BYH Alumni Profile
BYH Class of 1966. Laurence H. "Larry" Christensen. Brigadier Newspaper Editor, Track, Daily Universe cartoonist while in high school, Wildcat Yearbook contributor, Debate, Legislative Forum, BYU Publications Workshop, Photography Award, Seminary 4 years.
Mission: Southern Far East (Taiwan, Republic of China). BYU BA English 1974. US Army. Also University of Hawaii, University of Georgia, Utah State University, Idaho State University, National University (San Diego). Institutional Advancement / Development.
Wife: Kathy Carlisle. They have two sons and two daughters: Andrew, Alex, Emily and Elisabeth. His parents: Horace Alden Christensen [not related to Horace Christensen, BYH Class of 1934] and Velma Christensen.
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Larry Christensen Bio
Laurence H. “Larry” Christensen was born on December 7, 1947 – Pearl Harbor Day -- in Salt Lake City, Utah. His parents are Horace A. Christensen and Velma Charlotte Anderson Christensen. The third of three children, he has two older sisters, Susan and Jena.
The Christensen family lived in Utah while he was growing up, including Salt Lake City, Echo in Summit County, St. George, Richfield and Springville.
Larry was active in Scouting, earning the Eagle award and becoming a Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow. He attended the National Boy Scout Jamboree at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in 1964.
He attended and graduated from Brigham Young High School in Provo in 1966, where he was editor of the school newspaper, the Brigadier. He enrolled at BYU in 1966 where he worked on the staff of the Daily Universe, the student newspaper.
He then served in the Southern Far East Mission of the LDS Church from 1967 to 1969, working in Taiwan where he learned to speak Mandarin Chinese. Following his mission, he returned to BYU.
Then, with a draft number of 12, he enlisted in the US Army during the war in Viet Nam. He was first stationed at Ford Ord, California; then Fort Dix, New Jersey; Fort Hamilton, New York; and Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia. After an honorable discharge, he returned to Provo in December 1972.
While in the military he met his future wife, Kathleen Carlisle of Columbus, Georgia, and they were married in the Salt Lake City Temple in 1972. Their first son, Andrew, was born in Provo in 1973.
Larry graduated from BYU with a B.A. in English in 1974, Magna Cum Laude, eight years after first enrolling.
After graduation, the Christensen family moved to Georgia, where Larry attended the University of Georgia School of Law in Athens. His wife, Kathy, had earlier graduated from UGA with a degree in English in 1970. Larry also did fundraising work for the University of Georgia Development Office. Their second son, Alex, was born in Athens, Georgia.
Larry was recruited to work in the development program of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, and the family moved to Augusta in 1976. In Augusta he worked for MCG for ten years, and their two daughters were born there, Emily in 1978, and Elisabeth "Lissy" in 1979.
Larry was recruited by Utah State University to become Director of Development, and the family moved to Logan in 1985.
Several years later he was asked to become Director of Development at Idaho State University, 90 miles away, and the family lived in Pocatello for about five years.
In 1991 the family decided to move away from snow country to Southern California, and Larry served as Director of Development for National University in San Diego. Over the years in San Diego, Larry also did professional fundraising work for San Diego Hospice, San Diego Youth & Community Services, the Army & Navy Academy in Carlsbad, and Interfaith Community Services in Escondido.
The joy of his life is his wife, Kathy, and their four children, Andrew & Rebecca Christensen, Alexander Christensen, Emily Christensen & Matt Milla, Elisabeth Christensen & Mike Burrell; and their six grandchildren: Evorah "Evie", Aujinay, Isaac, Lily, Audrey, and Sierra.
Larry and Kathy are active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Kathy was a teacher of visually impaired students, retired in 2014 but continuing when needed, and Larry loved his work at Interfaith Community Services which helped provide food, shelter and employment to the homeless and people in extreme need in North San Diego County. Larry retired from Interfaith Community Services on March 1, 2019, after 11 1/2 years of service.
Kathy Christensen, 73, passed away on October 23, 2022, at home in San Marcos, California, with her family around her, after bravely fighting multiple myeloma for several months.
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