Hazel Marie Jensen, 1920-2017

JENSEN, NEUMANN, LEISTIKOW, VANDEBERG, MONSON, RISSMAN, GOODCHILD, DUMERMUTH, VOSHELL, OSMUNDSON

Posted By: IAGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 10/1/2017 at 18:03:10

HAZEL MARIE JENSEN

Hazel Marie Jensen, 97, of West Union, Iowa died Tuesday, July 4, 2017 at Aase Haugen Senior Services, Decorah, Iowa.

She was born June 29, 1920 to Mary (Leistikow) and Edward Neumann in Windsor Township, in Fayette County. Hazel was baptized July 25, 1920 and confirmed June 10, 1934 at Zion English Lutheran Church in West Union. She graduated from West Union High School in 1937 and attended Upper Iowa University and received normal teacher training. She taught country school at Westfield No. 2 and Windsor No. 1.

Hazel married Jens Christian “Bud” Jensen, Jr. on May 4, 1944 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.

They lived on the farm northwest of West Union until 1978 when they moved to town. In February of 2013 they moved to Traditions where she lived until moving to Aase Haugen Home, in Decorah, in May of this year.

She was a member of the Monday Morning Methodist Volunteer Visitors at the hospital for many years and also volunteered at Good Samaritan Center for twenty years. She received awards for her volunteering. She carried “Meals on Wheels” for several years. She was an active member of the United Methodist Church in West Union since March 31, 1946.

She loved to read, and she and Bud spent many hours putting puzzles together.

In her autobiography written in 2006, she left our family with these thoughts. “There is an invisible thread that binds families together and keeps them in touch. My wish is that all members of my family remember to ‘hold tight the thread’. Be sure and always keep in touch. It’s natural for families to get located a long way from one another. Never let go of the thread.” She loved her family very much! She will be greatly missed.

Hazel is survived by a daughter, Jane (Ken) Vande Berg, of Decorah, Iowa, and a son, Jay (Carol) Jensen, of West Union, Iowa; five grandchildren, Travis (Farha) Vande Berg, of Syracuse, New York, Jeff (Jennifer) Jensen, of Dike, Iowa, Christina (Chris) Monson, of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Lori (Nick) Rissman, of Decorah, Iowa, Dayna (Ryan) Goodchild, of Johnston, Iowa; eight great-grandchildren, Alexis, Jayce, and Trey Jensen, Olivia and Carter Rissman, Grayson and Greta Goodchild, and Ella Monson.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Bud on March 8, 2013; her infant son; her parents, Mary Leistikow Neumann and Edward Neumann; her sisters, Mildred Osmundson, Ethel Voshell, Irene Dumermuth, and Erma Neumann; and her brother, Robert Neumann.

Visitation will be 3-6 pm on Friday, July 7, 2017 at United Methodist Church, West Union, Iowa.
Celebration of Life Services will be 11:00 am on Saturday, July 8, 2017 at United Methodist Church, West Union, Iowa with Rev. Chris Ebbers as the Officiant.

A private family internment will be held.

Obituary & photo published by Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home, West Union, Iowa