Ms. Ethel M. Christensen

Our loving mother, grandmother, aunt and friend passed away September 25, 2014 at the grand age of 104. Ethel was born August 16, 1910 in Salt Lake City, Utah to George Washington Morris and Harriett Barrett. She married Wallace Devey March 1, 1934. They later divorced. Ethel married Lloyd “Chris” S. Christensen June 9, 1947. They were later sealed in the Salt Lake LDS temple and were married for 41 years until the time of Lloyd's death in 1988.

Ethel worked as a youth in the family owned grocery store gaining many skills and values that served her well all her life. She graduated from West High School. Both her parents passed away when she was 21 years old, leaving her and her brother in charge of the family store. She later owned and managed apartments and a dairy farm with her first husband. During her life she also worked as a clothing retail manager, a secretary and a bookkeeper. She loved being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and served faithfully in the young women program as secretary, counselor and president. She also served and played beautifully as the Relief Society pianist and ward organist for over 20 years.

Lloyd and Ethel were members of the Hillside Ballroom Dancing Club and the Daughters and Sons of Utah Pioneers. After age sixty Ethel learned to drive a car and play the organ. She and Lloyd enjoyed many vacation tours around the United States and were able to visit most every state. Ethel was very artistic and created beautiful work in china porcelain painting, portrait drawing, sewing, and crafts. She was well known for her delicious cooking from scratch and for her beautiful knitting and crochet work with smooth even stitches. She made 30 afaghans and numerous baby shawls, pillows and other items with which she generously gifted to family and friends. Lloyd would often say, “If heaven doesn't have yarn, Ethel is not going to like it there”. She loved her family and brought them together through holiday dinners, picnics in her backyard summerhouse, family reunions, and helped publish family stories and histories. Her cookie jar was always full and her arms were always open for hugs. You often left her house with an armfull of preserves or other homemade treats. Ethel was proud of living to the age of 104 and after a long separation from her parents, brother and husband, she has now joined her loved ones in a great reunion in heaven. We will dearly miss her until we meet again.

Preceeded in death by her parents, brother Wayne and his wife Larsene, husband Lloyd, Lloyd's daughter Evelyn and granddaughter Julene and his daughter Carol. She is survived by her children Dianne (Wayne) Simister, Roger “Chris” Christensen (Janice Carey), and Linda (Michael) House; 7 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great-grandchildren, one niece-Myrna (Don-deceased) Chadwick, 2 nephews-Craig (Karen) Morris, and Mark (Carol) Morris, Lloyd's children, Levoy “Bud” (Linda-deceased) Christensen, Denece (Curt) Larsen, and Lloyd's 14 grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren. When Ethel married Lloyd she claimed his children as her own. She dearly loved us all.

The family would like to thank the Holladay Care Center and Brighton Hospice for their excellent tender care. A viewing will be held from 6:00-8:00 pm Friday evening, October 3, 2014 at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 South Highland Drive in Salt Lake City and funeral services will be held at the same address on Saturday October 4, 2014 at 11:00 am with a viewing at 10:00 am.