Mary Jane Anna Jensen, 72, of Red Wing, died on Sunday, August 21, 2011, at her home in Red Wing.
Mary was born at home in Berlin Township, Steele County, Minnesota, on July 12, 1939, the eldest child of Selmer and Myrtle (Smith) Peterson. She attended Ellendale public schools. On October 13, 1957, she married Milton Jensen at Le Sueur River Lutheran Church in rural New Richland. Milton passed away on September 22, 1996.
She was an accomplished businesswoman. Mary and Milt owned several businesses together in Geneva, Chaska, and Ramsey, Minnesota.
Mary will be remembered for musical talent. She played guitar, accordion, piano and mandolin. She loved to sing and could yodel, and as a young teenager, won a talent contest in Owatonna. Mary composed two songs and had them copyrighted. She loved attending bluegrass festivals and jamming with other musicians.
She was a 40-year kidney transplant survivor, and the University of Minnesota’s longest-living kidney transplant patient.She is survived by son Larry (Deanna Olson) Jensen of Cannon Falls; daughter Gina Sorenson of spring Valley, WI; four grandchildren Jaime (Tong Yang) Sorenson-Yang of Havelock, NC, Katie Larson of Blaine, MN, LeAnna Sorenson of Spring Valley, WI, and Nick Sorenson of Brooklyn Park, MN; great granddaughters Bella and Emmeline; sister Shirley (Tyler) Hansen of Rush City; brothers Don (Cheryl) Peterson, and Sam (Sharon) Peterson both of Ellendale; and Mike (Carol Sundin) Peterson of Citrus Heights, CA; brother-in-law Jim Jensen of Elizabethtown, PA; sister-in-law Elsie Horton of Stafford, VA, many nieces and nephews, and best friend Gordie Rahman of Red Wing.
She was preceded in death by her parents and husband Milton.
A Celebration of Life gathering for all family and friends will be held at a future date.
Memorials may be directed to the cemetery fund at Le Sueur Lutheran Church, PO Box 457, New Richland, MN 56072.