JENSEN, Gerald "Jerry" Armstrong

JENSEN, KROENEMAN, ANDERSON, GESME

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 6/19/2013 at 10:33:44

Gerald "Jerry" Armstrong Jensen, 94, 481 N. Shore Drive, Clear Lake, died peacefully at
his home on Monday, March 8, 2010.

A funeral service was held Thursday, March 11, at Zion Lutheran Church, Clear
Lake, with the Rev. Dean Hess officiating. Military Honors were provided by
the Clear Lake V.F.W. Family asks memorials be sent to Hospice of North Iowa,
Zion Lutheran Church and V.F.W. Honor Guard.

Jerry was born Oct. 7, 1915 in Armstrong, Iowa, the son of Hans George and
Hertha Dorthea Agnes (Koeneman) Jensen. He lived in Clear Lake since his teen
years and graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1935. Jerry married Phyllis
Anderson in 1939 in Clear Lake and was blessed with their only son, Gary Lee, in
1945. Jerry was employed as head butcher at the Butcher Shop on Main Avenue for
two years before he started his own meat market and grocery business, Jensen’s
Supermarket at 415 Main Avenue, in 1938. He bought Ashland Basket Grocery in
1952. In 1961 he built Super Market. He bought Morrisky’s SuperValue-WestSide in
1969. He built Jensen’s Fill N Shop in Ventura in 1975. He bought Pronto on
Highway 18 in 1979. He then retired and sold all stores in 1988 after 44 plus
years. Jensen’s was proud to be the first business in Clear Lake to hire a
resident of (what was then called) Handicap Village. Jerry was a faithful member
of Zion Lutheran Church most of his life, where he was baptized and later
confirmed in 1929. He helped with Communion, Sunday school, ushering and donated
Christmas trees. Jerry was also a member for two years at the little white
church (1927-28) and an associate member of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Fort
Myers Beach, Fla. for over 20 years.

Jerry worked on the Alcan (Alaskan-Canadian) Highway from 1942-1943. He then
faithfully served his country in WWII from 1943 to 1946 when he joined the Navy.
He served as a cook on the Squadron 45 submarine for the subtender USS Beaver.
His service took him throughout the Pacific including Midway, Marshall Island,
Okinawa, and Hiroshima.

Jerry and Phyllis lived on South Shore Drive for over 30 years. They moved to
North Shore Drive in 1997. Jerry was always heavily involved in the Clear Lake
community, including being a charter member of V.F.W. Post 4868. He was Post
Commander in 1957 and he served on the Honor Guard. He was a 50-year Noon Lions
Club member, serving one year as president; a 50-year member of American Legion;
50-year member of Masonic Order Royal Arch Lodge; a long-time member of
Commandry El Kahir Shrine; a 44-plus year member of Chamber of Commerce; 50-year
member of Danish Brotherhood; Past Patron of Order of Eastern Star; and he
served one year on the city council.

Jerry enjoyed his family and traveling, including spending many winters with his
wife in Florida and Arizona.

Jerry is survived by Phyllis, his wife of 70 years; son, Gary Jensen, Plymouth,
Iowa; daughter-in-law, Sandra Jensen, Roland, Iowa; grandson, Nathan Jensen and
his wife, Emily of Ankeny, Iowa; granddaughter Shantel Crellin and her husband,
Nicholas, of Omaha, Neb.; great-grandchildren, Brock and Rex Jensen and Isabella
and LilyAna Crellin; brother, DuWayne and Dorothy Jensen of Sun City, Az.;
sister, Adelheide “Laddie” and Al Watters of Sun City; and many nieces and
nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Naoma Gesme.