An active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he named his race cars "Mormon Meteor," giving credit to living the Mormon Word of Wisdom--abstinence from tobacco, alcohol, and coffee--for his endurance and athletic ability. For many years the "Mormon Meteor III" was on display at the Utah State Capitol Building. Beginning in 1991, a restoration of the car was undertaken by Ab's son, Marvin Jenkins. The race car was returned to the state capitol and a bronze bust of Ab Jenkins added to the exhibit on 21 October 1993.

Jenkins served as mayor of Salt Lake City from 1940 through 1943. He died 9 August 1956 in Wisconsin, where he had gone to drive the pace car for the Road American Auto Races in Elkhart Lake. Following funeral services in the Assembly Hall on Salt Lake City's Temple Square, Jenkins was buried in Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park on 13 August 1956.

Wendell J. Ashton