Lyle P Jensen

On May 5, 2020, our dear Uncle Lyle Jensen, age 97, went to be with the Lord. Born on October 6, 1922, in the Town of Windsor, Wisconsin, Lyle was the third and the youngest child of Paul and Mathilda "Tilly" Jensen. While Lyle was still young, the family moved to Morrisonville, Wisconsin, where his dad was a grocer. Lyle attended Morrisonville Grade School, and then DeForest High School, where he graduated as valedictorian of his class. After a short time at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Lyle was drafted into the U.S. Army/artillery, to serve in Europe during World War II. While small in stature (never weighed more than 140 pounds), he never let that limit him in a war, or for the rest of his life. Lyle was one tough cat. During the war, he was shot at. At least the bullets missed. At the end of the war, the U.S. sent the married men home first. Since Lyle was not married, (and never was), he spent six more months in Europe, as an MP. He monitored traffic at roundabouts in Germany, which made him a potentially easy target for Nazi sympathizers. He also had to enforce military rules and regulations against angry, drunken soldiers, who were twice his size. We guess this toughened him even more. After an honorable discharge, Lyle farmed briefly, then worked for the Wisconsin Conservation Department, currently the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. He transferred to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, where he worked for over thirty years, initially as a revenue auditor. Later in the appellate unit, his job included dealing with hostile, tax-protesting taxpayers, that everyone else had given up on. He was physically threatened and sued, unsuccessfully. He retired from state service in the early 1980s, and went to work on his farmland near Barneveld, something he really enjoyed. For recreation, he was an avid golfer and bowler, until he could no longer handle the rigors. Until he was 96, Lyle enjoyed good health, exercised daily, and lived independently in a multi-generational apartment complex. Throughout his life, he was a voracious reader of non-fiction, mostly history. Even well into his 90s, he was doing his personal tax returns with pencil and pen. He knew when it was time to hire a younger accountant. This last year, Lyle has been hospitalized four times, bouncing back after each stay. In his last time at Meriter Hospital, he was diagnosed with internal bleeding and could not be helped. While his personal experiences made him one tough cat, he finally succumbed after his ninth life. While he was tough, we would be remiss if we didn't address Lyle's other most wonderful traits. He was always personally disciplined. When he said yes, it was yes; when he said no, it was NO. Having grown up during the Great Depression, he was frugal, almost to a fault. The material things of life were just that--things. Yet, he was generous, gentle, had a loving spirit and a quiet sense of humor. Everyone he met came to love him. We miss him deeply. Lyle was predeceased by his parents; brother, Theodore "Ted" Jensen; and his sister, Pearl (Jensen) Batz; in-laws, Mary (Grunenenfelder) Jensen and Sylvester Batz. He left eleven nieces and nephews, and their families. We are most grateful to the staff at Heritage Middleton Assisted Living, for the excellent guidance and care provided to Lyle during his last year of earthly life. Additional thanks for their excellent support to the staffs at Meriter Hospital, Agrace HospiceCare (less than a day), and Gunderson Funeral Home. Per Lyle's request, there will be no funeral visitation or service. A family gathering in his memory will be planned later. If you wish to make a donation in his name, it should be made to the American Red Cross or Agrace HospiceCare. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson West Funeral & Cremation Care 7435 University Ave. (608) 831-6761