Karma Jensen Claunch passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 9, 2021, from respiratory failure due to complications of pneumonia. She was born in Alamosa, CO, on March 30, 1940, as the only child of Oliver Exile Jensen, and Florence Emily Thomas. She was raised in Manassa, Colorado and lived most of her life there. She grew up on the ranch helping her dad with cows and riding horses, which she loved dearly. She loved all animals and would have loved to be around them all the time. She graduated from Manassa High School in 1957 and attended BYU for one year. In 1958 she met and fell in love with her sweetheart and eternal companion, James Albert Claunch and was married in September of 1959 at her parent’s home in Manassa. They were later sealed in the Mesa, Arizona temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints.

Karma loved to work in her garden and spent much time canning and storing food for her family. She spent time doing such things as crocheting, painting, playing the piano, and learning how to do crafts.

She loved her Savior, Jesus Christ, in whom she depended on daily, and had a testimony of his love and help. She was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and she taught her children to be as well. They carry on her legacy of service in the church. She held many callings in the church including relief society presidency and public information specialist. She also wrote articles for the Church magazine, The Ensign. She served as a visiting teacher and ministering sister for her entire life and had many opportunities to serve.

She and James opened the Manassa True Value Hardware Store and together ran the store and did many things to help in and be active in the community. She also ran a daycare out of their home in Manassa. She had a great love for the many children that she cared for. In 1989, they closed the hardware store and moved to Provo, Utah, where she lived the remainder of her life. There she opened a daycare and worked at several jobs until she was hired on with BYU dining services. She worked in the cafeteria at the Missionary Training Center in Provo for many years as a cook/baker and she was able to have a great influence on the students and staff that she worked with as well as the missionaries she served. Many of them stayed in touch with her over the years. She was also able to reconnect to missionaries that came into the MTC from the San Luis Valley and her home in Manassa.

In the summer of 2005, She and James filled a service mission in Nauvoo, Illinois, at the Joseph Smith Academy. They were able to take part in teaching and enjoying some of the early events of the Church.

In 2009, she and James celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by taking a trip to Hawaii.

She retired in 2012, after 17 years of working for BYU. She loved the students and the people she worked with, and spent the next 7 years caring for her sweetheart up until his death in 2019.

Karma loved to write, and in her earlier years she felt impressed that she should write a history book on her grandfather, Christen Jensen. She had spent years collecting and compiling information to put together not only a book about him, but 2 additional family history books that she distributed to many, many extended family members. She was compiling her fourth book at the time of her death.

Karma is survived by her children, David (Monica) Claunch of Lindon, Utah, Jeffrey (Mindy) Claunch of Payson, Utah, Jennifer (Scott) Johnson of La Jara, Colorado, Elizabeth Sowards of Provo, Utah, Jon (Claire) Claunch of Erlanger, Kentucky, Erin (Brandon) Bodily of Provo, Utah, Floyd (Heather) Claunch of Riverton, Utah, as well as 31 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews and cousins. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, James, her father, Oliver E Jensen and mother, Florence Emily Thomas, and 4 half-siblings; Vern Jensen, Ray Jensen, Dolores Brady, and Edna Haynie, two sons-in-law, Steven Sowards, and Dale Ruff and two grand-children, Danika Claunch and Dalen Ruff. Karma dearly loved her children and grandchildren and the time she spent with them. They were her greatest joy. She will be dearly loved and missed by her family and all those that knew her.

Funeral services will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1555 N. 1350 W. in Provo, Utah on January 14, 2021, at 11:00 am. A viewing will be held on January 14 prior to services from 9:30-10:30 am at the church. A second viewing will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 315 Main Street in Manassa, Colorado on Saturday, January 16, 2021, from 9:30-10:30 am. A graveside will follow at the New Manassa Cemetery at 11:00 am and interment will follow. A link will be available 15 minutes prior to services to view the funeral via Zoom on the Serenity Funeral Home’s obituary page. Arrangements are being made by Serenity Funeral Home in Bluffdale, Utah and Rogers Family Mortuary in Manassa, Colorado. Online condolences and tributes may be left by visiting www.serenityfhs.com and www.rogersfunerals.com