Obituary - Lucille M. Jensen

Lucille M Jensen, born April 4, 1924, on the farm north of Hingham, Montana, went to be with her Lord and her loving husband Harry Oct. 3, 2017, at St. Luke's Medical Center, The Woodlands, Texas, surrounded by loving family.

She was the 12th of 13 children born to Orrie Ethel Huestis and Francis Adelbert Smith. After losing her mother at age 5, she was raised by older siblings and learned to sew and cook and canning, growing up surrounded by many cousins. By the time she was 16, she was doing all the canning by herself. She went to country schools and became a teacher. After one year of teaching, she decided that wasn't for her. She loved to read and read anything she could get her hands on.

After Pearl Harbor was bombed, her brother talked her into writing letters to some of his Army buddies and that is how she started writing letters to Harry Jensen, who was the love of her life. During the war, she worked in the shipyards as a welder. They were married Dec. 25, 1946. After Harry was discharged from the Army, they lived near Circle, Montana, farming and ranching with Harry's brothers. She worked many years as a crop reporter for the ASC office and met many friends. She was very active in the Cowbelle's organizations and Friendship Women's Club in the community, and she was a VFW original charter member.

She came to know the Lord as an adult and became an avid student of His Word reading through the Bible every year for 45 years. They moved to Sidney when Jensen Bros. bought a place there. They enjoyed many years traveling as "Seniors in Christ's Service" and worked as volunteer for numerous Christian organizations, sponsored Indian girls, and donated numerous Bibles to prison ministries after they sold the farm and retired. She sewed, making clothes for her family and did many crafts making sleeping bags for grandchildren, cross stitching, and knitting sweaters. She started painting after she retired and friends and family have many of her paintings gracing their homes. She loved putting jigsaw puzzles together. After Dad died, she lived in Richey, Montana, for several years before moving to Texas and presently resided in her dream home on a lake near Bedias, Texas.

She was well on her way to fulfill her "bucket list" as she had taken a hot air balloon ride and this summer took her family on an Alaskan Cruise. She had published the first of planned three books about her life this spring "Ridin' The Grub Line." She loved genealogy and created her family history back to the beginning of the United States.

She was preceded in death by her husband for 64 years Harry, her siblings, and her parents. She is survived by Mae (Jim) Rittal, Sidney, Montana; Kami and Doug (Darrel, Darby and Darcy) Yost; Kali and Paul (David, Henry and Madeleine) Kim; Henry Rittal and Ann Toscano; Hanna Prentice; Terry (Barb) Jensen, Sidney, Montana; Dan and Sharlene Rowlan (Crystal (Aunalee and Nikkilyn Gangle and Joslyn Lee)); Julia Rowlan and Brittnie Silverthorne (Owen Snarr, and Maddisynn Miller); Jerry Jensen; Troy and Janelle (Everett) Jensen (Jory Bright (Maycee Hughes)); Deb (Don) Kleppelid, Bedias, Texas, Ian and Kaylee Kleppelid; Damon and Riley(Lillian and Lyla) Kleppelid; David (Mary) Jensen, Colstrip, Montana; Joshua and Renee (Jarrod, Shane Jensen, Aaron, Memphis Keplin) Jensen; Tracie and Scott (Jake, Alison and Megan) Roth; brothers-in-law Pete and Earl Jensen and sister-in-law Marie Trodick, and numerous well-loved nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers you can either donate to Pine Haven Christian Children's Ranch and School, PO Box 940, St. Ignatius, MT 59865 or purchase her book of her life story "Ridin' the Grub Line" on Amazon.

Texas memorial service will be at 2 p.m. at Church of the Nazarene, 120 Sumac Rd., Huntsville, TX, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. 

Montana memorial will be in Circle, Montana, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, from 2-5 p.m. at Circle Country Market, 105 10th St, Circle, MT.