James William Jensen, 94, of Crookston, Minnesota, formerly of Beltrami, Minnesota, died peacefully, Monday evening, July 26, 2010 at the Villa St. Vincent Nursing Home in Crookston. Jim was born on September 28, 1915, in Boissevain, Manitoba, Canada, the son of James S. Jensen and Martina (Pedersen) Jensen. He was one of eight children. After graduating from high school in Boissevain he emigrated to the United States in 1936, with many members of his family. Jim sought and gained naturalization as a citizen of the U.S. in 1947. He always retained a love and high regard for his native Canada, while being very grateful and proud of his U.S. citizenship. Continuing in the tradition of his father, Jim spent all of his working life as a railroad employee, beginning work as a child hauling mail sacks for the Brandon, Saskatchewan and Hudson Bay Railroad. After moving to the U.S., he began work for the Great Northern Railroad as a Railway and Maintenance employee, traveling and living across much of North Dakota and eastern Montana. Jim soon studied for and earned a place as an Agent-Telegrapher. Nearly all of those years were spent in Beltrami. He was very proud of never having missed a duty day in over 45 years. During the course of his years of employment with the Great Northern and later Burlington Northern, Jim was assigned 26 students to train in as Agent-Telegraphers for the company. Many of them remained in touch with him throughout his life, and he treasured those relationships. After many years of very dedicated service, Jim retired from the railroad in 1975. In March of 1945, Jim was united in marriage to Harriet Sorby of Kragnes, Minnesota, and in March of 2008 they would have celebrated 63 years of married life together if Harriet had not passed away just a few days earlier. Throughout his life, Jim was a dedicated gardener. He enjoyed sharing his apple, potato, corn and carrot harvest with the community, and many Beltrami residents, and later Crookston neighbors enjoyed that harvest every fall. Jim also relished his coffee break discussions with friends, and dedicated a lot of time to reading on favorite subjects including science, religion, politics and social policy. He always advocated strongly for young people to obtain good educations, and he contributed generously to his own children’s and his grandchildren’s educational pursuits. Throughout his life Jim assisted many young people to learn to have healthy fun skating, fishing, swimming, playing croquet and baseball. Jim was a long-time member of the Brotherhood of Maintenance and Railway Employees. He will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
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James William Jensen, 94, of Crookston, Minnesota, formerly of Beltrami, Minnesota, died peacefully, Monday evening, July 26, 2010 at the Villa St. Vincent Nursing Home in Crookston. Jim was born on September 28, 1915, in Boissevain, Manitoba, Canada, the son of James S. Jensen and Martina (Pedersen) Jensen. He was one of eight children. After graduating from high school in Boissevain he emigrated to the United States in 1936, with many members of his family. Jim sought and gained naturalization as a citizen of the U.S. in 1947. He always retained a love and high regard for his native Canada, while being very grateful and proud of his U.S. citizenship. Continuing in the tradition of his father, Jim spent all of his working life as a railroad employee, beginning work as a child hauling mail sacks for the Brandon, Saskatchewan and Hudson Bay Railroad. After moving to the U.S., he began work for the Great Northern Railroad as a Railway and Maintenance employee, traveling and living across much of North Dakota and eastern Montana. Jim soon studied for and earned a place as an Agent-Telegrapher. Nearly all of those years were spent in Beltrami. He was very proud of never having missed a duty day in over 45 years. During the course of his years of employment with the Great Northern and later Burlington Northern, Jim was assigned 26 students to train in as Agent-Telegraphers for the company. Many of them remained in touch with him throughout his life, and he treasured those relationships. After many years of very dedicated service, Jim retired from the railroad in 1975. In March of 1945, Jim was united in marriage to Harriet Sorby of Kragnes, Minnesota, and in March of 2008 they would have celebrated 63 years of married life together if Harriet had not passed away just a few days earlier. Throughout his life, Jim was a dedicated gardener. He enjoyed sharing his apple, potato, corn and carrot harvest with the community, and many Beltrami residents, and later Crookston neighbors enjoyed that harvest every fall. Jim also relished his coffee break discussions with friends, and dedicated a lot of time to reading on favorite subjects including science, religion, politics and social policy. He always advocated strongly for young people to obtain good educations, and he contributed generously to his own children’s and his grandchildren’s educational pursuits. Throughout his life Jim assisted many young people to learn to have healthy fun skating, fishing, swimming, playing croquet and baseball. Jim was a long-time member of the Brotherhood of Maintenance and Railway Employees. He will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
Loving family members include his daughter, Laurie (Dan) Wilson of Crookston, MN; daughter-in-law, Judy Jensen of Kansas City, Mo; grandchildren, Patrick, Timothy (Traci) and Nicholas (Amanda) Wilson, John Jensen, Jessica (Chris) Hamilton and Jacy (Stefan) Tapp; great-granddaughter, Brianna Hamilton; sister-in-law Bessie Sorby; and many nieces and nephews. Besides his wife Harriet, Jim was preceded in death by his beloved son Jay; his parents, James S. and Martina; sisters: Mary, Elna, Dinah, Marion and Winona, brothers, Murton and Gordon.
The funeral service for James W. Jensen will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, July 31, 2010 at the Chapel at the Villa St. Vincent Nursing Home in Crookston, with Pastor Trey Everett, officiating. Visitation will be for one hour before the funeral. Interment will be in the Sunset Memorial Garden in Fargo, ND. Arrangements are with the Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home.
