Our beloved mother, Ida Barbara Kohler Christensen, returned to her Heavenly Father on June 14, 2022. Her last days were filled with visits from family members and friends who gathered to share memories and linger a little longer with this noble matriarch. Heaven has been very close.
Barbara’s rich legacy of genuine love, selfless service and devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ has forever influenced the lives of those who had the privilege of knowing her.
She was born on December 12, 1925, in Midway, Utah, the fourth of 13 children belonging to Albert and Elsie Kohler. She enjoyed a wonderful childhood growing up on a beautiful dairy farm, with an abundance of work, music and love in her family. She was always proud of her Midway roots and her Swiss, Danish and Welsh ancestors who came to Zion to gather with the Saints. Their examples of faith and determination were part of the fabric of Barbara’s life.
Barbara was graduated from Brigham Young University and taught Business Education and English at Box Elder High School in Brigham City, and later at BYU. She determined to serve a mission, assuming she would serve in Switzerland because of her Swiss heritage and German minor at the university. To her surprise, she was assigned to the Mexican Mission. After her setting apart by Elder Spencer W. Kimball, he reminded her, “While we don’t send sisters on missions to find a husband, you should keep your eyes open.”
Thankfully, she did keep her eyes open and in the very early days of her mission she met Joe J. Christensen, a young missionary who was completing his assignment. They corresponded and were sealed on September 2, 1952, in the Salt Lake Temple, shortly after she completed her mission. That began a love affair that never ended. They were inseparable in purpose and desire. Dad adored Mom and she adored him. They raised six children and are the proud grandparents of 29 grandchildren, and nearly 79 great-grandchildren.
While Joe was involved in his Church Education career, Barbara kept the home fires burning. She was the consummate mother and care-giver. She was a gifted teacher and an excellent speaker. Mom was an accomplished musician and had a wonderful singing voice. She was an excellent seamstress and cook. Mom was a master gardener and the harvest from her beautiful gardens found their way into bottles and on to the shelf. Every new neighbor and many friends received her delicious homemade bread. She was a life-long learner and loved great literature and classical music.
The Lord was always mindful of this little girl from Midway. While she would have been content with a quiet family life, the Lord had other plans. He stretched her and allowed her to grow in ways she never would have imagined while growing up. She served faithfully as a Ward and Stake Relief Society President, was a legendary gospel doctrine teacher and especially loved serving in the Primary. Barbara and Joe served side by side in numerous callings and assignments that took them to all corners of the world. This was a great joy to them, whether they were presiding over the Mexico City, Mexico Mission, the Provo Missionary Training Center, Ricks College, the Brazil Area, or the San Diego Temple. In the later years of their lives, Barbara and Joe supervised the missionaries and the beautification work at Adam-ondi-Ahman. For sixteen years, Barbara served as Joe’s scribe as he pronounced 658 patriarchal blessings. Each blessing was meticulously typed, edited, and delivered to the recipient, often the same day the blessing was given. They loved being together and we took great joy in being with them, learning from them, and hoping to emulate their noble examples.
Barbara loved the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She knew it to be true. She loved the Lord’s Church and sustained His prophets, seers and revelators. She rejoiced in her knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and the promises of eternal life and eternal families. We can only imagine the joyous reunions celebrated on the other side of the veil.
She is survived by her six children: Amy (Donald) Poulton, Susan (Jeffrey) Jones, Stephen (Marilyn) Christensen, Linda (Peter) Evans, Douglas (Cathi) Christensen, Spencer (Sheila) Christensen; 29 grandchildren, and nearly 79 great-grandchildren. Also survived by her sister, Elizabeth (Dee) Ritchie and brother Richard (LouAnn) Circuit, brother-in-law William Hyde, brothers-in-law Verl (Peggy) Christensen and Sherman Toone.
Preceded in death by her beloved husband Joe, parents, sisters Glenna Kohler, Marion (Thad) Yost, Eloise (Kay) Robins, Kathy (Ben) Lindsay, Zelda (Henry) Isaksen, Margaret (William) Hyde, Anna Lynn (Robert) Howell; brothers LeRoy (Phyllis) Kohler, Melvin Kohler, Alvah (Monica) Kohler; great-grandsons Charlie Evans and Jameson Christensen; sisters-in-law Coy (John) Manning and Peggy Toone; and brothers-in-law Blaine (Beverly) Olsen and Wade (Zoe) Christensen.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 25, 2022, at the Salt Lake Valley View Stake Center (2245 East 3900 South, Salt Lake City). There will be a viewing on Friday, June 24, 2022, at the stake center from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and Saturday, June 25, 2022, from 9:30-10:30 am, prior to the services. The services will be streamed live at:
https://www.youtube.com/c/SaltLakeValleyViewStakeBroadcasts.
Interment will take place at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, Salt Lake City. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Christensen/Kohler Scholarship fund at BYU-Idaho at https://donate.churchofjesuschrist.org/donations/byu-idaho?funds=30687074.
