Jens Hansen

Jens Hagensen Hansen was born July 21, 1925 to Peter and Mary (Hagensen) Hansen in Tyler, Minnesota. He was baptized and confirmed at Danebod Lutheran Church. He attained his GED while working in Luverne, Minnesota. He was drafted into the U. S. Coast Guard in 1943 and was stationed in Alameda, California, attaining the rank of Seaman First Class. He served in the South Pacific on the U.S.S. Bisbee of which he was a plank owner, meaning he was an original crew member, present for the commissioning, and was also present for the decommissioning of the ship. He was honorably discharged February 14, 1946 at St. Louis, Missouri. Jens returned to Tyler and worked various jobs, including at the Tyler Locker Plant, Cottonwood Locker Plant, Goos Electric, Luverne Iowa Beef, and Tyler Lutheran Home. He retired in November 2013. Jens died at his Tyler home on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at the age of 90.

Jens was a proud member of A.C. Hansen American Legion Post 185 in Tyler, and was a member of McKinley Masonic Lodge in Tyler. He will be remembered as a kind man, a good brother and uncle, and a good conversationalist. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, Pinochle, visiting, country drives, reading, picking asparagus, coffee, and an occasional beer. He liked to work on small engines and was a hobby machinist. He especially enjoyed his family.

Jens is lovingly remembered by his siblings, Marie Berg Schmahl of Marshall, MN, Merna Thomsen of Marshall, MN, and Delno Hansen of Tyler, MN; five nieces and nephews, Janet Sheldon of Iowa City, IA, Clark Berg of Kalispell, MT, Peter Berg of Deerwood, MN, Cheryl Witt of Merriman, NE, and Paul Berg of Alton, IA; and many other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, and a cousin, Clydie Larsen.