Donald "Butch" Jensen

Donald Lee “Butch” Jensen
Donald Lee “Butch” Jensen, the son of Walter and Pauline (Custer) Jensen, was born on March 6, 1937, in Denison, Iowa. He was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in March 1937 and confirmed at St. Paul Hanover Lutheran Church October 01, 1967. Donald remained a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.
Donald graduated from Denison High School with the class of 1955. On March 08, 1960, Donald joined the United States Army and served until April 18, 1962.
On May 13, 1967, Donald was united in marriage to Sheryl Ann Bohlmann. To this union joined one daughter Robin and son Shawn. Donald and Sheryl divorced in 1992 but remained lifelong friends.
Butch was a jack of all trades. He worked as a farmhand for several neighbors, hired on as a chauffeur for the owners of Adams Ranch, and also worked construction before starting his tenure at United Parcel Service.
Accumulating 37 years at UPS, he started as a delivery driver, and later accepted the position of tractor-trailer driver. Butch then switched to working nights, driving semi to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and many times pulling double trailers. He achieved the Hall of Fame Driver Award in 1993. He enjoyed his time at UPS, made many friendships along the way, and retired in 2002.
In 1968, Butch purchased an 80-acre farm from his uncle, Faye Woodruff. He had spent much of his childhood on this farm and prided himself on the opportunity to move his family to the country. He rented out the land, and raised horses, dogs, had many cats, and even a cow or two. He lived on this farm until moving to Gracewell in 2019.
Butch enjoyed many things in life. Spending time with family and especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He had a great memory and was very knowledgeable in many areas. His great memory made him an even better historian. Butch also enjoyed reading anything he could get his hands on and socializing with others. In his younger years he enjoyed riding motorcycle. Butch also spent many years breeding, raising, and selling German Shepherds.
Another lifelong enjoyment of Butch’s was traveling. He took his family on several vacations in his younger years, including Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, and North Dakota. He was blessed to be able to take his oldest granddaughter Kati to Canada, as well as taking many trips there with his son Shawn and his family.
Butch passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at Gracewell attaining the age of 86 years, 9 months, and 21 days.
He was preceded in death by his parents Walter and Pauline Jensen and a brother Roger Jensen.
Left to cherish his memory are his children Robin Schiltz of Denison, IA; Shawn (Traci) Jensen of South Sioux City, NE; grandchildren Kati (Ben) Bostwick; Kendra Schiltz (Saul Bravo); Kelsey Schiltz; Cael Jensen; Wyatt Jensen; Mackenzie Jensen; great grandchildren Kaidan, Leylani, Evan, AJ, Maliyah, Emma, and Rylee; sister Paula (Mark) Kovalan of Cedar Rapids, IA; brother-in-law Randell Bohlmann; former son-in-law Jim Schiltz and many other relatives and friends.