Jennalyn “Jenni” Kingdon Thompson Carpenter, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, nurse, and faithful servant, passed away surrounded by the love of her family.
Jenni was born on March 3, 1947, in El Centro, California, to Jay Goss Kingdon and J. Lorraine Kingdon. Throughout her life, she called many places home, including El Centro and Oxnard, California, and South Salt Lake, West Jordan, Riverton, and Salem, Utah.
Jenni was married first to Frank Call and later to Douglas Reed Thompson. After Doug’s passing, she married Terry Lee Carpenter, with whom she shared many wonderful years and experiences.
Education and service were important parts of Jenni’s life. She graduated from Oxnard High School, Ventura College, and Utah Valley State College (UVSC). She devoted much of her professional life to caring for others as a school district nurse and as a NICU nurse at Utah Valley Hospital. She also worked in Human Resources at Utah Valley Hospital.
Jenni was a woman of many talents and took great joy in creating things for the people she loved. She enjoyed crocheting, cooking, sewing, and making beautiful wedding and birthday cakes. She made more than 1,000 afghans over the years, lovingly creating them for friends and family. Her gifts were often expressed through the time, creativity, and care she put into making something special for someone else.
Jenni was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served as a temple worker at both the Provo and Payson temples. She and her husband, Terry, also served a mission together in Korea, an experience that brought them great joy and strengthened their love of service.
Above all, Jenni treasured her family. She was a loving mother and grandmother who found great happiness in the lives of her children and grandchildren. She is survived by her children, Denise (Gary) Allen, Melissa (Ryan) Jenkins, Abraham (Aubrie) Carpenter, Allyson (Tom) Ercanbrack, Kathy (J.D.) Christensen, Adam (Kari) Carpenter, Becky (Mark) Wilhite, Scott (Alitha) Thompson, and Jacob (Jill) Carpenter; 33 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Jay Goss and J. Lorraine Kingdon; her husband, Douglas Reed Thompson; her son, Aaron Carpenter; her brother, Warren Kingdon; and her sister, Suzie Kingdon.
Jenni’s legacy will live on through the family she loved so deeply, the lives she cared for through her nursing career, and the many people she served throughout her life. Her kindness, creativity, faith, and love will be remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her.
A visitation in Jenni’s honor will be held on Friday, September 25, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at Walker Funeral Home, 187 South Main Street, Spanish Fork, Utah.
A second visitation will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 9:45–10:45 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 470 East Salem Canal Road, Salem, Utah. Her funeral service will immediately follow at 11:00 a.m. at the same location.
Interment will take place at Salem City Cemetery.
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