David H. Jensen, passed away on Thursday April 7th, 2016 at his home in Wardboro, Idaho. David, 90, was the son of Jacob C. and Vinnie Humphreys Jensen..
Born on Feb 5, 1926, David grew up in Wardboro Idaho and graduated from Montpelier High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II, participating in the ROTC while attending University of California - Berkeley. Then, after serving a two year mission for the LDS church in Northern California, he graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Animal Husbandry.
In 1949, David married Lola Johnson of Deweyville, Utah in the Logan Temple. A year later they built their home in Wardboro Idaho. In addition to his life as a farmer and rancher, David worked at the U.S. Post Office in Montpelier, Idaho.
David served in the LDS Church in numerous callings including Bishop, Stake President, and Patriarch. In 1989 David and his wife Lola served an 18 month LDS mission together, spending time in the Ghana Accra Mission and Ireland Dublin Mission.
David was preceded in death by a son, Max, by his wife Lola, and by brothers Grant, Earl, Louis and Forrest, and sisters Zula Nelson and Mae Davis.
Surviving descendants include sons Don William (Laurel) and Neil Bradley (Dina), daughter Colleen Jensen Widdison (Gary), daughter-in-law Colleen Ostergaard (Scott), 21 grandchildren, two of whom are currently serving missions, and 33 great-grandchildren.
In Memory
David Jensen - Class of 1943
Larry Grimes (1958)
I would like to comment on the life of one of the finest men I have ever met, anywhere. David was a friend, Bishop, Stake President, co-worker on the Church Farm and personal advisor. He was also a tremendous role model to me as is illustrated by the following: David and Lola lost their son Max, then a student at BYU, who was murdered by Gary Gilmore. Gilmore was a notorious character who was the first murderer executed in the US after a suspension of that penalty for many years. I recall reading something by Norman Mailer on Gilmore, (was it "Executioner's Song" ?) wherein Gilmore told Mailer at an earlier interview that if he were released he would likely "do it again" (murder someone). I recall infering that the interview left Mailer ambivilent about his earlier absolute opposition to capital punishment.
Later, in commenting to me about the murder, David said he was just glad that he wasn't Gilmore's father. To me this was an expression of his faith that his son, a murder victim, was in a better place than Gilmore. Most people would not have thought of this tragedy this way. David was a man of strong principle. I was privileged to know him. Larry Grimes