Born: November 23, 1925, Brigham City, Utah
Married: June 2, 1952 to Berti (Bertha) Munger in Salt Lake Temple
Died: June 6, 2011, Livermore, California
Interment: June 11, 2011, Brigham City Cemetery, Brigham City, Utah
Gordon was born in Brigham City, Utah, November 23, 1925, the third of four children, to James Jensen and Hazel Peterson Jensen, who were both in the teaching profession. His oldest sister, Hazel Maurine, was born in Idaho, but his older brother, James Weston, and his younger sister, Beverly June, were also born in Brigham City, Utah. His father taught Biological Sciences at Box Elder High School for 44 years. His mother retired from teaching to raise their family.
Gordon’s best friend was his dog, Chief, a German Shepherd. His Uncle Ray Peterson gave it to him. Chief was the grandson of the famous movie dog Rin Tin Tin.
On January 26, 1944, Gordon was drafted into the U.S. Naval Reserve-Active Duty in Salt Lake City, Utah. He reported to Boot Camp at Farragut, Idaho, as an Apprentice Seaman on February 2, 1944, and then went on to the Navy Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois School for Torpedoman, where he was promoted to Seaman First Class. In October of that year he was assigned to the USS RINGGOLD DD500 (destroyer) as a Torpedoman, also called “Fish Peddler” as torpedoes were often referred to as “fish”. This assignment lasted for the next one and one-half years. On August 15, 1945, after Gordon had been at sea for 45 days with the only sight of land being when they went in to make shipping strikes against the Japanese, they received a communiqué from Secretary of the Navy Forrestal informing them that the war was officially over.
In the fall of 1946, Gordon went to Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University) in Logan, Utah, and started a major in chemistry. After a year in Logan, Gordon went to California and lived with his sister Maurine while attending night school at El Camino College. At the end of the school year, he went back to Brigham City and received a mission call to Denmark from President George Albert Smith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
In July, 1948, Gordon was ordained to the office of Seventy by President Antoine R. Ivins of the First Quorum of Seventy. He then left Ogden by train for New York City, along with 29 other missionaries. On July 16, he set sail on the M.S. GRIPSHOLM of the Swedish American Line for Gothenburg, Sweden. Gordon worked in Copenhagen, Odense, Faaborg, and served as Branch President in Fredericia. He was released from his mission December 20, 1950, and was able to travel briefly. He took the train from Fredercia to Frankfurt, Germany, and then on to Stuttgart to visit his brother Weston. He left Copenhagen January 31, 1951, for Goteborg, Sweden, and then sailed on the MS GRIPSHOLM on February 1, for a return to Utah. His mission was one of the most wonderful periods of his life, but he was glad to be home.
Gordon entered Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, Winter Quarter, 1951. Before this he had left his string bass (Gertrude) with his great aunt Marinda Frandsen, his grandmother’s sister, while he made a visit to his sister Maurine in California. Aunt Marinda had always boarded students, and at that time had two girls staying with her. When Gordon stopped by to pick up his bass, he met Berti (Bertha) Lucille Munger and, in his own words, “a very close friendship developed – so close that in a few months we became engaged and were married in the Salt Lake Temple June 2, 1952.”
In 1953, Gordon received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Bacteriology. In 1954 Gordon was awarded his Master of Science Degree in Biochemistry and Bacteriology at the summer graduation service in 1954.
His first job after graduation was with Maury Biological Co. in Los Angeles, a firm he had worked for previously. He was put in as Chief Chemist, with responsibility for formulation, manufacturing, testing, and final release of all pharmaceutical injectible products.
He left Maury Biological and went with Gentry, Inc., a firm manufacturing seasonings, chili pepper and powder, dehydrated onion and garlic, etc. He ran the home office laboratory and coordinated the quality control at the plants, customer service, and product development. While there, he developed a number of new seasoning blends and also worked on the seasoning formula which is the basis of Kraft’s Barbecue Sauce.
He accepted a job offer from C & H Sugar to be a Technical Service Representative covering Southern California, Arizona, and Southern Nevada, which included a company car, expense account, and other perks. He worked with industrial customers in selecting the proper sugars for each customer and putting in sugar systems and maintaining them.
He was active in many professional organizations such as the Institute of Food Technologists, American Association of Cereal Chemists, Institute of Candy Technologists, and The Institute of Sanitation Management, in which he held various offices.
Gordon was very happy with C&H, but unfortunately a long labor strike at their refinery caused them to downsize and his job was eliminated. Gordon was hired as Technical Service Manager by a firm in Northern California, Liquid Sugars, Inc., working with a large variety of sugar products, such as liquid sugars, corn syrups, high fructose syrups, etc. He set up all formulations on a programmable calculator making it possible to obtain data for processing and pricing in a few seconds. This was before the advent of computers. He also compiled a rather extensive technical manual.
After retirement, Gordon did some work as a food industry consultant and worked with wineries, dairies, and other food industries.
Music was always a part of his life. In high school he took up the string bass and played in the symphony orchestra and took lessons. In his first year of high school, a dance band called The Rhythm Kids was organized and Gordon played string bass. This group played for most of the school dances and also for dances at other schools and activities.
At the Great Lakes Training Station in Illinois, a band made up of some of the top musicians from the big bands who had been drafted was organized and Gordon played with them. Also while at the Navy Training Center, he organized an 8-piece combo called the 711 Swingtet. Later, when he was on a troopship from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor, he formed a combo with a jazz pianist. When he was at B.Y.U. he played in a dance combo, The Skyliners. Throughout his working career he remained active in muisic and played with many bands and combos and at one time had his own Gordon Jensen Combo. Even after his retirement, Gordon continued to play. His combo, The Starlighters played at Senior Centers in the area.
In addition to serving as a missionary in Denmark, he served 5 Stake Missions for the Church and was a Guide and Supervisor at the Los Angeles Temple Visitors Center for eight years. He worked at the Oakland Temple for fifteen years. He taught in many positions in the Church, and was highly respected for his knowledge of the Gospel.
The greatest joy to Gordon was his family. He often said that having a loving family who cared for each other and stayed close-knit was worth more than any material things. He was proud of his children and grandchildren and their thoughtfulness and concern for family and others. They are Dr. Ray Jensen (Nancy Erickson); Brenda Kaye (Mrs. David Dick); Janice Marie
(Mrs. Brent Davenport); and Lanita Sue (Mrs. Maurey Wimer).
