s “Story Lady,” Linda Scadden, has blessed the lives of Lehi children for 18 years and has set in place programs that will positively influence our children for years to come.
Have you heard the saying, “The best is yet to come”? This proved to be true in Linda’s life. In 2004, Linda applied and went to work at the Lehi City Library. As the “Library Story Lady,” she spent 18 years reading stories and loving children in our community. She says it’s “the best job of all.”
Recently retired, Linda says she loves to see and hear the joy and laughter of children when they get the funny parts of a story as well as getting to know all their childhood secrets, like who has an “owie,” a lost tooth or new My Little Pony or Baby Shark underwear.
As Lehi grew, so did the demand for more library programs, andin time, Linda became the library’s programming manager. Withthe help of staff, she worked on adding more variety to itsprograms, including Science Club, Crafty Club, Wiggle Worms, Kiddie Craft, After School Art, Teen Scene, puppet shows andmore.
Linda spent untold hours writing puppet shows, building the library’s puppet theater and crafting props and puppets. She always went the extra mile and put her heart and soul into everything she did. In her storytelling, she was known for wearing funny hats and costumes and using fun props, like a big canoe in which the children could sit.
Linda also had a passion for the Library Science Club, holding classes with titles like Dissecting Cow Eyes, Baking Soda Experiments, Walking on Eggs, extracting DNA from Strawberries and How Hydraulics Work.
It’s almost impossible to come up with a list of all the many things Linda did to enrich the lives of Lehi’s children. Many have grown up with Miss Linda, and she’s been an important part of their lives.
Duane Scadden is honored and appreciated for sharing his wife with the library and community and for his extensive service in the Boy Scouts of America organization. Duane served as a scoutmaster for many years and was a district committee member, planning summer Camporee and the winter Klondike. He was awarded the Second Miler Award. The Scadden family has always joked that when Duane passes away, they will bury him in his scout uniform with a dutch oven at his side.
Duane is the fourth of five children born to Dean and Phyllis Scadden of Ogden. As a youth, he enjoyed hunting, fishing and sports. He played football in high school and sang in the choir. His summers were spent in Jackson Hole, WY, as a BSA river guide on the Snake River. He served a full-time mission in Australia for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Upon his return, he attended BYU. During this time, he met and dated Linda. Duane wanted a girlfriend, and Linda wanted a husband, so they compromised and married on November 20, 1976.
Linda is the oldest of seven children born to Walter and Jane Everton of Evanston, WY. She lived her first 12 years in Ogden. She enjoyed reading, choir, home economics and gardening with her dad. During the summer of 1976, Linda participated in the Hill Cumorah Pageant in Palmyra, N.Y. This three-week mini mission for the LDS Church remains one of the highlights of herlife.
The Scaddens moved to the wonderful, small town of Lehi and into one of the first homes built behind Meadow Elementary in 1981. They have five children and 15 grandchildren.
