John Kelly Christensen

John Kelly Christensen passed away August 11, 2022, from complications related to a stroke.  Kelly was born to John and Maryan Christensen on February 23, 1954. He grew up in Woods Cross, and attended Woods Cross Elementary, Bountiful Jr. High, and Viewmont High School.

As a small child, Kelly loved taking things apart and rebuilding them.  This was obviously a talent that would guide him later in life to his love of construction projects. As the oldest of 7 children, he would become the ringleader in many shenanigans with his brothers and sisters. At 16, he took his mom’s new car from her workplace one evening and filled it with his brothers and half the neighborhood. He then drove to Evanston, Wyoming to buy fireworks! Unfortunately, the fireworks store was disappointingly closed, and he arrived home with a mom who had reported the car as stolen. Kelly got his nickname “Tudor” from the Tudor Turtle cartoons because he “wanted to be a different profession every week” during his teens.

He started his construction life with framing homes, and worked for a few other construction companies, then he landed a job with US Construction where he learned and embraced the whole construction business.  Throughout his life, he started many successful construction companies including Western Erectors, and was responsible for the construction of many commercial metal building projects in Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, and Idaho.  He also branched out and was a dealer and erector of custom designed barns, riding arenas, and buildings in the horse industry.

He married Bonnie Miles and had many good years of experience in the horse industry with her. He, Bonnie, and their kids embraced their love of horses, horse showing, and the horse business.  He is still well known in the entire horse community with many friends and colleagues there. Kelly and Bonnie later divorced.

As a business owner, Kelly was always willing to give anyone a job opportunity. That’s why everyone you know, has had a brother, son, nephew, cousin, or friend-of-a-friend, who worked for Kelly at some time.

Kelly was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He embraced those religious roots in the last years of his life.

We want to remember Kelly for: his love of fun, his grin, his laugh, his shenanigans, his charity, and his love. His last years have been challenging with many health problems. He kept his sense of humor right to the end.

Kelly really loved people. He has had so many great friends and was always happiest with a dog in his lap. We are so very appreciative of his number one caregiver Tristina Bown. When Tristina would cut his hair or shave him, he used to say that she “made him look like a million bucks”. She loved him and made him smile often.  We would also like to thank his sister Genny, who has loved him and directed his care during the last few years.

Kelly is survived by: sons; Jacob Telford, John Wayne “JW” Christensen, and Jonah Christensen, as well as 3 grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings: Tim (Lisa) Christensen, Barry (Karla) Christensen, Corey (Becky) Christensen, Genny Mikkelsen, and Jackie Thomas.  He is preceded in death by: Daughter; Jaimie Thomas, his sister; Tracey Wilsey, brother-in-law; Sam Thomas, and both his parents; John and Maryan Christensen

Per his request, a graveside only service has been planned for: Wednesday, September 21, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. at the Bountiful City Cemetery, 2224 S. 200 W., Bountiful, UT 84010