Roland Christensen

1931 - 2016

Ove Roland Christensen passed away peacefully January 1, 2016. He was born in Frederikshavn, Denmark on April 19, 1931 to Jens Ove and Ana Saidi Sofia Pedersen Christensen.
Roland apprenticed in his teens as an upholsterer and became a master craftsman in that trade. In 1951 he was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and readily shared his testimony with everyone. He immigrated to the United States where he became an American citizen while living in Montebello, California. Soon after he joined the Army and was stationed in Germany during the Korean Conflict. After completing his military service, Roland served an LDS mission to Norway. After his release he moved to Salt Lake City and found employment as an upholsterer at the Dinwoody Furniture Company. Through a fellow Dinwoody upholsterer (soon to be brother-in-law), he was introduced to Margarete Birth whom he married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 17, 1960. They became parents and raised two children Mark and Elisa. In 1977 Roland was employed as a custodian by the LDS Church and continued to make furniture almost every night after work and on the weekends. He found great joy and satisfaction with his talent for furniture. Over the years Roland served diligently in many callings including young men's advisor, Elders quorum president, stake missionary, ward clerk, stake assistant clerk, High Priests group leadership, and was a faithful home teacher. Roland was a dedicated and loving husband, father, and son of God. Although his work was his hobby, he loved people. He was friendly, honest, dependable, easily brought to laughter and easy to love.
Roland is survived by his sister Mona (Don) Jardine, brother Rudy (Kathy) Johansen, children Mark (Cheri) and Elisa (Dan) Ballantyne, and grandchildren Rachel (Mike) Leaver, Josh (Maren) Christensen, Natalie (Andrew) Mollinet, Heather (Josh) Trawick, Erin Ballantyne and Jens Ballantyne, and great-grandchild Kolby Leaver.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Margarete.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 9, 2016 at 11:00am at the Crystal Heights 1st Ward, 1970 East Stratford Ave (2560 S.), where friends and family can visit 9:30-10:30am prior to the service. Interment will follow at the Mt. View Memorial Cemetery.
Guestbook to post messages and tributes for the family is available at: www.HolbrookMortuary.com
The family expresses heartfelt gratitude to all of Roland's friends, family, neighbors and ward members for their loving kindness during his declining years. We also wish to express our sincere appreciation to the caregivers at the William E. Christoffersen Salt Lake Veterans Home who treated Roland with patience, love, and respect during his final months - truly you are ministering angels to our veterans.