From the Personal Journals of My Father
Rex Buckley Jensen
1981
Sunday, March 29, 1981
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| Annual School Picture Monticello, Utah September 1981 Age 2 |
Friday, April 17, 1981
Kent Beckstrom of Kaysville [Utah] approached me in the store today about the possibilities of buying the store. Told him that had he been here yesterday, I probably would have let him have it. Had a good talk. Seemed like a nice fellow. The thoughts of selling the store are so tempting in many ways.
Things have been pretty quiet around the house with the kids all gone. Have really enjoyed having a few quiet moments with Pauline. The moments are never very quiet unless Jordan is asleep however. We have certainly not had a child like Jordan. He never stops getting into things for five minutes.
NOTE: I think my dad either had a poor memory of his previous five children at age two, or he spent a lot more time with me as a toddler than he had them. It was probably some of both! Whatever the case may have been, I probably was not significantly more fidgety than most other toddlers.
Tuesday, May 12, 1981
Kent Beckstrom and Roger Terry arrived at 11:00 a.m. this morning. I spent several hours with them. Both were high on the store, and seemed to have no qualms about anything. Kent left a $30,000 check with me with the balance of the down to come on July 15th.
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| Dad and my older brothers in the backyard of my maternal Grandmother Smith's home in Centerville, Utah. Circa 1979 |
Jordan was a stinker and did not fall asleep until we were within 10 minutes of Grandma Smiths. It was a long trip.
Stayed up until 2:00 a.m. telling Grandma Smith of our decision and the events of the past several weeks. She seemed very positive about it. I wish I felt so good.
Thursday, May 14, 1981
Another long trip home with Jordan all over everything, as usual.
Note: to my knowledge, I never sat in a car seat as a baby or toddler. We were rural folks living in a Intermountain Western State and I doubt many (if any) people in my small town used such safety restraints in the early 1980s. Hence, why I was "all over everything" on a long road trip. My how things had changed by the time I became a father myself in 2013!
When we got home I went in and laid down on the bed for an hour. Really a tough hour. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that these decisions would be this gut-wrenching.
I know that financially, it is a big mistake. On the other hand, I am praying that I will be able to adjust to the new lifestyle; be enthusiastic about going back to school and make the most of it.
Pauline seems to be very pleased and excited about the prospects.
Friday, May 15, 1981
This afternoon I visited with Hal Jensen at the District Office about my teaching next year. He was complimentary and seemed pleased that I was coming back next year. Said there were some tough times ahead for education, however.
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| Hans Jensen 1886-1952 |
NOTE: My great-grandfather, Hans Jensen (1886-1952) had been a career grocer in my hometown of Monticello, Utah. A story was handed down in my extended family about how, in the early days of the 20th century, Hans used to cut out large chunks of ice from frozen ponds in the wintertime and then store them in cellar-like conditions to provide refrigeration capabilities in the summertime.
After returning from Europe following the end of World War II, my grandfather, Ned Adams Jensen (1918-2004) followed in his father's footsteps, spending his entire career in the grocery business as the owner of Jensen's Food Town, located across the street from the two homes where my father lived growing up—and the home where I spent a lot of time visiting my Jensen grandparents between the years 1979-2006.
My father grew up working in his dad's store. It was where he learned to work hard and be organized and responsible. It was also the primary way he earned his own spending money prior to serving his mission and attending college at BYU. As a high school student in the early 1960s, dad earned 25 cents per hour from his labor at the store, which enabled him to buy guns and ammunition for hunting, a jeep for transportation, exploration, and adventuring, and whatever else he needed or modestly desired.
Later, while attending college at BYU, Dad grew disenchanted with his studies and became so discouraged at one point that he decided to drop out of school and follow in his father's footsteps by making his career in the grocery business. Fully intending to put his plan into action, he packed his car with his belongings and drove home to Monticello.
JJ's Paternal Grandfather, Ned Adams Jensen Grandpa Ned was not having any of it.
He explained to my dad that his own career options in life had been limited because he had never attended college, and he would not permit his son to do likewise. He told dad to turn right around and return Provo to finish his college degree, and that was the end of the matter. Because Dad followed this good advice / injunction of his father, he did indeed accrue additional career options, including the freedom to sell Jensen's Food Town in 1981.
My four (4) older brothers all spent time working in the store during their childhoods in the 1970s. They started out as little boys making just 10 cents per hour! I was too young to have the same opportunity. I remembered the store not as Jensen's Food Town, but as as Kent's market. Nevertheless, given the fact that it was one of only two grocery stores in town (when it wasn't the only grocery store in town), I did spend a lot of time there growing up, either shopping with my parents or buying candy by myself or with my cousins or friends. Suffice it to say, the local grocery store was a fixture of all of the Jensen's lives growing up, and for a variety of reasons.
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| Grandpa Ned and my Father Monticello, Utah October 1945 |
Monday, May 25, 1981
Later this afternoon, I came back to the store by myself. Perhaps that time was the hardest of all for me. Sixty [60] years is a long time. My emotions were very close to the surface as I sat in the office for the last time, and as I walked the dark isles [sic] for the last time.
I wrote a little article for the newspaper; wrote in my journal, and went home.
Ten years from now, I sure hope that I will be able to truly feel that we did the right thing. Right now, I am not truly sure. There are some very long tugs at my heartstrings.
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This home in Monticello, Utah, belonged to my paternal Grandparents. It was situated across the street from Jensen's Food Town, which my Grandpa Ned owned and worked in his entire post-war career. The home was finished in 1961 — in time for Dad to enjoy the luxury of his own bedroom for his senior year of high school at home. For most of his growing-up years, the family lived in the home next door to the west. Growing up, I did a lot of yard work for Grandma Jensen, for which was often generously paid — as a wee lad's manual labor wages go. |
I pray to my God to find the strength to find my calling in life; to go after it, and to finish up in good and complete form.
Saturday, June 20, 1981
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June 21, 1981
Dear Dad,
As this Father's Day has approached, you have been very much in my thoughts; probably more so than at any previous time that I can remember.
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| With Dad in front of our home. Monticello, Utah |
Many things have gone through my mind since we sold the store. With all the problems and difficulties, the store did give us the opportunity to work closely together and to really get to know each other. I am deeply grateful for that opportunity, because I know that I have one of the kindest, most honest, most patient, most dedicated fathers that ever lived.
Words do not describe the admiration I have for your dedication all those years as you built the business during some very trying times. Times that would have broken most men in the same situation.
It is difficult to say how much it meant to me to have a Father that was solid, well respected, and stable; and that made it possible for me to grow up without the fears and frustrations of many who do not have that security in their lives.
I am filled with gratitude for your support of my decision to sell; and I pray that your retirement will be enjoyable, and satisfying. I approach my new challenges with humility, some uncertainty, and I pray that I will be able to endure to the end of a successful career, as you did. I pray that the decision to sell the store was the right one; that I will now be able to pursue some of my other interests and desires, and thereby fulfill the measure of my creation.
I love you Dad. Thanks for the tremendous influence you have been in my life.
Happy Father's Day.
All my love,
Buckley
Came home and went swimming. All the kids were already there. Jordan threw such a fit that we took him along. He was so cute swimming. Brave little mut! I'll never forget his tiny body shivering, lips blue, but grinning from ear to ear and begging for more. What a boy.
Wednesday, July 8, 1981
Took Pauline and the kids to help today and we cleaned up Dan DeHuts apartment (#3). It was one of those experiences you like to forget. Place was a mess, but we got through it with a lot of soap, elbow grease and wonderment at how human beings can be so low. This Turkey had worked on engines in the bedroom and had the carpets black with grease.
At Pauline's insistence, I took everyone (Julie Bunker too) to the Juniper Tree Restaurant for supper. Kids had a ball.
Friday July 10, 1981
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One of my earliest handles on a college FOOTBALL -- which would prove to be one of my life's great loves / hobbies as an enthusiastic fan of BYU (1988-2005), Florida (2006-2010), Ohio State (2012-2020), LSU (2020), and Florida again (2021-Present). |
Sunday, August 9, 1981
For the past several days we have lived at Feugal Hall in the Heritage halls Complex at BYU while attending parts of the big Joseph Smith Sr. Reunion. The nicest thing about the whole business, however, was just being on the BYU campus. We really had a good time, and so did the kids. Nancy Smith, bless her heart, took Jody and Jordan so that the rest of us could really relax and have fun. That we did.
Tuesday, September 8, 1981
Another good day at school. After, in company with Jordan and Joe, I went down to the apartments to see the fence progress. Those guys do not mess around. Sure is going to look nice.Wednesday, September 23, 1981
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| Some of the government-subsidized housing apartments my dad built in Monticello and managed for over two decades. |
Friday, September 25, 1981
The homecoming parade took place this afternoon. I am the 8th grade advisor this year, but did not do much on the float. Twas just as well, because the wind took care of the float within five minutes of being out of the garage anyway. Pauline, Jordan, and I enjoyed the parade three times before going home for the day.
Monticello played Nucla [Colorado] in the homecoming game tonight. Team looked good. Won by the score of 37-6.
Sunday, October 11, 1981
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| Jordan Rex with his baby sister, Jessie Ruth. |
When Pauline got home she said she had been having labor pains for several hours, indeed since the night before. I took her to the hospital at about 5:15 and at 6:45 we were blessed with the birth of a beautiful new little daughter whom we are going to name Jessie Ruth. I was right there for the whole affair, and once again was impressed with the sacredness and miraculesness of it all. Pauline had a relatively easy time, and I breathed a giant sigh of relief when it was all over.
Spent the rest of the night it seemed calling all the relatives and getting ready to head back to Salt Lake on the bus.
Head never went down and at three o'clock [a.m.] I climbed aboard the Trailways bus at the Monticello depot and headed back north. Pauline and I didn't think that it was a good idea that Mother Ruth come down by herself, and I needed to get the Van and take care of a few other little errands.
Thursday, October 22, 1981
After school today we cut wood. Jordan assisted, and was quite a helper, considering it was his first bash. What a kid that one. ...
Showered, put on the duds and took all the kids except Wayne, Jordan and Jessie to the Community Concert. A ten-man chorus called the Chanticleers. Really first-class. We were only there for the second half, but it was the best half, and I enjoyed it, despite trying to stay awake.
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| JJ with his older sister, Jody. |
Friday, October 30, 1981
By special arrangement with Mr. Maughan, Pauline, Jody, Jordan and Jessie and I left for Salt Lake at noon today.
Arrived Provo and left the vanagon to have the heater fixed. We walked up to a restaurant for supper. Pauline forgot the diaper bag and I walked the three and a half blocks between Chuck Peterson's and the Golden Spike four times.
Finally did get some supper. Had to wait until almost eight to get the Van, and we were very disappointed to discover that it still was not fixed, after all that.
We drove down to Salt Lake and Grandma Smith's. She was happy to see us as always, and it was good to get there. I spent several minutes on the phone tonight calling classified ad numbers that had advertised the Rex Rabbits the past several days. From what the owners said, it looks good.
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| Dad's Rabbit Raising Venture |
Stopped at Mike Mittanks in Mapleton and spent $1650.00 on 8 Rex Rabbits. Still a bit difficult to spend that much on rabbits, but I guess we ought to start with good stock, and Mike's is as good as anything I have seen. Paid $350 for one big white Buck!
Thursday, November 5, 1981
After school tonight Dad came over to talk. Had a nice visit with him. He went out and saw the bunnies. Called my lovely Lady tonight. Sure miss her. Miss Jordan and Jessie too. Things stay uncluttered too long for comfort without Jordan around.
Monday, November 9, 1981
Rushed home from school today to get everything in order. Had the house about as close to perfect as it is possible to get when my Sweetheart, Mother Ruth, Erma Madsen, Jordan and Jessie arrived. They really were surprised by both the trees and the china cabinet. Think Sister Madsen liked our house too.
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| Up the mountain getting firewood, I admiringly gaze upon my dad's large bow-shaped chainsaw. Circa 1983-4 |
Saturday, November 14, 1981
Called Wyman Redd this morning and asked if I could rent his saw. He said he would bring it by about 9:00. Jordan and I took a load of trash to the dump and were back when he arrived. He brought two large saws with bows and set to work cutting. I was hardpressed to just lay the logs out for him, he was cutting so fast.We cut all the wood I had back there in about an hour and a half. Sure sold me on the "bows" and I think I will order a new saw and bows for both the new one and the one I have now. I think that getting a two-ten year supply of wood would be a very good investment.
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| Jensen Family Photo December 8, 1981 |
As soon as school was out tonight, I rushed home and got all the kids dressed in their Sunday best for our bi-annual family portrait. It is a hassle, but I sure treasure the pictures that we have, and it will be well worth the effort as soon as it is over. Got the guy here at the school from Whit's Studio to take the pictures. He took about 12 shots and I hope that at least one of them is good.
Went to the ward party at 6:00. Pauline picked up Maryelle and her daughter. I took Jordan and the Jeep since I was to leave early.
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| JJ on his second birthday. August 1981 |
BYU beat USU 51-43 tonight. Was televised live on channel 2. Greater love hath no man than to miss that.
Monday, December 14, 1981
Worked on Poetry in school today. Read the kids "The Cremation of Sam MaGee" and "The Highwayman." Kids seem to be grasping onto the poetry. Really seem to be enjoying it. I sure do. I would like to teach poetry full-time in college. Wouldn't that be fun?
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| Jensen Family Picture Monticello, Utah 1981 |
—Dr. JJ
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