John LaRell Christensen
August 25, 1932 — October 29, 2015
John Christensen
Florida/Formerly of Wales
John LaRell Christensen, age 83, loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at his home in Longwood, Florida, succumbing to Myelofibrosis (a rare bone marrow cancer) October 29, 2015. He was born August 25, 1932 in Wales, Utah to Carl LaRell and Rhea Rees Christensen. He married Mable Faun De Mille, November 18, 1955 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The marriage was solemnized April 11, 1963 in the Los Angeles California Temple. She preceded him in death, June 4, 1996. He married Joyce Evelyn Neely, April 12, 1997 in Titusville, Florida.
John was a Korean War veteran, serving in the U.S. Navy. John was a valiant member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who served his fellowman tirelessly. As a home teacher, bishop , scoutmaster or friend John’s care, concern and service was exemplary. He served two full-time missions, one in the Nashville Tennessee Mission with his wife Faun and in the Eugene Oregon Mission with his wife Joyce. He worked at IBM for 30 years as a computer engineer. He lived in Utah, Kansas, California, Florida, New Mexico, Tennessee and Oregon. He loved family, hunting, fishing, camping, computers, electronics, tools, building and fixing everything. His travels included Alaska, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Aruba, Puerto Rico, the Panama Canal and 42 of the 50 United States.
He is survived by his wife Joyce; sons: Gary LaRell (Sunny) Christensen, of Lancaster, CA; Gale Randall (Terra) Christensen, of Titusville, FL; Corey J (Karen) Christensen, of Lancaster, CA; Vern Melvin (Robin) Christensen, of Amory, MS; step-children: Lynn (Tom) Whitcomb, of Longwood, FL; Ralph (Lisa) Beeson, of Great Falls, MT; Mary Leiffer, of Altamonte Springs, FL; and James (Theresa) Beeson, of Madison, AL; 22 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; sister, Carol Carpenter, of Salt Lake City, UT and brothers: Richard (Jeanette) Peterson, of Salt Lake City, UT and Bruce (Kathy) Peterson, of Ephraim, UT.
He is also preceded in death by his parents; sons: Bryan and Carl; brothers, Dee Rees Christensen, Glenn Peterson and Ronald Peterson.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. in the Magleby Mortuary, 195 West 100 North, in Manti. Friends may call prior to services at the Mortuary from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Interment will be in the Ephraim Park Cemetery with military rites. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com