Elizabeth (Betty) Jensen

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Elizabeth (Betty) Margaret Jensen, age 80, of Austin, died Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Home, Austin of cancer.
She was born May 15, 1929 in the Austin hospital to Martin and Alice Reinartz. She was the eldest of the Reinartz children with Dolores, Ramona, Lavonne and Kay, born in the years that followed.
Betty was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Rose Creek, Minn. She attended St. Peter’s grade school and graduated from the Rose Creek High School in 1947, where she had been active in school plays and the choir. After she graduated, she got a job with JC Penney in Austin.
On June 6, 1949, she married Merritt Jensen, son of Elmer and Achsa Jensen, in the St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Rose Creek. They both worked and lived in the Austin area their entire lives. In 1950, they were blessed with their first child, a daughter, Diane, then in 1953 a son Bruce and in 1958 a son, Mark.
Betty spent many years volunteering for a variety of organizations, including the Cerebral Palsy Center, The Red Cross, Sacred Heart Auxiliary, Sunshine Committee and the Philomathian Store. She was a member of the Art and Travel Club. She attended the Austin Artist Series, Austin Symphony and went to the plays at the college. She was a charter member of the Austin Lioness Club and a member of the St. Augustine Church Choir.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Merritt Jensen, her parents, Martin and Alice Reinartz, her sister, Lavonne Reinartz, brothers-in-law Louis deSilva and Willie Wiersma and sister-in-law Betty Ann Jensen.
Betty is survived by her children: Diane Villalta, Bruce Jensen, Mark Jensen; son-in-law Fernando Villalta and daughter-in-law Jeanne Jensen; grandchildren: Steven and Brian Villalta, Sheila, Gary and Grant Jensen and Megan Jensen.
She is also survived by her sisters: Dolores Frank, Ramona deSilva and Kay Reinartz; brothers-in-law: Delos Frank, Richard Frith and Richard Jensen; her sister-in-law, Helen Slegh; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Betty’s family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks to those at St. Marks Lutheran Home for their thoughtfulness and respect given to Betty and her family.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009 at St. Augustine Catholic Church with Father John Traufler officiating. There will be a 4 p.m. CCW rosary and a 6:30 p.m. wake service on Wednesday at Mayer Funeral Home where friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. and also from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Thursday. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery.

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