Jean Bernice Jensen Hendricksen

Jean Bernice Jensen Hendricksen was born February 10, 1929, to Heber LeRoy and Ruth Elizabeth Erickson Jensen. While the family was living in Montana at the time, Jean and her twin sister Janet were born in Murray, Utah. Her father farmed and worked for Union Pacific Railroad, providing the family with the opportunity to live in Montana, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Utah. Jean had many memories of living in Hamer, Idaho, in her early years. It was the Great Depression and times were hard. But she had sweet memories, too.

Ruth and Heber had eleven children, with seven of them surviving to adulthood. The children included Lorenzo, Ernest Milo, Roy, Stella, Fern, Lamarr, Jean, Janet, Ruth, and two children that were stillborn or died at birth. There were three sets of twins, with Jean and Janet the only set to live to adulthood. In fact, these two wonderful women were the last to return to their Heavenly Home, with Janet passing in January at her home in Japan (just short of their 96th birthday), and Jean passing in September. (Oh, how she missed her “favorite twin sister”!) Just imagine the very special, long-awaited Jensen Family Reunion taking place, with Ruth and Heber united with all their children after so many years.

Jean developed a love of reading and of books. She shared book recommendations, helped her children, grandchildren, and others learn to read, and enjoyed being a part of The Cottages Book Club. With her daughter Jenny, friend Alan Williams (in the U.K.) and illustrator Emma Hay (in Australia), Jean has been helping to create a children’s book, The Buzz of Kindness. It’s about the adventures of twin sisters Jean and Janet in their grandmother’s garden, as they learn about what it means to “bee” kind, and its lasting ripple effect. Jean was having fun and looking forward to publication.

As a student at Draper Junior High School, Jean was very quiet and shy. One day, Principal Reid Beck noticed that Janet was answering all of the questions he posed to the girls. Wanting to help Jean “find her voice,” he instructed that Jean and Janet would be put into separate classrooms for 9th grade. It proved to be a very difficult year for Jean, but she was so grateful for the outcome, and she spoke often of the difference that Principal Beck made in her life. In fact, many years later, Jean used her voice to help found Draper Visual Arts Foundation (DVAF) to preserve and protect the Reid & Willda Beck Art Collection that was started in 1926 to help children at the school develop a love and appreciation for art.

Draper Visual Arts Foundation became an important part of Jean’s Legacy. Co-founded in 1992 with two other retired schoolteachers (Hulda Crossgrove and Mary Sjoblom), the Foundation first restored the Reid & Willda Beck Art Collection, then began curating its own collection. Many of those pieces are on display in Draper elementary schools and at Draper City Hall. DVAF has sponsored art classes for hundreds of children. Thus far, it has provided over $70,000 to encourage promising young artists during the annual Art Scholar Competition for local high school seniors. And each year, Art in the Barn is held to showcase talented local artists. Jean remained an active and vital part of Draper Visual Arts Foundation, and her vision and greatest hope was that one day soon, the city of Draper will have a Community Arts Center for the Visual Arts, Performing Arts, and the Draper Historical Society.

Jean attended Jordan High School and was a member of the Broadcaster staff. In 1953, Jean received a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University. Years later, she would earn her Master’s Degree from BYU while raising her three children. A life-long learner, Jean took classes to learn to make porcelain dolls, to create stained glass, to learn Japanese, and much more. After retiring in her sixties, she earned her Paralegal Certification and volunteered at Utah Legal Aid.

Jean taught elementary school in the Granite and Jordan School Districts for 32 years. She was a dedicated and deeply caring teacher who was beloved by her students for many years after leaving her classroom.

Early in her career, Jean met a young man named Robert Shaw Hendricksen. She and Bob fell in love, and they married on December 27, 1954, in the home Bob’s father had built. Nearly 30 years later (June 1983), Jean and Bob were sealed in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Present were their three children: Carl, Scott, and Jenny. Jean and Bob built a wonderful life together, meeting each challenge with love, commitment, and a sense of humor. They were extraordinary parents, and both set an example of hard work, dedication, love, kindness and compassion. Their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren knew they were deeply loved.

Married over 53 years when Bob passed away in 2008, Jean has been missing her sweetheart for a very long time. No doubt their long-awaited reunion was filled with great joy, and that brings their family a deep sense of peace.

Jean lived her life to the fullest, and her zest for life continued throughout her 9 ½ decades on earth. She loved to travel, visiting Japan, China, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and England, as well as multiple states in the U.S. She was a talented seamstress and quilter, and an excellent cook. She shared her delicious homemade bread with friends, family and strangers, alike. Jean remained active in civic and community events throughout her life and was named Draper Citizen of the Year in 2017.

An active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jean truly lived her Christian faith, treating everyone with love, empathy, and kindness. She was dedicated to serving others, and her message of love, compassion and equality became urgent during her final days. Its importance seemed to become even clearer as “the veil” became thinner for Jean.

In the early morning of September 20, 2025, Jean slipped away from this life to the next. She survived breast cancer twice, but she was unable to overcome a bad fall in late August. It was simply her time. Surrounded in love, Jean provided the opportunity for her family and friends to serve her and to share their love and final goodbyes. And with grace she continued to serve us, as well.

In the way that Jean lived her 96 ½ years on earth, Jean created a Legacy of Kindness. She continued that legacy in the way that she closed out the final weeks of her life, and as she moved to the next, wondering, “Can I do more good here or there?” No doubt, her legacy continues.

Jean is survived by her children Carl William (Lara) Hendricksen, Scott J. Hendricksen, and Jenna-dee “Jenny” Hendricksen Haase, 11 grandchildren (Robert Paxman, Hope Grua, Megan Brown, Brad Hendricksen, Megan Vargas, Jordan Ewell, Sara Blanco, Taylor Phelps, Taylor Haase, Chelsea Haase and Ashley Haase), 19 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Bob, her parents, and her ten siblings.

The family would like to thank Active Hospice for their tender care. We also deeply appreciate all the friends and family that Jean held so dear and that helped to make her life so rich.

In lieu of flowers, we invite you to make a donation to the charity of your choice, or to Draper Visual Arts Foundation to help keep Jean’s vision and passion moving forward.

To honor Jean, a viewing will be held Friday, September 26 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Larkin Sunset Gardens Mortuary (1950 E. Dimple Dell Road in Sandy). Services will be held Saturday, September 27 at the Draper 9th Ward (12353 S. 600 E. in Draper) with a viewing from 10:00-10:45 am and a memorial service at 11:00 am. The memorial service will be livestreamed via Zoom and can be accessed by clicking the “Watch Services” button above.