The Ransom Family

“Now when it comes to Charley … or us, ‘just walking out.’ Well, I’m capable. I’m smart. I have the Church. I have dozens of people, here and in Utah, if we need … if we need to consider what it would take to … start over somewhere else, you know we could do it. There’s a whole network out there, back in Utah, we could use.” Archie feels like Melanie is half-heartedly but sincerely offering this help, but the idea of giving up … all this … well, it's overwhelming her. Understandably. But she’s from tough Mormon stock and she knows — from her family history — the world is crueler than maybe anyone expects.

Melanie to Archie
Archie Comes Clean

Archie’s family: his wife Melanie (née Gardner), and two children, Jane (17) and Eddie (14). The couple's third child, a son named Charlie, passed away tragically at the age of 10 in 1965. Though they appear happy enough, the family never really recovered from Charlie’s death. They live in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco.

• Melanie was Archie’s mission sweetheart. She keeps the home and had some suspicion about Archie’s “double life,” but rarely questioned him about his work or whereabouts. Recently, Archie divulged to her that he works for the government in a vague, clandestine capacity, which seems to have allayed her concerns.

• Jane is a tall and striking young woman. In 1973 she is a junior-going-on-senior in high school. She has blonde hair that she wears long and straight, befitting the fashion of the times. Her style is hippie-ish, but in a decidedly middle class way.

• Eddie is a slightly awkward boy with dark hair and a bowl cut. He dresses like most boys his age: ringer tee-shirts, flared jeans, wears his Dodgers cap indoors (he’s still an LA fan and gets no lack of guff from the kids at school who all love the Giants). He is a freshman-going-on-sophomore in high school.

The Ransoms are Mormon. Since Charlie’s death, however, they have followed Archie’s lead and distanced themselves from the Church, rarely attending services and declining invitations to participate in community events. Melanie is attempting to work on that.

Charley was informally adopted by the Ransoms shortly after her assignment to URIEL.