D. Kirk Jensen

Donald Kirk Jensen, age 88, passed away Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at Intermountain Medical Center after experiencing a heart attack and fall at home. He was surrounded by his loving family prior to his death. Kirk was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and son of our Heavenly Father that left a legacy of hard work and devotion to family at his passing.

Kirk was born March 3, 1935, in Salt Lake City, Utah to William Erastus Jensen and Ida May Shafer and was the second youngest of 8 children. His parents were entrepreneurs and owned Bills Hamburger Stand, located on Major Street in Salt Lake City, Utah where they were famous for their 10 for $10 hamburger special! Kirk and his six other siblings, Eileen, Daryl, Maxine, Beverly, Lorna, and Loren were all part of the Jensen family business as they grew up, like it or not, so this was just a way of life for them.

Kirk graduated from South High School and shortly thereafter served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Northern California Mission for two years. Two days after returning home from his mission, he was introduced to Colleen King on a blind date who was living at the Beehive House at the time, and they hit it off with the second date just two days after that ending in a marriage proposal! They were sealed for time and eternity just four months later in the Salt Lake Temple on November 1, 1957, and moved into a home on Major Street across from Bill’s Hamburgers. One year later their daughter, Vilare, was born and two years after that a son, Michael was born. Soon thereafter, the family bought a home in Murray and moved there to expand and raise their family. Over the next few years, they would be blessed with three additional girls being born into the family: Nannette, Charisse, and Jannette.

Throughout his life, Kirk was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held many callings including 2nd Counselor in the Arbor Ward Bishopric, High Priest Group Leader of the South Cottonwood 8th Ward and Activity Chair, among other callings over the years. Kirk and Colleen both loved their Arbor and South Cottonwood 8th Wards and established lifetime friendships from both wards. Together they raised five children and surrounded them with gospel principles, teaching them to love the Lord. This laid the foundation for a strong and gospel centered family and each of the five children were eventually married in the Salt Lake Temple. Kirk and Colleen also served a full-time mission in the Florida, Ft. Lauderdale Mission home from October 1994 to April 1996.

Kirk loved working hard to provide for his family over the years. While working at General Tire and Rubber Company he moved from Credit Manager into Sales, which he excelled at and eventually became the Territory Sales Manager. He was honored as top salesman in the country for several years until he retired at the age of 57. He would travel throughout the western part of the United States selling tires and helped establish several General Tire and Rubber stores throughout the state. One of his biggest contracts in Utah was with Kennecott Copper years ago. Having their dad sell tires was a bonus for his children who always had slightly imperfect giant inner tubes to jump on in the back yard, which attracted all the kids in the neighborhood! He also supplied the inner tubes for many a ward tubing event. Kirk also served as a Board Member for the Utah Credit Bureau for years. Over the course of his career, he turned down promotions that would take his family out of state so that they could remain in their Murray home.

Kirk was proceeded in death by his lovely ‘bride’ Colleen January 2021 and missed her daily, believing she was with him always. He is survived by his five children Vilare J. Michials, daughter; Michael K. Jensen, son (Linda); Nannette J. Brady, daughter; Charisse J. Gerber, daughter (Troy); and Jannette J. Ward, daughter (Chris) in addition to 19 grandchildren: Justin M. Jensen, Kelsey B. Koonce, Sean A. Michials, Ashlee M. Carver, Shalise B. Swenson, Cassandra B. Hansen, Alisha Michials, Austin C. Gerber, Christian K. Jensen, Spencer K. Brady, McKenzie A. Jensen, Sterling L. Brady, Aubree N. Gerber, Chantelle A. Jensen, Devon C. Ward, Derek B. Ward, Peyton T. Gerber, Megan Ward, Brittyn B. Gerber, and 16 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Colleen King Jensen, his father William Erastus Jensen and mother Ida May Jensen, his seven siblings Eileen Nyhagen, Daryl K. Jensen, Maxine Harwood, Beverly Dean Jensen, Lorna Lou Koontz, William Keith Jensen, Loren Duane Jensen, his granddaughter Elise Ward, and his son-in-law Layne Brady.

A viewing will be held Friday, September 8, 2023, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at the Little Cottonwood Stake Center located at 6180 South Glenoaks Street, Murray, Utah. Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 9, 2023, also at the Little Cottonwood Stake Center (6180 South Glenoaks Street, Murray, Utah) at 10:00 am, with a viewing at 9 am held prior to the services. Those unable to attend the service are encouraged to join a live broadcast of the service by accessing the link provided by Jenkins Soffe Mortuary in Kirk’s Obituary. Interment will be at the Murray City Cemetery following the services.