Dianne Jensen

Dianne Jensen passed away on Friday, November 29, 2024 at the Thorne Crest Care Center after spending the past 7 and a half years there living with MS. Her family was at her side as she passed peacefully. A Memorial Service will be held at 11am on Monday, December 9, 2024 at the Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home in Albert Lea, MN. Reverend Clayton Balsley will be officiating the service. A visitation will be held on hour prior to the service.

Dianne was born to Barbara Beebe in Duluth, MN on June 20, 1938 and was given away at birth. She spent the first months of her life in Duluth and then in the Orphanage in Owatonna. She was adopted from there by Ben and Ida Anderson at the age of 2. They gave her a good Christian home in Austin, MN where she attended school and graduated from Austin High School in 1955.

She was married to Everett Jensen in 1956, and they made their first home in Ellendale for 2 years and in 1958, they moved to Clarks Grove where they raised their family and started a business.

Dianne was a member of the First Baptist Church in Clarks Grove, and it was an important part of her life. She taught Sunday School, worked at Bible School for many years, and Wee School for several years. She also belonged to card clubs, did ceramics, bowled and played golf. There was also Bunko and a homemaker’s club besides going to Bible Study.

She worked with Everett at Jensen Outdoor Equipment and did bookwork, plus worked the parts counter and sold lawn mowers and chainsaws, and even a snowmobile on occasion.

She was busy taking care of the three children and keeping the housework done too. She worked hard.

After retirement, they did a lot of traveling, including driving to Alaska twice, plus many other trips which included every state except South Carolina. In winter, they traveled to Panama City Beach, FL for 16 years and made friends with other snowbirds. After those years, her MS was getting worse, and they were forced to stay home more, and she went from a cane, to a walker, and eventually a scooter before entering Thorne Crest.

Dianne is survived by her husband Everett of 68 years, daughter Debra (Brad) Pirsig, sons Daryl (Deanna) and Dean (Sandra). Grandchildren Nick (Tammy) Pirsig, Cari (Chris) Hansen, Tim (Stephanie) Pirsig, Mitch (significant other Meghan) Jensen, Matt (Michelle) Jensen and Kala (James) Koch, along with 13 Great-grandchildren. Sister Gail Renforth of Las Vegas and Chris Polta of San Diego and one brother Jeff of Grand Rapids, MN and several cousins.

Preceding her in death were her parents Ben and Ida Anderson, her mother and father in-law Margaret and Owen Jensen, and brother David Apitz.

The family would like to give special thanks to the caregivers and Thorne Crest and St. Croix Hospice for the care they gave to Dianne.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Youth for Christ, the Clarks Grove Baptist Cemetery, or the donor’s choice.

The service will be live-streamed and can be watched below or from the Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home Youtube page at the following link: https://youtube.com/live/r-PoyfDQHI0?feature=share