Vay Speirs Jensen

Bear River City -Vay Speirs Jensen, 80, passed away peacefully at his home near Bear River City on Monday, 16 August 2004, and returned to his Heavenly home. Vay was born on 15 December 1923 in Bear River City, the youngest of five children born to Leon Peter and Janet Christina Speirs Jensen. He grew up on the family dairy farm. He graduated from Box Elder High School. He married Vida Butler in the Logan LDS Temple on his 20th birthday, 15 December 1943. Their marriage was blessed with six children. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.
During World War II Vay served in the US Army Air Forces as an aircraft mechanic and flight engineer.
Vay and Vida raised their family on the same dairy farm where he was born. He was known throughout the valley as an honest, hard working farmer. He served for many years in the Dairy Herd Improvement Association. He drove school bus to Bear River High and other schools for 30 years and was a friend to thousands of children.
Vay was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, serving as a high priest in the Bear River wards. He served in numerous callings including ward clerk, stake missionary, seventies quorum president, bishopric, and high council. He had a strong testimony of Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, which he shared with his family and many associates. Vay and Vida were a wonderful example of how husband and wife should treat each other. They loved the youth and often gave wise, kindly counsel to young married couples ? especially appreciated by their grandchildren.
Vay loved music and taught his family to love music. He sang in barbershop quartets for many years and was frequently called on to sing solos in church and funerals. He was admired and loved by all. His sense of humor was alive and well right to the end. His last supper was fitting for a life-long dairy farmer -- a bowl of ice cream, his favorite.
Vay is survived by his wife, Vida, and six children: Janet Keith Winward of Bear River City, Seth Jean Jensen of Roy, Mary Ellen Charles Greene of Bear River City, Floyd Elaine Jensen of Randolph, Rosalee Danny Thain of Benson, & Leon Kikue Jensen of Orem; 22 grandchildren and 41 great grandchildren; a sister, Wanda Johnsen, and a brother, Roy Jensen. He was preceded in death by a baby granddaughter, a brother and a sister. The family wishes to thank IHC Hospice and the Bear River 3rd Ward for all their loving care to Vay.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, 21 August 2004, at 2:00 pm at the Bear River Ward Chapel, 5870 North 4700 West. Friends may call Friday, 20 August from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Rogers & Taylor Funeral Home at 111 N. 100 E., Tremonton, and Saturday from 1:00 to 1:45 pm at the Bear River Ward. Interment will be in the Bear River City Cemetery, with military honors by the Combined Veterans of Box Elder County. Condolences may be extended at www.rogersandtaylor.com