Doris Vilate Christensen

Doris Vilate LeBaron Christensen
(07/30/37 - 03/05/22)

Doris was a kind, quiet, and welcoming woman. From the moment she was born in her grandma’s house in San Bernardino, California, until her very last breath encircled by dear loved ones in Salt Lake City, Utah, she brought joy, peace and love to all those who knew her. The daughter of Olaf Woodruff LeBaron and Lora Mae Berry LeBaron, she was raised in Colton, California alongside her 9 siblings: Loren, Winifred, Eleanor, Lovena, Donna, Yvonne, Lyman, Lawrence, and Paul. She remembered life in a home that was crowded but full of love, outdoor bathrooms and kerosene lamps for light, sugar rations, eating chips of ice from the ice truck, and shooting cans with her dad in the woods. She graduated from Redlands High School in 1955 and later that year married her high school sweetheart, and the love of her life, Gary Kent Christensen on September 17 1955 in the LDS Temple in St. George, Utah. Gary and Doris built a beautiful life together and fulfilled her childhood dream of being a mommy when they had their five wonderful children: Doreen, Patricia, Bryan, Denise, and Jeffrey.

Doris was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and loved her religion with all of her heart. She was dedicated to working on her family history, she adored the church hymns, studying the scriptures, and was a member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Doris was a devoted wife and mother who filled her days helping as a PTA room mother, Cub Scout leader, celebrating holidays, cooking, cake decorating and making the very best homemade sourdough bread. Whether it was her five sisters, her nieces and nephews, or her own children and grandchildren, she always loved spending as much time with family as possible and even sent out a family newsletter, The LeBaron Legacy.

For 15 years. Doris and Gary lived in Pusan Korea from 1985-1987 and she carried her deep love of Korean food for the rest of her life.

After Gary passed away, Doris moved to Utah where she spent the last several decades of her life sharing what she had with those around her, helping her family in the various ways she could, enjoying picnics, sight-seeing, shopping, having tea parties with her grandchildren and building loving relationships with them, and then later with her great-grandchildren as well. She lived a full and beautiful life full of simple pleasures and caring for those she loved, and after 33 years as a widow we can only imagine the emotionally tender moment that was her happy reunion with Gary. The ones she leaves behind will miss her love, her listening ear, and her welcoming heart; but her memory will remain close through the sight of a hummingbird, the taste of great food, the sound of Barbershop music, her passed on recipes and cookbooks, watching Rodger and Hammerstein musicals, and so much more.

She is survived by her siblings Donna, Lawrence, and Paul; her children Doreen Janeal Christensen (Daniel Roy McEntire), Patricia Kay Black (Steven Henry Black), Bryan Kent Christensen, Denise Ann Hudgens (Flint Orven Hudgens), and Jeffrey Grant Christensen (Debbie Killpack;) as well as 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Doris’ example and strength will live on in our hearts until we meet again.

“The loss is immeasurable, but so is the love left behind”

There will be a Memorial Tea Party held in her honor on Wednesday March 9, 2022 from 2:00 - 4:00pm in the St. Marks Tower Common Room, 650 South 300 East. (Parking available on the street)

Burial will be in Elsinore, Utah on Saturday,  March 26, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. under the direction of the Magleby Mortuary.