1920
Irene
2012
Irene Jensen
October 5, 1920 — June 13, 2012
Funeral services for Irene Jensen of Morris, formerly of Hancock, Minnesota will be held Monday, June 18, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Hancock. Reverend Ginger Beck will be officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church on Monday. Burial will be in Lakeside Cemetery in Hancock.
Irene Dorothy Weidler, daughter of William and Dora (Mesenbrink) Weidler, was born October 5, 1920 in Moore Township in Stevens County, Minnesota. She was baptized in 1920 by Rev. Hoppe at St. John's Lutheran Church in Hancock and confirmed in 1934 by Rev. Pilgrim at Peace Lutheran Church in Morris. Irene began her schooling at Stevens County District #53 and in 1937 she graduated from Hancock High School. Following her schooling, she did housework for the Art and Ann Walton family for a year and then worked at the John and Nellie Conroy home until her marriage to Kermit Jensen on August 30, 1941. The couple made their home in Hancock for twelve years, during which time they had two daughters, Karen Marie and Judith Ann. In 1953, the family started farming east of Cyrus. In 1957, they purchased a farm east of Hancock. Kermit passed away in June, 1981 and Irene continued to live on the farm until 1989, when she moved to an apartment in Hancock. In February, 2009, she moved to Skyview Court in Morris and in October, 2011 she went to live at West Wind Village in Morris.
Kermit and Irene joined the First Congregational Church of Hancock in 1955. Both were active members of the church with Irene belonging to the Women's Fellowship Group. Because of the family's love of horses, they helped organize the Happy Hoofers Saddle Club. Irene was treasurer of the Hancock Senior Citizens Club for ten years. She always enjoyed singing in church choirs and the Hancock Community Choir along with other church activities. Researching family history was a love of hers also. In the early 1980's, the Memorial Book for the church could not be located so Irene went through all of the church records at the Stevens County Museum and the church and recorded memorials and gifts that had been given to the church since it was organized in 1873.
Irene's hobbies included playing cards with friends, doing puzzles of all kinds, especially jigsaw puzzles, embroidery, doing crafts and spending time with family and friends. She loved the years of being a farmer's wife helping with field work and chores. One of her fondest memories was of she and Kermit going dancing every Saturday night at the Lakeside Pavilion at Glenwood.
Irene died on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at West Wind Village in Morris, having lived to reach the age of 91 years.
She is survived by her two daughters, Karen (Joe) DeVita of Chokio and Judy (Dale) Pederson of Lowry; four grandchildren, Rick Pederson and David Pederson of Clear Lake, SD, Jason DeVita of Chokio and Andrea DeVita of Gardena, CA; four great-grandchildren, Nicole, Michelle and Brianna Pederson of Clear Lake, SD and Vincent DeVita of Chokio; a sister, Lucile Jordan of Idaho Falls, ID; three sisters-in-law, Agnes Weidler of Pleasant Hills, CA, Vera Jensen of Graceville and Helen (Myron) Haugen of Hancock and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; two brothers, Elmer and Herbert; three sisters, Rosa Weidler, Emma Tonn and Lenora Johnson; one half-brother, Albert; six half-sisters, Amanda Haeckel, Bertha Schulz, Freida Sloneker, Alma Sloneker, Lydia Schliep and Marie Weidler.
Irene Dorothy Weidler, daughter of William and Dora (Mesenbrink) Weidler, was born October 5, 1920 in Moore Township in Stevens County, Minnesota. She was baptized in 1920 by Rev. Hoppe at St. John's Lutheran Church in Hancock and confirmed in 1934 by Rev. Pilgrim at Peace Lutheran Church in Morris. Irene began her schooling at Stevens County District #53 and in 1937 she graduated from Hancock High School. Following her schooling, she did housework for the Art and Ann Walton family for a year and then worked at the John and Nellie Conroy home until her marriage to Kermit Jensen on August 30, 1941. The couple made their home in Hancock for twelve years, during which time they had two daughters, Karen Marie and Judith Ann. In 1953, the family started farming east of Cyrus. In 1957, they purchased a farm east of Hancock. Kermit passed away in June, 1981 and Irene continued to live on the farm until 1989, when she moved to an apartment in Hancock. In February, 2009, she moved to Skyview Court in Morris and in October, 2011 she went to live at West Wind Village in Morris.
Kermit and Irene joined the First Congregational Church of Hancock in 1955. Both were active members of the church with Irene belonging to the Women's Fellowship Group. Because of the family's love of horses, they helped organize the Happy Hoofers Saddle Club. Irene was treasurer of the Hancock Senior Citizens Club for ten years. She always enjoyed singing in church choirs and the Hancock Community Choir along with other church activities. Researching family history was a love of hers also. In the early 1980's, the Memorial Book for the church could not be located so Irene went through all of the church records at the Stevens County Museum and the church and recorded memorials and gifts that had been given to the church since it was organized in 1873.
Irene's hobbies included playing cards with friends, doing puzzles of all kinds, especially jigsaw puzzles, embroidery, doing crafts and spending time with family and friends. She loved the years of being a farmer's wife helping with field work and chores. One of her fondest memories was of she and Kermit going dancing every Saturday night at the Lakeside Pavilion at Glenwood.
Irene died on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at West Wind Village in Morris, having lived to reach the age of 91 years.
She is survived by her two daughters, Karen (Joe) DeVita of Chokio and Judy (Dale) Pederson of Lowry; four grandchildren, Rick Pederson and David Pederson of Clear Lake, SD, Jason DeVita of Chokio and Andrea DeVita of Gardena, CA; four great-grandchildren, Nicole, Michelle and Brianna Pederson of Clear Lake, SD and Vincent DeVita of Chokio; a sister, Lucile Jordan of Idaho Falls, ID; three sisters-in-law, Agnes Weidler of Pleasant Hills, CA, Vera Jensen of Graceville and Helen (Myron) Haugen of Hancock and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; two brothers, Elmer and Herbert; three sisters, Rosa Weidler, Emma Tonn and Lenora Johnson; one half-brother, Albert; six half-sisters, Amanda Haeckel, Bertha Schulz, Freida Sloneker, Alma Sloneker, Lydia Schliep and Marie Weidler.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Irene Jensen, please visit our flower store.