Jensen, Dr. L. E. (1893-1975)

JENSEN, GRAHAM, FREEMAN, NELSEN, CHASE, HANSEN, HOOVER, ROCKADAHL, BROOKS, MERSELIS, BARTLEY

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/3/2026 at 21:41:48

Atlantic News Telegraph, Dec. 9, 1975, Pg. 5, Col 4-5:

Dr. L. E. Jensen of Audubon Died Sunday

AUDUBON - Dr. L. E. Jensen, 82, a physician here for more than half a century, died Sunday in the Audubon County Memorial Hospital. He had been in failing health for some time, but had maintained a medical practice until about six months ago.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Thorvald Hansen officiating. Burial will be in Arlington Heights Cemetery. The body is at McFadden Funeral Home.

Dr. Jensen was born in Shelby County Sept. 4, 1893, to Carl and Hansena Rockadahl Jensen. He attended the University of Iowa and began his medical practice in Audubon in 1922, joing the practice of Dr. A. L. Brooks.

In 1969 Dr. Jensen wasghonored with the presentation of the Audubon Chamber of Commerce's annual Community Service Award. At that time Dr. Jensen had delivered over 4,000 babies in the area. The veteran physician had served on the Audubon school board, helped to organize the Friendship Home and Audubon County Memorial Hospital and was active in many other community projects.

In 1972, Dr. Jensen marked his 50th anniversary as a prqacticing physician in Audubon. Many changes took place during his years of service, including the building of the local hospital. Previous to that, babies were delivered in private homes or small nursing homes. Average life expectancy had also increased from about 60 in 1922 to about 72 at present.

Dr. Jensen attributed much of this to the development of preventatives medicines, including vaccines for prevention of most childhood diseases. When Dr. Jensen began his practice no roads in this area were paved. An automobile served for transportation until roads became muddy or snow-blocked, then Dr. Jensen made calls in a horse-drawn buggy or on horseback.

Dr. Jensen was in practice with Drs. H. K. Merselis and R. L. Bartley before he became semi-retired. He was an avid hunter and fisherman.

He was married to the former Lorraine Graham of Audubon June 2, 1923 and she preceded him in death in 1956. In 1959 Dr. Jensen married Marie Freeman Nelsen of Omaha, who survives, along with three daughters, Mrs. Stephen (Elinor) Chase of Orinda, Calif., Mrs. Gale B. (Mary) Hansen of Purchellville, Va., and Mrs. H. A. (Katherine) Hoover of McLean, Va.; a stepson, Don Nelsen of Omaha, 11 grad-children and a great-grandchild.

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