Leland Joseph JENISON

JENISON, SANDBERG, PACKARD, LAAKE, BENJAMIN, BYERS, DAY, JACOBSON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 11/16/2014 at 11:21:44

January 24, 1920 --- November 12, 2014

Leland Joseph Jenison, age 94, died November 12th surrounded by his family at his daughter’s home in Clear Lake after a year of health challenges. Leland was born January 24th, 1920 in Belmond, Iowa to Earl and Hazel (Sandberg) Jenison. He attended country school north of town and graduated from Belmond High School in 1937. After High School he worked as an electrician until he enlisted in the U. S. Navy in 1942 where he held the rating of Aviation Electricians Mate. While in the service, he was stationed in Chicago, St. Louis, and Jacksonville.

On June 11, 1942 Leland and Norma Jeanne Packard were married at the Swedish Lutheran Church in Waukegan, Illinois. Upon discharge from the Navy, they returned to Belmond and Leland went into business with his brother-in-law, Bud Packard until 1949 when Leland enrolled in the Engineering program at Iowa State. Leland established his Electrical and Mechanical Consulting Engineering practice in Belmond. Through the course of his career he was licensed in eleven states, handled the electrical and mechanical design for more than 600 projects among them 130 churches. Leland’s work extended from Cuernavaca, Mexico where he consulted on a monastery to a project for Lutheran Social Services in Duluth, MN. Local projects included Belmond High School, Belmond Community Apartments and St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.

Leland and Norma Jeanne enjoyed opening their home to family and friends, hosting Memorial Day Pancake Breakfasts and fall camping trips at Wyalusing State Park in Prairie Du Chien, WI. As a master craftsman, Leland restored cars, built furniture and was the consummate tinkerer. Many members of the family and community were the recipients of his skills; no repair project was too complex or too humble for his attention. Past volunteer activities in Belmond include City Council, Fire Department, School Board and BIDCO. Leland and Norma Jeanne lived in Belmond until December of 2013 at which time they moved to Apple Valley Assisted Living in Clear Lake, IA.

He is preceded in death by his parents Earl and Hazel Jenison, brothers, George, Arnold and Robert and sister Ardeth Laake. He is survived by his wife Norma Jeanne, Clear Lake, sons William (Darlene) Jenison, Burnsville, MN, Timothy (Leslie) Jenison, San Antonio, TX and daughter Starr (John) Benjamin, Clear Lake, IA. Grandsons Troy (Julie) Jenison, Minneapolis, MN, Chad (Charmaine) Jenison of Austin, TX, Luke (Mandalin) Benjamin, Belmond, Granddaughters Luren Jenison, Philadelphia, PA, Natalie Jenison, Austin, TX and Claire Jenison, Northampton, MA, Nora (Scott) Byers, Marshalltown, IA. Great-grandchildren Reid and Elise Jenison, Austin, TX and Liam and Neil Jenison, Minneapolis, MN. Sister Elna (Gary) Day, Ventura, IA, Brother-in-law Rev. Arvild Jacobson, Sun City, AZ and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held Sunday, November 16th at Dugger Funeral Home in Belmond from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. and funeral service at Trinity Lutheran Church, Belmond, on Monday, November 17th at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Belmond–Klemme Scholarship Foundation, Opportunity Village, 1200 N. 9th St., Clear Lake, IA 50428 or donor’s choice. The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff of Apple Valley Assisted Living in Clear Lake and Hospice of North Iowa.

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