Ned Christensen

Cecil Ned Christensen

“Sad Ole”

“When the blue of the night meets the gold of the day,” August 27, 2020 in Ogden, Utah, Ned, loving grandfather, father, and all around best buddy, concluded his mortal sojourn and was reunited with his eternal companion after a long 21 years of separation.  This man, being small in stature but yet mighty in spirit, made this transition as he lived. He undoubtedly accomplished this last task in mortality with humility, directness and a little bit of humor.  In these strange times, his extended family was supporting him and each other on the hospital grounds outside, while the three closest to him in life were still being given their final lesson of grace and dignity at his feet.

Ned is, and will remain a man of great insight.  He has helped his family and friends solve many of life’s dilemmas.  This was always accomplished with exactness, sprinkled with humor and fun.

He was born January 14, 1929 in Salt Lake City, the seventh child of eight.  Growing up during the Great Depression came with challenges.  His early childhood was full of sharing and caring for each other. This meant sharing clothes, one “remodeled” bicycle and having school shoes that were so worn, that cardboard was used inside, so the soles would last longer.  With a family of ten, at the time of gas rationing and food shortages, challenges were present.  At dinner, the food was always passed from oldest to youngest.  He, being second to the youngest, Ned always joked that by the time the food came to him it was “slim pickings”.  He claimed that he was 12 years old before he knew that a chicken had anything but a neck!

Ned started his career early, helping his father in the carpenter/construction business.  He would regularly log several hours in the shop before heading off to school.  Ned still found time to become the editor of the South High School yearbook.  This happened to be the 100th anniversary of the pioneers settling the Salt Lake Valley.  This was the running theme of his yearbook in 1947. Ned worked in the building trades and had his General Contractor license.  This was the time when a general contractor not only had knowledge of all aspects of building, but actually did the work.  These trades ranged from framing/finish carpentry to plumbing and brick work.  As a young man, he worked on projects as small as laying block for a turkey coop in Coalville, Utah to building a new grocery store in Bountiful. With World War II raging in his youth and then the Korean conflict shortly after, Ned found himself drafted into the army and served his military commitment in the US and Korea.

Military service behind him, Ned found new career interests.  While still working in construction, he discovered a newly emerging industry known as television.  He started working at KSL in the 1950’s as a producer and stage manager.  This opened many new and fun opportunities, from creating commercials for automobile dealerships to “starring” in others.  At that time, all production was live.  This meant what you see you get, no second chances.  Ned once joked, after being the sleeping person in a mattress commercial, he had never made as much money for 30 seconds worth of work and as a bonus his eyes were shut the entire time.  These experiences ultimately lead to Ned being a regular character on the children’s TV show called “Uncle Roscoe’s Playtime Party”.  Ned would become “Sad Ole”, a sad clown with a heavy Swedish accent.  Poor “Sad Ole” would tell stories and jokes to the children in the studio audience.  The goal was to interact with the children and ultimately make “Sad Ole” smile again and become a happy clown.  This became a great joy for Ned throughout his life.  All of his children and many others have his autographed “celebrity” photo of “Sad Ole” in his full makeup holding his book of stories. While he was at KSL, he was set up on a blind date with a petite blonde named Gayle.   The first date would soon blossom into a courtship and then marriage that had its first 44 years on earth commencing June 22, 1955 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple until October 30, 1999 when Gayle was called home early to wait for Ned to come home from “work.”

Ned and Gayle’s union was blessed with one son and two daughters.  They have 8 grandchildren and four great grandchildren and still counting.  They have one daughter-in-law and two sons-in-law.  As Ned’s kids grew into adulthood, their childhoods were magical.  Humor and playfulness was the order of the day.  On a typical winter day, Ned could be seen pulling a small sled with his three children riding behind him heading for Layton Drug at Fort Lane Shopping Center. Then there were the science projects.  There were summer trailer trips with his family and Gayle’s family.  It might be a trip to Yellowstone or Mesa Verde. All were special and fun.  Ned was a carefree easy going dad.  One day when he and Gayle were returning from a day trip he was stuck in traffic as the Layton High Homecoming Parade was in progress.  As he watched, he saw one parade entry that looked slightly familiar.  Without Ned’s knowledge or permission his son had painted the truck from front to back in the “Blue and Blue” colors of Layton High and was driving in the parade.  He turned to Gayle and said, “Is that my truck?”  Once the parade was over, laughing and joking he helped his son and his friends “resurrect” the truck that he knew and loved.

Ned was selfless in his service and devotion to his friends, neighbors and religion.  He held many church positions including being a member of the bishopric and high priest leadership.  His favorite position of Sunday School President he held for 25 years.  This was long before the block program.  He was a devoted home teacher.  He was deeply involved with his families.  He knew all of the kids he taught.  He was acquainted with their hobbies and interests.  He was always bringing treats and goodies when he could.  Up until recently, he would make every effort to bring a little joy and humor to those home teaching families that became more than dear friends.  He loved his neighbors and was always serving them with labor, time, wisdom as well as treats.  He was not able to serve a fulltime mission in his youth.  When he retired he served a mission at the LDS Employment Services as a missionary that helped locate jobs for the unemployed or underemployed.  He served a second mission at the Kaysville Bishop’s storehouse.  He was as committed to his religion and its members as he was to his loving wife and family.

Early Thursday morning, without fanfare he quietly completed his mortal assignment.  That must have been the most joyous of reunions of family and friends.  Gayle would have been first to welcome him with others surrounding him as well.  The crowd, in deference, would have parted and a single well wisher stepped forward.  First a back slap, a hearty handshake and a quick “Swedish/Danish” story was exchanged.  Then a tender loving embrace was given.  As the embrace ended, quietly whispered into Ned’s now perfect ears, were the words, “Ned you are a great success in what matters to me.  Well done.”

Ned was preceded in death by his wife Gayle, his parents and his seven siblings.  He is survived by his children: Lynn (Belinda) Christensen, Sheri (Jeff) Zaugg and Lisa (Mike) Starks as well as eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be held Tuesday September 1, 2020 at 11:00 am at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road.  Friends may visit family Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the mortuary.  Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Park at Layton, 1867 No.  Fairfield Road.

Ned’s family would like to express their appreciation to the staff of Sunridge Assisted Living Center for their compassionate care.

The services will be live-streamed by going to the bottom of the obituary when the service starts.

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