Russell Jensen

Russell (Russ) Jensen passed away September 16, 2009, at the Heritage House, 1200 Brookridge Circle, Atlantic, Iowa, after a brief illness.

A service will be conducted at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 19, 2009, by the Reverend Leon Hodges, in his capacity as Hospice Chaplain. The service, to take place at Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic, will be followed by a reception for family and friends in the community room at the funeral home.

Viewing will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 18, 2009, also at the funeral home. Interment will take place at the Atlantic Cemetery following the service.

Mr. Jensen was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota, on February, 18, 1913, to Mathilda Pfahning and Nels Alfred Jensen. Surviving him is his loving wife, Ruth Knop, whom he married in Atlantic in 1987. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Pauline Fisher, whom he married in 1941, and passed away in 1985. Also preceding him in death were one brother (Chester) and three sisters (Gladys, Lucile and Muriel). Surviving is his brother Lloyd, in Denver, Colorado.


Also surviving are three sons: Larry (Rosemary) Jensen, of Beverly Shores, Indiana, Randy Jensen, of Omaha, Nebraska, and Kimberley (Marilyn) Jensen, of Liberty, Missouri; and two grandsons, John and Matthew of Omaha, Nebraska. He is also survived by three step-children, Sherryl (Gary Kluever), of Nevada, Iowa, Kathleen (Robert Symonds), of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Ronald (Teri Knop), of Kansas City, Missouri.


Russ Jensen moved to Atlantic from Clarinda in 1974 to manage the F. W. Woolworth store, a position he also held in Clarinda. He started working with Woolworths in 1938 in Albert Lea, Minnesota, and except for a four year stint in the Army Air Force during World War II, spent his whole career with Woolworths, retiring in 1979. Since 1987 he's been spending winters in Mesa, Arizona, while maintaining a residence in Atlantic.


Active in the Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis International during his working years, he continued his involvement with the Elks (he was a 50 year member), the American Legion, and the Nishna Hills Golf Course. He was particularly proud of shooting a hole-in-one on the 15th hole, and of playing 45 holes of golf on his first day of retirement. Family members credit his active golf life and his good-natured humor with his healthy longevity.