Jerald Johansen

1933 ~ 2013 Jerald Ray Johansen, 80, passed away at his home Tuesday, November 12, 2013. He was born February 3, 1933, in Mount Pleasant, Utah, the son of Ray Ivan and Ada VaLene Stevens Johansen. He married his high school sweetheart, Lenore Allred Johansen, March 9, 1956, in the Manti, Utah LDS Temple. Together they created a lifetime of adventures. Jerry loved life and loved learning. He graduated from North Sanpete High School and attended Snow College where he played football and courted Lenore Allred. He served a faithful mission for the LDS church to South Africa where he discovered his lifelong passion for both teaching and missionary work. Following his return, he and Lenore married and started a family. He found his greatest joy in his roles as husband, father, and grandfather. Jerry had a long and fulfilling career as an instructor in the Church Education System. He loved interacting with young adults and they enjoyed receiving counsel from him and studying the scriptures and doctrines of the gospel with him. He received degrees in Secondary Education and Religious Education from Brigham Young University. He taught seminary in Tropic, Utah, and served as director of the Boise, Idaho Institute of Religion before moving his family to California where he earned a Doctorate from the University of Southern California. His career culminated in an appointment at the Ogden LDS Institute, where he retired in 1998 after over 40 years of teaching. He was an avid researcher and writer, publishing 3 books on early Church History and scripture. He also guided numerous tours to Church history sites. Jerald was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He dedicated his life to teaching, sharing, and living the gospel. He held many church positions, but was especially beloved as a bishop, gospel doctrine teacher, and home teacher. He was dedicated to missionary work and sought out ways to share the gospel at every opportunity. He and Lenore enjoyed serving together in the Connecticut, New Haven mission at Yale University, in the Ogden Sullivan Hollow 2nd Ward as service missionaries, and at the Ogden LDS Temple as ordinance workers. Jerry loved adventure and often shared his personal philosophy to “enjoy the journey” and cherish each stage of life. He actively sought out experiences of all kinds to share with family and friends. There was no concert, show, sporting event, cultural event, museum, monument, or visitor’s center too obscure to attend and appreciate. Children and grandchildren will forever treasure memories of road trips, waterski outings, family home evenings, letters, walks, family prayers, and personal blessings. Jerry loved to travel and took full advantage of his retirement years globetrotting with Lenore and planning trips to nearby or far-flung destinations. He is survived by his wife, Lenore; his children, Diane (C. Kimball) Bott, Alan (Christine) Johansen, Blake (Deborah) Johansen, Valerie (Mark) Kendell, Mark (Jill) Johansen, and Laura (Jed) Southwick; his sister, Connie Craner; 20 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, and a grandson, Jared. Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 10 a.m. at the Old Post Road meetinghouse, 5191 Old Post Road, Ogden. Interment will take place at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Friends may visit with family on Friday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd., and Saturday from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the meetinghouse. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the General Missionary Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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