When Millcreek resident Jed Jensen died on Dec. 29, 2024, he left a legacy of love and service in the hearts of his family and friends. Jensen passed away after complications from a car crash that happened in early December but his contributions and connections to his community won’t soon be forgotten.

Jensen, 64, worked as the Zamboni driver/Santa at the Millcreek Common Skate Loop for two years and was just starting his third year at the time of the accident. Black bands were placed on the Zamboni to honor his memory.

“Jed never met a person that wasn’t a friend,” said Sheri Jensen, his wife of 31 years. “He liked talking to everyone and anyone. He would go up and strike up conversations and make friends everywhere. He loved driving the Zamboni and even when he didn’t wear his Santa suit the kids thought he was Santa. He loved that
persona.”

While he enjoyed driving the Zamboni and working his day job as an electrician, Jensen’s true passion was supporting his daughter Shelby Jensen Mitchell on her Paralympic journey as a parafencing competitor. After Mitchell competed at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympian Games in 2021, her father designed and created a parafencing chair that was cost-effective and easily available to clubs.

His design, the Jedi Chair, allowed athletes interested in wheelchair/para/seated fencing to try the sport without the hefty investment of $3,500 in a professional chair. Jensen and his wife both served on the board of the Utah Fencing Foundation and worked with its president Bill Nikolai who helped create and distribute the chairs. The UFF recently announced on its social media platforms that the chair would be renamed Jed’s Chair.

“There are countries across the world that wanted our chair plan so they could make their own Jedi chairs,” Sheri Jensen said. “There are clubs across the country that want to start parafencing programs. They want to grow the sport because they’re looking to have a big, big showing at [the 2028 Summer Olympic] Games
in L.A.”

As a car enthusiast, Jensen was also involved with the W.O.W. Car Community and embraced the group’s motto, “Spreading Smiles for Miles.” He loved cruising in his late father-in-law’s 1956 Ford one-ton truck, participating in car shows and helping with fundraising events.

The Jensens have lived in Millcreek for 18 years. Sheri Jensen said their elderly neighbors knew if a snowstorm hit, the Jensens would be out snow-blowing sidewalks to ensure people could get in and out of the neighborhood. Jensen also loved sitting on the back patio watching birds at the numerous bird feeders in the yard and taking care of their fishpond. Jensen’s 5-year-old nephew has promised to take care of the birds for him.

“Jed was a tinkerer; he didn’t spend a lot of time sitting around,” Sheri Jensen said. “He was always puttering with something and he made friends everywhere. We would go to a car show and when we left he’d have 10 new friends.”

Even after a month of ups and downs while Jensen was in the hospital, his death at the end of December was a shock to his loved ones. “It was so devastating,” Sheri Jensen said. “I mean, for 27 days he fought it. He really fought it. He really tried.”

Mitchell knew her dad was her biggest cheerleader. She said she’ll miss his big hugs and their constant bickering. 

“We would call my mom and tattle on each other and she would get frustrated and say, ‘You two are both adults. Go figure it out,’” Mitchell said. “We loved getting on each other’s nerves. I will miss that. That sounds so ridiculous but I’ll miss him getting on my nerves. I don’t have that kind of relationship with anyone else.”

“His legacy was to be kind and spread kindness,” Sheri Jensen said. “Don’t be afraid to make a friend. Nobody was a stranger when it came to him. You wish the world was more like that.” λ