Etler Arnold Jensen

Etler Arnold Jensen was born October 9, 1934 to Volmar and Anna (Duus) Jensen on a farm in Pipestone County near Ruthton, Minnesota. He was baptized at Danebod Lutheran Church in Tyler, Minnesota and later confirmed at Aetna Lutheran Church in Ruthton, Minnesota. He started his education in country school, and in 1954 graduated from West Central School of Agriculture in Morris, Minnesota. He was drafted and entered the U.S. Army on January 7, 1955 and was honorably discharged December 22, 1956 after serving in Korea as an Artillery Communications Specialist.  After working for Remmington Rand Univac in 1957 and as a Dairy Herd Improvement Association Supervisor in 1958, he returned to the farm work he knew growing up and took over the family farm, which is now a Century Farm. He farmed and had a dairy herd for forty years. After retiring from milking cows and farming, Etler enjoyed working with Jerry Jagt burying cable for REA and making electrical boxes for the wind towers. Another adventure that had Etler “up and at’ em” (as he would say) was collecting old iron with Joe Houselog. Joe and Etler were referred to as “the twins” when they brought their trailers full of iron into Beckers Iron.

On June 27, 1964, Etler married Danene Zeman at Danebod Lutheran Church in Tyler, Minnesota. Their union was blessed with four children and fifty nine years of life together. They raised their family on the farm and continued to live there following retirement in 2005.

Etler was a member of Danebod Lutheran Church in Tyler, Minnesota, where he served on the Church Council at one time. He was a core founding member of Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water and served as its chairman for fifteen years. He was also a board member of the Minnesota State Rural Water Association and a member of the Associated Milk Producers, Inc.. He could fix and build anything, being a carpenter, a welder, and iron worker. He enjoyed flying airplanes and was part owner of three aircraft. He enjoyed deer hunting, traveling, and especially enjoyed the time he spent with his family, grandchildren and his twelve great grandchildren.

Etler passed away on November 27, 2023, at the farm surrounded by his family.

Etler is lovingly remembered by his wife, Danene Jensen; his three daughters, Julie (Lyle) Dubbeldee of Tyler, Minnesota, Jennifer (Tim) Gilk of Redwood Falls, Minnesota, and Jill (Bill) Maisch of Tyler, Minnesota; nine grandchildren, Zac (Jodi) Dubbeldee, Jezra (Kyle) Kinner, Lukas (Brittni) Dubbeldee, Eli (Kendra) Dubbeldee, Erik (Erin) Maisch, Ryley (Luke) Wiering, Carter (Edann) Gilk, Spencer (Tara) Gilk, and Abby Gilk ; twelve great grandchildren, Avra, Keni, Huxlee, Rowen, Onyx, Ember, Sawyer, Everlee, Audie, Elliot, James and Esther. He is also remembered by his brother Armin (Neva) Jensen of Tyler, Minnesota and sister Elna Everson of Mitchell, South Dakota.

He was preceded in death by his son, Jeffrey; his parents; a sister Jeannine and brothers-in-law, Paul Trott and Bruce Everson.