Wesley Hale Christensen

It was with great sadness that on November 18, 2023, we had to say goodbye to Wesley Hale Christensen, beloved father, son, grandparent, brother and friend to many. Wes was born March 23, 1957, to Jack and Rachel Christensen of Twin Falls, Idaho. When Wes was young, he had great times camping with the other boy scouts in his LDS ward. It was common knowledge among his peers and leaders that, “If Wes was with the group, there was bound to be fun.” He and his dad and brother had great times fishing and enjoying other water sports in their canoe and kayak, which they built themselves. Wes and Debbie Smith met each other through mutual acquaintances, fell in love and were married December 15, 1979. They became parents of two children, Ryan and Jennifer. He worked for many years operating a forklift at Longview Fiber (now WestRock) until his health became an issue. Wes was modest, generous, and dependable. In other words, he was a man of fine character; a man of his word. He was a hard worker, and he was a craftsman. He spent many hours in his shop with his tools—his favorite music playing in the background—happily creating wood products of excellent quality. Two of his most beautiful creations were caskets for his Uncle Kent and for his mother, Rachel. He loved the outdoors and never missed a chance to go snowmobiling in the South Hills with Debbie. He was an excellent golfer and played in several local tournaments. And Wes was a devoted lover of pizza! He took pride in keeping his home in good condition and his very large yard beautifully manicured. He liked to keep busy. Unfortunately, these activities came to an abrupt end when he was diagnosed with cerebral atrophy, a condition that robbed him of his balance and ability to be active and carry on with his favorite activities. He handled these new physical limitations with dignity, rarely—if ever—complaining. Wes was sincere and genuine. He gave wonderful hugs and was always ready to enjoy good times and share his infectious laughter. Wesley, we’ll miss you so much and are comforted only by knowing you are young again and free from the cares of any physical ailment. We love you. Wes is preceded in death by his father, Jack Christensen; his brother, Joseph Wayne Christensen; and his wife, Debbie Ann Smith Christensen. He is survived by his mother, Rachel Christensen, who is residing at The Gables in Idaho Falls, ID; his sisters, Leigh Christensen Knudson of Idaho Falls, ID, and Kathryn Christensen Hale of Olympia, WA; his children, Ryan Christensen and Jennifer Christensen Sharp (Justin) of Twin Falls, ID; and two grandchildren, Jayden and Jessie. The funeral will be held at Wilks Magic Valley Funeral Home, 2551 Kimberly Road, Tuesday, November 28, at 2 pm. Doors will be open at 1 pm for family and friends to pay their respects. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Twin Falls Animal Shelter in Wesley’s behalf. Please click here to be directed to the organization website.