Vernon "Jerry" Mortensen

1944 - 2014

Vernon Jerry Mortensen, 70, passed away Thursday, Nov. 13, 2014, in Liberty Lake, Wash., from a heart attack.

He has been living the past several years in the Dominican Republic.

Jerry was born Oct. 26, 1944, in Rexburg, to Vernon Christian and Mildred Hirschi Mortensen. He attended elementary school and was graduated from high school in Sugar City, where he was active in sports. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a major in German and a minor in mathematics.

He served a two year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Switzerland and Italy, spending a year in each country.

He married Marti Mortensen on April 10, 1981. They were married for 25 years before divorcing in August of 2006. He later married Miguelina Madrano Garcia Mortensen in 2011.

He was a teacher in his earlier years and is known for inventing Mortensen Math which was adopted in many schools, pubic, private and Montessori. He trained to be a Montessori teacher in Bergamo, Italy, under Mario Montessori, son of Maria Montessori of the original A.M.I. method. Jerry's method is still in use today by schools and home schools.

He played the guitar and loved to entertain his family. He traveled extensively, often residing for months in some of the countries he visited. During the last several years, he has been working on a novel. He was also developing a program to teach English speakers foreign languages starting with Spanish.

He is survived by his wife, Miguelina of Dominican Republic; two brothers, Arlen D. (Kay) Mortensen of Ivins, Utah, and Michael Mortensen of Las Vegas; two sisters, Uvon (Dave) Murdoch of Idaho Falls and Sharon (Boyd) Summers of Rigby; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, mother and brother, John.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Arrangements are under the direction of Buck-Miller-Hahn Funeral Home of Idaho Falls.