- Colleen Later
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Colleen Later is an artist, sculptor, and musician who originally specialized in painting flowers but now also paints motorcycles with her clients family members in the Chrome. She also adds scores of angels and temples in the reflective parts.
Colleen Later was born in Cedar City, Utah. Her family was members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At age thirteen she moved with her family to Santa Monica, California. There she met Bud Later from Beverly Hills, California who had been an actor in many movies, mainly as a double or extra, working with many famous actors like Bing Crosby, Spencer Tracy, Gregory Peck, and Shirley Temple.
When Colleen was 17 she and Bud eloped taking her out her bedroom window. He told her he did not want any kids so they had 7 children and now 47 forty-seven Grand children. He 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. Brigham Young lived with his family and he built a log home for them.
A high school dropout, Colleen at 42 she went back to school, she got her high school GED and eventually received a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts Degree from Utah State University. She was one of Utah State University’s Flying Professors. There were 6 Laters going to Utah State at the same 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 plays the organ and is chorister in her Bend, Oregon Ward.
Sources
- Mormon Times, January 17, 2009, p. 6
- Oregon newspaper article on Later
External links
Categories:- American artists
- American Latter Day Saints
- Living people
- People from Bend, Oregon
- People from Cedar City, Utah
- People from Santa Monica, California
- Utah State University alumni
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