Betty Jo Mitchell Christensen

Betty Jo Mitchell Christensen, born Aug. 25, 1932, passed away peacefully on Mar. 26, 2010.



She was born to Roy and Ethel Mitchell in Eureka, Utah and grew up in Provo, Utah where she attended and graduated from Provo High School. While young she met the love of her life, Richard Byron Christensen, and they were married in the Salt Lake City Temple. Her husband and family were the most important things in her life. She sacrificed much in their service. Dick and Betty settled in Provo and quickly added four sons (Russell, Mark, Ron, and Charlie) to the family while living near University Ave and then on 1st South in Provo. Seven years later Richard, then Brad, and finally Susan, her only girl and the baby of the family, were added. She worked very hard during these years to take care of her children. There were no disposable diapers, only cloth ones that had to be washed and dried, bushels of fruit were preserved, no paper plates or plastic utensils, no automatic washers or dryers, and the stores didn't sell maternity outfits, so they had to be sewn. She became an accomplished seamstress. There were no "Super Markets" and no fast foods, so meals had to be prepared at home. One of Betty's specialties was baked bread. It didn't take long for the neighborhood children to figure out which days she made bread and they became regulars for her hot bread with butter and honey.



Betty Jo had a great love of music and was very gifted musically. This started early in her life where she was a primary chorister when only 14 years old. Later she auditioned and was accepted as a member of the Ralph Woodward Chorale of Provo, Utah. They performed together in the Provo Tabernacle. She was the chorister for a group of primary children that sang at the Salt Lake Tabernacle. She served as the ward chorister in five different wards where she grew to love her choir members and the musical programs they worked on together. She sang at many, many funerals throughout her life with her good friend Mildred Furse. She was very patriotic and loved to sing "God Bless America" each Fourth of July. She was dedicated to church service throughout her life and served in many callings as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Relief Society, Young Women's, and Primary Organizations.



She loved the outdoors and looked forward each spring to a trip over to Lincoln Beach with her family to roast hot dogs and marshmallows together. She also loved fishing trips to Strawberry and Scofield reservoirs. She was an avid BYU fan and watched and attended football and basketball games throughout her fife. She loved to knit, crochet, cross stitch, and quilt, and she spent many hours creating works of beauty. She also loved to golf and the beauty of Hobble Creek Golf Course.



Mom was very athletic and willing to try her hand at most any sport. At some point, it was discovered that she was quite the arm wrestler. Her sons loved to bring their friends over to see if they could take mom in an arm wrestling match. These young men soon found out she was no easy match and later all her grandchildren found out they couldn't beat grandma either. She loved each one of her grand children and great grandchildren and was interested and involved in their lives.



Mom was a very happy, positive person and always tried to find the bright side of any situation and this attitude helped her be a breast cancer survivor, as well as suffering through the tragic loss of her only daughter and other elderly ailments that came her way. She had a great sense of humor and endured to the end well and is now reunited with loved ones who preceded her in leaving this earthly existence.



She was preceded in death by her daughter Susan Joy Sayer Christensen (Kelly) and by her parents Roy Jefferson Mitchell and Ethel Ferrel Orr both of Provo, Utah, a sister Ilene Parker, a sister Ethelyn, and brothers Carl, Elwin, Kenneth, and Eugene, and by a grandson Chase. She is survived by her husband Richard Byron Christensen, and her six sons Russell (Marilyn) Christensen of Provo, Mark Christensen of Provo, Ron (Debbie) Christensen of Springville, Charlie (Kim) Christensen of Elk Ridge, Richard Craig (Kim) Christensen of Mapleton, and Brad (Evelyn) Christensen of Sugar City, Idaho. 23 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren also survive her.



Funeral services will be held Tuesday Mar. 30, 2010 at 11:00 am at the Hobble Creek 10th Ward at 495 South Canyon Road, Springville, Utah. A viewing will be held Monday, Mar. 29 at Wheeler Mortuary, 211 East 200 South, Springville from 6 to 8 pm and Tuesday one hour prior to the services at the church. Interment will be in the Evergreen Cemetery located at 1997 South 400 East in Springville, Utah.