Henry Jacobsen

Henry 'Hank' Martin Jacobsen was born March 9, 1925 to Nils Aage and Andrea (Panum) Jacobsen in Tyler, Minnesota. He was baptized and confirmed at Danebod Lutheran Church in Tyler, and graduated from Tyler High School in 1943. He was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II, attained the rank of 1st Sergeant, served in the infantry in the South Pacific, and was honorably discharged and returned home to Tyler. He continued his education in Kansas City as a watch repairman. He was united in marriage to Wilburta Sanderson. He moved back to Tyler in 1948 and worked with his father at Jacobsen Jewelry. In 1951 he became a State Farm Insurance Agent. In 1985 Henry married Sharon Quinn Hinz. He retired in 1998. On Wednesday, July 2, 2014, Henry died at Sunrise Manor Nursing Home in Tyler at the age of 89 years, 3 months, and 23 days.

Hank was a member of Danebod Lutheran Church. He directed the Junior Choir for many years and served on the Finance Committee. He was committed to Tyler over his lifetime, serving as mayor for 12 years, Secretary of the Lincoln County Fair Board, charter member of the Lions Club, charter member of the Hope DAC Board, SMSU Campus Religious Center Board of Directors, Tyler Hospital Board, and many other community affiliated boards. He was a member of the A.C. Hansen American Legion Post in Tyler. He enjoyed boating, camping, singing, flowers, gardening, music of various genres, and politics. He was well-known in Tyler as a town historian and a committed Democrat, willing to express his opinion and loving a good debate. He liked traveling and socializing, but most of all, he cherished time spent with family and friends.

Thankful for having shared his life are his wife, Sharon Jacobsen of Tyler, MN; children, Susan Jacobsen of Minneapolis, MN, Greta (Michael) Murray of Ghent, MN, and Barbara (Mark) Risjord of Atlanta, GA; stepchildren, Laurie (Carl) Putze of Mankato, MN, Gregory (Tammy) Hinz of Humboldt, IA, Dawn (Charlie) Deutz of Marshall, MN, and Erin (Dennis) Jensen of Marshall, MN; 15 grandchildren, Jacob and Anna Murray, Andrea and Hannah Risjord, Amanda Lee, Erica Putze, Matthew (Hailey) Hinz, Lyndsie (E.J.) Adams, Jordan, Paige, Dereck, and Dawsyn Deutz, and Hannah, Noah, and Jonah Jensen; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Elin Frandsen and Mildred Duffy; brothers, Evald 'Ipsy' Jacobsen and Almer 'Nellie' Jacobsen; and son-in-law, Jerome Downes.

Blessed be his memory.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to Ridgeview Hospice in Tyler, Sunrise Manor Nursing Home in Tyler, or Tyler Area Community Foundation.