Obituary of Leslie Leonard Jensen

Leslie “Les” Jensen was born in May 1945 to Morris and LuVerne (Clark) Jensen of Stephen, MN. He often recounted the hard labors of working on farms, baking and selling banana bread, and saving money to buy his own convertible. His family moved to Grand Forks, ND, in 1958. Les graduated from Grand Forks Central High School in 1963. On Valentine’s Day 1965 Les married Sandra “Sandi” Carlson at Salem Lutheran Church of Stephen, MN. They lived in Grand Forks, ND, and Sioux Falls, SD. They had two children, Tracy and Tanya. They moved to Monticello, MN, in 1975. In the fall of 1965, Les began his career with Northern States Power Company (Xcel Energy) in Grand Forks, ND. During his time with the company he worked at the Pathfinder Plant in Sioux Falls, SD; the Sherburne County Generating Plant in Becker, MN, and the Monticello Nuclear Plant in Monticello, MN. He held several positions within the company including laborer, boiler operator, and journeyman electrician. In autumn 2000, as lead electrician with 35 years of service, he retired to Cordes Lakes, AZ. Les enjoyed fishing on Lake of the Woods. Family vacations included fishing, swimming, water skiing, and campfire picnics on the beach. The family cabin at Angle Inlet, MN, also hosted fishing trips with the guys. There were many seasons of deer hunting near Lake Bronson, MN, which provided tasty venison sausage and amazing Swedish meatballs. In Monticello he kept a vegetable garden, perfected his grilling skills, and was busy with home improvement projects. In retirement, he enjoyed making wooden game boards, carving walking sticks, and playing pool or cards with friends. Les contributed to the Cordes Lakes community by fixing playground equipment, building bookshelves for the library, and distributing food at the local pantry. In March 2020, Les became ill with Covid-19. He was admitted to the Yavapai Regional Medical Center in Prescott, AZ, in April. He fought a difficult battle for nine weeks, seeming to improve and then suddenly being taken by complications of the virus. Les passed away on his 75th birthday. Les is survived by his children Tracy Jensen and his spouse Curtis Johnson of Salt Lake City, UT, Tanya and her spouse Shig Yoneda of Laguna Niguel, CA; grandchildren Kiku and Ben; siblings Nancy Johnson of Fargo, ND, Meridith Fodera of New Egypt, NJ, and Linda Jensen of Missoula, MT; many family and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife Sandi, parents Morris and Lu, and brother Bill. With concern for everyone’s health during this global pandemic, details of a memorial service for Les are still being reviewed. An announcement will be made when plans have been determined. The family is grateful for condolences but declines flowers. Memorial donations may be directed to: North Red River MDHA (Minnesota Deer Hunters Association), or Friends of the Cordes Lakes Public Library.