Eugene Walter “Gene” Jens
Funeral services for Eugene Walter Jens, 79, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 27, 2014 in the Rose Chapel, Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Mr. Jens died 2:02 p.m., Friday, August 22, 2014 at the Ozarks Medical Center.
He was born March 11, 1935 at Orland Park, Illinois to Walter Jens and Sadie Smith Jens. Before his retirement, Mr. Jens was a serviceman with the Coca-Cola Bottling Company, operated his own lawn mowing service, was a volunteer fireman and was active in the West Plains Car Club. He was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church.
He is survived by three sons, Dan Jens, wife, Barbara, Stevensville, Maryland, Jim Jens, wife, Janet, Pomona, Missouri and Steve Jens, wife, Melissa, New Baden, Illinois; eight grandchildren, Kevin Jens, wife, Susan, David Jens, wife, Krissy, Richard Jens, wife, Amber, David Jens, wife, Amanda, Aaron Jens, wife, Ashley, Brian Jens, wife, Laura, Jeremy Jens, wife, Tiffany and Brandon Jens; eleven great-grandchildren; two sisters, Joan Knull, Colorado Springs, Colorado and Ruth Ryan, husband, Richard, Auburn, California; numerous nieces and nephews; and his former wives, Nancy McMichael, Jacksonville Beach, Florida and Pat Jens, West Plains, Missouri.
His parents, one granddaughter, Angela, one brother, Clifford Jens and one brother-in-law, John Knull, precede him in death.
Visitation will be from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 26th, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Burial will be at the Howell Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Paul Lutheran Church and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Tom and Ila Scott
August 23, 2014 @ 7:58 pm
Sorry to hear about your loss. Thoughts and Prayers. Tom and Ila
Jerry and Neena Carter
August 24, 2014 @ 5:36 pm
Gene touched many people with his infectious smile, his many wonderful life stories, his grand generosity. He talked often about his salvation , so we know he rest in Gods arms, (driving a cool cloud instead of a cool car) . We miss you friend. Jens family, know you are in our prayers, may God be with you.
Phil and Fran Kozol
August 24, 2014 @ 6:47 pm
I Fran ,went to grade school with Gene and Joan in La Grange Il. After many yrs we meet again in Glendale hts Il as neighbors living with adjoining back yards. We had many fun years of parties and laughter together. Our daughter Kathy and son Chris enjoyed playing together with the boys as well.When he moved to Mo. We still traveled to visit them and they came back to see us. We have exchange Xmas cards and we will really miss not sending and receiving his card anymore.
Please rest in peace Gene we love you and will miss you a lot . You were a very good man..
Our love and sympathys to all the family.
Phill and Fran Kozol
Tucson Az
Kathy (Kozol) Telfer
August 24, 2014 @ 7:28 pm
Dear Danny, Jimmy, Stevie and Pat,
I am so sad to hear this news. I have such wonderful memories of living next door to you all when we were kids. Gene’O, he let me call him that, made me giggle, and always had a great smile and twinkle in his eyes. Thinking of him ( and all of you) always brings a smile to my face and a warm happy feeling inside.
I’m so happy to have known him. He will be missed.
Kathy
Cynthia Kuhnert
August 24, 2014 @ 8:33 pm
My thoughts and prayers to Mr. Jens family. I truly feel blessed to have known Gene and his wonderful family. My sincerest condolences, Cynthia
Marcia Scott
August 25, 2014 @ 9:25 am
Dear Jim,
Just wanted you to know that I am thinking of you and your family. I am sending my
love and prayers.
Marcia
Evelyn Levesque
August 25, 2014 @ 11:11 am
Gene you will be missed a lot around this town by a lot of friends that will miss you so much My prayers go out to your family . By till we meet again..Evelyn Levesque
Judy Campbell Ingalsbe
August 25, 2014 @ 1:01 pm
Dear Dan & Jim, I was saddened to hear about your dad and wanted to let you know that I am sending you my thoughts and prayers. Dan, we all missed seeing you at our reunion this past summer and Jim, remember the good ole days at the Conservation Department when we were in high school! Steve I’m sending you my thoughts and prayers also. You guys take care and I’m sure your dad was proud of each of you!
Connie Camden
August 25, 2014 @ 2:52 pm
Steve & Melissa,
So sorry to hear this news. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Connie (Berry) Camden
Deanna Lewis
August 25, 2014 @ 4:08 pm
So sorry to see Gene had passed. I always enjoyed him and that sweet smile he always shared. I graduated with Dan in class of 1974, give him by best.
Lisa
August 25, 2014 @ 5:29 pm
Dan, Jim and Steve,
I’m sorry for the loss of your Dad, he was a wonderful soul and I am glad that I knew him. I would stop by and see him and Weezer when I was in the neighborhood. He would show me his latest project he was working on and we would talk about future projects on his to do list.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Your Cousin,
Lisa
Sharon Neathery
August 25, 2014 @ 6:26 pm
To the Jens Family,
I worked with Gene at Coca-Cola and he was without a doubt one of the happiest people in the plant. Always smiling and ready to greet the day. He will be missed by many and heaven has surely gained a very special man. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
Sharon Neathery
Paula Ritter England
August 25, 2014 @ 6:54 pm
I am so sorry to hear about your dad. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Paula England
Valerie Caldron
August 25, 2014 @ 11:53 pm
Mother and I first met Gene in the spring after my father passed away. Our lawn mower had broken down and the grass seemed to be getting taller by the minute. Gene was in his seventies and working on his third career when we saw him mowing our neighbor’s yard next door. He agreed to help us out. It would be the first of many times he came to the rescue on our day-to-day crises both big and small.
Even though we knew him only a few short years, we came to value him as a friend. He was an exceptional human being in so many ways. He was kind to people and pets and went out of his way to help others in need. He was a man of integrity, a man of faith. He had many talents. He remodeled much of his house and was either working on a project or planning another one. He could fix just about anything from cars to plumbing to carpentry. If he didn’t know how to fix it, he figured it out. He always said he liked a challenge, and Mother and I gave him plenty of challenges. He was intelligent, hard working, and took pride in a job well done. He was strong, energetic, and could run circles around men half his age. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He cared about others, observed social graces, and occasionally took time out of his busy day to just sit down and share a story or talk about the events of the day. Mother and I will miss Gene’s visits.
Gene was very proud of his sons and spoke often of his family. Spending time with family was among his favorite things to do — backyard bar-be-ques with games and grandchildren, fish fries, and Sunday dinners at Jimmy’s. (He raved about Janet’s cooking.) He liked vintage cars and even won a trophy for his ’76 Pontiac Bonneville at the West Plains Car Show in June. He had a good time that day visiting with old friends and acquaintances. Gene also liked fishing. His eyes would light up when he talked about going fishing on the pontoon boat at the lake. A sunny day, a gentle breeze, and catching plenty of fish were near to Heaven on earth.
Gene, we will miss your smile. I can’t imagine what Heaven is like for you, but I hope the skies are clear and the fish are biting. Goodbye dear friend.
Valerie Caldron
Deanna and the bunch at Houston
August 26, 2014 @ 12:20 pm
Jim, Janet and family,
We are so sorry to hear of your loss, our thoughts and prayers are with you all at this time. Just remember, you will see him again.
Sincerely,
Steve, Chuck, Tom and Deanna
Darlene C Jens Jens
August 27, 2014 @ 9:41 am
To The Jens Family
I am sorry to hear about the passing of gene. He was a great man. Gene was a good to me. He was so helpful to me and the children, I know he will be missed. I am sorry that I have not stayed in touch with him and his family. Cheryl kept me in touch with all was happenening. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Sincerely
Darlene, Cheryl and Richard