Obituary of Elmer Jensen

Funeral services for Elmer Jensen, 95, of Lake Park, will be 10:30 am Saturday, April 9, 2016 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Lake Park. Interment will be at Silver Lake Cemetery in Lake Park. Visitation for Elmer will begin at 4 pm, Friday, April 8, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Lake Park with the family present from 5-7 pm. Elmer William Jensen, the son of Chris and Edna (Harrison) Jensen, was born June 4, 1920 in Sioux Valley, Minnesota. Elmer received his education at the Sioux Valley School in Jackson County, Minnesota. On July 17, 1941, Elmer was united in marriage to Ruth Detlefsen. The couple moved to San Diego, California where Elmer was employed at Consolidated Vultee Aircraft for three years. After returning to the Midwest, he worked in the automotive business in Omaha, Nebraska. The opportunity to purchase a building in Lake Park arose in 1947. He then acquired the Ford Tractor Franchise in 1950 and the Ford Car and Truck Franchise in 1954. After 51 years in the auto business, Elmer retired in 1995 at the age of 75 to spend winters in Palm Springs, California. In 2011, Elmer and Ruth celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Elmer was a member of the Concordia Lutheran Church and was a board member of the Lake Park Municipal Utilities, Lake Park Chamber of Commerce, the Iowa and National Auto Dealer Association and the Lake Park Care Center Review Board. Elmer also received recognition from Ford Motor Company for top sales in his district. In his spare time, Elmer enjoyed fishing, golfing and gardening. He was a member of the Silver Lake Country Club in Lake Park as well as the Tri Palms Estate Country Club in Palm Springs, California. It is there that he received a trophy for a hole in one at age eighty. Elmer passed away April 5, 2016 at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake at ninety-five years of age. He is survived by his children, Richard Jensen of Laughlin, Nevada; Sharon Meyer of Apple Valley, Minnesota, Louise Angell (Tony) of Chicago, Illinois and John Jensen of Lake Park; grandchildren, Tyree Johnson, Todd Meyer, Shannon Fletcher, Ryan Bagby and Amanda Bagby; and eight great-grandchildren. Elmer was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth; his parents and his brother, Melvin Jensen.