Mary Patricia Jensen, daughter of the late Ervin and Billie (Schilling) Haider, was born May 30, 1948, in San Francisco, California. She passed away November 22, 2023, at her home, near Mountain Grove, Missouri. She was 75 years, 5 months, and 23 days of age.
Mary grew up in Burlington, North Dakota, attending elementary school through eighth grade there and graduated from Des Lacs High School in Des Lacs, North Dakota, in 1966. Mary moved to Illinois in 1966 and lived there for nine years. While there, she worked civil service at Alton State Hospital. It was here that daughter, Krista Leah Grizzle was born, May 8, 1971.
Mary moved back to North Dakota in 1975 and met Ken Jensen. They were united in marriage on September 23, 1977, in Minot, North Dakota. Son, Matthew James Jensen was born in 1978. Ken was serving in the United States Air Force and family was transferred to Germany in 1981. The whole family loved this experience, meeting two German families and becoming fast and dear friends, spending every Christmas there in German homes.
They moved back to the United States in 1984, spending time in Alabama and then back to North Dakota. Following Ken’s retirement in 1987, the family moved to Mountain Grove, Missouri. It was here that Mary worked in the pharmacy at Walmart for 16 years before retiring in 2009. Always loving quilting, this gave her lots of time for her hobby. Mary belonged to four quilting guilds and loved every moment spent with them. She was a member of the Ozark Piecemakers Quilt Guild for nearly 30 years. She enjoyed making many donation quilts and family quilts over the years. Mary’s greatest joy in life was spending time with family, especially her grandchildren. They were very special blessings in her life.
Besides her parents, Mary was preceded in death by two brothers-in-law, Phil Koch and Don Jensen; and two sisters-in-law, Vickie Haider and Maryann Anderson.
Mary is survived by her husband of over 46 years, Kenneth Jensen Jr.; daughter, Krista Allabaugh and husband, John; son, Matthew Jensen and wife, Olesea; grandchildren, Jacob Dominic John Allabaugh and Julia Emma Allabaugh; sister, Diane Koch; brothers, Paul Haider and wife, Glenda, Tom Haider, and Jim Haider and wife, Marilyn; sister-in-law, Joy Jensen; many nieces and nephews; and many dear friends. Mary will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.
