History of Laurel Peter Christensen

History of Laurel Peter (Pete) Christensen

Laurel Peter (Pete) & Thelma Christensen

            Laurel Peter Christensen was born on December 31, 1912 in Spanish Fork, Utah to Einer and Rebecca Christensen. Pete as he later liked to be called help his father on the family farm along with his older brother Floyd.  Growing up, Pete attended Thurber Elementary School on

Main Street

and would attend the Central school for Junior and Senior High School in Spanish Fork, Utah. His favorite teacher during this time was Mimie Hales.

            When Pete was eight years old his mother came down with Typhoid Fever and was in bed for a very long time. Pete helped his mother during this time doing her housework.

            As Pete got older he wanted to play sports but his father would not let him, as he was needed to help on the farm. Pete wanted to play football and did play for a short time but claimed he broke a young mans leg and felt so bad he never played sports again. Pete also enjoyed riding his horse and would often ride his horse as fast as he could down the road often scaring his neighbors. He was very careful not to let his mother see him ride his horse.

            Pete worked for Lou Miller for two winters in a logging camp up Indian Canyon and was snowed in once for ten days. They were forced to eat oatmeal for most of the time since they were short on food. Pete refused to eat oatmeal from then on and even when he was older he would prefer cereal to oatmeal.

            Pete met Thelma Larrabee of Springville in November of 1932. He and his friends would often have parties at Thelma's house as it was the depression and money was scarce. Pete and his friends Willis Mattinson and Tom Rees would eat all of the food they could find in the cupboards often eating the food Thelma’s mother had prepared for dinner.

   Pete and Thelma were married in the Salt lake Temple on December 21, 1933. Pete and Thelma lived with Pete’s parents in their home in town. Later Pete and Thelma moved into the farmhouse on the road between Springville and Spanish Fork.

            Pete and Thelma had two daughters. Joan their first child and Karen their second child. Karen at 18 months old passed away from pneumonia and devastated both Pete and Thelma. Their son Larry was born shortly after Karen’s death.

            Pete worked at any job he could find during the depression. When World War Two began he worked for Geneva Steele on the railroad. He later went to work for the Rio Grand Railroad in Salt Lake City. Pete worked during the busy times and then would be laid off so he had to find other work until the railroad picked him up again. Pete later came on full time and moved his family to Murray, Utah were he lived until his death.

            Pete had smoked most of his life stopping for a brief time when Thelma and he were married in the Salt Lake Temple.  This changed when he had a heart attack on May 2, 1978. Pete never smoked again but he had to undergo surgery and had a pig valve put in place of his damaged valve. He loved to tease about being part pig with his pig valve.

            Pete loved to tease and often teased his grandchildren. He gave the boys nicknames which most of us will never reveal. He also nicknamed the girls as well and teased all of us every chance he saw us. He was a hard worker and even though the heart problems forced his retirement he still worked for a local farmer who had a farm in Pete's back yard. The Mcmillan's were very happy to have Pete assist them with their farm and Pete loved it, as he had never given up his farm boy ways.

            Pete passed away on March 4, 1988 from Pneumonia. He had suffered since 1985 from Alzheimer’s, which caused Pete to forget every one of his family members including Thelma. This is a devastating disease and was difficult for his family to watch his slow deterioration from this disease.

This History is a condensed version of a History written by Thelma Larrabee Christensen

Laurel Peter Christensen

Birth: December 31, 1912   Spanish Fork, Utah, Utah

Marriage:  December 21, 1933  Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Died: March 4, 1988  Murray, Salt Lake, Utah

Spouse: Thelma Larrabee

Birth: December 14, 1916  Springville, Utah, Utah

Died: April 24, 2006 Murray, Salt lake,  Utah

Children:

Thelma Joan Christensen

Spouse: Jackie Junior Jones

1.      Susan Jones

Spouse: Randy Gene Tyson

a.       Randon Cole Tyson

Spouse: Heidi Lyn Van Zweden

1.      Hunter Brennon Tyson

2.      Keslee McKell Tyson

           

b.      Auston Tyson

Born July 3, 1977  Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Died July 3, 1977  Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

c.       Tristyn Skye Tyson

Spouse: Taylor Rick Lambert

1.      Taylor Skye Lambert

2.      Cannon Jace Lambert

3.      Bailey McKale Lambert

           

d.      Brennon Jones Tyson

e.       Talisia Kay Tyson

Spouse: Brandon Cluff

2. Diane Jones

Spouse: Jeffery Maughan         

a.       Melissa Maughan

Spouse: Ren Wade Steele

            1.Bridger Todd Steele

           

            2.Savanna (Annie ) Oakley Steele

           

3.Wyatt Jeffrey Steele

b.      Nathan Scott Maughan

Spouse: Natalie Albrecht

1.      Brinley Grace Maughan

2.      Austin Scott Maughan

c.       Nicole Diane Maughan

Spouse: Allen Richard Wright

1.      Brayden Flint Wright

3.  Glen Roy Jones

Spouse: Debby Jean Linnarz

a.       Justin Glen Jones

Spouse: Janeil Louise O’Donnell

1.      Tyson Daniel Jones

2.      Emma May Jones

                       

b.      Jered Roy Jones

Spouse: ShaRee Denae Kummer

1.      Cayden Austen Jones

2.      Kamree Lynn Jones

                       

c.       Joshua Jack Jones

Spouse: Marishia Dawn Butler

1.Peyton Joshua Jones

2.Kasen James Jones

3.      Kylie Camille Jones

d.      Jason Richard Jones

Spouse: Amanada Leigh Warner

           

1.      Trenton Richard Jones

4.  Janet Lynne Jones           

Spouse: Christian Glenn Sadler

a. Sara Lynne Sadler

                        Spouse: Daniel Lloyd Evans

                       

b. Parker Christian Sadler

c. Chansler Hayes Sadler

5. Jeffery Peter Jones

Spouse: Lisa Marie Smith

a.       Peter Jefferson Jones

Karen Sarah Christensen

Birth: December 19, 1936  Springville, Utah, Utah

Died: February 23, 1938   Springville, Utah, Utah

Larry B. Christensen

Spouse: Jackie Turner

Larry Christensen Family
Back Row Standing l to r: Camille, Holli, David, Larry. Jackie, Alan, Laura Lee, Julia
Front Row Sitting: Cassie, Christy, Zach, Carolina, James and Kyler

Larry and Jackie are both retired. Larry is retired from Granite School District in Salt Lake City where he worked as a Custodian for many years. The last years were at Bonneville Jr. High School in Salt Lake City. Jackie retired as a teacher from Jordan School District and worked most of her teaching career at Bingham High School in South Jordan. She worked at Midvale Middle school the last few years before she retired. Both Larry and Jackie work at the Jordan River Temple on Friday and Saturday mornings. They have also served two volunteer missions one in their Stake helping families in need and currently they work on Wednesday night at the Institute assisting students. In their spare time they travel to Arizona and Nevada to visit with their grandchildren. They still live in the house they bought back in 1960 in Sandy, Utah.

1. David Larry Christensen

Wife: Holli Murphy

1.      Zachary David Christensen 

Spouse:Christy Pearce

2.      Camille Noel Christensen

Spouse: Erik Mikkelsen

3.      Cassie Dee Christensen   

2. Alan Bret Christensen

Wife: Laura Lee Lattin

            Julia Minchenko

            Kyler Eli Christensen    

Laura Lee, Alan Kyler, & Julia

3. James Christensen            

Wife: Carolina Janet Godoy

If you have pictures or other information you would like me to add. Please e-mail me.