Lyn J. Christensen
1949 – 2023
Salina, Utah – Lyn James Christensen, age 73, passed away November 22, 2023, surrounded by his loving family at the Utah Valley Hospital. He and his twin brother, Lee Leonard, were born December 16, 1949, to Leonard James and Carol Dean Nielsen Christensen.
Lyn grew up in Salina, Utah, and had a very active childhood where he developed friendships that still lasted to this day. He graduated from North Sevier High School in 1968. He played basketball and baseball. He was Junior Class President. He received the Outstanding Athlete award his senior year and was Student body Vice President.
He married Monica Durfee August 18, 1970 in the Manti LDS Temple. To this union were born four sons. They later divorced.
On January 1, 2000, Lyn married the love of his life, Carlene Hatch, who was his partner in countless adventures over the next 25 years. It was rare not to see Lyn and Carlene traveling in pretty much anything that had wheels down the side roads in town, or heading up the mountain to “check” something out–always stopping at one or more of the kids’ or cousins’ houses along the way for a “quick” Grandpa Dangles visit.
Lyn had many unique roles and opportunities throughout his life that allowed him to connect with many people, and he deeply valued those friendships. Lyn was known as Mr. C when he began his teaching career in 1972. He began his teaching career in Manti, then spent the majority of his career at North Sevier Middle School as a math, PE, and English teacher. Many students responded very well to his unique classroom environment that sometimes would include taxidermy, annual sagebrush Christmas trees and helping students resolve their conflicts by providing boxing gloves.
He honorably served in the National Guard for 38 years as a Sergeant First Class having assignments in Korea and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah. He also had a deployment to Fort Lewis, Washington, during Operation Enduring Freedom and a combat deployment in Ramadi, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He always felt it was an incredible honor to be able to serve his country.
Through his career in the US Forest Service, he was able to develop and administer the Annie Bangs program in 1978, currently still used every fall for all third graders in Sevier County. This multiple-decade-long tradition began with him dressing up under an old deer hide (and actually getting shot at), then transitioned over time to the iconic red dress and haggard old lady mask and wig. He initially started this program with his lifelong friend, Rick Shaw, for the YCC crew as an attempt to keep the boys and girls in their own cabins at night. Other duties with the Forest Service included many deployments on Incident Management Teams across the nation to fight wildland fires. If he wasn’t fighting fires, he was monitoring the Fishlake National Forest campsites, handing out Smokey Bear souvenirs to kids and tickets to their parents. Recently he was nationally recognized as the Forest Protection Officer (FPO) of the Year. He was appropriately known by all as Officer Dangles.
Running the family farm with his twin brother, Lee, was also a major part of his identity. Typical responsibilities included branding cows, Rocky Mountain Oysters, the grazing pasture, checking the water and dropping gophers down the tractor exhaust pipe.
His hobbies were as legendary as were his employment opportunities. He was an avid fisherman, hunter, trapper, scout master, EMT, Fireman, hunter safety instructor, and Jeep Posse member. He also had a passion for woodworking and would often make wood creations for Christmas and other gifts.
He also honorably served in the Salina American Legion and took great pride presenting the American flag to fellow veterans. The last flag he presented was at the memorial of his twin brother, Lee, where he presented the American flag to his nieces Kami, Penny, Bree, and Brandi–a moment that combined his love of family with his love of nation!
He was the Director of the Junior Jazz program for the North Sevier area. This program led to many unique stories for his family such as fishing with Karl Malone and giving Big T Thurl Bailey a ride in the small family car. He made many lasting friendships and memories.
Not one single aspect alone can be attributed to the creation of a Legend who was larger than life. His lasting legacy is his exceptional ability to make his friends, family and even strangers feel his love and kindness. Countless memories and stories (all filled with lots of love, color and Pepsi) will forever remain and live on through those who called him husband, father, papa, uncle, cousin, and friend. As a legend in his own mind, he now becomes just that to those of us who mourn his sudden death and remember his remarkable life.
Lyn is survived by his wife, Carlene Hatch Christensen; his children: Lance (Jacey and the late Heather) Christensen, Shawn (Melissa) Christensen, Nate (Rebecca) Christensen, Jed (Brisa) Christensen, Sky (Miranda) Christensen, Casey (Amber) Larson, Ty Mellor, Mason (Rebecca) Mellor and Trisha (Cody) Anderson; 45 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
Lyn is preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Carol Dean Christensen; and his brothers, Frankie Dean Christensen, Lee (Judy) Christensen; parents-in-law: Carl and Caryl Hatch. He will be missed by all who knew him.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, November 30, 2023, at 12:00 Noon in the Salina LDS Stake Center, 98 West 400 North in Salina, where friends call for viewing Wednesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. or Thursday morning from 9:00 to 11:30 A.M. prior to the services.
Live streaming of the services can be found at: www.springerturner.com under Lyn’s obituary about 15 minutes prior to starting time.
Burial with military honors accorded by the Salina American Legion Post #36 and the Utah Honor Guard will be in the Salina Pioneer Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.
Online guest book at: www.springerturner.com
