Betty Laura Jensen

Betty Laura (Parker) Jensen went home to be with the Lord on November 18, 2015 after a courageous two year battle with cancer.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, November 28, 2015 at 1st Assembly of God with Pastor Josh Potter officiating. Visitation will be Friday, November 27, 2015 from 4-8 P.M. with the family present from 6-8 P.M. and a prayer service at 7:00 P.M. at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Online condolences may be given at www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Betty was born in Duluth, MN. on April 18, 1936 to Thomas & Mary Parker and attended Duluth Central High School. She married Robert (Bob) Louis Jensen in Sioux City on May 18, 1953. She soon became an Army wife, and her first child, Brenda was born while her husband Bob was deployed to Germany. She was staying in Duluth, MN. with her sister Erma while her husband was deployed. When Bob was discharged from the Army they purchased a home in Sioux City, where her other 5 children were born.

Betty loved learning and was a school library Assistant. She attended Western Iowa Tech Community College, where she completed classes in both bookkeeping and truck driving. Betty was a working mother, who was employed with Zenith TV manufacturing until it closed, was a bookkeeper at Woolworths, and a quality control inspector at Aalfs Manufacturing. She also delivered prescription drugs to home-bound disabled and the elderly patients. Betty was very involved in the PTA in her children’s schools and served as Vice President of the PTA at West Middle School, in the 1960’s. She and her husband loved to dance, were avid square dancers. They were members of the “Skirts & Flirts” square dance club where Betty served as treasurer in 1982, Vice President in 1983, and President in 1984 and they provided Square Dance Lessons for beginners. Betty sewed many colorful square dance skirts, dresses and matching shirts for her and her husband. She also sewed matching shirts for them to wear to the stock car races in the 1960’s, and crocheted doll clothes for her girls. Betty’s greatest joy was spending time with family and she “loved spontaneous road trips.” She also enjoyed baking, playing cards, marble games, playing scrabble and doing cross-word puzzles. Betty was a prolific reader, and could be found many a night, fast asleep on her recliner with book in hand.

After her husband’s death in 1990, Betty longed for the lakes and woods of Minnesota, and moved back to Duluth in 2001 to be near her sisters and their families. While back in Duluth, one of her all-time favorite jobs was working for “Smokey Bear” at the Forestry Service and the National Historical Society. Betty also loved playing many a card game at the senior center in Duluth, until she was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer, in 2013. It was at that time that her children moved her back to the Sioux City area.

Betty is survived by six children, Brenda and her husband Jerry Reicks Jr of Sioux City, Robert (Bob) Jensen and his wife Karolyn (Nubin) from Tucson, AZ., Raymond and his wife Vanita from Onawa, IA, Rebecca (Becky) Jensen and her friend George Williams, of Sioux City, Beth and her husband Fred Tague of Sioux City, and Richard and his wife Lori of Aberdeen, SD., 20 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. Betty also considered John Burrows & Stephanie Beta as her “other kids.”

Betty is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two brothers and four sisters. She was a wonderful loving Mother & grandmother who was blessed with amazing strength and was cherished by her family.

Betty was a member of Morningside Lutheran Church in Sioux City. She genuinely loved the Lord, was committed to taking her children to church and encouraged them to turn to God for help and guidance. You did well mom, rest in peace!