Lauris "Whitey" D Jensen

Lauris "Whitey" Dale Jensen, 86, passed away Saturday, February 15, 2014 at a local hospital. Larius Dale was born June 7, 1927 the third of six children to Harry "Pat" and Myrtle (Helgsen) Jensen in Burbank, South Dakota. He attended school in Burbank and Vermillion, South Dakota, graduating from Vermillion High School in 1945. Whitey joined the Navy right after graduation, upon returning from the service he worked at Austin Dairy in Vermillion for a time and then attended National Business Training School in Sioux City. While there he met Shirley Swanberg. They were married on February 19, 1950. They farmed at Kingsley in 1950-1951. In 1952 they lived in Vermillion where he worked for Austin Dairy. In 1953-1954 they lived in Watertown, South Dakota where he worked for Rogers Dairy. In 1955 they moved back to the farm at Kingsley. They farmed until 1970. At that time he went to work for Anderson Accounting in Le Mars, IA. In 1979 he opened his own bookkeeping business in Kingsley. He was secretary-treasurer for the Kingsley-Pierson School District for 14 years and office manager and bookkeeper for Bleil and Chapman Livestock Auction for 22 years. He was very active in the Kingsley Commercial Club and the Kingsley Lions Club. He was the Co-Chairman of Kingsley Centennial Celebration in 1984. He was a member of the Congregational Church of Kingsley where he served in several offices. He enjoyed woodworking and spending time with his children and grandchildren. Whitey is survived by his wife Shirley, daughters Jana DeWall, Kristi (John) Pearson, and one son Mark, grandchildren; Marnie DeWall (Casey Bright), Megan (Brandon) Kemp, Asa Pearson (Derrick Phillips), Josh Pearson, Rachel and Hannah Jensen; great grandchildren, Quinn and Hudson Bright, and Jagger Kemp; Soledad(Jaime) Contreras Zamarono (foreign exchange student who became like a daughter, and their four sons). He is preceded in death by his parents Pat and Myrtle, one bother Jimmy in World War II, sister's Faye in 2003, and Dixie in 2007, brother's Bob in 2008, and Bill in 2011, and a son-in-law Dennie DeWall in 2013.