Lorraine R. Jensen

Audrey Lorraine Rowley Jensen, daughter of G. Morris and Audrey Rowley, was born on December 21, 1941, in a nasty snowstorm. Lorraine and her mother barely survived that night. But on the darkest day of the year, a bright light was born and her father’s pleadings to God were answered. In following years, two brothers were born, Doug and Richard. They grew up in a very happy home starting in Parowan, UT, then Mesquite, NV, and later in Murray, UT.

Lorraine flourished in the idyllic Fifties as a student, social butterfly and musician. Music was a staple in the Rowley home and Lorraine was fully immersed. She participated in plays, musical groups, school musicals and special musical numbers at church. And when she wasn’t participating in some sort of music, she was apparently quite boy crazy.

Following high school she attended the University of Utah where she studied music and English and earned her degree in teaching. Later on, her bishop asked her if she would consider serving a church mission. Although reluctant at first, she decided to serve and preceded to succumb to a serious bout of homesickness before she ever left Utah. Upon being set apart the homesickness abated, as promised, and for the rest of the time she served in the British South Mission she was able to proselytize with faith, conviction and love. She used her musical talents frequently as a missionary, blessing everyone she touched with music. She also spent a great deal of time in the mission office getting everyone whipped into shape! While working in the office, she met Douglas R. Jensen, who fell for her hard. He once described falling in love with her the first time he heard her beautiful singing voice. With permission and sanction from their mission president, Douglas proposed to Lorraine on the day he left England for home in Boise, ID.

Doug and Lorraine were married in the Salt Lake Temple on January 28, 1966. They soon created a wonderful family together that included six children—three boys and three girls, lots of job changes and moves all over southern Idaho before eventually and for many years settling in Sandy, UT, in the home they built together. Gardening was the only passion that rivaled music in Mom’s world and anyone that visited her yard in Sandy sampled a bit of the Garden of Eden. She loved her vegetables, her flowers and her lawn and had an incredible green thumb. In that wonderful place, we spent countless hours as a family (kids and eventually grandkids) forming endless happy memories.

After Doug was killed in a motorcycle accident in February of 2002, Lorraine spent many years as a widow. She was courageous and independent and did her best to maintain her home as a center of beauty and a family gathering place. She continued to pursue her passion for music as the choir director of the Dimple Dell Ward and her love of reading through her book club. Eventually, an acre became too much and she downsized to a house in Midvale until dementia started to change her world. After living with a daughter for a couple of years, she settled into assisted living in Idaho Falls, where the remainder of her life was reluctantly spent. A fighter to the end, she made clear on many occasions her vehement objections to the ravages of aging, the loss of her independence and the frustration of losing pieces of herself day by day. Through all this trial and struggle, she never lost her faith, her love of family or her devotion to her Heavenly Father.

Lorraine’s passions were her family, her relationship with her Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, music, gardening, books and her many book clubs. She kept her children organized and on track, delighted in their lives and progress. She shepherded her flock with all her heart, might, mind and strength and did so for far too many years as a widow. We will miss her but delight in her joyous reunion with her beloved Douglas and other loved ones already waiting for her in the world of spirits. How wonderful it must feel for her to be able to talk and sing again freely!

Lorraine is survived by her six children and their wonderful spouses: Jared Jensen, Lori Jensen Burns (David Burns), Adam Jensen, Audrey Jensen Kemp (Benjamin Kemp), Jacob Jensen (Dialma Jensen) and Rebecca Jensen. She is survived by twenty grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, her two brothers, their amazing wives (and Mom’s dear friends), a multitude of nieces and nephews and a plethora of friends from work, church, choirs and book clubs. This includes the kind staff at Parkwood Meadows, who treated her with great love and care, especially at the end. She will be sorely missed, but Lorraine’s influence and impact on all of those lives is immeasurable. God be with you ’til we meet again!

A viewing will be held on Monday, June 22, from 6:00-7:30 PM at the Dimple Dell Ward building, 10945 S 1700 E, Sandy, UT 84092. A second viewing will take place at the same location on Tuesday, June 23, from 10:00-10:45 AM with the funeral to follow at 11:00 AM. Interment will be at Larkin Sunset Gardens. The funeral will be livestreamed via Zoom and can be accessed by clicking the "Watch Serv