In the early hours of January 21, 2024, heaven experienced a grand reunion as Joy Gayle Seal Jensen stepped through the veil and into the loving embrace of her beloved husband, Boyd, her parents and her sisters and brother.
Joy was born on December 22, 1934, to Horace Martin Seal and Emma Virginia Bodell Seal. She was the last of 6 siblings. Her sisters begged to be able to name her, but her father insisted on naming her Joy because she was his Christmas joy! Her sisters gave her the middle name of Gayle. She was raised in Lark, Utah, a fact of which she was very proud! She attended school in Lark and Copperton, graduating from Bingham High School in 1953. During this time, she made many lifelong friends.
In 1950, Joy’s father, along with her brother-in-law, Leland Neilsen, was killed in a tragic fire in the US Lark Mine. This experience affected Joy for the remainder of her life. After completion of high school, Joy and her mother moved to Riverton into a home that had been constructed from an army barracks by her father previous to his passing. She embarked on a career in business and banking, working with several companies, but most notably, Walker Bank, First Federal Savings and Loan and Washington Federal Savings (now WaFed Bank). She loved working with people and was very good at every job she had. Her last position was Branch Manager of the Olympus Hills branch of Washington Federal.
It was while she was working at Walker Bank in Midvale, that she met “the most handsome man she had ever seen”, Boyd Jensen. Through her manipulating the work schedule so she could help him when he came in for his loan, and the intervention of her boss and Boyd’s friend, Richard Gilbert, they had their first date on May 30, 1957, and immediately knew they were meant for each other. Officially engaged on July 2, 1957, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple on September 5, 1957. They moved into a tiny apartment in Midvale, until they moved into their “starter” home in White City in 1961. This is the home Joy lived in until she moved into memory care in May of last year.
In 1958 they welcomed their first child, a son, and Joy became a stay-at-home mom. They also had 3 daughters. She supported them in all of their endeavors and was very involved with their schooling. She also went to work at Alta View Elementary as an aide and then assistant secretary. Family was and is the most important thing to Joy. She loved having her grandchildren over to visit, taking them on a trip when they turned 8, having sleepovers, and so many more happy memories. She was delighted that she was able to meet her first great-grandchild the week of her passing.
In 1999, Joy experienced the unexpected and untimely passing of her beloved Boyd. For the next 24 years she endured many trials and struggles, but she bore them with patience and dignity.
Joy has set an example of faith and diligence in the gospel of Jesus Christ. She has faithfully served in many callings in the Primary, Relief Society and Sunday School. But her favorite calling was as ward chorister, a calling she held for many years. She expressed her testimony through music!
Joy is survived by her children: Jeff Jensen (Paula), Sondra Kunes (Arnold), Claudia Harmon (Dwaine, deceased) and Gayle Whitefield (Adam), along with her 13 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings: Jessie Neilsen, June Draper, Mary Beth Walker, Max Seal, and Beverly Carson along with their spouses.
A viewing will be held Thursday evening, January 25, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Larkin Sunset Gardens Mortuary located at 1950 East 10600 South, Sandy, Utah, and Friday morning from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Larkspur Ward building located at 949 East 10600 South. Funeral services will be held Friday, January 26, 2024, at 11:00 am at the Larkspur Ward building. Interment will follow at the Mountain View Memorial Estates, 3115 Bengal Blvd, Cottonwood Heights, Utah. Funeral services are under the direction of Larkin Sunset Gardens.
The family wishes to thank all of her neighbors and friends who have assisted her over the last few years as she struggled with memory loss. A big thanks to the aides and nurses at Canyons Hospice who assisted her in her final weeks and days. We would especially like to thank the loving aides and staff at Spring Gardens Memory Care who lovingly cared for Mom in the final 8 months of her life. You are very special to Joy and to the family. We love you!
If you would like to watch the recorded services, please click on the blue "Watch Services" button above.