Barbara Besendorfer Jensen

Barbara Besendorfer Jensen (91) passed away August 22, 2021, of complications due to pneumonia. She was born May 2, 1930, daughter of Nephi Besendorfer and Leona Bennett, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her early childhood was spent in Salt Lake. The family had plans to move to Adrian, Oregon, but when her father died en route, the family returned to Salt Lake. All through high school, Barbara worked for the University of Utah. It was there she met James Neale Jensen whom she married in the Salt Lake Temple on November 10, 1948. They served a mission together in the South Carolina Columbia Mission and later for 14 years in the Bountiful Utah Temple.
Barbara belonged to Daughters of Utah Pioneers for 59 years, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the PTA, and the Centerville Recycles. She was an election and counting judge. She loved to read, watch John Wayne movies, crochet baby blankets for her grandchildren, and gather her family for holidays and parties. She enjoyed bowling for 20 plus years, camping, traveling, and helping her husband with their wedding photography business. She was the Administrative Assistant for W.S. Hatch Co., a Woods Cross trucking company, for 20 years.
She was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sharing her talents and testimony throughout her life. Her service included various callings in the Primary, Junior Sunday School, and Relief Society. She was a roadshow director for the MIA for several years as well as a merit badge counselor for the Boy Scouts of America. She was serving as Relief Society teacher at the time of her death. She was a beautiful, loving, kind mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and friend to all she knew. She cherished her testimony and love of the Savior and shared it in the way she lived.
She is survived by her four children, James N. Jensen, Jr. (Ada), Diana (Marte) Green, Patty (Vaughn) Hutchinson, Susan (Brian) Meehan, 20 grandchildren, 50 great-grandchildren (soon to be 52) several great-great-grandchildren, sister Valerie (Syd) Larsen and brother-in-law Don Heap. She was preceded in death by her husband, brother Bill Besendorfer and sister Maradene Heap.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday August 28, 2021, at the Canyon Ward Building, 160 S. 300 East, Centerville, Utah. Friends and family may call Friday evening, 6 to 8 p.m. at Russon Mortuary, 295 N. Main St., Bountiful and Saturday, 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. at the church prior to the services. Interment will be at the Centerville Cemetery.