William Jensvold

Funeral services for William R. Jensvold, 83, were held on Monday, May 20 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Buffalo Center. A private family burial was held at Graceland Cemetery. Bill passed away Thursday, May 16, 2024 at Hancock County Health System in Britt.

William Ronald Jensvold was born January 21, 1941 in Buffalo Center; the son of Sidney and Ethel (Nesheim) Jensvold. He grew up in Buffalo Center and graduated from Buffalo Center High School in 1959. Following high school he attended and played football for Waldorf College and Luther College, and also attended Mankato State University, studying business.

On December 22, 1959, he was married to Nancy Kamish at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City, Iowa. Over the span of twenty years, Bill and Nancy welcomed five children into their lives. The Jensvold home was always a welcoming place where no one went hungry or was a stranger. Over the years, countless friends and family have been welcomed into their home for movie nights with Bill’s famous buttered popcorn and root beer floats. They also hosted five foreign exchange students: Line Sogaard (Norway), Chie Sarai (Japan), Kristin Alderslyst (Norway), Ben Weide (Germany), and Irina Balyurko (Russia) - many who have remained in close contact over the years.

In his younger years, Bill detasseled corn during the summers and worked as a mechanic at the local Chevy garage. He dedicated a large part of his career to Jensvold Implement, a family business started by his grandfather in 1900 and later managed by his father. Bill took great pride in working with the family business until it dissolved in 1987. Beyond that, his career path was diverse and showed his adaptability and commitment. He worked for Winnebago Surplus Store, Lutheran Brotherhood Insurance, he farmed with Howard Julius, drove trucks for Unicover in Britt, and finished his career at LB Transport. Bill eventually retired to take care of his beloved wife. His retirement years were spent cherishing moments with his family and friends.

Bill was a lifelong member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, where he was baptized and later confirmed. Bill’s father, Syd, was actually chairman of the building committee for construction of the new building when it was built in 1958. He was a member of the church council, a sponsor for the youth, and taught Sunday School. He also enjoyed trap shooting, hunting, and going on fishing trips with friends and family. He was gifted at fixing things and enjoyed tinkering in his garage. Bill held a pilot's license for several years, allowing him to explore the skies. He had a reputation for being a bit of a perfectionist and took great pride in always knowing the best way to do anything - from loading the dishwasher, to shoveling the snow, to vacuuming the carpet! Besides his large and extremely loving family, one of Bill's greatest achievements was his sobriety. On April 7, 2024, he was incredibly proud to celebrate 50 years of sobriety, a milestone that reflects his strength and resilience.

He is survived by his children, Bill (Dawn) Jensvold of Buffalo Center, Lynn (Mark) Beenken of Buffalo Center, Ann (Mark) Tendall of Miller, Sarah (Rob) Slover of Bloomington, Indiana, Heidi (Mitch) Engelbarts of Buffalo Center; 22 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his special friend, Ann Harlan of Apache Junction, Arizona; brother, Marc (Pat) Jensvold of Houston, Texas; sisters-in-law, Deb (Jensvold) Landheer and Donna Jensvold; brother-in-law, Frank (Brenda) Kamish; his faithful dog, Olivia; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death are his parents, Sidney and Ethel (Nesheim) Jensvold; wife, Nancy in 2015; brothers, Bryant, George, and Dick; parents-in-law, Frank and Eleanora (Hauge) Kamish; sister-in-law, Mary Beth (Jim) Wooldridge; brother-in-law, Del (Willadean) Kamish, and nephew, Seth Wooldridge.