Billy Demont Christensen passed peacefully away Sunday, January 15, 2017 surrounded by his wife and loving family. He was born, the first of five children, to Roy Demont and Wilda Thompson Christensen, at Tetonia, Idaho on August 30, 1932. He lived most of life in Rexburg, Idaho, where he attended Adams Elementary, Washington Jr High and then graduated from Madison High School in the class of 1950. During his younger years he worked for his father doing odd jobs and mechanics at Christensen Motor and Hudson Sales.

Following High School he enrolled at Ricks College where he studied for three years before his marriage to Sharon Parker on June 3, 1953 in the Idaho Falls L.D.S. Temple. In September of that same year he was inducted into the Army which service took him to Germany during the U.S. occupation following the Second World War. During this time he worked as a surveyor for the big artillery guns. He was heard to remark that this unit had their guns directed at the Russians and the Russians had their guns pointed back at them. This was at the close of the Korean War Conflict. Upon his return home, he met his 16 month-old son, Paul, for the first time. The following years brought three more children to the family, Susan, Trent, and Connie.

It was back to Ricks College he went for his fourth and final year, graduating in the Ricks College final four-year graduating class in 1956 with a B.S. degree in math and physics.

He continued working for his father for a time until he accepted employment with Westinghouse Electric at the INL where he spent his entire career of 34 ½ years. It was a long daily commute, where he spent two hours each way either by car or bus making it a 12 hour day to work 8. He has said that his assignment to write the paper work for the assembly and disassembly of the test rods that went into the reactors, was a one of a kind job. He said that he thought he was hired because of his background in mechanics and his ability to print well. Toward the end of his career his office came up to speed with computers which Billy had to learn to use in lieu of his handwritten instructions.

Although he spent many hours away from home each day he was active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many positions. To name just a few he served as Scout Master, Targhee Boy Scout District Chairman, counselor to three bishops, bishop of a Ricks
College 16th Ward, Stake High Counselor, membership clerk under six bishops. At the time of his death he was serving as the membership clerk of Rexburg Fifth Ward. He was always proud that he had belonged to the Boy Scouts of America and was registered for 63 years. He was honored as a Silver Beaver. As a youth he was chosen as one of the Boy Scouts to help unveil the "This is the Place" monument in Salt Lake City during the Days of '47 celebration in 1947. His service to Boy Scouts was recognized in April, 2016 with the Grand Teton Peaks Boy Scout Council presenting him with their prestigious Scouting Hall of Fame Award.

Billy had a strong testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of which he was a lifelong, devoted member. He often was found standing to bear his witness of the reality of the Living God and his Son, Jesus Christ. He bore solemn witness of the power of prayer. He knew the Church precepts to which he espoused were true. He enjoyed the time he spent as a worker at the Rexburg L.D.S. Temple.

Billy had a strong singing voice which he used to sing in school and church productions and ward choirs. He was able to learn the songs in the keys in which they were written and could begin singing in the correct key even before the accompaniment began. For many years the children of the wards he lived in and his grandchildren looked forward to his rendition of Gettin' Nuttin' for Christmas dressed in his red and white poke-a-dot pants and oversized bow tie.

Billy's life was one of service to others. Rarely a car of a friend or family member pulled into the Christensen driveway that Billy was not seen either washing it entirely or at least washing the windshield. He loved taking the scouts to rake leaves, split and stack wood or whatever else the widows in the ward needed done. He was known to have taken his vacation from work to accompany the Boy Scouts at summer camp when the Scout Master or other leaders could not go.
He served many years as a member of the Madison Senior Citizen's Center board where he spent many hours repairing and upkeeping at the facility.

Long has Billy been known as a letter writer, often using 100 stamps a month. Always written with a fountain pen, his letters and notes of commendation and encouragement have traveled far and wide to missionaries, servicemen, family, friends, neighbors and associates for more than 50 years.

His wife was always amazed at his ability to do things that seemed impossible, a knot here, a rope around there to get every job done. She always told him he could repair anything from household appliances to automobiles.

When the children were young, nightly his watch was pushed high on his forearm and into the sink went his hands to wash dishes or into the bathtub to bathe the children. He was a man who could clean a floor, tidy a home and prepare a meal.

Billy was an orderly person. His clothes were always hung up when he took them off. He was a home body and enjoyed the new home his grandfather Christensen had built and into which he moved his family in 1958 and where they lived for the rest of his life. They spent several winters at St. George, Utah and enjoyed getting away from the cold Rexburg winters.

He loved his family very much and often in his last years asked, "Do you think they know how much I love them?" A grateful heart was one of his attributes. He never liked to be a bother to anyone and always wanted those helping him to know that he was thankful for their service.

The family would like to thank doctors, Zollinger, Wilde, Cannon and their staffs for their expert care. Also we thank the staff of Carriage Cove for their tender, and gentle care. We thank the owners and employees of Great Scott's for cheering his life daily and filling his mug. He loved you all.

He is survived by his wife of 63-1/2 years, children: Paul Demont (Lahni) Christensen of Moses Lake, Washington; Kerry Trent (Tamila) Christensen of Boise, Idaho; Susan (Roy) Gundersen and Connie (David) Anderson both of Rexburg; 16 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren. He
is also survived by his sister, Dee Anne (George) Skidmore of Spokane, Washington and brother, Leon (Irean) Christensen of Rexburg. He was proceeded in death by his parents; brothers Ronald Christensen and Gary Christensen; grandsons Alex Marshall Christensen and Scott Bill Anderson and two great granddaughters, Kamryn Fayth Pack and Zoe Lynn Pack.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 21st at the Rexburg Center Stake, 590 Summerwood Drive. The family will receive friends Friday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Flamm Funeral Home and again from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment will be in the Rexburg Cemetery with Military Rites.