Ferdinand Jensen (1940)

JENSEN, WESTPHAL, PROHASKA, DUFFY, FRUTIG, REESE

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 6/24/2007 at 10:05:28

Winterset Madisonian - March 13, 1940
Winterset, Iowa

FERDINAND JENSEN DIES

Van Meter--(Special)--March 12.

Ferdinand Jensen passed away very suddenly Saturday morning at the Mingus Nursing Home in Des Moines, where he had been for three weeks.

Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at Triity Lutheran church in charge of the pastor the Rev. C. Lilie. Burial was in the Lutheran cemetery.

The pall bearers were Marion Westphal, Alfred Lienemann, August Marquardt, Alfred Koch, Alfred Marquardt, and Fred Martens.

Ferdinand Jensen was born September 12, 1861 in the village of Collund, Schleswig Holstein, Germany, where he also grew to manhood.

In 1882 he emigrated to the United States, living for a short time in the city of Davenport, Ia. In the spring of 1883 he came to this vicinity, and has lived here ever since, in Madison or Dallas counties, with the exception of two years spent in West Liberty, Ia.

On December 10, 1929 he suffered a partial stroke, from which he never recovered. He passed out of this life March 9, 1940 at the age of 78 years, 3 months and 26 days.

On October 12, 1886 he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Westphal, who preceded him in death thirty-eight years ago.

This union was blessed with four sons and three daughters, Julius G. of Van Meter, William F. of West Liberty, Arthur C. and Hermon R. of Van Meter, Mrs. Clara Prohaska and Mrs. Alma Duffy of Denver, Colo., and Mrs. Martha Frutig of Iowa City. Besides his children he leaves to mourn his death one brother, Fritz Jensen of West Liberty and one sister, Mrs. Christine Reese of Wilton Junction, also 17 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

As a child he was baptized into the Lutheran faith, renewing this later in life through confirmation.

He became a regular member of Trinity Lutheran congregation here shortly after its organization and continued this membership throughout his life.

He chose farming for his life's vocation, but his later years were spent in complete retirement on his farm just south of Van Meter. His death marks the passing of one of the last of a group of Lutheran pioneers, who chose this community for their home.

(Burial in Trinity Lutheran cemetery)