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Show Heart Ailment Claims Life oi John Christensen John S. (Jack) Christensen, 72, president of the Bank of Southern South-ern Utah, and long an outstanding outstand-ing business leader in Cedar City, died early Wednesday morning of a heart attack. He was apparently ap-parently feeling well when he retired re-tired Tuesday evening, but aroused Mrs. Christensen at about 1 a. m., compjalning of a pain in his chest, and succumbed in a very short time. Mr. Christensen was born in American Fork, Utah, on Dec. 29, 1882 a son of Phoebe Christensen Christen-sen Christensen and Neils Christensen, Chris-tensen, a handcart pioner of 1857. He received his schooling Brig-ham Brig-ham Young University where he was prominent in athletics and business administration, and received re-ceived his B. S. degree in Agriculture Agri-culture from the U S A C at Logan Lo-gan in 1914. He always took an active part in speech and drama activities, winning several oratorical ora-torical contests and directing numerous student plays. He taught school at Richfield High School from 1910 to 1912. In 1914 he married Sadie Whittaker and came to Cedar City as athletic athle-tic director and coach at the Branch Agricultural College, now College of Southern Utah. He remained at the Cedar Crty institution until 1928, during which time he put Cedar City on the "athletic map," with his numerous nu-merous basketball victories in state tournaments, and was always al-ways recognized as one of the outstanding coaches of the state. Although leaving the B A C In 1928 to enter business he retained his Interest in the development of the school and scholatlc awards for the students. In 1928 he organized the Cedar Finance Company, and through this firm erected a number of fine business buUdlngs here, and participated In the general development devel-opment of Cedar City. When the Chamber of Commerce Com-merce planned to re-open the Bank of Southern Utah in 1932, Mr. Christensen was made trustee trus-tee of the $100,000 fund, and on re-opening of the bank he was made a director and elected vice president In 1941. On Dec. 4, 1947 he became president, a position he held untl the time of his death. Principally through his efforts during the current year, a group of stockholders were successful In merging the Bank of Southern South-ern Utah with the First Security Corp. of Salt Lake City, which he felt would further the growth and development of Southern Utah. Mr. Christensen Is survived by his widow, two sons, John W. Christensen. vice president CBS Research, New York; Dr. Paul W. Christensen, Long Beach, Calif.; three sisters, Mrs. El W. (MaWe) Reese, Mrs. R. K. (Marie) Thomas, Tho-mas, and Mrs. Edith Anderson, all of Salt Lake City, and five, grandchildren. Funeral services will be held In the Third Ward chapel at 1 p. m. Saturday. Friends may call at the Jensen Mortuary Friday from 6 to 9 p. m., or at the home from Saturday noon until time for the services. . v. . X 3 ' - . ( v 4 , -r '. I - . . k-', ;' v- I... . V . .. Jit I x i I ' JOHN S. CHRISTENSEN |