Edward Christensen

Edward Boyd Christensen, lovingly known as "Ed," was born on October 15, 1950, in Brigham City, Utah, and passed away on Friday, July 7, 2023 in Perry, Utah. A dedicated educator and passionate hobbyist, Edward left an indelible impact on his family, friends, and the countless students whose lives he touched. Ed graduated from St. George High School, he then went to Dixie College received his associates degree. He continued his education at Utah State University where he received his bachelors degree in education. Ed was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he served his mission in the Pacific Northwest Mission from 1970 to 1972. He met his sweetheart, Marie Helms at Dixie College. They were married for time and eternity in the St. George Temple on June 29, 1973. Edward's life was marked by a commitment to nurturing young minds. He began his career teaching at Grouse Creek, then moved to teach at Corinne Elementary School where he discovered a profound love for teaching fourth graders. He also taught in Evanston, Wyoming School District, before retiring from the Box Elder School District in 2008. His legacy in education is not only marked by the subjects he taught but also by the life lessons he imparted to his students. He loved building rockets and playing dodgeball with the children, demonstrating his belief that education should be enjoyable and engaging. In the words of Henry Adams, "A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." Apart from his distinguished career in education, Edward was known for his wide range of hobbies. He was the proud owner of Christensen Auto LLC, through which he expressed his passion for restoring classic cars. He loved traveling, riding bicycles, and woodworking. He had a knack for passing on his love for his gifts, talents, knowledge, and encouragement to his kids and grandkids. His life was a testament to the idea that "the purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well." - Ralph Waldo Emerson. Edward is survived by his wife, Marie Christensen; his children, Bruce (Thi Nguyet Do) Christensen, Greg (Jennifer) Christensen, Lori (Jared) Genther, Trevor (Rachael) Christensen; 10 grandchildren; his sisters, Virginia Naegle, Janet Christensen, Dorothy Simons, and Mary Wolverton. He is preceded in death by his parents, Leon and Mae Christensen, and his brother, Tony Christensen and two sister, Rene Christensen and Patricia Christensen. A private memorial service in Edward's honor will be held on a later date. The service will be live-streamed for those who cannot attend in person at https://my.gather.app/remember/edward-christensen. We invite you to share your favorite memories and upload photos of Edward on his memorial page. In celebrating his life, we remember the man who gave so much of himself to enrich the lives of others.