Former resident Hal Jensen turns 90

Hal M. Jensen, formerly of Monticello, will celebrate his 90th birthday at a dinner with his family. 
Hal was born August 28, 1932, in Metropolis, NV, to Ira Milford and Ellen Hyde Jensen. The family moved to Gridley, CA in 1934. Hal attended Gridley High School, where he excelled in sports, especially basketball.
After graduating in 1950, Hal attended Yuba Jr. College and played on their basketball team until breaking his ankle. He then attended Brigham Young University, where he met Beverly.
Hal served a mission to New Zealand for three and a half years. Hal spent much of his mission working with the Maori people, thus began his lifelong love for all things Polynesian. 
After his mission, Hal married the love of his life Beverly Marie Brooks, on August 30, 1956 in the Salt Lake City Temple.
Hal was drafted at this time and spent the next two years in the Army. After his discharge, they moved to Gridley, where Hal attended Chico State University.
After graduation, Hal had a desire to teach for the LDS Church Education System in New Zealand. However, there were no positions available in New Zealand at that time.
He was asked if he was willing to teach in Western Samoa. Hal accepted the offer and in 1964 moved his family to Apia, Western Samoa. For the next five years, Hal was a teacher and later principal of the Church College of Western Samoa. 
In 1969, the Hal Jensen family moved back to the United States and settled in Springville, UT where he attended BYU, graduating with a Masters degree in 1971.
Hal was hired to be principal of Monticello Elementary School and the family moved to Monticello, UT. During this time, Hal earned his Ph.D in Education from BYU.
In 1985, after a few years as Assistant Superintendent, Hal was hired to be the Superintendent of San Juan School District. He served as Superintendent until his retirement in 1993.
Hal loved cookouts on Blue Mountain. His favorite activity was getting truckloads of wood for the fireplace. Hal served on the city council and as a bishop and later as a councilor in the Monticello Stake Presidency. 
After retirement, Hal and Beverly left Monticello and moved to Utah Valley to be closer to family.
In 1996, Hal and Beverly accepted a two-year call by the LDS Church Education System to serve as Director of Country in Western Samoa. In this position, Hal was responsible for all the Church schools in Samoa and in other islands in the Pacific as well.
In 2000, they accepted another call to serve in the Kiev, Ukraine Mission. Their primary responsibility was to oversee all the charitable and humanitarian programs of the Church in Ukraine.
They worked closely with government agencies and with the charitable programs of other religious denominations. 
Hal and Beverly are the parents of six children, including Michele (Larry) Ernst of Eagle Valley UT, Jeffrey (Shelie) Jensen of Overton NV, Craig (Michelle) Jensen of American Fork UT, Mark (Mindy) Jensen of Eagle Valley UT, Andrew (Stephanie) Jensen of Santaquin UT, and Keri (Jeffrey) Sargent of West Jordan UT. They have 27 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.