Emma Lou Thayne


Emma Lou Warner Thayne was a Mormon poet and novelist, counted as one of the 75 most significant.
Thayne graduated from the University of Utah in 1945. She would later return there to coach tennis and teach English. In the late 1960s, she completed a master's degree at the University of Utah. She was on the faculty over 30 years. In 1949, she married Mel Thayne; they became the parents of five daughters.
Although Thayne worked primarily as a poet, she also wrote novels. Her first novel was Never Past the Gate, which was inspired by her summers growing up in Mount Aire Canyon. Thayne also served on the board directors for Deseret News. She was also a contributor to such magazines as Network, a woman's magazine based in Salt Lake City, Exponent II and Utah Holiday. At age 90, she died in Salt Lake City on December 6, 2014.
Thayne wrote the words to the hymn "Where Can I Turn for Peace".

Awards

Salt Lake Community college named the Emma Lou Thayne Center for Service Learning after Thayne to honor her.

Works