- Date Of Birth: April 13, 1931
- Date Of Death: October 23, 2021
- State: Utah
Martell Wilburn Christensen, age 90, departed this life on 23 Oct to join his lovely wife of over 70 years, Cleo Marchant Christensen, who slipped away in the springtime of this year. They were married in the Logan Temple in 1950.
Five children: Evona, Pam, Gareld, Suann, and Becky, Grandchildren: 24, Great grandchildren: 44, Great great-grandchildren: 3. All will remember ‘Grampa Bear’ and ‘Gramma Cookie’ with giggles and great fondness. We look forward to being with them again someday.
Martell was born in Burley, Idaho, in 1931 to Wilburn Lorenzo Christensen & Julia Pearl Johnson, who were a powerful mix of Welsh and Scandinavian ancestry. Cleo was also born in Burley, in 1932, to Gareld Stanley Marchant & Merna Ellis Marchant, whose roots go deep into Colonial North America. Both families were early settlers and farmers/ranchers in the Springdale area of the Magic Valley, so they learned to work hard and play hard. For many generations, these two families have been musically talented, a legacy that is a blessing to their posterity.
Martell and Cleo attended the same Springdale school when young and both graduated from Burley High School. Their courtship was a musical whirlwind as Cleo played piano for Martell wherever he was singing. Martell is a gifted athlete, artist, poet and craftsman, among other things. He is a true Renaissance man. He is renowned for his Dad jokes, bear hugs and ‘kindly teasing’. Martell and Cleo were continually offering cheerful and generous service to all who shared their sphere of influence.
Martell was employed by JC Penney in Burley, Tooele, Logan, Murray, St Anthony and North Ogden. In his later years, he became a Master Gardener and had the great privilege of caring for Church buildings and grounds.
Martell and Cleo served faithfully in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a variety of callings, including Bishop, an inner-city Ogden mission and a mission to Tonga, which thrilled them immensely. They were also ordinance workers in the Ogden Temple.
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“Love you all … when you have family circle prayer, feel me in the circle.” (Signed: Dad, Grandpa C, Martell W. Christensen, in letter to daughter, 12 September 1977).
