Wanda Jensen

Funeral Services: Will be held on Thursday, June 27, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle with burial in the Fontanelle Cemetery. Pastor Steven Broers will officiate the service.  

Visitation: Will be held on Wednesday, June 26th, from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Steen Funeral Home in Fontanelle with the family greeting friends from 6 to 8 p.m.

Memorials: Memorials may be made the Emmanuel Lutheran Church or to the Good Samaritan Society in Fontanelle. 

Wanda Margaret (Schrader) Jensen was born on April 6, 1921 in Greenfield, Iowa to parents, Katherine (Weber) Schrader and Carl Schrader. She grew up on their farm located 4.5 miles west of Greenfield with 3 sisters, a brother and her niece. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Greenfield, Iowa. Wanda attended country school at Lee #1 where she graduated from 8th grade. As was common for young women during that time, she then went to work for local families helping out with household chores and child care.

On February 23, 1947 she married Frank O. Jensen, youngest son of Nels & Donna (Colwell) Jensen of Fontanelle. They joined the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle at that time. Frank and Wanda made their 1st home on a farm south of Fontanelle owned by Fritz Miller. During their 8 years on that farm, they became parents of Raymond Frank and Carol Ann. In 1955 they purchased a farm 2 ½ miles west of Fontanelle where they lived until retirement to their new home on Jefferson Street in the town of Fontanelle in 1980.

Wanda enjoyed farm life and homemaking. She had many natural talents but was best known as an avid gardener and for brightening her world with beautiful flowers. While on the farm she was an active member of the Busy Dozen Club and her church circle. She tirelessly supported her children with their numerous 4-H, sport, and church activities. After retirement from the farm Wanda spent her days active with church work, gardening and helping care for ailing family members. When her husband Frank passed away in 1989, Wanda continued to live in their home, enjoying the companionship of her friends, neighbors and family until Feb. 2003. At that time she moved to the Good Samaritan Society of Fontanelle. While there she made friends with her caregivers and spread happiness with her warm sense of humor and caring ways.

Wanda was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Frank, her son Raymond, her sisters Gladys Bowen & husband Robert, Greeta Gruber & husband John, Kathryn Madison & husband Francis, her brother Glenn Schrader, his wife Kathryn Ann Givan and his wife Ruth Kaemmerer Hansen.

She is survived by her daughter, Carol Otto & husband Richard, her daughter-in-law Mary (Faga) Jensen, her grandchildren, Nathan Jensen, Timothy Jensen & wife Kristen, Shea Jensen, Kelly (Otto) Norton and husband David, and Ryan Otto, and her great grandchildren, Jack and Erik Jensen and Kendall Norton.