Colleen Later
Colleen Later is an artist, sculptor, and musician who specializes in painting flowers, and now also paints motorcycles with her clients family members appearing in the chrome's reflection. She also adds scores of angels and temples in the reflective parts. Colleen's mother, Rilla Hall, was also an artist. She was born in Enterprise, Utah in 1913 and was married to Clynn Lanor Davenport in 1933. Clynn was a very successful businessman and entrepreneur in Santa Monica, California for nearly thirty years. Colleen has five siblings: Vance, Shannon, Alvin, Betty, and John.
Colleen Later was born in Cedar City, Utah. Her family was members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At age twelve she moved with her family to Santa Monica, California. There she met Ralph "Bud" Later from Venice, California who had been a child actor in a few movies; mainly as a double or extra, working with actors like Bing Crosby, Spencer Tracy, Gregory Peck, and Shirley Temple.
When Colleen was 17 she and Ralph eloped, taking her out her bedroom window. He told her he did not want any children, but they had seven children before she turned thirty years old. He also told her he would not become a Mormon but did so at age 26. He would later find out that Brigham Young and his brothers converted his family to the Mormon faith.
A high school dropout, Colleen at age 34 went back to school. She received her high school GED and eventually received a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts Degree from Utah State University at age 42 in 1976. She was one of Utah State University’s Flying Professors. There were six Laters going to Utah State during a short time. One of her main professors at Utah State was Utah’s foremost landscape artist Harrison Groutage.
Colleen has served in many positions in her church including Relief Society president, Young Woman president and played the organ and was the chorister in her Bend, Oregon Ward. As of 2012, she is now s resident of Saratoga Springs, Utah.
Sources
- Mormon Times, January 17, 2009, p. 6
- Oregon newspaper article on Later