Bruce Ferrin Jensen passed away on March 12, 2013, at the age of 94 from congestive heart failure. He was born to Reuben and Florence Jensen on September 30, 1918, in Metropolis, Nevada. In 1930 he, his brother Carl, and their father boarded a cattle car along with their eight dairy cows to move to their new 15-acre farm in Gridley, California. They joined his mother, sisters, Lucille, Lois, and Beatrice, and brothers, Doug and Lenard. Later, one more brother, Reed, would be born.
Bruce was a man of many accomplishments. He always enjoyed school and worked very hard during the Depression years to put himself through college. In 1935 he began 2 ½ years at Utah State Agricultural College in Logan, Utah. Then he transferred to the University of California Davis, graduating with a degree in Vocational Agriculture in 1940. Bruce went on to become a devoted teacher to generations of ag students over the next forty-four years. He first taught at Visalia Union High School in 1940 after moving to Visalia, where he lived until his death. That same year Bruce married the love of his life, Phyllis Zimmerman, after having met her on a blind date. Even at the end of his life, if you asked him who the most beautiful girl was, he’d say “Phyl!”
In September 1944 Bruce joined the U.S. Navy, proudly serving his country in WWII, for which he received three battle stars. When he returned home over a year later, he was appointed as the Ag Dept. Chair at Visalia Union High School and Visalia Junior College, later College of the Sequoias. He was responsible for the conception and operation of the school farm, which provided on-the-farm training opportunities. Bruce taught at both high schools and COS until 1963. After that he was employed full-time at the college, where he dedicated his energies until he retired in 1984.
After retiring, Bruce spent much of his time as a community leader active in Lions Club and numerous other organizations and serving on the Tulare County Planning Commission. Bruce was fortunate to have a long life full of varied interests. He will be remembered for his intelligence, integrity, fortitude and strength, witty sense of humor, fondness for playing bridge, storytelling, poetry writings for special occasions, desire to help his fellow man, and, most of all, his love for his family.
Married 72 years, Bruce is survived by his wife Phyllis and his four children, Louise (Logan) Wiggins, Jenny (Dean) Glass, Robert (Margot) Jensen, and Dan (Suzanne) Jensen, who will miss him greatly. Bruce took great joy in his seven grandchildren, Greg Wiggins, Jason Root, Janet Root Duerksen, Gunnar Jensen, Erika Jensen, Ben Jensen, and Amy Jensen, whom he delighted with his special COS farm tours and pony rides. In addition he is survived by nine great grandchildren, brothers Lenard and Reed Jensen, sister Lois Gerner, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family welcomes friends and relatives to celebrate his life with a memorial service at 3:00 pm on April 12, 2013, at Miller’s Memorial Chapel, 1120 Goshen Ave, Visalia, CA.
Donations in Bruce’s memory may be made to the Bruce Jensen Scholarship Fund, COS, 915 S. Mooney Blvd, Visalia, CA 93277 or Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS, 66675 or www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
Tributes and condolences may be made at www.millerchapel.com.
Arrangements entrusted to Miller Memorial Chapel, 1120 W. Goshen Avenue, Visalia, CA 93291 (559) 732-8371.
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