Individual Details
Leila Jensina Jenson
(24 Feb 1918 - 28 Nov 1999)
BIRTH: Hallanger Family History
HSO, 4Feb1943, p5,c3
Miss Lila [sic] Jenson, R.N., a nurse at Ancker Hospital in St. Paul, visited with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nels Jenson on Thursday of last week.
DEATH: Phone call to Nancy from Jane Lund Vega on 28 Nov 1999 letting me know Leila had died. She had been in poor health and not recognized family members for some time. In accordance with her earlier wishes, her body was donated to a medical school and will be cremated. Also in accordance with her wishes, there will be no memorial services.
Obituary, The Daily Republic, Monday, Nov. 29, 1999
Leila Jean Christensen, 81, Wessington Springs, died Sunday, Nov. 28, 1999, at Weskota Manor Nursing Home in Wessington Springs.
At her request, there will be no funeral service or visitation, but a social gathering will be conducted from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday at the fellowship hall of the United Church of Christ in Wessington Springs. She willed her body to the University of South Dakota medical school. Arrangements were announced by Basham Funeral Service, Wessington Springs.
Leila jenson was born Feb. 24, 1918, at Hudson, Wis., to Nels and Gurine (Hallanger) Jenson. She graduated from Hudson High school in 1936. She graduated from Ancker Hospital School of Nursing in St. Paul, Minn., in 1940. In 1945, she moved to New York City and worked as a nanny for a year. She then returned to the Twin Cities and worked at Ancker Hospital and the University of Minnesota Hospital. In 1949, she moved to Wessington Springs, where she was head nurse at Memorial Hospital.
In 1950 she married Paul Riis Christensen. She moved to Wisconsin in 1978, then three years later back to Wessington Springs, where she was a school aide until 1983.
She is survived by four sons: Nels Christensen and wife, Debra, Beresford; Paul Christensen, Custer; Kim Christensen, Wessington Springs; and Hans Christensen and wife, Margaret, Woonsocket; 17 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; one sister; Jan [Jane] Rasmussen, New Richmond, Wis., and nieces and nephews.
She was preceeded in death by her parents, eight brothers and sisters and one granddaughter.
The following biography was received with the above obituary:
Leila Jeanne Jenson was born February 24, 1918 at Hudson, Wisconsin to Nels J. and Gurina Jenson. She attended school at Hudson and graduated from high school in 1936. After graduation she attended Nursing School at Ancker Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota and graduated in 1940. She worked as a nurse in the Contagion Department and the Emergency Department as an assistant charge nurse for five years. She moved to New York in 1945 and nannied for one year. She then worked in Denver briefly. Upon the death of her father, Leila moved back and went to work at the University of Minnesota from 1948 until October of 1949 when she moved to Wessington Springs, South Dakota to take the position of Charge Nurse at Memorial Hospital.
Leila married Paul Riis Christensen on February 2, 1950. They had four sons, Nels in 1951, Paul in 1952, Kim in 1953 and Hans in 1954. During these years Leila continued to work at Memorial Hospital as a Registered Nurse.
In the early 1970;s Leila was instrumental in starting the Public Health Nurse program in Jerauld County and was the first to fill the position of Public Health Nurse.
In 1978 she moved to Redfield, SD and worked at the State Hospital. She returned to Wessington Springs in April of 1979, and then moved to Wisconsin and worked in Home Health Care until April of 1981.
Leila moved back to Wessington Springs and worked in the Wessington Springs School system as a teachers aid until she retired in May 1992.
She is survived by four sons: Nels Christensen and wife, Debra, Beresford; Paul Christensen, Crazy Horse; Kim Christensen, Wessington Springs; and Hans Christensen and wife, Margaret, Woonsocket; 17 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; one sister, Jane Rasmussen, New Richmond, Wis.; and nieces and nephews.
Leila dedicated her life to the service of others and continues this dedication in her death. Leila willed her body to the University of South Dakota Medical Department.
The family of Leila wishes to express their graditude for the many gestures of kindness and sympath during this time of loss.
HSO, 4Feb1943, p5,c3
Miss Lila [sic] Jenson, R.N., a nurse at Ancker Hospital in St. Paul, visited with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nels Jenson on Thursday of last week.
DEATH: Phone call to Nancy from Jane Lund Vega on 28 Nov 1999 letting me know Leila had died. She had been in poor health and not recognized family members for some time. In accordance with her earlier wishes, her body was donated to a medical school and will be cremated. Also in accordance with her wishes, there will be no memorial services.
Obituary, The Daily Republic, Monday, Nov. 29, 1999
Leila Jean Christensen, 81, Wessington Springs, died Sunday, Nov. 28, 1999, at Weskota Manor Nursing Home in Wessington Springs.
At her request, there will be no funeral service or visitation, but a social gathering will be conducted from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday at the fellowship hall of the United Church of Christ in Wessington Springs. She willed her body to the University of South Dakota medical school. Arrangements were announced by Basham Funeral Service, Wessington Springs.
Leila jenson was born Feb. 24, 1918, at Hudson, Wis., to Nels and Gurine (Hallanger) Jenson. She graduated from Hudson High school in 1936. She graduated from Ancker Hospital School of Nursing in St. Paul, Minn., in 1940. In 1945, she moved to New York City and worked as a nanny for a year. She then returned to the Twin Cities and worked at Ancker Hospital and the University of Minnesota Hospital. In 1949, she moved to Wessington Springs, where she was head nurse at Memorial Hospital.
In 1950 she married Paul Riis Christensen. She moved to Wisconsin in 1978, then three years later back to Wessington Springs, where she was a school aide until 1983.
She is survived by four sons: Nels Christensen and wife, Debra, Beresford; Paul Christensen, Custer; Kim Christensen, Wessington Springs; and Hans Christensen and wife, Margaret, Woonsocket; 17 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; one sister; Jan [Jane] Rasmussen, New Richmond, Wis., and nieces and nephews.
She was preceeded in death by her parents, eight brothers and sisters and one granddaughter.
The following biography was received with the above obituary:
Leila Jeanne Jenson was born February 24, 1918 at Hudson, Wisconsin to Nels J. and Gurina Jenson. She attended school at Hudson and graduated from high school in 1936. After graduation she attended Nursing School at Ancker Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota and graduated in 1940. She worked as a nurse in the Contagion Department and the Emergency Department as an assistant charge nurse for five years. She moved to New York in 1945 and nannied for one year. She then worked in Denver briefly. Upon the death of her father, Leila moved back and went to work at the University of Minnesota from 1948 until October of 1949 when she moved to Wessington Springs, South Dakota to take the position of Charge Nurse at Memorial Hospital.
Leila married Paul Riis Christensen on February 2, 1950. They had four sons, Nels in 1951, Paul in 1952, Kim in 1953 and Hans in 1954. During these years Leila continued to work at Memorial Hospital as a Registered Nurse.
In the early 1970;s Leila was instrumental in starting the Public Health Nurse program in Jerauld County and was the first to fill the position of Public Health Nurse.
In 1978 she moved to Redfield, SD and worked at the State Hospital. She returned to Wessington Springs in April of 1979, and then moved to Wisconsin and worked in Home Health Care until April of 1981.
Leila moved back to Wessington Springs and worked in the Wessington Springs School system as a teachers aid until she retired in May 1992.
She is survived by four sons: Nels Christensen and wife, Debra, Beresford; Paul Christensen, Crazy Horse; Kim Christensen, Wessington Springs; and Hans Christensen and wife, Margaret, Woonsocket; 17 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; one sister, Jane Rasmussen, New Richmond, Wis.; and nieces and nephews.
Leila dedicated her life to the service of others and continues this dedication in her death. Leila willed her body to the University of South Dakota Medical Department.
The family of Leila wishes to express their graditude for the many gestures of kindness and sympath during this time of loss.
Events
| Birth | 24 Feb 1918 | Hudson, St. Croix County, Wisconsin | |||
| Graduation | 1936 | Hudson High School - Hudson, St. Croix, Wis |  | ||
| Marriage | 2 Feb 1950 | Armour, South Dakota - Paul Riis Christensen | |||
| Death | 28 Nov 1999 | Wessington Springs, South Dakota | |||
| Divorce | Paul Riis Christensen |
Families
| Spouse | Paul Riis Christensen |
| Child | Nels Andrew Christensen |
| Child | Kim David Christensen |
| Child | Hans Eric Christensen |
| Child | Paul Riis Christensen |
| Father | Nels Johan Jenson (1886 - 1947) |
| Mother | Gurina Hallanger (1883 - 1968) |
| Sibling | Olaf John "Ole" Jenson (1907 - 1974) |
| Sibling | Anna Katherine Jenson (1909 - ) |
| Sibling | Helen Margaret Jenson (1913 - ) |
| Sibling | Ruth Hallanger Jenson (1915 - 1989) |
| Sibling | Laura Jenson (1918 - 1998) |
| Sibling | Jane Mary Jenson (1924 - 2007) |
| Sibling | Janet Ida Jenson (1924 - ) |
| Sibling | John Robert Jenson (1924 - 1980) |
Endnotes
1. Miller, Willis H. and Benoy, Marian Thorson, Hudson High School Alumni Directory Star-Observer Publishing Co., Hudson, Wis., 1973, p30.