Kaye Lawrence Jensen Obituary (1925 - 2007)

To view a video tribute for Kaye Lawrence Jensen, please click here. Kaye Lawrence Jensen, husband, father, grandfather, missionary and Marine, has graduated with honors from this earthly world of care and discomfort. Although he was handicapped by the disabilities that became a part of his mortal schooling some twelve years ago, he had made it his task to journal and record life as he knew it. Scanning and compiling clippings, letters and photos from the 81 years of his life; he told both Kathi and Kaylinn on Friday that he had completed that job. Saturday he ate breakfast and by 2pm had slipped into unconsciousness. His final passing was Monday morning in the hours just before dawn. He loved to go walking in those early morning hours even when they lived on the California desert outside Barstow more than 50 years ago and more recently, when they lived in Cane Beds, Arizona. He now has the opportunity to stride forth unencumbered by pain and debility, with his beautiful bride at his side. He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and at the time of his passing, he was in the High Priest Group Leadership of his branch at the VA Nursing Home, as well as a faithful Home Teacher. At 17, he received his Eagle Scout award on the day Pearl Harbor was bombed, and shortly thereafter, he joined the Marines. He fought on Saipan, receiving the Purple Heart for wounds received in that campaign. After fighting the Japanese in WWII, he was called as an LDS missionary to preach the gospel to the Japanese living in Hawaii. He loved the Japanese people, as he loved everyone he met. Kaye was always on the cutting edge of technology. He produced and sold the first audio version of the Book of Mormon. Even at 81, he was considered the resident “computer whiz” at the VA Nursing Home. Besides his amazing journals, he leaves to his sister, Joye Cummings, his 6 children: Michael (Karen), Alan, Kathi Eaton (Lee), Jacki Hansen, Kim (Quanah) and Kaylinn Jensen, his 28 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren (with 7 on the way), the legacy of a great life, well lived. He was preceded in death by his father and mother and his eternal sweetheart, Iown. Arrangements are being made to have his earthly remains placed by hers in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. A viewing will be held at the Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home at 4760 South State Street, Murray, Utah from 6 to 8 pm Friday evening, January 19th. The funeral will be held Saturday the 20th at the Union Fort 4th Ward, located at 6710 South 1300 East, Salt Lake City. A short viewing will be held at the ward building at 9:00am, followed by the funeral services at 10:00am. For those of us who have been touched by this remarkable man, our lives will be always blessed. We will miss him and look forward to seeing him again in worlds yet to come.