63766_Anita Beth_Jensen
Anita B. Jensen, age 51, of Lake Mills, Iowa, passed away peacefully at St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Shakopee, Minnesota, with her loving family by her side. Anita left us to be with her Heavenly Father on Thursday, January 16, 2014.
A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2014, from 12:00-4:00 PM, at the Truman Helgeson Civic Center (Lake Mills Senior Citizens Center), 227 West Main Street in Lake Mills.
On April 23, 1962, Paul and Gloria Smith proudly announced the birth of their daughter Anita Beth Smith. Anita was the youngest of six children. The family lived in Crystal, Minnesota, a northern suburb of Minneapolis.
In the summer of 1973, the family moved to Savage, Minnesota. Anita attended Savage Elementary School, Nicollet Jr. High School, and Burnsville Sr. High School. She was a happy and outgoing person, who was well-liked, and had many friends.
The family loved to go fishing and camping. They traveled extensively throughout Minnesota and the western United States. Anita enjoyed all these adventures as well as snowmobiling, walks in the woods, and visits to St. Hilaire to visit Grandma Gladys.
In March of 1984, Anita married Kim Jensen. They had a small outdoor wedding in Prior Lake, MN, with a reception afterwards at her parents’ home. The couple lived in Prior Lake for a short time before moving to southern Minnesota and eventually settling in Scarville, Iowa. Their first son, Jesse James Jensen, was born in June of 1984. Dustin Michael Jensen was born soon after, in December of 1985.
Anita loved animals of all kinds, but dogs had the biggest place in her heart. She always had several pets and even more animals when they lived on the farm outside of Emmons, MN.
She enjoyed going to her brother’s cabin up north with her two boys to fish, ride the ATVs, and visit with family. Anita liked to fish so much that she would stay up all night using nighttime, light-up bobbers to fish, always hoping to catch the big one.
She traveled with her friends/family to many places including Sturgis, South Dakota, and also to California, Colorado, Hawaii, and New Mexico, to name a few. She moved to Florida in 2003. It was there that she met Ralph, her last love/companion, while working at a golf course together. After the second hurricane of the season hit Punta Gorda, the two decided to move back to Iowa, where hurricanes are not a threat.
Anita loved shopping for bargains so much that nobody wanted to go shopping with her except her mother and Aunt Bonnie; everyone else knew it would be an all-day event. She would get so excited about her “good deals” that she just had to share them with family and friends.
She enjoyed watching movies with a big bowl of buttered popcorn; a family trait passed down by her Dad. During football season, you could find Anita in front of the TV with friends and family cheering for the Vikings. Spending time with those she loved was very important to her. She especially loved time spent with family during the holidays, and would bring penguin olives, and her dog Kirby, all dressed for the occasion.
A true country music fan, while listening to her favorite Shania Twain CD “Come On Over”, the controls to the radio were off limits for everyone else until the song “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” was over.
She would celebrate Jesse’s and Dustin’s birthdays by making their favorite cake, and a birthday meal to share as a family; a tradition which her Mom passed down. Anita enjoyed a long cooking career working at several different places, beginning at 18 years of age with Continental Machines in Savage, MN, and ending at the Lake Mills Senior Center in 2012.
Anita was a loving daughter, mother, sister, and friend. She had a big heart, liked to have fun, was accepting of all people, and always had a big smile. She loved her children and was so very proud of them.
Anita will be deeply missed and forever loved by her two sons, Jesse Jensen of Lake Mills, IA, and Dustin (Jenny) Jensen of Forest City, IA; mother Gloria Smith of Prior Lake, MN; and five siblings, Marcia (Sid) Richardson of Cottage Grove, MN, Monica (Derrick) Chavez of Anaheim, CA, Anthony (Cherelyn) Smith of St. Anthony, MN, Terrence (Laurel) Smith of Savage, MN, and Julie (Allen) Jensen of Alden, MN; her significant other Ralph Highlander of Lake Mills, IA. Anita is also survived by 16 nieces and nephews; 18 great-nieces and nephews; many aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends; and her first grandchild who will be born in June of 2014.
She was preceded in death by her father Paul Smith and her grandparents.
A true country music fan, while listening to her favorite Shania Twain CD “Come On Over”, the controls to the radio were off limits for everyone else until the song “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” was over.
She would celebrate Jesse’s and Dustin’s birthdays by making their favorite cake, and a birthday meal to share as a family; a tradition which her Mom passed down. Anita enjoyed a long cooking career working at several different places, beginning at 18 years of age with Continental Machines in Savage, MN, and ending at the Lake Mills Senior Center in 2012.
Anita was a loving daughter, mother, sister, and friend. She had a big heart, liked to have fun, was accepting of all people, and always had a big smile. She loved her children and was so very proud of them.
Anita will be deeply missed and forever loved by her two sons, Jesse Jensen of Lake Mills, IA, and Dustin (Jenny) Jensen of Forest City, IA; mother Gloria Smith of Prior Lake, MN; and five siblings, Marcia (Sid) Richardson of Cottage Grove, MN, Monica (Derrick) Chavez of Anaheim, CA, Anthony (Cherelyn) Smith of St. Anthony, MN, Terrence (Laurel) Smith of Savage, MN, and Julie (Allen) Jensen of Alden, MN; her significant other Ralph Highlander of Lake Mills, IA. Anita is also survived by 16 nieces and nephews; 18 great-nieces and nephews; many aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends; and her first grandchild who will be born in June of 2014.
She was preceded in death by her father Paul Smith and her grandparents.