Carol Ann Hansen Jensen

Carol Ann Hansen Jensen, passed away on October 9, 2024, at Davis Hospital in Layton, Utah of natural causes. Carol was born on October 18, 1933, in Preston, Idaho, to loving parents, Orson Wilford and Laura Jeanette Ruud Hansen, and was the youngest of seven children, who preceded her in death.

Carol had a very loving childhood growing up in a large family in Preston. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Carol graduated in 1952 from Preston High School, in Preston, Idaho. She was involved in the Marching Corps in her high school and had many close school friends.

Carol met the love of her life, Cornell McKay Jensen, in Preston, Idaho, and they were married on February 15, 1957, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake City Temple in 1964. Carol gave birth to she and Cornell’s only child, Deborah (Debbie) Jeanette, who was six weeks premature, and had to remain in an incubator in the hospital for one month.

Carol’s strong work ethic began early in life and because of it, she successfully landed a job as a telephone operator in the Preston office of Mountain Bell in 1950 when she was still in high school. This was a very desirable job and Carol worked hard, proving to be a reliable and dedicated employee. Carol was able to transfer to the Salt Lake City office of Mountain Bell upon her marriage to Cornell in 1957. Carol continued to work as a Long-Distance Operator and continued in this role after the transition of the company to AT&T, where she continued to work until her retirement in 1991, after 34 years of dedicated service. Carol made many lifelong friends from her days with Mountain Bell and AT&T.

Prior to retiring from AT&T, Carol received the prestigious “Life Saving Award” for keeping a young man on the phone for a long time and persuading him to not end his life. Carol was flown to the AT&T Corporate Office in Seattle for the award ceremony, along with other AT&T employees who were being recognized. Carol was given the Life Saving Award plaque and as she walked on stage to receive it, they played the Stevie Wonder song, “I Just Called to Say I Love You”. Carol was always so proud that her personal efforts resulted in helping a young man realize his life was worth living.

After Carol retired from AT&T, she worked at the Travelers Inn in Layton, Utah, in the front office. She also worked in the front office for the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City for eight years. She was a reliable and valued employee, which was illustrated when Little America management presented her with a ticket to the Opening Ceremony for the Salt Lake City Olympic Games in 2002. When Carol retired from Little America, she had worked more than 45 total years of employment.

Carol had a love and zest for life. She loved good food and enjoyed cooking good meals for she and her family. Cornell and Debbie loved coming home after a long day skiing to her homemade lasagna and cheesecake. Carol, Cornell, and Debbie enjoyed taking fun annual family trips to Sun Valley, Idaho, which was where Carol and Cornell had spent their honeymoon.

Prior to her home in Clearfield, Utah, Carol, Cornell, and Debbie lived briefly in Salt Lake City, and then they moved to Holladay, Utah, where they lived from 1958-1963. Carol truly loved her home in Clearfield, which is where Carol and Cornell made their home together for 21 years, and where Carol continued to reside until 2014. In the years she spent alone in Clearfield, she always saw that her lawn and home exterior were impeccably mowed and manicured. Through the many years she lived in her home after Cornell’s passing, she planted flowers, new trees, shoveled snow, or frequently was seen cleaning off her driveway, and making her yard beautiful. Carol moved to Layton, Utah in 2014 and lived there until 2019.

She always showed an interest in interior design and made her home cozy, and was especially fond of Christmas time while Cornell and Debbie lived at home. It was then that Carol’s decorating and cooking talents seemed to shine most bright. The Christmas tree was always beautifully decorated and Carol took such pains to ensure her family had special gifts, with each beautifully wrapped and carefully placed under the tree. She always had candles lit, artistically arranged floral bouquets from her flower garden, and freshly ironed tablecloths on the dining table. Carol enjoyed the finer things in life, and was known for having beautiful china, and pretty décor around her home. Carol loved good books, and had many beautiful art, travel, interior design, and autobiographies of important world leaders in her home. Carol continued to have Debbie drive her by her old house in Clearfield years after she moved to Layton and finally to Kaysville. They talked fondly of the many happy years spent in their home and the good friends made in the Clearfield neighborhood. Carol continued to keep in touch with her close friends who were her good neighbors in Clearfield.

Carol loved classical music and always had records playing of her favorite composers at home. She could identify all of the major classical composers, and especially loved Toscanini. She and Cornell often enjoyed attending the Utah Symphony together. Carol also enjoyed listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir live nearly every Sunday throughout the years, and she continued to play the Choir on her Alexa Smart Speaker in her Apple Tree Assisted Living apartment in Kaysville. Carol also loved listening to LDS Conference throughout her life.

Carol loved animals. She loved the family’s little poodle, Fe-Fe, and gave her a wonderful life for 17 years. To Carol and Cornell’s pleasant surprise, they also found that they were cat lovers when baby kittens and a mother cat made a home in the bushes of their home in Clearfield, on a cold and blistery Christmas Eve in the late 1970’s. They named the mother cat Madonna, since she came to them on Christmas Eve. The three cats were quickly welcomed into the family, as were other family pets over the years, which Carol purchased for Debbie, including a duck named Daffy, and a parakeet named Sammy. Carol didn’t ever want any animal to suffer, and she and Cornell donated to various animal charities and were always looking out for strays who needed a meal and protection from the elements. Carol also adopted a Siamese cat from the Best Friends Animal Society, during her later years, and gave her a good home.

Carol loved her family very much. She enjoyed spending many happy years with Debbie, Dan, Brittany, and Brooke over the years, celebrating life’s joys. She was able to watch her two granddaughters grow up to become happy and successful young women. She was always happy to help watch her granddaughters when they were young and loved to frequently take them on rides when they were little in her yellow Honda Prelude, with fun Dolly Parton music blaring, and going to The Oaks in Ogden Canyon. Carol also enjoyed spending the holidays with Debbie and her family over the years. Although Cornell sadly wasn’t part of this time of their life, he remained alive in Carol’s and Debbie’s hearts, and the family frequently spoke of him and kept his memory alive.

Carol is survived by daughter, Debbie (Dan), and two granddaughters, Brittany Nicole (Evan), Brooke (Garrett), and a great grandson, London.

The family wishes to sincerely thank Apple Tree Assisted Living in Kaysville, Utah, for their good care and the help they gave to Carol over the years while she lived there.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 11 a.m. at Russon Mortuary & Crematory, 1941 North Main Street, Farmington, Utah. Viewing to precede service from 9:00-10:45 a.m. Interment at 3 p.m., Preston City Cemetery, 1451 North 800 East, Preston, Idaho 83263.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes prior to services and will be posted below.