James R. Jensen

            James’s Celebration of Life will be Tuesday, February 24, 2009 in Bridgeport, NE at All Souls Catholic Church at 10:00 a.m.   Interment will be at Oregon Trail Memorial Cemetery.  Visitation will be Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Bridgeport Memorial Chapel. 

            Memorials may be given in care of the family. 

            James was born in Blair, Nebraska January 8, 1929 to James G. and Madolin (Richter) Jensen.

                James known as Junior to his family was married to Elizabeth (Betty Jo) Smith April 7, 1959 at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Lincoln Nebraska.  Before that, James graduated from Blair High School, Blair Nebraska in 1946. He enlisted in the military right after graduation and was stationed at Guam in the Philippines.  After his tour, he came back to Nebraska, went to work for Goodyear Rubber Company at night and studied at the University of Nebraska by day and graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering.  He was hired on with the Nebraska Department of Roads and finished his career with them as the District 5 Engineer for western Nebraska.  He worked for 41 years with the last 29 in Bridgeport as the District Engineer for the western part of Nebraska and retired in 1995.

                Dad loved finding a good deal on cars as well as every thing else and traveling everywhere by road.  He loved the journey as much as the destination. Not one to be tied down, he enjoyed living the Cowboy and Native American way of life. There was not a museum or historic site he had not toured. James Jensen loved living in Western Nebraska with the life it offered.  He was one of the first to love riding his Harley Davidson as a young man.  He loved guns, trap shooting, hunting, fishing, fireworks and golfing.  James was one of great intelligence and great sense of humor. He enjoyed cooking, company of friends, his family and debating politics – being known as Senator Jensen.  Being raised during the depression, he reeked of conservatism, but was very generous and caring towards people without.  Dad celebrated 80 years of good, honest life. He lived life the way he wanted and left the same way. Dad was a friend to many, always calling, visiting, or lending a helping hand. He was never one to judge, but one to help fix.

James had four siblings Phyllis (Vern) Bellows, Rich (Sandy) Jensen, Ray (Janie) Jensen, and Kathy (Geoff) Vinton.  His parents were James G. and Madolin (Richter) Jensen 

Survivors include his daughter, Jennifer R. Troxel and her husband Tom Troxel and their daughter Taylor of Torrington Wyoming and his son James L. Jensen and his wife Dayla and their four children Madison, Dylan, Evan, and Ethan of Wichita, KS., Sisters Phyllis Bellows of Omaha, NE and Kathy Vinton of Beaufort, North Carolina and Brother Raymond Jensen of Blair, Nebraska.

James was preceded in death by his beautiful wife of 31 years, Elizabeth Joyce (Betty Jo) Jensen, Brother Richard Jensen and many cherished friends, relatives and parents.

Dad will be thought of often by the people that he touched.               

                “Some people

                Come into our lives

                And quickly go,

                Some stay for awhile

                And leave footprints

                On our hearts

                And we are never the same.”

                                      Love Jimmy and Jennifer

Condolences