Leah Dunford Christensen

Logan - Leah Dunford Parkinson Christensen, 87, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on Thursday evening, March 9, 2017. Our loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend will be greatly missed. She was often heard to say, “I don’t sing, or dance, or play a musical instrument; my only talent is loving people.” She never met a stranger and she had a way of making all who knew her feel they were her very best friend.
Leah was born June 16, 1929 in Bloomington (Bear Lake), Idaho, the 5th child of 8 born to Thomas Jefferson and Ruth Dora Hulme Dunford. She always considered herself a “Bear Lake Girl”. Some of her favorite memories were spent with family at Dunford family reunions. Family was everything to her.
Leah graduated valedictorian of the Fielding High School class of 1947. She went on to receive a secretarial certification from LDS Business College in 1950, a BS degree in Business Education from USU in 1955, and an ME degree in Counseling and Psychology from Oregon State University in 1960. She spent her career years as a secretary, teacher, counselor and mentor. She worked as an instructor at LDS Business College, as an executive secretary to Utah Congressman Henry Aldous Dixon in Washington D.C., Secretary in the office of Student Services at USU, Dean of Women and Academic advisor, and mentor to hundreds of students over the course of her life-long association with USU. She served as the first women president of the USU Alumni Association, on the USU institutional council, and enjoyed many years of association with the USU Emeriti.
Leah always wanted to be a wife and mother, and her dream came true later in life when she married Paul Chatterton Parkinson on her 37th Birthday, June 16, 1966 in the Logan Utah LDS temple. They were blessed with 2 children, Helen (Dean) Cox and Paul (Rebecca) Parkinson, and 13 grandchildren—her greatest treasures. She enjoyed a close relationship with Paul’s son Michael and his wife Mary and their family. After almost 21 years together, her husband Paul died on March 22, 1987. On January 9, 1988 she married Garold “Chris” Christensen and enjoyed 17 years of marriage and association with him, his children (Barbara, Sonny, Gary, Sue, and Jerri), and his grandchildren and extended family until his death on October 24, 2005. She and Chris served two LDS missions together: one at Temple Square in Salt Lake City and another in Columbia, South Carolina.
Leah was a faithful member of the LDS Church and served in various capacities, including the Relief Society and Young Women organizations, and working with Young Adults. She worked for many years in the Logan temple and was always a faithful visiting teacher. Her strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ provided her many opportunities to share it. Everything she did was done with wit, charm, and most of all love. Her most notable church calling in recent years was that of “Birthday Caller”. She called every ward member, young and old, and sang her own version of “Happy Birthday”, never missing a birthday. Those calls have been missed in recent months, but no one will ever forget Leah singing, “We love you we do”. She also enjoyed a nearly 50-year association with a special group of friends in monthly Clerisy Club, and loved regularly attending DUP meetings with friends.
Leah is survived by her children, grandchildren, her sister, Ann Marie (Ned) Budge of St. George, Utah, brother Joseph Dunford of Bloomington, Idaho, sisters in law Joan Dunford of Sunset Utah, Nola Dunford of North Logan, and Joyce Parkinson of Logan. She is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews. Leah was preceded in death by her husbands, parents, brothers Hulme Dunford (Vera), Robert Dunford (Carol), and Thomas Dunford, sisters Nadine Nelson (Jay) and Elaine Elison (Lewis), brothers in law Edwin Rogers, Spencer Parkinson, and Dee Parkinson, sisters in law Virginia Bullen (Tad), Grace Swinyard (Ewart), Ruth Ferguson (Max), and Beth Parkinson.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 17, 2017 at the Mt. Logan Stake Center, 565 East Center Street, Logan, Utah. Friends and family may visit from 6-8 pm on Thursday, March 16 at Allen-Hall Mortuary, 34 East Center, Logan, and from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Friday prior to the funeral services at the church. Interment will be in the Logan City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly suggests contributions to the Leah Dunford Parkinson Christensen Scholarship fund at Utah State University or contributions in her name to the LDS Business College. We express our deepest gratitude to Sunshine Hospice for the tender and loving care given the past few weeks. Thank you especially to Shalise, Erin and Dennis and the many wonderful aides who cared for Leah. Condolences and memories may be shared online at www.allenmortuaries.net .