Mary Christensen

Mary Stoker Christensen

St. George, UT - Mary Stoker Christensen, 86, passed away at home in St. George, UT on August 9, 2022 surrounded by her loving family. Mary was born on February 10, 1936 in Roy, UT to loving parents Leslie and Annie Stoker. Because of a blizzard that night, her mother could not travel to the hospital, so Mary was delivered at home by her Aunt Ida.

Mary attended BYU and later studied floral art design at Orange Coast College, becoming a floral designer and eventually a flower shop manager in Sherman Oaks, CA. She later studied travel management, then worked as a wholesale travel representative specializing in LDS and Protestant Group travel to the Holy Land. Her connections there eventually lead to an association with the Royal Family of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, supplying much needed items for their Royal Orphanages.

Mary met her first husband, Lester Turner, while living in New York City in the late 1950’s. After marriage, they moved to Southern California to raise their family. Mary served many callings in the LDS Church in the Huntington Beach and Long Beach Stakes, including ward Relief Society President, Stake Relief Society President, Ward Young Women’s President, and Stake Young Women’s first counselor. She dearly loved serving her church sisters.

When her first marriage ended after her children were grown and moved away, Mary married her long time friend and the true love of her life, Andrew Christensen. She and Andy spent 34 happy and loving years together enjoying time with their many family and friends, traveling throughout the United States and the world, off-roading all over Southern Utah, and attending many live shows and musical theater productions.

Mary is preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Gene Stoker, Dale Stoker, and Leslie Stoker, and her sisters Joyce Jorgensen and Nell McKee. She is survived by her husband Andrew Christensen, children Michelle King (Richard), Drake Turner (Amy), Harrison Turner (Elizabeth) Elise Munson (Cliff), Jordan Turner (Lisa), and Buddy Silversmith; step-children Brent Christensen, Byron Christensen (Johanna), Jeff Christensen (Lena), and Shawna Pearson (Rick); sister Ann Stoker Inman and brother Claude Stoker. Also, she leaves behind 35 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren, and numerous life-long friends.

Funeral services will be on Friday, August 19, 2022 at 11:00 AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1095 St. James Lane, St. George, UT, with viewing prior to the service from 10:00-10:45am. Interment will be on Saturday, August 20, 2022 at 1:00 PM at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary, 3401 S. Highland Drive, Millcreek, UT 84106, under the direction of McMillan Mortuary 435-688-8880.

The funeral service will be live-streamed, please click on the link below.