Obituary of Donald Eugene Jensen

Donald Eugene Jensen joined his mother and father, Mabel Brown Jensen and Lester E. Jensen, and his brother, Dr. James L. Jensen, PhD, in heaven on March 14, 2013. He was 77 years old. He died after nearly a two-year battle with a rare, aggressive sarcoma. He survived 47 years after two melanomas, a leiomyosarcoma, prostate cancer, and more recently a de-differentiated pleomorphic myofibroblastic sarcoma. Most notable throughout his life was Don's devotion to God and to his family. He yearned for the day he would finally see his Savior face to face, and hear the words "Well done, good and faithful servant." Don is survived by his wife Charlotte of Watsonville, sons Tim (Carole) of Martinez and Greg (Heather) of Scotts Valley, and daughter Donna of Portland, Oregon, as well as seven grandchildren, his sister-in-law Nancy, brother-in-law Terry, nieces, nephew, cousins and many dear friends. Born in Tulare, California, on February 6, 1936, Don and his family moved to Watsonville, California, when he was in the fourth grade. Don attended Hall District School, Watsonville High School, Westmont College, San Jose State, and the International University in San Diego. He earned his Bachelor of Science at Westmont, and his Master of Science in Computer Education, taught math at Watsonville High School, Winnett High School in Montana, Monte Vista Christian High School, Watsonville, Gavilan College, and Cabrillo College. Don was drafted into the Army after college and served for two years as a red rocket liquid oxygen fuel specialist. Don and Charlotte met April 15, 1962 at church. They were married June 15, 1963 at First Baptist Church, Los Altos, California. They moved to Santa Cruz County when Don started teaching at Watsonville High School in 1966, and then lived in Montana from 1976 to 1982, returning to Watsonville. Don and Charlotte started the first Young Life Club in Watsonville in 1970, with Connie and Bob Rollins, Ed Show, and Dawna and Gary Davis. Don taught Sunday school and was a deacon at First Baptist Church in Watsonville and First Baptist Church, Winnett, Montana. He was a member of High Street Baptist Church in Santa Cruz and attended Twin Lakes Church in Aptos since 1995. Don enjoyed short-term mission trips to Mexico with the University Baptist high school groups. He did not speak Spanish but loved these trips. A memory that stands out for Don's children when they were young was finding him in the living room reading the Bible and praying nearly every morning before he went to work. Don was known for his kindness, integrity, and service to others. He was very involved with his children and grandchildren, and enjoyed helping them solve math problems and fix just about anything. He was adored by all of them. Don's sons Tim and Greg were in Don's math classes in Montana and California. Don died on "Pi Day," an appropriate day for a mathematician. Camping trips were something Don enjoyed with his children and grandchildren. He backpacked to Half Dome in Yosemite and climbed Mt Whitney. During college and the years following, he drove a 1953 convertible Jaguar and had a fondness for classic cars. Don became friends with the Iverson siblings at Westmont College and later lived and worked on their family's ranch in Montana for several years. Don traveled to many different states with his wife. Memorable trips were to Victoria BC, Hawaii and to the UK with son, Greg and his wife, and Rev. and Mrs. David Iverson and their daughter and son-in-law. Along with his wife and daughter, Don took his three youngest granddaughters on their first trip to Disneyland in July 2011. The most likely place to find Don was working in his garden. He liked watching sunsets with his wife in Seacliff and kept a constant vigil on weather reports - everything stopped when the KSBW evening weather news was on. He spent time each evening pouring over the newspaper and most enjoyed reading his Bible, suspense and mystery novels. He always remembered every detail about what he read. His wife, Charlotte, considers Don to be her greatest teacher and mentor. A memorial service will be held at Twin Lakes Church in Aptos on Saturday, April 6, 2013, at 11:00 am, followed by lunch at the church. After the lunch, friends are invited to visit with the family at their home. Don requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his honor to Westmont College (955 La Paz Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93108) or to Young Life Santa Cruz (1009 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060). Charlotte requests that stories of Don's life be sent to her for family and friends to enjoy during the memorial service and afterwards.