Dudley M. Jensen

Dudley M. Jensen of Williamsburg, VA and Bourne, MA, died Friday, September 14, 2018. His wife, Vivian, whom he married in 1954, predeceased him in June of 2017. He is survived by his daughter, Nancy Jo Weston, and her husband Peter Weston. Also surviving him are his nieces, Mari, Patricia, and Dina LoNano. Dudley was born in Schenectady, NY on August 25, 1925 to Leslie M. Jensen and Kathryn Chamberlayne.

He led a full life, filled with scholarly pursuits and community service. Dudley graduated from Bourne High School in 1943. After graduating, he enlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1943, was active duty until 1946 and was discharged to the Reserves. He was a member of the Coast Guard Reserves from 1946-1986 and retired as a Lt. Commander. He was also in the Air Force Reserves from 1947-1958. He was commissioned in 1952 and discharged as a First Lieutenant.

He continued his education at Springfield College where he graduated in 1950 and entered Columbia University and graduated with honors in 1951. He did post-graduate work at both the University of Virginia and the College of William and Mary where he was also an Honorary Alumni. Dudley went on to become a Professor and Administrator at the College of William and Mary. He retired in 1999 as a Professor Emeritus.

Dudley was also the swim coach at William and Mary from 1951-1999 and his swimmers kept in touch with him throughout his life. He was a dedicated member of W&M where he received the President’s Award, established swimming scholarships in honor of students who died young, in addition to other accomplishments such as being a member of the W&M Athletic Hall of Fame. His life of dedication to both W&M and the communities he lived in was unsurpassed.

For 45 years, he was a member of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials and the Red Cross Hall of Fame for life saving.

Dudley was a Lay Minister for 20 years at Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, VA, as well as a Vestry for three. In Massachusetts, he was a lay reader and usher at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Buzzards Bay, MA. Dudley was an avid historian and was able to tell the history of Bourne from Colonial Days to the present. He was President of the Bourne Historical Society for two terms, assistant General Manager and historian for the Bourne Braves, on the Board of the Bourne Society for Historical Preservation and a member of the Bourne Planning Board. Whether in Williamsburg, Virginia or Bourne, Massachusetts, Dudley was always community-oriented and dedicated to the well-being of his family, students and his communities.

The Wake will be from 9-11am at Nickerson-Bourne Funeral Home in Bourne, MA on Thursday, September 20, 2018. There will be a Church service honoring Dudley Jensen’s life at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on the Canal at 11:30am in Buzzard’s Bay, followed by burial at the National Cemetery, Bourne at 1:15pm. The celebration of life will follow at Bourne VFW, Post 5988, Shore Road, Bourne.

For directions and online condolences please visit www.nickersonbourne.com.