Joann Adams Christensen

JoAnn Adams Christensen, 75, of Shelley passed away on March 3, 2008 at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center due to a stroke.

She was born January 17, 1933 in Clark, Idaho to Reed Forsythe and Olive Francis Finn Adams.  She attended schools in Rigby, Basalt, and graduated from Firth High School as salutatorian in 1951.

She married her high school sweetheart, Elwood J “Woody” Christensen in the Idaho Falls Temple on October 10, 1951.

She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  She held many callings in Primary, Cub Scouting, and Relief Society.  She loved to teach the primary children, especially about baptism, and many still remember her.

She had three children and enjoyed encouraging and supporting them in their activities.  She later raised her grandson from age 3 until he left for a mission to Houston, Texas.

Family was very important and she devoted much of her life to serving those she loved most, both family and loyal friends.

She was a master gardener and loved flowers, kept a beautiful yard, and vegetable garden.

She worked side by side with Woody for many years, keeping the books at Woody’s Inc., the family business. They have spent many hours with loving friends and have truly appreciated those life long relationships.

In her later years, she lost some of her sight and memory, but still had a voracious appetite for reading, especially the scriptures.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years of Shelley; children, Barbara (Dale) Jensen of Richfield, Utah; Ronald K. (Carla) Christensen of Blackfoot; Michelle (Brian) Anderson of Shelley; mother, Olive Francis Adams Deschamps of Idaho Falls; brothers, Doug (Arlene) Adams of Shelley; Robert K. Adams of Idaho Falls; Clair (Margo) Adams of Boise; 15 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren whom she loves and who love her very much.

She was preceded in death by her father, Reed and step father, Francis Mitchell Deschamps.

Funeral Services will be 11:00 A.M. Saturday March 8, 2008 at the Shelley South Stake Center (675 South Milton Ave.). The family will receive friends Friday evening from 7:00 till 8:30 P.M. at Nalder Funeral Home (110 West Oak) in Shelley and Saturday morning 9:30 till 10:40 at the Shelley South Stake Center.  Interment will be in the Shelley Hillcrest Cemetery.