Local couple celebrates 72nd wedding anniversary

Times Contributor

 

It’s worth recognizing that while their marriage accounts for only part of the years they have spent on earth, at 72 years it is literally a lifetime for many of the rest of society. A quick look through the obituaries or life-expectancy charts shows that their marriage is enjoying a longer lifetime than many individuals.

Fellow members of their communities both in Standard and Strathmore (where they now reside) came to celebrate the most momentous occasion of recognizing a devoted marriage of 72 years of Elmer and Leona Jensen (nee Jensen).

Leona, originally from Audubon, Iowa was originally introduced to Elmer when his brother Anker Jensen (a Lutheran Pastor from California) came to work on her family’s farm in Iowa. Elmer worked for her father for one month. 

So after knowing each other for four years (since 1936) Leona age 25 married Elmer at age 26, in 1940 at the end of the war. Both came from strong and rich Danish heritage in their respective families. 

The Jensens were married by Rev. P.C. Paulson in Chicago, who knew both of their families well, and eventually helped Leona cross the border into Canada.

Elmer says jokingly that “Jackie, our first son came in 1943, and he was so much trouble to even think about having anymore (tongue in cheek) and that the next three followed quickly behind like dominoes. Ellen Ann in 1948, Dallas in 1950 and the baby of the family Charlotte in 1952.” 

Today they have six grandkids and seven great-grandchildren.

When asked what kind of advice they could give a young couple today getting married they had a few things to say. Elmer says, “there are lots of ups and downs and a lot of taking and giving.” 

Then Leona pokes him and says “he meant giving and taking.” 

Both of them agreed that keeping regular hours of breakfast at 7 a.m., dinner at noon and supper at 6 p.m. is important to family to have structure. 

Through it all, their strong faith, a devotional Christian life, has brought them through many things in life, family and work on the farm. 

“Leona has the gift of being a great hostess and we always had extra people drop by for a meal who were always welcomed at our table,” said Elmer.

In a day and age where the individual is held up as being of the greatest importance, that looking out for No. 1 is the only way to have a life of achievement, fulfillment and accomplishment, “we are blessed to see the example of life of your marriage, where two have submitted to each other to become one for the sake of the other and the sake of their Lord,” says Pastor Brad Everett from Nazareth Lutheran Church in Standard.