Harold K. "Bud" JENSEN

JENSEN, WILCOXON, SANGWIN, COMSTOCK, HURTT

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/17/2007 at 14:18:30

Harold K. "Bud" Jensen, age 71, of Centerton, Arkansas, died Wednesday, November 19, 2003, in Bentonville, Arkansas. He was born August 24, 1932, in Junction City, Kansas, to Harold M. Jensen and Opal Wilcoxon Jensen. He married Carolyn Comstock on February 3, 1952, in Elk Point, South Dakota. He was raised and educated in Aurelia, Iowa, attending Aurelia High School. While in High School, he enjoyed playing basketball. Bud started a career in the grocery business at a grocery store in Sac City, Iowa, and then moved to California, where he continued in the grocery business. He then returned to Rockwell City, Iowa, and worked in a grocery store there. In 1959, he and his wife, Carol, purchased and operated a grocery store in Newell, Iowa. In later years he opened and operated grocery stores in Sac City, Eagle Grove and Audubon, Iowa. In 1977, he retired and moved to Bella Vista, Arkansas, and as a sideline started selling real estate. A short time later, he started the first Century 21 Real Estate Office in Bentonville, Arkansas, with Neal Bachman. In 1983, he opened a family style chicken restaurant in Bentonville, eventually operating a small chain of "Bud's Family Style Chicken" restaurants in Bentonville, Ark., Rogers, Ark., Siloam Springs, Ark., Springdale, Ark., and Neosho, Mo. In 1987, he sold his restaurants and semi-retired, again for a short time and then went to work for Wal-Mart as a store manager in Nowata and Jay, Oklahoma. In the early 1990s, he returned to selling real estate for Century 21-A1 Realty and in 1996 started Jensen and Jensen Construction Inc., building residential homes around the Bentonville, Arkansas, area. He acted as chief architect, designer and bookkeeper with his two sons, Michael and Martin, a position he kept until his death. Bud was a member of the Hiwasse Christian Church and the Board of Realtors. His main hobby and the love of his life were his family and his work. He especially enjoyed spending time with all of his grandchildren. He will be remembered as a loving father and friend to anyone in need. His high work ethics and customer service ideals will live on through his children.

Bud is survived by his wife of 51 years, Carolyn Jensen; four sons, Michael (and wife, Sharon) Jensen of Bentonville, Ark.; John (and wife, Ruth) Jensen of Choteau, Montana; Martin (and wife, Kim) Jensen of Centerton, Arkansas; and Keith (and wife, Keli) Jensen of Sully, Iowa; a daughter, Kimberly (Mrs. Joey) Hurtt of Hiwasse, Arkansas; a brother, Marty Jensen of Lake Port, California; a sister, April Jensen of Lake Port, California; 18 grandchildren; and six greatgrandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Barbara Sangwin; a grandson, Jason Jensen; and a granddaughter, Jodi Hurtt. Visitation was from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, November 21, at the Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home of Bentonville, Arkansas, with the family receiving friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Funeral services were at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at the First Christian Church of Bentonville with the Rev. Mark E. Golaway officiating. Burial was at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery near Hiwasse, Arkansas. Memorials may be made to the Benton County Sunshine School, 1700 Moberly Lane, Bentonville, AR 72712.

Benton County Daily Record, Arkansas
November 26, 2003