Lila Jean Jensen

Lila Jean Jensen, the second of six children of Theodore Benjamin and Laura (Sander) Groteluschen, was born September 24, 1931, in Coon Rapids, Iowa and went peacefully to be with the Lord on October 5, 2018, at the Friendship Home in Audubon, Iowa at the age of 87 years, and 11 days.
Lila Jean was baptized in Coon Rapids, Iowa and later confirmed at the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon. She attended the Audubon Community Schools graduating with the High School Class of 1949. Lila Jean then studied at the Iowa Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls, Iowa where she completed her two year teaching certificate.
On June 15, 1952, she was united in marriage to Harold I. Jensen. Lila Jean taught 2 years in Coon Rapids then substitute taught and helped Harold operate the farm east of Audubon. They were blessed with two children Tom and Teresa. While the children were young, Lila Jean was a homemaker. Harold was stricken with cancer and she cared for him until his death on June 24, 1962. Following Harold’s death, Lila Jean, began teaching fulltime. While teaching, she also completed her bachelor’s degree in education in the spring of 1970 at Drake University night classes. She continued to teach the younger elementary students at Exira and then later in Manilla, Iowa where she retired in 1992.
On February 8, 1992, she married Paul Walther and they carried out their life mission together, doing volunteer work in many varied organizations and serving trips, along with faithful attendance and service at the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon. Lila Jean befriended and served many others in significant ways too numerous to count. These included hundreds of Elementary students, many of which credit her for their good start on life. School, Church and civic leaders all benefitted from her input and contributions. Lila Jean held significant positions in multiple organizations, including Delta Kappa Gamma teacher’s association, Presbyterian Women, was a member of the Church Session, was the Church School Superintendent for over 18 years, Habitat for Humanity, was the moderator for the 52 church Des Moines Area Presbytery, State Chairman for National Organization for Women as well as holding positions on Nominating, Women and the Church Education committees. She was active on the Joining Hands for Hunger Program and West Regional Partners. She received the Citizen of the Year Award in 1995 and was among the first female members of the Lion’s Club.
Lila Jean absolutely loved traveling, including to the family’s beloved Ten-Mile Lake vacations, destinations of interest in the U.S. and mission trips to the Middle East, Africa, and the Philippines. She never minded logging miles for special family occasions in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Arizona. She participated in bridge and other social clubs and liked to read, especially biographies. She never tired of growing her faith, attending Presbyterian Synod School every year, of which she was heard to say “it helped me on my spiritual journey. Beyond that, the broad and deep community of people who were regularly refreshed by her will now continue much better off because of her beautiful presence in their lives.
Preceding her in death was her husband Harold I. Jensen; her parents; her brothers and sister an infant brother James Groteluschen, Robert Groteluschen, LuAnn Cooper, and William Groteluschen; her mother-in-law and father-in-law Holger and Hazel Jensen; and her brother-in-law Carl Jensen.
Survivors include her husband Paul Walther of Audubon, Iowa; her children Tom and wife Rose Jensen of Hoffman Estates, Illinois and Teresa and husband Chris Conway of St. Paul, Minnesota; her grandchildren Amanda Jensen of San Francisco, California, Laura Conway and husband Justin Grice of Fort Worth , Texas, Joseph and wife Lynn Conway of Maple Plain, Minnesota, and Thomas and wife Ashley Conway of San Francisco, California; her great grandchildren Harrison Grice and Tristan Grice both of Fort Worth, Texas and Duke Conway of Maple Plain, Minnesota; her sister Joan and husband Alfonso Valenzuela of Tucson, Arizona; her sisters-in-law Dorothy Groteluschen of Fort Dodge, Iowa and Joyce Groteluschen of Audubon, Iowa; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
The family will meet with friends Monday evening, October 8, 2018, at 5:00 p.m. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa. Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Kelley Pedersen, on Tuesday morning, October 9, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon. Interment will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon. The casket bearers will be Joseph Conway, Thomas Conway, Keith Walther, Justin Grice, Roger Groteluschen, Todd Cooper, Neal Groteluschen and Paul Groteluschen.