Ardath Walker Jensen Carlsen passed away peacefully surrounded by family in her home in Rexburg, Idaho on July 10, 2012.

Ardath was born April 13, 1923, in Menan, Idaho, the third child of ten to Lorenzo William and Stella Jenkins Walker. She grew up on various farms in Jefferson County and went through school in Rigby. When she was about 17 the family moved to a farm west of Thornton, where she met the love of her life, Max Francis Jensen, at the little Independence Ward church.


They were married at home on Dec 24, 1943 and sealed a month later in the Salt Lake City, Utah Temple. After a short time in Rigby, they moved to Rexburg, lived in a home owned by Max's father for several years, then bought some property at the corner of 5th South and 5th West. There they built a home where she has lived for the past 60 years.


Max died in 1958, in Salt Lake City, Utah, following surgery for a brain tumor, leaving a devastated little family of his wife and six children. In 1962, Ardath married Connald Carlsen, who had lost his wife in a car accident. He brought four children to the marriage and together they finished raising their combined family.


Ardath worked for the American National Bank in Rigby shortly after High School, had several part-time jobs after Max's death, and managed the Beehive Federal Credit Union for 13 years, retiring in 1985. She served in many capacities on both the ward and stake levels. After their retirement, she and Con served a mission at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Ardath has been involved in some aspect of Family History for the past 25 years on the Stake and Ward levels, having most recently been serving at the Rexburg Family History Center and helped in the recording office at the Temple for about 18 months, until her health started to fail. She worked on indexing almost up to the time of her death and recently completed her goal of indexing 309,492 names. In addition to Family History, Ardath has enjoyed quilting, gardening, crocheting, reading and spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.


She is survived by her and Max's children: Paul (Rosalie) Jensen, Pocatello, Idaho, Annette (James) Spaulding of Twin Falls, Beverly (Neil) Taylor of Menan, Barbara (Jon) Goss, Elaine (Jeff) Fluckiger, and Gaylen (Lisa) Jensen all of Rexburg; and by Con's children: Dennis Carlsen of Grass Valley, CA, Kerry (MayLin) Carlsen of Boise, Idaho and Bonnie (Warren) Thomason and Sonja (the late Roger) Thomason of Burton. Also by brothers Lynn (Sharon) Walker, Dan (Judy) Walker, & Ned (Joan) Walker, all of Rigby and Kent (Julie) Walker of Shelley; forty-five grandchildren and 69 great grandchildren with six more great grandchildren expected by the end of this year. She was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters,two brothers and an infant son Allen Niels Jensen.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 14 at the Rexburg 3rd Ward LDS Church with Bishop Kim Hatch conducting. The family will receive friends Friday evening from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at Flamm Funeral Home and Saturday from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. at the church prior to the funeral service. Interment will be in the Annis Little Butte Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to suggest a donation to the Perpetual Education Fund, which was a favorite charity of hers.