A Teacher and a Friend – Taken Too Soon
/Today I learned about the passing of one of my most favorite college professors, Desiree Cooper-Larsen. I haven’t seen or talked to Desiree for many years, but interestingly enough, she has been on my mind a lot lately. Sadly, Desiree is another person taken much too soon from Covid-19. Desiree was not much older than I was when I took my first Fashion Merchandising class from her at Weber State University in the 1980’s. She encouraged me to sign up for DECA and compete in an entrepreneurship competition, which would also count as part of my grade for her class. I really didn’t want to do the competition, but it ended up being a great experience, and one that I will treasure forever!
My goal at the time was to start my own dressmaking and clothing design business, which I accomplished shortly after graduating from Weber State. I used the competition to help me facilitate that goal of starting my own clothing design and dressmaking business which I named, “The French Seam”. I didn’t think I would get any further than the school competition, but thanks to Desiree’s encouragement and direction, I not only won the school division, but also the state division, and went on to win the national division held in San Francisco, California!
Being newly married amongst all the other single contestants, I felt a little out of place. Knowing this, Desiree invited me to room with her, and we had a fun enjoyable week not only at the competition, but also exploring the sights of the city. I had been there before as a child, but hadn’t been back as an adult. As a Clothing and Textiles major with a minor in Fashion Merchandising, San Francisco was a dream come true! And sharing the same interests as Desiree, made it one of my most cherished college memories!
I had sewn for people from the time I was in the seventh grade when I designed and constructed my first wedding dress, for the daughter of one of the junior high school secretaries. She paid me $200, and that was the start of my professional dressmaking career. A career that also enabled me to be a stay-at-home-mom. My dream had always been to go to New York and become a famous fashion designer. This dream was within reach upon my graduation from Weber State, being offered an internship in New York with a high-end fashion designer - thanks to Desiree Cooper Larsen, Chloe Merrill, Donna Bauman, and Gen Wise – all incredible professors. However, sometimes lifelong dreams take a different turn and that is what happened to mine – his name was Ron ☺. I traded my New York dream for a new dream, and that was marrying my husband of now 37 years! I often wonder where life would have taken me had I gone to New York, but I know I made the best decision for me in choosing marriage and a family. Heavenly Father has blessed me with fun opportunities throughout my life to still practice my clothing design and construction talents in other ways. I feel these opportunities are blessings for the choice I made to stay here and be a wife and mother.
I know some of my college professors were a little disappointed in my choice after graduation, but I always knew Desiree understood, and supported me in my choice. Heaven gained an incredible passionate, hard working, life loving, happy angel in Desiree. I’m grateful to her for all the things she taught me in the short couple of years I learned from her. May she know of my love and gratitude, and may her family be blessed until they meet again.
Love Ya, Les