Beverly Ann Jensen, 88, of Durand, IL, passed away peacefully at Medina Nursing Home on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Beverly was born in Princeton, Minnesota, on August 28, 1933 to Lester and Viola (Nelson) Walker. At age 17, Beverly married Rodney Lee Brown, Sr., on July 28, 1951, and they went on to have 4 children together, divorcing in 1976. She enjoyed managing her mother’s diner, Milaca Café in Milaca, Minnesota, eventually following her mother to Las Vegas. Beverly loved working at the El Cortez Hotel and Casino, in downtown Las Vegas, where she met many wonderful people and forged great friendships, including her best friend, Bruce Robert Jensen, whom she married on June 15, 1995. Bruce and Beverly had many adventures together and he treated her like a Queen. One of their favorite places to visit was Oatman, Arizona where wild donkeys roam the streets. Shortly after Bruce’s passing in December of 2002, Beverly returned to Rockford, Illinois, to be with her children and grandchildren.
Beverly loved spending time with family, garage sales and thrift store shopping, old western movies, Gun Smoke, old country-western music, golf cart rides around the lake, a good fish fry, fried chicken and shrimp and her Wednesday outings.
Special thanks to the amazing nursing and activity staff at Medina Nursing Center who became family. Your kindness is appreciated.
Beverly is survived by her daughters, Carol (Corky) Harder and Susan (Terry) Elder; grandchildren, Jeremy (Stephanie) Bass, Jenny (Ray) Goodson, Sheila (Phil) Hoffman, Tom (Tara) Elder, Randy (Jennifer) Elder, Chuck (Karen) Harder, Misty (Mike) Hull, Charlie (Angela) Elder, Beth (Brandon) Freeman, Beverly Elder and Samantha Cooke; 28 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Rodney Lee Brown, Sr, and Bruce Robert Jensen; parents Lester Walker and Viola Walker Missle; son, Rodney Lee Brown, Jr.; daughter, Arlene Elder; son-in-law, Tony Elder; granddaughter, Tiffany Shelton; brother, Jim Walker; sisters, Isabelle Miller, Sara Jackson and Kathleen Renback.
Graveside inurnment to celebrate Beverly’s life will be 1:00 PM Friday, May 6, 2022 at Willwood Burial Park 7000 West State Street in Rockford. Advantage Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.advantagerockford.com for the Jensen family.
