McCoy Christensen Obituary (1924 - 2019)

McCoy Christensen, a WWII veteran and beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away on April 14, 2019, surrounded by family members. McCoy was born on December 28, 1924 in Mapleton, Utah to Myrtle Romero Christensen and William Christensen. McCoy was the youngest of six brothers—two sisters were born several years later. McCoy turned 18 shortly after the United States entered WWII and quickly enlisted in the Navy, serving as a Boatswain's Mate Second Class about the U.S.S. General T. H. Bliss as it circled the world twice, carrying troops and supplies. On September 4, 1951, he married Delina Matz Christensen in Minden, Nevada as they drove together from California to Utah. They later decided to raise their children in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on March 15, 1956. McCoy worked at Geneva Steel. He and Delina settled in Orem, Utah, in a house he built. In the 1960s, he fulfilled an old dream by attending college courses at BYU through the GI Bill, which helped him move into senior management at Geneva. He retired in 1983: late in life, he celebrated having “beat the system” by being retired longer than he had worked. In retirement, McCoy kept an active, steady routine. He woke up early enough each day to be at McDonald’s by the time it opened at 5 am to pick up his traditional morning Diet Coke. He frequented the Orem Rec Center, where he made lasting friendships. From 1987-88, McCoy and Delina served a mission together in the Mexico City, Mexico Mission. Into his early 90s, he kept an active Hobble Creek golf course membership and tended a garden. He mowed his own lawn until the week of his death. He worked actively on family history projects and enjoyed studying the history of his country and his church. McCoy is survived by his wife, Delina, and their children: Sandra Wilkes (George), Tamie Nelson (Ed), and Jeff Christensen (Markelle), 14 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren. He was deeply loved and respected by his family members: two grandsons and two great-grandsons carried his name as a first or middle name. He was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings Gerald, Delbert, Othello, Bard, Reed, Lu Dean, and Judy, and a great-grandson, Braeden. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20, 2019, at the Lakeview 3rd Ward, 450 W 1800 S, Orem, Utah. There will be a visitation on Friday, April 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the church and on Saturday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. prior to services. Interment will be in the Orem Cemetery.