Our beloved sister, daughter, aunt, great aunt, great-great aunt, and friend, Glenda Lucille Jensen, age 81, passed away peacefully at home on April 21, 2024, in Blaine, Minnesota.
Glenda was born July 5, 1942, to Wallace Glenn and Eliza Lucille Staker Jensen in Lawrence, Utah. She was lovingly named after both her parents and was the sixth of seven children. The Jensen family made their home in Lawrence, Castle Dale, Huntington, and Sunnyside, Utah.
Glenda excelled in school, and following graduation from East Carbon High School in Sunnyside, Utah, she completed her nursing degree at the University of Utah in 1964. After graduating with her R.N. degree, Glenda served with a U.S. Army hospital, the first year stationed in Kentucky and the following two years in Nuremberg, Germany. While in Nuremberg, Glenda served as head nurse for the Army hospital with 200+ beds under her supervision, including ICU and surgical wards.
She loved traveling through Europe on her days off and enjoyed driving the MG Midget convertible she had purchased while stationed in Germany. A favorite destination was Salzburg, Austria, and it was just a few hours from Nuremberg driving through historic towns and beautiful, scenic countryside.
She enjoyed reading, traveling, sketching, painting, collecting Christmas ornaments, cooking, flower gardening, and, most of all, her beloved pedigree miniature Schnauzers.
Following an honorable military discharge with a rank of Captain, Glenda returned to Utah and worked in the ICU at the University of Utah Medical Center. Then friends from Minnesota convinced her to go to Minnesota to work. After working as an RN at St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis, Glenda began teaching nursing at the Anoka Hennepin Technical College the second year the college had been opened. Computers came 4-5 years later, and Glenda purchased her own to have at home. She taught other nursing staff how to use the new technology. Glenda retired after more than thirty years of devoted service from the Anoka Hennepin Technical College.
Glenda is survived by one sister, Janice Gute, in Arizona, sisters-in-law, Barbara Moon and Valene Mickelson, both in Utah, a long-time friend, Jean McLellan, in Minnesota, and many loved nieces and nephews as well as grand nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by both parents, one sister, Barbara (John), four brothers, Lyman (Marianne), Stanley (Earlene), Larry (Valene), Allen (Barbara), a brother-in-law, John Gute, and some nieces and nephews as well as grand nieces and nephews.
Glenda was a kind, loving, generous, and talented woman and will be dearly missed. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Glenda will be laid to rest near family following graveside services to be held on Friday, May 3, 2024, at 1 p.m., in the Castle Dale Cemetery, Castle Dale, Utah. Glenda wanted to express special appreciation to nieces Lori, Charlene, and Anita for their assistance in her final arrangements. Glenda’s family extends gratitude to Jean, a long-time friend of Glenda’s, for being a friend and caring advocate. We are also very appreciative for the care and assistance of the Washburn-McReavy Glen Haven Chapel in Crystal, MN.
Glenda Lucille Jensen
