Nelda C. Jensen

Nelda C. Jensen
October 10, 1920 - July 20, 2014
Nelda Calder Jensen passed away peacefully on Sunday morning July 20, 2014 at the age of 93.
The first snow of the year was falling the Sunday morning Nelda Calder was born to Fedora Andersen and Ashal Robert Calder in Logan, Cache County, Utah, October 10, 1920.
Nelda loved growing up in Logan a few doors down from her grandparents, spending time every summer at her grandfather's huge farm in Lost River. She was vice president of her senior class at Logan High School where she graduated in 1938. She then attended Woodbury College in Los Angeles where she worked as a nanny and housekeeper for her room and board. She majored in millinery. She enjoyed school and learned many things including sewing, making patterns, making hats, and drawing.
She next attended Utah State University where she met her future husband Charles W. Jensen. They were married March 15, 1941 and sealed for time and all eternity in the Logan Temple on July 29, 1941.
Nelda and Charles were blessed with seven children, Joe, Karen, Robert, Karlene, Kristine, Bruce, and Randy. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She lived a life of service to everyone. Her home was open to family, friends, church members, and missionaries where they were always treated to her delicious cookies.
She was a wonderful seamstress, designing and sewing clothes for her daughters. She could make a dress from a picture in a magazine or in a store window. She quilted bedspreads for all of her grandchildren and made Levi picnic quilts for all of her children and many of her grandchildren for wedding presents. When she was 90, she was still making as many as three quilts a week to donate for humanitarian purposes. She was adamant about keeping her family in contact with each other. Every week she contacted all of her children for news and then sent out a family newsletter to all. At year end she compiled a calendar of events for everyone. She also enjoyed the monthly birthday dinners and Christmas Eve parties held in their home.
Nelda had a great love of music. She took piano lessons and loved playing and practicing the piano all her life. In high school, she was in the band and played the clarinet. This love of music had an influence on her children. The last ten years she enjoyed symphonies and musical events from her center seat at the Jensen Concert Hall, which was made possible by a gift to ISU from her oldest son Joe. One of her happiest moments was sitting in front of President Monson at the Utah Opera Festival in Logan. After the musical, he had the crowd sing Happy Birthday for her 90th birthday and he then gave her a kiss on her cheek.
Nelda was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she served in many callings including Relief Society President, Primary President and various teaching and chorister positions.
She taught Relief Society until she was 89. She was a member of a Singing Mothers group that performed for General Conference in the Tabernacle.
Her favorite calling was serving in the Idaho Falls Temple for thirteen years.
She was an active member of the Pocatello Literary Club giving book reviews when she was ninety-two. She was a proud member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and received many honors for her service.
She is survived by her seven children, Joseph (Cheryl- deceased)(Claudia), Karen Ruchti (Gary), Robert (Nancy), Karlene Dance (Gary), Kristine Guzman (Ed), Bruce (Sonya) and Randy (Kristen), 28 grandchildren, 76 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles, a daughter-in law, Cheryl Jensen, and a grandson, Robert Ruchti.
Funeral services will be Monday, July 28, 2014 at 10 AM at the LDS City Creek Ward Building, 655 S. Grant, Pocatello, ID. Family will receive friends Sunday, July 27, 2014 from 5-7 PM at Colonial Funeral Home, 2005 S. 4th Ave. Pocatello, ID. 208-233-1500, and for one hour prior to services at the church on Monday. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery, 1520 S. 5th Ave, Pocatello, ID. 83204
Condolences can be made to the family online at www.colonial-funeralhome.com