(January 15, 2003)
Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22 in the Byron Ward Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for Evelyn Sylvia Carmen Jensen, who died Wednesday, Jan. 15 in Glendale, Ariz., where she was spending the winter with a son, John. She was 87.
She was born Feb. 16, 1915, in Salt Lake City, Utah, the oldest daughter and second child of John Willie and Amelia Cherrington Carmen.
Early childhood photographs show her a willing participant in a pickup baseball game or strolling through the neighborhood admiring flowers and landscapes. She lived in the Sugar House area and was determined to finish high school at West High School despite the distance from her home.
She worked for American Telephone and Telegraph prior to serving a mission to Europe in the late 1930s. During her service abroad, her father, John, died. She fell in love with the European mission and would often recite stories to her children of France, Belgium and especially Switzerland.
It was during her mission experience she met and later married Ernest Richard Jensen of Byron. They lived more than 60 years in Byron and had eight children.
She was known for her ongoing efforts to quilt a bed covering for each of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was an excellent cook and could make jelly from anything. She provided a peaceful home and was diligent in understanding the scriptures and the words of the prophets.
She was actively involved in the LDS Church all her life, holding callings in the Relief Society, Primary, Young Women's Program, Scouting and was an early morning Seminary instructor.
Survivors include her eight children, Carma Anderson and husband John of Bountiful, Utah, James Jensen and wife Janet of West Valley City, Utah, John J. Jensen and wife Louise of Glendale, Ariz., Jan Webster and husband Gary of Grand Terrace, Calif., Jolene Muller and husband Dennis of West Jordan, Utah, Ralph Carmen Jensen of Dallas, Texas, Jed Jensen and wife Joyce of Gillette and Nathan Jensen and wife Kaye of Atascadero, Calif.; and her sister, Beverly Spencer of Torrance, Calif.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ernest; and two brothers, Dr. John Carmen of Cheyenne and Bertrum G. Carmen, Salt Lake City.
Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight (Tuesday) at the Haskell Funeral Home in Lovell and from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Wednesday at the Byron Ward. Burial will be in the Byron Cemetery.
For those who wish, memorials may be made to the Elder Michael Jensen mission fund, c/o Bishop Mark K. Gorbahn, Atascadero Second Ward, 8005 Azucena Ave., Atascadero, CA 93422.