JENSEN Shelley

JENSEN

SHELLEY WEST JENSEN, beloved wife of the late K. Wayne Jensen, passed away in Cardston, AB on Sunday, March 29, 2015 at the age of 63 years. She will be remembered by her children Janell (Ben) Gehmlich of Montreal, QC; Andrew (Laura) of Fort St. John, BC; Kristofor (Veronique) of Mountain View, AB; John of Okotoks, AB; and Amy of Fort St. John, BC; her grandchildren Olivia, Aleah, Nicolas, Amanda, Julia, Jenna and Sean; her mother Arlene West and step-father Frank Zambetti; siblings Rick (Wendy), D’Arcy (Janice), Cindy (Dennis) Baker, Marni (Eric) Anderson, and Norine (Eugene) Pierson; father-in-law Kelvin Jensen; Wayne’s siblings Doug (Wendy), Wendy (Gibb) Schaffer, Jack (Sandi), Mike (Lisa), and Bill (Laurie); and many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her father, Dr. Norris West, her mother-in-law Avon Jensen, her sister-in-law DaVeeda West, her niece Danica Schaffer, and her sweet grandson, Thomas. Shelley was born in Cardston, AB on January 30,1952 and grew up on the West Valley Ranch in Mountain View. She loved reading, sewing, cooking, and playing the piano, and excelled as a student. She married her high school sweetheart, Wayne, in the Cardston Temple on June 14, 1971. Shelley graduated with a teacher’s certificate from the University of Saskatchewan before returning to Alberta. All five children were born in different cities as Wayne’s work took them from Coaldale, AB to Port Coquitlam, Fort Langley, the Gang Ranch, Williams Lake, and Kamloops, BC. In 1984 the family moved back to the ranch where Shelley grew up. She completed a library technician diploma from SAIT by correspondence while at home with her family, then worked as the librarian at the Cardston High School for almost fifteen years. She instilled a deep love of books and learning in her children and in the many students she came in contact with. She was a life-long, faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and served diligently in her callings as a teacher, in Primary and Relief Society presidencies, visiting teacher, organist, choir director and music conductor. She had a lovely alto voice and loved to sing in the choir. Shelley loved the outdoors; especially gardening, hiking, walking the dogs, and riding horses with Wayne. She was broken hearted when she lost him to cancer after 30 years of marriage, and looked forward to the time when they would be together again. Her remaining years were marred by the confusion and decline of an early onset dementia, but she continued to find joy in playing the piano, and listening to music, and in the beauty of nature that she loved so much. Her family is deeply grateful for the excellent care she received for a time at St. Therese’s in Lethbridge, and then at the Auxiliary Hospital in Cardston. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Shelley’s name to the Cardston Hospital Foundation at Box 1440, Cardston, AB, T0K 0K0, telephone (403)-627-1234 ext:1131. Funeral services to be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mountain View, AB on Thursday, April 2, 2015 at 6:00 pm. Friends may meet the family from 4:45-5:45 pm prior to the service. Interment in the Mountain View Cemetery. Email your condolences to: legacycardston@gmail.com