SALINA — A man who died trying to rescue six miners trapped in the Crandall Canyon Mine was praised by U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during his Wednesday afternoon funeral.
More than 1,000 people attended the funeral of Gary Lynn "Gibb" Jensen, 53, Redmond, Sevier County.
Jensen, an employee of the Mine Safety and Health Administration, was one of three rescuers who were killed trying to reach six trapped miners in the Crandall Canyon Mine in Huntington.
A "bump" in the mine Thursday at 6:30 p.m. unleashed rock on rescuers. Jensen died at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo.
He was trying to reach Kerry Allred, Don Erickson, Luis Hernandez, Carlos Payan, Brandon Phillips and Manuel Sanchez, who haven't been seen or heard from since a bump Aug. 6.
"Gary was a treasured member of the MSHA family who did not hesitate to undertake the dangerous assignment of the mine rescue," Chao said. "Even though he had been with MSHA a relatively short time, he made a very strong impression on everyone."
Chao presented Jensen's wife of 34 years, Lola, and children, Robert Neal Jensen, Amy Sheley, Dustin Jensen and Hayley Jensen, an American flag.
"The Lord has now taken Gary into his loving embrace," said Chao.
Elder Daniel Jones, the area representative for the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, read a letter from LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley and his counselor, Thomas S. Monson.
"We join with the community in sharing your pain at this time of sorry," the letter stated.
"Jesus Christ made the plan of salvation possible," Elder Jones said. "I am his witness. I testify in him. I know that he was there to greet this special man."
Jensen served on the Redmond City Council from 1998-2001, when he resigned for out-of-state training after joining MSHA.
Jensen, who was tall and had red hair and a sense of humor, worked in mining for about 35 years, starting in salt mines then working in coal mines in the area. He steered his career toward safety management.
"His big thing was helping people," son Dustin Jensen. "That's why he enjoyed the safety end of it."
E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com