David Christensen's Obituary
Our Silver-haired Daddy
Our beloved David passed away at his daughter Lisa’s home in Orem, Utah on Dec 1,2012 after a long battle with prostate cancer.
Albert David Christensen was born Aug 13, 1936 in rural southeastern Idaho. He was the second child and oldest son of Albert and Martha Howell (Johnson) Christensen. He grew up on a farm just east of Arimo, ID where he attended elementary school and high school, participating in band, playing the trumpet. He also attended Weber High School in Ogden, Utah, while his sister, Marie, studied piano at Weber College.
After graduating from high school David attended Utah State University and then Brigham Young University where he played basketball. Still growing, the coach sent him home to go on his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – and finish growing. David served a 2 1/2 year mission to Western Australia between 1956 and 1959. He did finish growing—all 6’10” of him, but basketball at BYU wasn’t part of his future. After his mission he married Joan Carol Newman of Garfield, Utah on Oct 16, 1959 in the Logan Temple. They are the parents of seven children, six of whom are still alive. They divorced in 1975. David later spent many years with Donna Shaul and was the only father her son, Chris, ever knew (his father having died in the war).
As a young father David worked at Thiokol near Garland, Utah to support his bride and new baby. He later worked for dairymen hoping to return to the land. David loved the land and growing up on the farm and hoped to own his own property someday. He later returned to Arimo, ID taking over the farm where he was raised, where his own children got much of their start in life. After he left the farm he drove truck professionally for many years, covering much of the United States. Over the years David was a farmer, a laborer at a chemical plant, a truck driver and a handyman, but in his heart-of-hearts he was a farmer. Even until a few days before his death he was scheming ways to buy calves, milk cows, raise alfalfa and mint, turn old trees into lumber and pan for gold.
David loved to sing with his family while playing his guitar or the piano, and also played for them on his harmonica and trumpet. He was well-known for his rich, deep, bass voice. While in Australia he sang and played on a weekly local radio show and often dreamed of having a professional music career. After his mission, he met and sang for Lawrence Welk and was offered to come back and join the show. David was creative and artistic, writing music and poetry. He longed to join the Lawrence Welk Show but instead choose to marry and continue his education. Education gave way to Thiokol. Thiokol gave way to farming. Farming gave way to life.
David loved nature, especially the river and panning for gold. He also loved people. He had the charisma to get everyone in the room to engage in his interests and he felt equally at ease with “kings” and “paupers.” David never met a stranger, he was a friend to all and would go out of his way, no matter his own internal struggles, to put a smile on someone's face and make his interactions with others memorable. David truly possessed the kindest, most gentle heart and those that knew him have felt privileged to know him. He loved deeply and was immensely proud of each and every one of his children.
David recently married his love of many years, Carolyn Farley Groce, of Glasgow, KY, who came into his life about 14 years ago as a pen pal. They met online on ICQ, becoming fast friends. He went to Kentucky to visit and then a few months later she came out to Idaho to visit him. This they did a number of times. They talked marriage over the years, but personal situations were prohibitive. A recent renewal of their friendship lead to a sweet and tender marriage on 5 October 2012 in Orem, Utah. Carolyn’s sweet, angelic nature blessed David’s life even as his health declined. She has been an enormous help in caring for him and was a phenomenal source of joy to him in his final weeks. We have grown to love her and have enjoyed her company immensely and will miss her when she returns to her family and friends in Kentucky next week. Thank you, Carolyn.
David was preceded in death by his parents; a stillborn brother, Joseph; sister, Marie Zappitello (Joseph); son, Wade and step-grandson, Austin Shaul.
He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; three sons—Gaylen (Cristy) of Vernal, UT, Gregg and Todd, both of Murtaugh, ID; three daughters—Lisa (Quinn) Jensen of Orem, UT, Jo Ann (Glen) Buechler of Magna, UT, and Pamela (Rob) Wilson of Twin Falls, ID; one stepson, Chris (Melissa) Shaul of West Plains, MO; one stepdaughter, Jenny Lynn (Harvey) Simmons of Glasgow, KY; 30 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters—Kathleen Baker of Salida, CO and Ruthanne Christensen of Logan, UT; and two brothers, Emory (Carma) and Brian (Shelly), both of Boise, ID.
The family thanks all the friends, relatives and those at First Choice Home Health & Hospice for your loving care, especially Val, Merry, Sam and Maresa. We’re especially grateful to Drs. Nathan Rich, Jay Clark, Jim Crowley and others for the extra special care and concern shown him as his condition grew worse.
David—a brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, friend and neighbor—we love you, we miss you, and we’ll look forward to a glorious reunion with you, Wade and other loved ones in Heaven when our time comes.
Funeral Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Sat, Dec 8th at the LDS stake center at 60 E 1600 N in Orem, UT. Family and friends may call Fri, Dec 7th from 6:30p-8:30 pm at the LDS chapel at 1405 N Main in Orem, UT, or at 9 am on Sat morning prior to the funeral at the stake center on 1600 N. Interment will take place at 3pm in the Downey, ID cemetery.
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