Ivar L. Christensen died on Jan.1, 2017 at his home in Hermiston at the age of 67.
He was born on Feb. 12, 1949 in Ontario LaGrand and Blanche Christensen..
Ivar enjoyed farming, camping, fishing, elk hunting, rodeo, volunteering in the LDS temple, working in the Boy Scout program. He loved spending time with his family and enjoyed going to Disney World and eating a Dole whip. He enjoyed listening to a.m. news talk radio while driving tractor. He shared his gifts of patience and a calm demeanor while teaching and serving others. He spent many hours teaching his oldest granddaughter how to drive when she would visit.
Ivar’s family moved to the Royal Slope when he was a young boy. He attended grades K-12 in Royal School District. He graduated from Royal High School in 1967. He served a two year LDS mission in the New Zealand South Mission. He truly loved the people that he taught and served. Ivar graduated from Brigham Young University earning his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Agronomy and Horticulture. While at BYU he met his dear wife, Lina Long and they were married and sealed in the Cardston, Alberta, Canada LDS Temple. Immediately after graduating from college, Ivar moved back to the Royal Slope to farm with his father and brother. Over the next 17 years, he helped build a successful farm and business.
In 1990, they bought a farm and moved to Hermiston. Changing from irrigated to dry land farming was full of new challenges. Like always, Ivar worked hard to learn everything he could about new crops and dry land wheat farming and met those challenges head on. He spent the last 25 years loving and working his beautiful farm. Ivar was known for his dedication, hard work and always enduring to the end. His kind, beautiful, blue eyes, firm hand shake and generous heart will be greatly missed by those who knew him.
His parents, LaGrand and Blanche Christensen; his sister-in-law, Geniel Christensen; and his grandson, Benson Michael Slaughter, preceded Ivar in death.
He is survived by his four siblings: Shirley (Marlene) Christensen, Savana (James) Dunn, Camille (Irvin) Howe, Gary (Kimberly) Christensen; his wife: Lina Long Christensen; his four beloved children: Carie (Kevin) Bush, Amber (Wayne) Slaughter, Brandon (Ashley Rae) Christensen, Ashley Christensen; his grandchildren: Brianna, Cameron, Andersen, Whitney, Coleson, Carson, Hailey, Madison, Kaden, Sydney.
A funeral service was held on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hermiston.
A private family burial will follow.
Please sign the online condolence book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
