November 21, 1923 - November 08, 2020
Josephine Lillian (Rabe) Jensen, the eldest child of Fred and Freda (Ruhs) Rabe was born November 21, 1923 at her parents’ home in Hamlin Township, Audubon County, Iowa and passed away November 8, 2020, at North Shore Health and Rehab Center in Loveland, Colorado at the age of 96 years, 11 months.
Josephine was baptized and confirmed at the Methodist Church in Audubon, Iowa. She attended a rural, one room school house (“Brushy College”) in the Hamlin Township and graduated from Audubon High School in 1941. She got her teaching certificate and taught rural school in several townships for several years.
On February 14, 1946, in Audubon, Iowa, she married Marvin Jensen of Loveland, Colorado. She finished teaching the school year and then moved to Loveland. Marvin and Josephine built their home in 1946 and she lived there for 71 years. During early years of marriage, she worked for F.W. Woolworths, started her own ironing business, and did babysitting. In 1960, she was the 26th employee hired and started working for Hewlett-Packard, and then Agilent. She retired in 1986, exactly 26 years to the day of when she was hired. Marvin and Josephine belonged to the Good Sams Camping Club and enjoyed camping around the state with their friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Marvin on December 3, 1989.
For many years, Josephine and her sister, Mary Lou Holstad lived in Sun City, Arizona during the winter and enjoyed the company of her brother and sister in law, Fred and Barbara Rabe. Josephine and Mary Lou frequently traveled together and were able to enjoy Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada, among other places.
Josephine was a charter member of Mountain View Presbyterian Church in Loveland; was active in her church circle for many years and also did volunteer work at the church. She lived out her faith quietly and in serving others. She enjoyed flowers, especially iris and peonies and enjoyed watching and hearing birds. She especially enjoyed her bird clock that chirped different bird sounds each hour. Josephine loved her family; made cross stitch quilts and embroidery for her family; loved to send greeting cards and letters to friends and family, and made sure the holidays, especially Christmas, were extra special. Birthday celebrations always included homemade angel food cake with 7-minute frosting. She had lifelong friends and kept in touch with them on a regular basis. In later years, macular degeneration made it harder for her to write letters, so telephone calls became a lifeline.
She is preceded in death by her husband; parents; sister and husband, Mary Lou and Orin Holstad; brother, Fred Rabe; sister in law, Ruby Jensen; son in law, Gene Parker. She is survived by daughter, Carol Parker of Springfield, Missouri; daughter Susan Jensen of Loveland; grandchildren Julie (Chris) Lancaster of Warrensburg, Missouri; Jennifer Ferguson and partner Stephen Renfro of Springfield, Missouri. She is survived by four great grandchildren: Katie, Emilee and Todd Lancaster of Warrensburg, Missouri; Autumn Berryhill and partner Max Graves of Springfield, Missouri and one great-great grandchild, Isaac of Springfield, Missouri. Also survived by brother in law, LeRoy Jensen of Colorado Springs, Colorado and sister in law, Barbara Rabe of Audubon, Iowa; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She is survived by lifelong and close friend, Wilma McDonough. She enjoyed special friends at Lakeview Commons: Martha, Carol and Coral.
Many thanks to the wonderful staff at Lakeview Commons where she made her home for the last three years, and to the staff of North Shore Health Facility for her care the last couple of months of her life.
Family services will be held at Mountain View Presbyterian Church in Loveland on November 19, 2020 at 1 p.m. To view the livestreaming service on November 19, go to the Mountain View website at www.mymvpc.com. There will be a link to view the service noted on the homepage. To view the service at a later date, go to the WORSHIP VIDEOS tab to view previous worship services. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Mountain View Presbyterian Church in Loveland, Loveland Meals on Wheels, or to a charity of your choice. Other condolences may be sent in care of Kibbey-Fishburn Funeral Home: 1102 Lincoln Ave., Loveland CO 80537.
