Jensen Grandparents

I adore my Jensen Grandparents. My Grandma died when I was in Kindergarten. We were living in Orem, I had started Kindergarten 2 weeks earlier and I had just made my first school friend, when my Grandpa called to ask if we would move in with them and help take care of Grandma, she had breast cancer. Of course I was so excited! I love my Grandparents and the chance to be with them all the time was so exciting! My Grandfather still worked at Hill Air Force Base, so someone had to stay with Grandma. I remember many times my Aunt Sally and her kids and Uncle Geoff babysitting (taking us to the park) me and Corey while my Mom took Grandma to the hospital for chemotherapy. Since Grandma died in January 1980 she was part of the original DNA testing for breast cancer at the now Huntsman Cancer Insititute. Mom said they would occasionally test her over the years, but we do not have the breast cancer gene. 

In the summer of 1967 Grandpa volunteered to work hazard pay in Vietnam. I was told his job was to be Radar O'Reilly from MASH. But Grandma was so mad she took my Mom and her siblings to Waterton for the summer.  

 Grandpa in Vietnam 

 Grandma in Waterton

To make up for this summer Grandpa met Grandma in Hawaii for a vacation.

It's pretty rare for Grandpa to be in a picture because he was always the one taking the pictures.

Grandpa in the backyard

Grandma in the backyard

Grandma in the upstairs living room

Grandpa in Waterton (different year)

This is my favorite picture! 

Both of them holding hands in Waterton. 

Great-Grandparents

 While looking through the digitized slides I found pictures of my Great-Grandparents. I have already posted my Great-Grandpa Fredrick Young Jensen Jr's patriarchal blessing. Since I was so young when he died I don't know much about him. I do know that he was a famous sheep shearer and was scandalized by my Great-Grandma Madora LaVerna Rogerson before they were married because she wore a dress in the 4th of July parade that showed her ankles. Apparently this caused a major rift in their relationship so much so that he went to work at Yellowstone for the rest of the summer. 

   

Since my Mom's family spent every summer in Waterton and stayed in my Spackman Great-Grandparents' cabin there are many pictures. I have already posted about Great-Grandma Amy Clarissa Neel Spackman's patriarchal blessing. 

  

Mom said that Grandma Amy stayed with them off and on after Grandpa Spackman died. This was at the Vernal Dinosaur Museum.

Digitized Slides

My Jensen Grandparents, like all people in the 1960's, put their pictures on slides. My brother was here a couple of weeks ago and found a bag full of slides with a machine that converted them to digital pictures. Here are the ones of my Mom with immediate and extended family:

 I think these shoes are back in style.

 

 My Mom was in the BYU Marching Band. One of her favorite activities at BYU she did.

 Looks like my Mom and her cousins cold in Waterton while my Grandma fished in a dress.

 I think this is the only pregnancy (with me) pictures I've ever seen of my Mom.

Headstone

When we buried my Mom I made all the funeral arrangements and put her in a single grave. My parents did not have a good marriage and I know my Mom has no plans on being with my father for eternity from our conversations and what was in her will. My Grandma Jensen has been in the Spirit World since 1980, so she has had plenty of time to find my Mom a husband she wants to be with for eternity. Corey, dad, and I agreed that Mom would not want a elaborate headstone, but apparently when my dad ordered the headstone (I made him pay for this one thing) he added their marriage info without letting Corey and I know. 

If anyone wants to visit her gravesite, go into the Veterans Memorial entrance of the Provo Cemetery, then immediately turn right. Mom is under a couple of trees and next to the fence.