Jeanne Y. Jensen

Jeanne Yvonne Jensen will be remembered for her love and laughter, the special time spent with family and her loving ability to serve others.

The Roaring Twenties was an exciting era. One of the most thrilling events for Harold W. And Evelyn E. (Richardson) Gatfield was the birth of their daughter, Jeanne. Jeanne was born to them on December 18, 1920 in Muskegon, Michigan. Many of her precious childhood memories were created with her three sisters, Betty, Mary Ann and Janet. Jeanne worked hard in school and was very proud the day she graduated from Ludington High School. She fell in love with Ivan, a handsome young man from Manistee who thought very highly of her, as she did him. Ivan asked for Jeanne's hand in marriage, and on November 9, 1940, they were joined in holy matrimony.

Ivan and Jeanne were anxious to begin a family. Jeanne loved children and wanted to have lots of little ones running around. Her wishes were granted as she became a mother to nine wonderful children, Ronald, Sandra, Richard, Cindy, Pam, Cheryl, Donald, Vic and David. Besides caring for her own children, Jeanne also ran a child care service. Jeanne was no stranger to hard work and over the years she had worked as a bartender for the Round Lake Tavern, Charlie's Bar and Steve's Great Food and Spirits in Scottville. She also cared for the elderly at Morton's Nursing Home.

In Jeanne's spare time she did what she loved, bowled, cooked, knitted and crocheted. She was an important part of the Scottville State Savings Bank bowling team. She was so well known for her cooking that over the years many friends and family convinced her to prepare the meals for their weddings and graduations. Her greatest joy, however, was simply being surrounded by family. Sadly, Jeanne lost her husband Ivan in 2001. She also lost her daughter Sandra, three precious grandchildren and a great grandchild.

Jeanne's children gave her 25 grandchildren, 41 great grandchildren and three great great grandchildren. She was able to enjoy a wonderful Easter celebration at her son Don's home just a few weeks before her death. She was deeply loved by her family will be dearly missed.

Mrs. Jeanne Yvonne Jensen, aged 85 of Scottville, passed away on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 at Tendercare of Ludington. She was preceded in death by her husband Ivan, her parents, her daughter Sandra Gonzales, three grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Her family includes her children, Ronald Jensen of Detroit, Richard (Mary Ann) Jensen of Free Soil, Cindy Purchase of Scottville, Pam (James) DeRooy of Fountain, Cheryl (Don Fletcher) Jensen, Donald (Donna) Jensen, Vic (Kimberly) Jensen, and David Jensen all of Scottville, 25 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren, 3 great, great-grandchildren, and her sisters Betty Seward of Pentwater, Mary Ann (Leslie) Forbes of Montague, and Janet Kokx of Whitehall. Funeral services will be held at 1:00p.m. on Saturday, April 22 at the Stephens Life Story Funeral Home in Scottville, with Pastor Jeff Hackert officiating. Burial will follow at South Victory Cemetery. Friends may meet with her family for a time of visitation on Friday evening from 6:00-8:00p.m. at the funeral home. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to the charity of their choice. Please visit Jeanne's memory page at www.lifestorynet.com to sign the guestbook, or leave a memory for her family.