Dean Keith Christensen

On October 28, 1923, Dean Christensen was born on a farm 1 mile east of Centerfield, Utah. He was the last child born to Anton Christensen and Mary Josephine Andersen. His siblings included: Mary Josephine Andersen (died in infancy), Anton Johannes Christensen (died in infancy), Ethel (Ross) Peterson, Ernal Ledale Christensen (Una), Thelma Marie (Eugene) Lewis, Alvin A. Christensen (Marjorie), Zina Blanch (Fred) Rothchild, Clara Vione (Grant) Davidson, and Hazel Gladys (Frank) Mallory. Dad survived all his siblings. He was a delight to his 43 years old mother and a surprise to his 50-year-old father.

All of dad's preschool years were spent on the farm. He had an old dog named Fritz which took up a lot of those slow hours. His family lived in an adobe 2 story house. There were 2 rooms for the kitchen and sleeping and parlor. Dad slept upstairs with his 2 brothers. There was a cellar for storing bottled goods prepared throughout the summer. Dad ate regular farm food of meat, potatoes, and eggs. It wasn't a lot but he never remembered being hungry. They had a well for water and a 2-hole toilet for their other needs. Anton would haul wood for heat and cooking. They used lamps for light and lots of good wool quilts for warmth. Dad told us that their clothes may have had a lot of wear, but they were always clean. Horse and buggy were used for transportation and all farm work.

Like many others, dad's parents lost the farm during the depression and in 1929 they moved to town. Their new home had electric lights and indoor plumbing. Anton died in 1931 when dad was 8 years old. Dad's mother had a hard time after that with 5 kids still living at home. She wove rugs, cooked school lunch, baby sat, ran the cream station, and whatever else she could to make ends meet. Dad's older brother, Alvin, took him under his wing to provide the guidance that would benefit Dean for the rest of his life.

Dean went to public school in Centerfield. He attended church, mutual, and boy scouts. Many good times were had in those days as they had to make their own fun with lots of dancing, plays, and trips to the mountains to hunt and fish. After graduation from 8th grade dad went to Gunnison Valley High School taking only the subjects required to get by. Schooling was not his thing and after 3 ½ years and a principal he couldn't see eye to eye with he quit school. Dad started driving a milk truck, but in February of 1942 dad decided to go back to school and to his surprise did well and received his high school diploma in 1942.

After graduation, dad worked building a large ammunition dump until he was drafted into the army in April 1943. Dad was drafted as a combat engineer. On his 20th birthday he sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge bound for New Caledonia. Dad spent most of his time building roads for supply lines to the front. When infantry needed reinforcements, dad's division was sent to the front in Bougainville. During that battle, dad was injured by a mortar blast nearby. He woke up on a hospital ship bound for Guadalcanal. When he awoke, they were playing the song, "Mairzy Dotes" and the words of the song made him think he was in the psychiatric unit.

During his service he suffered through hepatitis, malaria, and jungle rot. After his hospitalization he was sent back to New Caledonia to rejoin his unit. As dad had experience driving large trucks and riding motorcycles, he was assigned to transport detail for supply trucks and later on to special duty with the military police. About that time the war ended, and the point system was in effect, and dad had enough combat points to be sent home. He arrived back home on his mother's birthday, January 13, 1946.

When dad returned home from the war he returned to driving truck and when business was slow he drove for Burlington Trailways driving passenger bus. One fateful day in September 1949 dad was driving a bus from Salt Lake City to Rock Springs, Wyoming. He spotted a young lady in tight fitting slacks. He angled his rear view mirror so he could watch her. When he stopped the bus for food, he made his move. He spent the next 3 months courting Lillian Elizabeth Briggs. Since Lillian didn't have a phone, she made arrangements to use her work phone after hours. Dean would telegraph her and tell her what time he would call, and she would wait by the phone to talk to him. At Thanksgiving time dad went to Sheridan, Wyoming where Lillian lived and proposed to her. They were married on Christmas Eve 1949 in Sheridan, Wyoming. They were married 74 years at the time of Dean's death. During the early years of their marriage, they moved a lot as driving jobs came and went. They lived in Salt Lake City, Reno, and Las Vegas. When Lillian said she would like to hear the pitter patter of little feet, Dean complied by buying a dog. Dean and Lillian eventually had 3 children: Sherie Ann (Vaughn) Cox, Gayle Joan Morris, and Gary Dean Christensen (Linda).

Dad eventually got a steady job driving long haul trucks with Inland trucking and later Ringsby Truck Lines. He liked to think of himself as "a professional tourist." At various times he drove from Salt Lake City to Chicago to Kansas City to Denver to Los Angeles. The family spent 12 years living in the Denver area eventually living in the mountains in Evergreen, Colorado. As a long-haul truck driver dad would sometimes be home for 8 hours or on rare occasions a few days. Dad always made sure that he was home for Christmas, and it was always a special occasion. He would make snowmen, snow slides, or take us for sleigh rides. Dad also liked to cook when he was home. For breakfast you could end up with rock hard cream of wheat or French toast with parsley surprise. Dad would often sing when he cooked. One of his favorite songs was "Let's eat, I'm starving."

Dad was always a dog whisperer. There wasn't a dog that dad couldn't coax out of hiding. Over the years dad had many dogs. On his deathbed 3 dogs stayed at his side. Being a dog lover meant that cats didn't like him. Whenever he would visit his brother, Alvin, dad had to beware of the Siamese cat. That cat would lay in wait to attack dad when he was unaware.

As the family grew up the family vacations were always special occasions. Often the family would go through the Tetons and Yellowstone on the way to visit relatives in Montana. It was common at that time to have bears come up to your car window for food. One time dad was pulling a trailer with our car when the axle on the car broke right in the middle of a major intersection in Yellowstone. The traffic was blocked for a long time. The trailer and car had to be towed to a repair shop. The trailer was towed to Old Faithful, and we had the best parking spot ever to visit geysers. There was a wonderful trip driving up the west coast from San Francisco to Eugene, Oregon. The redwoods were beautiful. There was a camping trip to Flaming Gorge with a leaky tent. As a family we didn't have a lot of family time, but we always made the most of our family vacations.

Eventually fate returned dad to Salt Lake City. When dad retired, he joined a bowling league with his wife. It provided many years of fun and friendships. Dad devoted many years of service as an active Mason. Every St Patrick's Day there would be a special corn beef dinner at the Masonic Lodge. Through the years dad and mom provided a home to adult children and grandchildren. They provided a stable, loving environment when it was most needed. Over the years children and grandchildren would love to hear grandpa share experiences from his childhood. One of the favorite stories was a trip dad made to see the horror story "Frankenstein" at the movie theater. After the initial scenes of Frankenstein walking through a cemetery kicking over tombstones and pulling bones out of graves and chewing on them dad went and asked for his money to be refunded. He took his dime and rode his bike home as fast as he could convinced that Frankenstein was on his tail. As he reached home he hit the gate, fell off his bike, and then got hit again by the swinging gate. He was sure he felt Frankenstein's hands grab him.

After a long wait, due to COVID, dad was able to go on the Honor Flight for veterans to Washington, DC. Dad particularly liked watching the changing of the guard at Arlington Cemetery. It was particularly special because he shared the experience with his son, Gary.

For dad's 100th birthday there was a huge celebration. All the extended family showed up to honor dad. The highlight of the celebration was dad riding in his old pickup truck that had been restored. The truck is now known as "Big Dooley."

On August 17, 2024, dad decided to leave his century long visit here for the next great adventure. He was surrounded by his wife and children who reluctantly let him go. He is survived by his wife of 74 years, Lillian, and all 3 of his children. He is also survived by 15 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren.

A morning viewing for Dean will be held Monday, August 26, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM at Granite View Ward, 2675 Mt. Jordan Rd. (9700 S.), Sandy, UT 84092. A funeral service will occur Monday, August 26, 2024 at 11:00 AM, 2675 Mt. Jordan Rd. (9700 S.), Sandy, UT 84092. An interment will occur Monday, August 26, 2024 at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 E. 10600 S., Sandy, UT 84092.