Wayne A Jensen

Wayne Jensen of West Okoboji, IA (formerly of Emerson and Thurston NE) died peacefully at his home on October 10, 2024, surrounded by family. He was 97 years young. The funeral service for Wayne will be at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Emerson, NE on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. A visitation preceding the service will begin at 10:00 a.m. Interment with Military Honors will be at Rose Hill Cemetery, in Emerson NE. Memorials may be given to: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, (2827 S. 88th St, Omaha, NE 68124-3056), St Luke Lutheran Church, (211 West Second St, Emerson, NE 68733), or First Lutheran Chruch (1525 Three Cross Rd, Milford, IA 51351). Arrangements are under the direction of Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Pender, NE.  

Wayne was originally a member of St Luke Lutheran Church in Emerson, NE but is currently a member of First Lutheran Church, Milford, IA and Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Mesa, AZ.

Wayne was born March 10, 1927, near Emerson NE to Lillian (Wolf) Jensen and Arthur J. Jensen. He grew up on his stepfather, Frank W. Frey’s, farm 5 miles south of Emerson. His maternal grandparents were Fred Wolf and Adelia (Langmack) Wolf. He graduated from Thurston High School in 1944 and assisted in farming until his enlistment in the US Coast Guard in 1946. After his military service, he resumed farming and completed a UNL VA agricultural classes program. Wayne was a member of the Pender VFW and a 50-year member of the American Legion.

On April 14, 1950, Wayne married the love of his life, Carla J Koopman, at St. Luke Lutheran Church. Two children were born to this union, Layton in 1953 and Juli in 1955. Wayne loved his 14 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren often telling them stories and teaching them his favorite rhyming “ditties”. He also loved to discuss patience and hardships with them, recanting his struggles of walking to school barefoot, backwards in deep snow, and uphill both ways while in reality, he lived ¼ mile from the school and walked with his teacher. 

Wayne enjoyed farming and feeding cattle. He was a member of the Northeast NE Cattle Feeders Association, served on the Flournoy Precinct Board as clerk for over 25 years, served on St. Luke Church Council many times and the Thurston School Board. While farming he was a top salesman for Standard Chemical Company of Omaha while selling their feed supplements.

In 1971, Wayne and several others formed Thurston Manufacturing Company, trade named Blu-Jet Products, which built various agricultural items. Soon after, Layton joined the business designing deep tillage and fertilizer injection equipment. The business narrowed to Wayne & Layton as owners, and they had markets in five continents. Wayne loved the trade shows and talking to customers to keep up on current topics, their concerns and needs for the future. Thurston Mfg. belonged to a world-wide organization named Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association (FEMA) which allowed interaction among hundreds of manufacturers across the country. 

In 1991, Wayne was actively involved in the development of Twin Creeks Golf Club in Pender, NE. and was elected as their first Board President. One of Wayne’s favorite activities was golfing and after moving to Okoboji IA, he enjoyed many years playing at Emerald Hills golf Club with his buddies in their “Swingers” group. Other favorite activities were spending summers at Lake Okoboji, and winters in Mesa, AZ, bowling, playing cards, dancing and traveling. Wayne never met a stranger, and he never had a bad word to say about anyone.

Wayne is survived by his wife of 74 years, Carla; son, Layton (Carolyn Bock) Jensen of Thurston, NE; and daughter, Juli (Ron) Carder of Pleasant Dale, NE; siblings, Franklin Frey of Lake Havasu, AZ; Diane (Frey) Holland (Jon) of Sioux City, IA; Carolyn (Frey) Thomas of Anchorage, AK; and Shirley J. (Jensen) Lanser of Allen, NE. 

He is preceded in death by his mother, Lilian; stepfather, Frank W Frey; birth father, Arthur J. Jensen; half-brothers, Frank Jensen and Charles Jensen.