December 24, 1939 – December 17, 2019 – (age 79)
Family on both sides of the veil gathered to witness and celebrate the ending of one mission and the beginning of another for Wendell Nephi Christensen as he completed his earthly story and began his eternal one December 17, 2019. Born Christmas Eve of 1929, Wendell was the fifth child of Calvin and Juanita (Sanderson) Christensen who undoubtedly welcomed him home along with all of his siblings, Cleo Bradley Haroldsen, Rex, Don, and Lloyd Christensen, and Joan Bills.
Wendell’s childhood was spent in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, in a family that was both loving and exacting. Teased by older brothers, spoiled by his older sister, companioned by cousins, he learned all of the intricacies the life of a small town offered. World War II forced a job change for his dad and the family relocated to Provo, Utah, when Wendell was a teen. HIs father opened a successful grocery store and Wendell became its butcher, food stocker, and friendly grocery man. A few blocks over lived a red headed girl named Rosalie Swenson.
Their love story began when she threw a snowball at him one afternoon on the way home from school. Such aggression could not be ignored and the snowball fight that ensued served to create a love and commitment that became eternal when, after Wendell served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the California North Mission, they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple 21 November 1951. A family of seven girls –five of who are still living–arrived at regular intervals for the next eleven years.
Their early marriage saw Wendell completing a BS in Chemistry from BYU. At the same time he completed ROTC training and, after graduation and with a lot of luck and skill, became a pilot in the Air Force–his second love after his wife and family. He used to joke that being a pilot was “hours and hours of boredom. . .with moments of stark terror.” Some of that stark terror was self imposed because he loved doing Top Gun acrobatics in smaller aircraft. Once while coming out of a half loop to half roll at top speed while going straight up, he saw he was right underneath a much larger B-36. After he managed to roll the plane to level to escape hitting the aircraft, he chased down the B-36 to get a picture. His aircraft capabilities were many and varied: He flew most of the T series, and C series, and instructed in the Army L-19.
Wendell was on active duty as a flight instructor, pilot, liaison pilot, and traffic officer during his military career. One very difficult year saw him separated from his family while stationed in Korea shortly after the war. Piloting South Korean President, Sigman Rhee, and being the Traffic Officer at Kimpo Air Force Base where he oversaw the shipment of over 50,000 tons of freight and 50,000 passengers monthly through that airport were two of his duties. But Wendell felt the Lord sent him to Korea for another reason. The LDS church was just starting there and he was a willing minister to the servicemen in his care–173 of them–eventually serving as District President over 14 branches.
More luck and strategic conversations with Colonels, Base and Wing Commanders during long flights led to Wendell’s release from the Air Force into the welcoming laboratories of Thiokol Chemical Corporation in Brigham City, Utah, where he became a chemist. His 31 year career there mostly in developing fuels for the space industry was distinguished, and he holds several patents on processes and procedures he developed in his work with Thiokol. And he never really left the Air Force; he moved to the reserves where he rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel and retired as a Scientific Manager over the oil shale development program. After Wendell’s retirement from the Air Force and Thiokol his second life began.
With his sweetheart, he served an LDS mission to Spain, Madrid, serving an extra 18 months and as District President. They then served in the Santiago, Chile Temple and extended to serve on Easter Island as missionaries. He was an enthusiastic and inspiring missionary and communicated adequately in “Spanglish” as he jokingly called it. His callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been many and varied and served to bless others while increasing his considerable talents and testimony.
But as important as his accomplishments are, these things are just a side note to the care and nurturing he gave to his family. Even when he was no longer able to communicate and his sharp mind was dulled with disease, his family and his love for them was his main concern. He was a mountain of a man with a booming voice and an example of physical strength, bravery, constancy, and faithfulness. In the end though it was his tenderness towards his wife and his family that showed us his true strength. He bore his final trials with patience and courage, and left no doubt in the minds of those who visited with him that he communed daily with angels. If he could speak, he would echo the words of A.A. Milne:
“If ever there is a tomorrow when we’re not together, there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart, I’ll always be with you.”
Those of us who were privileged to be part of his life are bravely saying goodbye for a season, trying to be strong and smart, and follow the example of this amazing man we were blessed to know.
We are grateful beyond words for Wendell and Rosalie’s ward family who have shown constant unconditional love, and to The Gables for their kind guidance, skill, and support. It’s never easy to say good-bye to a husband, father, and grandfather. But all of you have let us know you share our grief and eased our minds. Thank you.
Wendell’s wife, Mary Rosalie (Swenson) Christensen; his daughters Wendy (Mark) Rawlings, Debby (Michael) Dupree, Cindy Barlow, Julie (Monte) Pierce, and Peggy (Bruce) Royer together with is 27 grandchildren, and 65 great-grandchildren and their dear Spanish convert, Maria Carmen (Matt) Frandsen and their six children invite all who knew Wendell to join us for a celebration of his life Saturday, December 28, 2019 at 10:00am at Brigham City 24th Ward Chapel, 650 Anderson Drive, Brigham City, Utah.
Viewings will be held on Friday, December 27, 2019 from 6:00 – 8:00pm at Gillies Funeral Chapel, 634 East 200 South, Brigham City, Utah and on Saturday, December 28, 2019 at the church from 9:00 – 9:40am. Interment will be in the Provo City Cemetery, 610 South State Street, Provo, Utah at 3:00pm where military honors will be accorded by the Combined Veterans of Box Elder County.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at gfc-utah.com