Lucille Edna 'Lucy' (Hempel) Jensen, 86
Lucy passed away peacefully in her sleep March 5, 2018, at Hidden Meadows Memory Care in Columbia Falls, following a long, difficult struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Lucy was born on Dec. 28, 1931, in Melrose, Minnesota, to Orin and Annie (Graber) Doty. Lucy and her family moved around a great deal when she was young, from the fields in Fargo, North Dakota, where she picked beets and onions with her mother to eventually landing in Pine River, Minnesota. Here she met Earl Hempel at a roller-skating rink that he managed. They fell in love and married on Aug. 28, 1948. The two began life on Charlie’s, (Earl’s father), farm where they were blessed with five children. The young family then moved to a hobby farm in Bradford, Minnesota, where they raised livestock and tended to fruit trees and various vegetable, fruit, and flower gardens. Lucy and Earl used the farm as a teaching tool for their children, focusing on responsibility and positive values. Lucy loved canning and freezing the fruits of their labor so there were always fruits and vegetables available at the Hempel household. Even a little homemade wine was offered on occasion.
Lucy made friends wherever she went. She enjoyed socializing — playing cards with family and friends, dancing, hunting and traveling. She also loved crafting, painting and sewing. She was very proud when she received her GED. Lucy worked for Anoka State Hospital for 21 years.
After the passing of Earl in 1991, Lucy reunited with Don Jensen, a longtime family friend who served as “best man” at Lucy and Earl’s wedding. The two fell in love and were married on July 18, 1998. They lived in Whitefish and spent their time gardening, birdwatching, joining church activities, attending plays, traveling to places such as New Zealand, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii, and various destinations across the continental United States in their motorhome. The two truly loved spending time at their cabin on Duck Lake. Here they spent many enjoyable hours fly fishing, enjoying the beautiful scenery, and spending time with their Canadian friends and their visiting families.
After being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Lucy returned to Minnesota for a time and stayed at Presbyterian Homes in Cambridge. After two years, she returned to Montana to spend the remainder of her life at Hidden Meadows Memory Care. She loved to go for car rides with Don so he would take her out every day to do some shopping. Lucy enjoyed pushing the shopping cart. Don fed her supper each evening right up to the night “when God took her up in her sleep and woke her in heaven,” praise the Lord. Lucy and Don prayed that she would stay sweet and she did stay sweet right up to the end. It was bittersweet and she still knew her husband Don. Even though she lost her ability to talk, when Don said “I love you” she would answer with a hug and give him a kiss or pat him on his cheeks.
This truly amazing lady will be missed.
Lucy was preceded in death by her brother, Donald Doty, her parents, Orin and Annie, her first husband, Earl Hempel, and her son, Stanley Earl Hempel.
She is survived by her husband, Don Jensen, of Whitefish; her children, Gary (Bobbie) Hempel of Zimmerman, Minnesota, Randy (Vicky) Hempel of Destrehan, Louisiana, David Hempel of Cambridge, Minnesota, and Darlene (Tim Jensen) Krutsch of Braham, Minnesota. She is also survived by daughter-in-law, Nancy Hempel, of Braham; her stepson, Jeff (Susan) of Whitefish; her sister, Doris Burton, of Hood Port, Washington; nine grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and numerous stepgrandchildren and great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends.
A celebration of life will be planned for a later date.
Condolences for the family may be submitted online on Lucy’s webpage at www.austinfh.com. Austin Funeral & Cremation Services in Whitefish is caring for the family.