Soren A. Christensen 1906 (Written by Himself) I arrived into this world on Wednesday, November 28th 1906 in Center Creek, Wasatch County, Utah. The fourth living child of Soren Christen Christensen and Trena Amanda Olsen. My father was killed in a farm accident when he fell from a hay wagon and was run over. This happened two months before I was born, leaving my mother with three small children and expecting me. These were very difficult times for my mother. Grandma Christensen [Christiane Thompson] helped her some. My mother milked cows and boarded schoolteachers to help support us. When I was eight years old my mother married George Edler. I was happy to have a father, which I had missed these tender years of my life. However, he didn’t ever seem to have time for us. I worked hard on our farm, herding cows and working in the fields. I was educated in Center Creek School for eight grades, and then I went three years to Heber City High School. When I was going to High School at Heber, we had to ride horses the 5 miles. It was very cold in the winter. It was a hard life. At the age of 17 I left my home and came to Pocatello, Idaho where I had two brothers living there. My first job in Pocatello was for Howard’s Dairy. I worked two years at the railroad, and then I went to work at the Kraft Cheese Company. I worked there 14 years. I left Kraft Cheese and went to Arbon, Idaho to run my father-in-law’s farm. We stayed in Arbon for 3 years. We moved to Malad, Idaho in 1942. We lived 3 years in Malad, then moved up to Deep Creek to Dewey Fredrickson’s farm. We were there 26 years. I married Merle Kerr Bailey, June 18th 1928. We are the parents of seven children, 6 boys and one girl. The first years of our marriage we were very far away from the church. But in 1965 we were asked to attend a temple course class. It was a great miracle that came into our lives through the power of prayer. It changed our lives so much for the better. It was just like coming from darkness into the light. I never knew anyone could have such happiness. We became active in the Church and on May 29th 1967 we were sealed in the Logan Temple for time and eternity. A most wonderful day. We had six of our seven children sealed to us. In 1969 our son Larry went on a mission to Korea for 2 years. We have been blessed so many ways since we have changed our way of living. In 1972 we left the farm and bought a little home in town in Malad. All of our children have married. We have many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a few great-great-grandchildren. They all come and visit us in our little home in Malad, which we enjoy so much. In the winter of 2000 we left our little home and moved into the rest home in Malad. We sure miss our little home but things were getting to be too much for us to do there. We are comfortable here and are very well taken care of. My positions in the church: three years as executive secretary to the Aaronic Priesthood in the 3rd ward, Teacher to the Deacons Quorum. Home Teacher for 9 years and worked with the inactive Aaronic Priesthood members. I am now a High Priest in the 2nd Ward at Malad, Idaho, and enjoy doing Temple work in the Logan Temple. Obituary/Death Notice Soren A. Christensen MALAD - Soren A. Christensen, 94, of Malad City, passed away Sunday, December 31, 2000, in the Oneida County Nursing Home of complications incident to age. He was born November 28, 1906, in Center Creek, Utah, to Soren C. Christensen and Trina Amanda Olsen. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was raised and educated in Center Creek and Heber, Utah. He married Merle Bailey on June 18, 1928, in Pocatello, Idaho. Their marriage was solemnized in the Logan, Utah LDS Temple on May 29, 1967. For many years he worked for the Kraft Cheese Company in Pocatello, and later moved to Arbon Valley. In 1942, he moved to Malad, where he remained until his death. Farming and fishing were his life’s greatest enjoyments. He is survived by five sons, Darrell, of Malad, Lynn (Marilee) of Idaho Falls, Daniel (Althea) of Downey, Larry (Kay) of Idaho Falls, Alan (Teresa) of Federal Way, Washington; one daughter, JoAnn Henderson (Linford) of Salt Lake City, Utah; 29 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a sister, Mina Giles, and a stepsister, Mary Provost. He was preceded in death by his wife, Merle, who passed away on July 3, 2000, a son, Duane, a great-grandson, Dustin, and a great-great-grandson, Andrew. Funeral services will be held January 6, 2001, at 1 p.m. at the Malad LDS Second Ward Chapel, 20 S. 100 W. Friends may call at the Benson-Horsley Funeral Home, 132 W. 300 N., Friday evening, Jan. 5, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturday at the funeral home from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Burial will be in the Malad City Cemetery. The family wishes to thank the staff, nurses and doctors at the Oneida County Nursing Home for their love and tender care of our father. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that donations be made to the Oneida County Nursing Home in memory of Soren A. Christensen. The Life of Soren A Christensen Before He was Married I arrived into this world November 28, 1906, on a Wednesday to Soren Christian and Trene Amanda Olsen Christensen. I was born at Center Creek, Wasatch County, Utah. The doctor attending was either Dr. Ray Hatch or Dr. *******. My father was killed in September just two months before I was born, leaving my mother with three young children and expecting me in two months. These were difficult days for her. Grandma Christensen helped take care of us for a short time. Mother milked cows and boarded school teachers to help support us. The first day I went to school, at the age of six, I met my first love. She was Hilda Lindsay. I kissed her under the teachers desk. The second day of school, I ran away from school and climbed in the barn loft and played with my rabbits. This was the day I got my first spanking. When I was eight years old, my mother married George Edler. I was very happy to have a father, which I had missed these tender years of my life. He was busy and didn't seem to have much time for us kids. At this time my brother Lloyd left to live with our Aunt Lettie and Uncle Charles Jensen. He milked cows at the dairy and delivered milk. December 17, 1914, my sister Mary was born. Then our family was increased again as my brothers Loran and Glade were born, making seven in our family. I attended school in Center Creek through the eighth grade. The school was just across the street from our home. During the summer, I would herd cows along the road. I think I got cussed out by all the neighbors as the cows would break through fences and eat the wheat. After I got a little older they got a horse for me to ride, which was much better. My horses name was Dick. I thought so very much of him. I can remember the nights we would ride our horses five miles from Center Creek to Heber to see a picture show. There would be from ten to fifteen of us. The shows cost us 15 cents a ticket. We were given a quarter, so we could get a hamburger after the show. I always liked to go fishing, when the cows were laying in the shade. Mother was always glad when I would bring the fish I caught home for supper, and if the cows got into some grain, I would be forgiven. I was always a small child, but it came in handy at Easter time. The other boys would shove me through a hole into the chicken coop, where I would swipe the eggs. The fall I started to high school with a new pair of bib overalls and shirt, I was quite dressed up. Three of us rode our horses five miles to school. It was very cold in the winter time. Temperatures below zero and muddy and sloppy in the spring and fall. It was good to have a fast horse, so you could be in the lead and splash the mud on the ones behind. My sister Mina and brother Niels stayed in town with people they worked for. While in high school there were many good times in Heber City. We would go to shows, to candy pulls, and parties. During summer months my brother Niels and I would top beets, hoe beets, and do garden work. I always got the job of riding the horse on the cultivator for the neighbors. If I didn't like the people I was working for I would get even with them by making the horse go fast which would nearly run them to death. The second year of school, there were four of us boys that would ride our horses to school. When the snow came we built a sleigh to ride to school. We would take turns with the horses. We would take hay in our sleighs to feed the horses while we were in school. The Heber kids knew that when we hit town things were kicking up. We would let out a holler that would wake up the dead. The Heber kids would say, "Here comes the Center Creek gang." We had the fastest team in the valley. No one could pass us. I went three years to high school. I went one month in the fourth year. Then I quit for a while, went back again, but all my friends had gone, so I quit, never to go back. I can remember every Thanksgiving a bunch of us boys would go hunting rabbits. There was one fellow named, McCally. His dad ran the flour mill in Heber. He had a little money and would always bring .22 and shot gun shells for all of us. After we had hunted all day, on our way home, we came to Jim Clyde's shearing sheds. Pete Peterson said, "Let's each take a shot at the windows in the shed." About thirty glasses in each window. We were quite away back so the shot scattered. We each took a shot at a window. If we didn't knock the window out with one shot we took another, 'til there wasn't a glass left. Then we went to his sheep camp, cooked about a half mutton and everything else that was edible. When we left, Pete was the last to come out of the sheep camp. We didn't know until later that had turned a five gallon can of honey upside down on the stove. Jim Clyde came around the next day and picked us all up. He said, "We could either go to jail or work it out next summer." My job was grubbing thistles and poisoning squirrels - some of the others had to build fences. Our jobs lasted all summer, without pay. This was one good lesson to all of us. Another prank we played was to put dynamite under a manure pile, so we wouldn't need to haul the manure. What a beautiful manure spreader it made. We did such a good job on that, we decided we would try it out on a big rock in front of the church house, but that wasn't so good, it blew all the windows out of the church house. Just lucky that Ott Sweat and I didn't get killed. We had ridden our horses up the road a ways and I said, "We had better go a little farther." Just as we stopped a shower of rocks the size of cantaloupes came down right on the spot we had just left. The summer I was seventeen, I left home and went to Pocatello. My first job was at Howard Dairy milking cows by hand - twenty-three in the morning and at night - and hoeing potatoes and gardens the rest of the day. That is when I met Joe Howard who remained a friend the rest of my life. After six weeks, I quit the dairy and went home for a few weeks. While I was home I had a car wreck. I was driving Dad's Jewet. The car rolled over three times. It completely demolished the car. I was hurt real bad for a week. Just about had my left ear cut off. In about three weeks, I came back to Pocatello. I got a job at the railroad as a freight car apprentice. The day I started, I met a fellow by the name of Frank Christensen. We worked together for a year. We started out for 32 cents an hour and, after a year, we got 38 cents an hour. Then Frank quit, so I quit too. I went to work at the Kraft Cheese Company. I hadn't been working very long at Kraft's, when I met Merle Bailey, who later became my wife. We were married June 18, 1928, in Pocatello, Idaho. We lived eleven years in Pocatello and had three sons - Duane, born January 20, 1929, Darrell, born April 21, 1932, and Lynn, born January 23, 1938. We moved to Arbon in 1939 onto Merle's Dad's farm. There JoAnn was born May 4, 1940. We lived three years in Arbon. Then we moved to Malad. Danny was born August 5, 1943. We lived four years in town in Malad, then June 12, 1946 we moved up Deep Creek. Larry was born April 17, 1950, and Alan on September 3, 1953. We lived twenty-six years on the farm. Now we have lived twenty years in our little home here in Malad. We now have seven children, twenty-seven grandchildren, thirty-two great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson. We now have ninety in our family. We are both well and very happy. Soren Christensen. (1992) SOREN A. CHRISTENSEN LIFE SKETCH, Presented by his daughter, JoAnn Christensen Henderson THE BEGINNING: I came into this world on Wednesday, November 28th 1906. It was a cold blustery day in Center Creek, Utah, a farming area just south of Heber, the place where I was born. My mother was Trena Amanda Olsen Christensen and my father, Soren C. Christensen. I was born into a family of two brothers, Lloyd and Neils and a sister, Mina. I never knew my father because he was killed two months before my birth when he fell from a hay wagon and was run over. My mother was left a widow at a very young age with four little children to raise. Because of this, she didn't have a lot of time to spend with us. She milked cows and boarded school teachers to help support us. Mother was a very small woman with beautiful curly hair. She loved us very much, but sometimes because she had to work so hard, she lost her patience and was very strict and stern. I think some of that rubbed onto us kids. My early years were spent much like any other child except that as soon as I was able, I had to help with the farm work. I was quite small for my age and easy prey for the teasing of my two older brothers. AGE EIGHT: Two events happened when I was eight. First, my mother married George Edler. I was very happy to have a father, but I'm not sure my brothers were as happy. George was very strict and didn't seem to have time for us. Mother and George had three children: Mary, Loren and Glade. The other event that happened when I was eight, I was baptized. In the ward in Center Creek all the boys and girls who had turned eight during the year were baptized in the late summer. So I had to wait from my eighth birthday in November to September 5, 1915 to be baptized. I was baptized in a ditch close to our house. It was dammed off to make it deep enough for the baptism. GROWING UP: I suppose I grew up much like all the other boys who lived at that time. I attended school in Center Creek for eight years. I worked on the farm, herding cows and working in the fields. This is when I learned to work. And I worked very hard. One thing that made me and my brothers different. We were little hellions. We were always getting into trouble because of the pranks and mischievous things we did. I went to High School in Heber. We had to ride horses five miles to school. In the winter, it was extremely cold. It was a very hard life. I tried to apply myself to school work, but sometimes fell short in accomplishing it. I wish now that I hard tried harder. Many of the things I have learned have come through self taught education, making mistakes, trial and error and the school of hard knocks. When I was seventeen I figured I had enough school so I left school and also left home. I went to Pocatello where Lloyd and Neils lived. I found work at Howland's Dairy and then worked at the railroad for two years. My next job was with Kraft cheese where I worked for fourteen years. ROMANCE: While I was working at Kraft's, I met a beautiful young woman. Her name, Merle Bailey. She was from Arbon Valley and was attending Pocatello High School. We date for a while and on June 18, 1928 in a private ceremony at the courthouse we were married. Marrying Merle was the best and smartest thing I ever did in my life. She is the best. MOVING AND MOVING AND MOVING: We continued to live in Pocatello. During those years in Poky, we had three sons: Soren Duane, born in 1929, Darrell Ray born in 1932 and Lynn James born in 1938. We moved to Arbon in 1939 and once again I was a farmer working for Merle's dad. In 1940, our daughter JoAnn was born. In 1942 we loaded up a truck with our belongings and our kids and moved to Malad. We needed to move because Duane was ready to enter high school and we didn't want him to have to board with someone while he attended school. We had no job and no place to live when we left Arbon. All we had was a couple of names of people to contact when we arrived and a lot of faith. We found a house on Main Street that we rented and I found a job working for Dewey Fredrickson on his farm up Deep Creek. In 1943 we had our fourth son, Daniel Kay. In 1946 the house we were renting was sold. We needed to move again. With all the men returning from the war, all the houses in Malad were rented. There was no place for rent in Malad. Dewey told me that the house on the farm was available, so once again we loaded the truck with our belongings and our kids and moved to Deep Creek. This was quite an experience. We had electricity, water and inside plumbing in the house in Malad. The farm house had none of these. It was like going back in time. One of the first things I did was put cold water into the house. I continued to make improvements to the house as best I could. Dewey told us that he would update the house but it took a long, long time before this was done. Electricity was put in in 1951 and indoor plumbing in 1953. What a difference that made. In 1950 another son was born, Larry Bailey and in 1953 our last son, Alan Neil, was born. A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER: In about 1953 a change took place in my life. I admitted that I had a drinking problem and joined a group of my friends in AA. This was a decision that greatly improved our lives. I put my faith in God and learned how to pray for the strength to overcome my weaknesses. Every Thursday night Merle and I would join our old drinking buddies only this time we weren't drinking anymore. We were meeting together in our AA group. We made some lasting friends through these meetings. If it hadn't been for AA I probably would have lost my wife, my family, my self respect, everything that was so dear to me. In 1965 Merle and I were invited to attend a Temple Preparation Class. At first I attended this class with the wrong attitude. I was there to prove everything the teacher taught was wrong. I really gave him a rough time. When we finished the class, I met with the Bishop to get a temple recommend. I was so cocky sure that I would get the recommend but because of my pride and the fact that I hadn't done all I should to prepare for the temple, the bishop would not grant me the recommend. I was very, very angry and decided I wasn't going to ever return to church. Through humbling myself and prayer, I realized I was wrong. Merle and I took the Temple Preparation Class again. This time I had the right attitude and on May 29, 1967 we were sealed in the Logan Temple for Time and Eternity. TIME MARCHES ON: Time went on and one by one our children married and left home. I continued to work and fight and work and fight with Dewey on the farm. OUR LITTLE HOUSE: It was getting close to the time when I realized that I couldn't work on the farm forever. We were wondering what we would do after I retired from the farm. At an AA meeting in 1972 one of our friends mentioned that he had a house that his renters had just vacated. They had left it in such a mess that he would sell it for almost nothing. I asked how much. He said. "$2000.00". I told him. "Sold." Merle and I started to make plans on how to fix the house so we could live in it. Our children also had plans. With hammers, plumbing tools, paint brushes and sledge hammers they came. They worked together and before we knew it, they had transformed our little house into a castle. We have lived very comfortably in our little house for over 23 years. During those years we have had grandchildren born, grandchildren marry, great grandchildren born and great, great grandchildren born. Happy times and sad times. A very sad time when a great grandchild, Dustin, died. A very, very sad time when our son, Duane, died in 1994. My prayer is that I will still be living in this little house when I return to My Heavenly Father. REFLECTIONS: Ninety years. That's a long, long time to live. I have seen many changes during those years. When I was born, everyone traveled by horse power, or foot power. Our lights at night were candles, or kerosene or gas lights. Our bathroom was an outhouse in the backyard. There were no telephones or computers. Our recreation was a buggy ride, a game of marbles or kick the can, or a dance on Friday night. Work was hard because it was all done by man power or horse power. Life was very hard. Now there are jet planes, and space travel and men have walked on the moon, there is television, telephones, and computers. There is computer language which is like Greek to me. There is electricity and indoor plumbing and every other time-saving convenience. I am often asked what advice I would give to those following. A few words of advice I give. Work hard. Tell the truth. Learn to pray and trust in God. Tell those you love that you love them. Get an education. Be good to each other. Learn from your elders and don't make the same mistakes. Don't drink alcohol and stay far away from drugs. Have a positive attitude. As I reflect on my life there are things that I am proud of. As I mentioned before, the best thing I ever did was marrying Merle. She is my sweety, my honey. We have been married sixty eight years. That is one of the things I did that I am proud of. There are things that I am deeply sorry for. I apologize to all who I have hurt and ask for forgiveness. I want my family to know that I love them. I want my family to know that I have a testimony of God and of His Son, Jesus Christ. I know that this life is the time to prepare for eternity so make the most of each day. I love you all. Grandpa C. SOREN A. CHRISTENSEN, A TRIBUTE, Presented by his wife, Merle K. Bailey Christensen What a wonderful day, this has been. Dad’s 90th years of living. It has been so wonderful to see so many of our families, relatives and friends here. Makes one feel life is great. There is nothing that can compare with family, relatives and friends. What would we do without them? I know it is Soren’s job to thank all, but I am so happy that I just had to say thank you all so very much. You have made it a wonderful day. We want, with all our heart and soul, to thank our seven wonderful children for the help they have given us; for the love and understanding. I think they lay awake at nights thinking of the good things they can do to make life more comfortable and wonderful and safe for us. No one in this world has more loving considerate children than we do. Dad and I, and I know the rest of the children want this day to give special thanks to our Darrell. He is so kind and considerate of our welfare. Every morning about the same time he calls, “How are you this beautiful day. Do you need anything, today?” We surely appreciate it, Darrell--Thank you much. We miss the two that are not here, Duane or Chris, and Danny. Danny was here for Thanksgiving, but had to leave for business in Seattle. We have seen so many changes in our life. When we were young we traveled by sleigh, wagon, or buggies pulled with horses. You little ones, what do you think it was like to see your first automobile? We, grandpa and I can tell you. I was seven years old when a car came through Arbon Valley. We all ran out of the house. What was that thing coming down the road, and no horses pulling it, and I bet it was going ten miles an hour! Then soon after to see an aeroplane. Then to see that thing up in the sky. It must be a miracle. Then came the radio. Can you imagine those people in New York talking to us in our living room? Next the TV, what a miracle to see those people in our front room. Now the VCR, the stereos. Can you children imagine life without a microwave, TV cartoons, and computer games. When we were kids we had to light our lights with gasoline or kerosene. We couldn’t just touch a button and they were on. We had to light them. Yes, there has been many changes in our life time. Soren, this is my birthday card to you. We have been married for sixty-eight and a half years. Our life together reminds me of this song, which was popular when we were courting, “Oh, we ain’t got a barrel of money. Maybe we are ragged and funny, but we’ll travel the road, sharing the load, side by side.” Well the young first years of our marriage, the Mays and Junes of life, were reckless, careless. Not caring what was coming tomorrow, led to a very bumpy road and many deep ditches to cross over. We did it, “Side by Side.” Then came July and August of life. The road was so much smoother, no ditches to cross, and our seven children were with us. We are, “Still traveling along, singing a song--Side by Side.” Now comes September and October of life. The road is getting smoother and we are enjoying life with our children, grand children, and yes, even some greats. We are still singing the song, “Side by Side.” Then we are in the November of life. We are happy and traveling the smoother highway. We have our grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great, great grandchildren. All is well, still traveling, “Side by Side.” Soren we are now in the late December of life. We have grown old together, but we are so thankful that we can still take care of each other, and live in our little home that we love so much. The chicks have all flown and we are here alone, but we are happy. Our hair has grown gray and our steps are so very slow, and we still, “haven’t got a barrel of money.” But we are still, “traveling the road, sharing the load, `Side by Side’!!!” Happy birthday, Soren. Love Merle