Oct. 28, 1932 - Feb. 16, 2022
Date of Service: Feb. 22, 2022
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Charles “Dee” Christensen passed away, in the comfort of his home, on February 16, 2022.
Dee was born on 28 Oct 1932 in McBurney School District just Northwest of Wendell, Gooding, Idaho. He was the 4th son, and 7th child of Charley and Elva Sylvia Nelson Christensen.
Dee began his education in kindergarten at the McBurney School house until around second grade when his parents moved, and he began his lifelong friendship with Russel Hawkes at Wendell Elementary, where he would eventually graduate in 1950, minus a short year the family lived in Ogden, UT. Dee was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Jerome, ID. He was the first member of his family to be baptized in an actual font! As he grew older, and was ordained a deacon, he would ride his horse around to his assigned families and collect fast offerings.
Dee was a cowboy at heart. In his own words, “I always wanted to be a cowboy and loved riding the horses. Although I continued to attend church and advance in the Priesthood, my first interests were in horses, roping and going to rodeos.” Between helping his Dad and brothers milk their 60-80 cows, he would often be out with his friends Russel Hawks and Daryl Hobdey roping cows. In high school, Dee played baritone in the band, was active in riding club, as well as played basketball and football for 3 years. After he graduated in the spring of 1950, he began his part-time rodeo career that would be a part of his life forever, rodeoing in 9 states, 144 towns, and more rodeos than he could count. In the fall of 1950, Dee attended 2 quarters at BYU in Provo, UT, where his sister Mary Jo (& Garth Stephenson) made sure he never went hungry. That spring he also took a missionary training course.
The Korean War was taking place, so rather than being drafted into the Army, Dee chose to enlist in the United States Air Force. The group he was with was nick-named “The Flying Spuds.” They left for basic training in October of 1951, in San Antonio Texas, and later Scott Field in Illinois. Over the next few months of training, Dee’s knees began to swell and give him lots of trouble; he could hardly walk. After several weeks in the hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, Dee was given an Honorable Discharge for medical reasons.
In the spring of 1953, Dee made a stop in Wendell that would change his life forever. In his words “Finally the best thing in my life occurred. I fell hard. There was never any doubt from the moment we went out that she was the girl for me. After I started dating Pati, I have never thought of or had any desire to be with anyone else, there is no one else for me.”
Dee and Pati were sealed for time and all eternity in the Idaho Falls, ID Temple on January 22, 1954. In November, they were blessed with their first son, Val Dee Christensen. After they were married Dee worked as a teller for First Security Bank in Gooding for 21/2 years then found a better job opportunity with Idaho Power Company and Dee began his career in Power Plant Operation where he would work, eleven years for Idaho Power Co., at Hagerman and Swan Falls plants then 29 years for The Bureau of Reclamation. He was an operator at Minidoka Powerplant, Grand Coulee Dam, Anderson Ranch Dam and Flat Iron Project, until his retirement in 1997. After Val was born, Dee and Pati were blessed with two sweet daughters, who passed away, LaDawn, and Molly Jo. Years later, after they were unable to have any more children of their own, they adopted their son Clay, who would complete their family.
Dee loved rodeoing, and made it a career along with his work. He and his son Val were able to win many teamropings and also the Easter Idaho Rodeo Association Teamroping Championship in 1973. To this date they are the only father/son team to accomplish this. Dee competed in many amateur rodeos and jackpot teamropings throughout the Northwest and belonged to the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association and rodeoed at professional rodeos for 7 years. He was inducted into the Idaho Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2009.
A devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Dee served in many capacities. He particularly loved serving in the Elders Quorum Presidency, Young Men’s organization, Scouting, and many more. He was a devout Home Teacher all of his life.
Other than roping his favorite pastime was hunting the elusive upland game birds, mainly chuckar partridge, with his sons and grandsons all over the hills of Southern Idaho.
Dee lived out his retirement years alongside his beautiful wife, Pati. They were able to serve a mission at Cove Fort, Utah. Over their lifetime they loved camping with their family, and chasing their grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to many, many sporting events and other activities. After selling their home in Rupert, ID after their mission, they were able to build a beautiful home in the Pella area to be near Val and Karen. Dee was always calling his grandkids to see when they would be bringing his great-grandchildren to come see him. They were the highlight of his life, next to Pati of course!
Dee is survived by his wife, Pati, and their children Val (Karen) Christensen, and Clay Christensen as well as his grandchildren; Sean (Katie) Christensen, Mike (Brooke) Christensen, Seth Christensen, Marc (Becky) Christensen, Sydney (Kyle) James, Jacqueline Christensen, and Michelle Wangerzyn Christensen, and 19 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Arlene Christensen Skeem. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charley and Elva Sylvia Nelson Christensen, sisters; Norma Christensen, Verla Lancaster (Murk) and Mary Jo Stephenson (Garth), brothers; Ronald Christensen (Ina), Merlon Christensen (Roma) and Norman Christensen, brothers in law, sisters in law, and friends.
The family would like to thank Hospice Care workers for their recent help and Dr. Matthew DeTemple for years of health care service.
The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, February 22, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Pella 1st Ward, located at 160 W. 400 S., of Burley. Burial will be in View Cemetery.
Family and friends will be received from 5 until 7 p.m. Monday, February 21, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from noon until 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, preceding the funeral, at the church.
A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/UBvcFtkQONk.
