Obituary of Jean A. Jenison

Jean Jenison was born August 31, 1923 to Oscar Harold and Irva (Schneider) Jenison in Belmond, Iowa. Oscar died in 1932. Jean was eight and a half years old. Irva married Milton “Bub” Dawson and the family moved to the Lewis Lake area in 1938. The banks had foreclosed and land rental was less on that sandy, rocky Kanabec County soil. Jean married Elsie Barningham on July 6, 1945. They were together for 65 years until her death in 2010. Jean and Elsie worked side by side for all those years to support their family. Elsie would be in the truck on the milk route, they shoveled dirt into the dump truck with a #10 shovel, she drove the cattle truck to South St. Paul so Jean could rest between trips, she milked cows, bailed hay and kept meticulous bookkeeping records. Dad wants some of their ashes mixed together and spread around the farm. We will do that at a later date. After Elsie’s death, Jean began “windshield” farming. Don’t confuse windshield farming as a renewable energy source. His daughters could not drive a John Deere tractor. They had to downsize to a Tahoe. Jean’s death was preceded by his parents; his brother Beryl in 2008; his wife Elsie in 2010; his son Ralph in 2011 and daughter Loraine in 2013. He is survived by a sister Norma in Iowa; a step sister Carolyn in Mora, his daughter and caregiver Dorothy; three grandsons; one granddaughter; several great grandchildren as well as nieces and nephews in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Iowa. In the early morning of May 24, 2016, Jean found new dirt to farm in Heaven Township. The dirt in Heaven Township in fertile, rich, and heavy. There are no weeds or insects to destroy the yield the weather cooperates all of the time and commodity prices are high. He is having fun again. I don’t know if they have Pabst or pull tabs in heaven but if they do he will visit that establishment to look for family and friends. A huge thank you to all that would come to the farm to talk cattle prices, hay prices at the sale barn, crop yield and who was renting what land. A huge thank you to those of you that went fishing and would share a meal or two with us. Thank you to the caregivers at St. Clares. He gave you a run for your money that each of you enjoyed. The burden on his heart and lungs is totally gone. He feels great and we can be happy for him. Today is a good day for a good day. Enjoy yourself as you celebrate his life. Remembering him as he farmed your land, picked up your milk cans and livestock, gave your children a ride to South St. Paul in the cattle truck or in a few cases, bought your 14-year-old his first beer. Services will be at a later date.