Mildred Jensen, 89

Mildred Jensen, age 89 formerly of New Hampton, died Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah surrounded by family.

Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at First United Methodist Church in Decorah.

Hugeback Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton have been entrusted with arrangements.

Mildred was born at home on the farm near Colesburg, on Nov. 19, 1934, the youngest of five children of Clarence and Irene Hartbeck.

She spent her childhood working with her family on the farm and developed a love for cooking.

After graduating from Colesburg High School in 1952, Millie enrolled at Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI), graduating in 1956 with a teaching degree.

In August 1957, Millie married Lawrence Jensen at a country church near her childhood home. Lawrence and Millie shared 67 years of marriage together. They raised three sons — finding their greatest joy in family time together. They shared passions for gardening, the preservation of homegrown food, and family meals.

While caring for family was always her first commitment, “Mrs. Jensen” was a lifelong educator. She taught home economics for several years in Iowa, Illinois and Georgia before pausing her career when her first son was born in 1962.

Millie earned a masters degree in library science in 1985 and began a second phase of her career as the librarian at New Hampton High School. Her love for reading was shared with countless students during her nine years as a school librarian.

Millie was a lifelong United Methodist and a member of First United Methodist Church in New Hampton for 50 years. Her faith was a constant in her life and her church community was an important grounding for her.

Mildred is survived by her husband, Lawrence; and three sons, Chris (Sheral) of Iowa City, Eric (Julie) of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and Jon (Rachel) of Decorah, as well as eight grandchildren — Isaac, Joshua, Alex, Mara, Annika, Tim, Sylvia and Lily.