Dr. Robert Lund Jensen

Dr. Robert L. Jensen was born to Emanuel Alfred & Andrea Augusta Lund Jensen on October 14, 1927 in Hutchinson, Minnesota. Robert grew up Hutchinson and Brainerd, Minnesota, moving at age 14 with his family to San Francisco and again in 1945 to Reedley, California. Robert graduated in 1945 from Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco, California, later attending San Francisco City College and Reedley City College. He proudly served in the U.S. Army at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland where he was an instrument repair tech and marksman, and received the WWII Victory Medal. Robert married the love of his life Dorothy Quist on February 5, 1949 at the First United Methodist Church of Las Vegas, Nevada. He then went on to receive his B.S. and O.D. from University of California, Berkeley, graduating with honors from the School of Optometry. Soon after his graduation in 1952, Robert and Dorothy moved to Hanford, California where they settled and raised their family of four children. Dr. Jensen practiced optometry in Hanford for 59 years until his retirement in July 2011, the last 52 from his office on the corner of Grangeville & Douty.

Some of Robert’s favorite Minnesota boyhood pastimes included ice skating, sledding, and rafting down the Mississippi River. In his youth he was an active Boy Scout, as an adult he helped lead the Hanford Explorer Scout Troop 400 for 25 years. Dr. Jensen continued hiking and backpacking in the Sierras with some of those same scouts until well into his 80’s. Robert also enjoyed photography, fishing, woodworking, gardening, and was an avid bicycler who was regularly seen cycling to work and on longer rides around the San Joaquin Valley. Dr. Jensen was a member the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco, longtime member and president of both the Hanford Lions Club and the Tulare-Kings Optometric Society. Robert also served as vice chair of the Republican Central Committee of Kings County. He was appointed to the board of the Hanford Community Hospital in 1953, and performed pro bono optometry screenings at Hanford Elementary and other area schools. Dr. & Mrs. Jensen have been members of the First United Methodist Church of Hanford, California since 1952, where Robert served as a Trustee, Chairman of the Board and Chair of the Building Committee for the church over the years.

Dr. Robert L. Jensen is preceded in death by his parents Emanuel & Andrea Jensen, and sister Constance Jensen Ragus. Robert is survived by his beloved wife of 63 beautiful years, Dorothy Quist Jensen of Hanford, California. He will be truly missed by his four loving children; Dr. Lois Jensen of Santa Rosa, Dea Jensen of Los Angeles, Paul & his wife Karen Jensen of Plano, TX, and Kristen Jensen & her husband Fernando Nell of Scotts Valley, CA. Dr. Jensen leaves behind five precious grandchildren; Kristen & Joanna Proctor of Santa Rosa, and Kayla, Andrew & Erika Jensen of Plano, TX.

Dr. Robert L. Jensen will be missed by all his family, friends and many patients!

A Visitation will be held on Friday, June 1, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at People’s Funeral Chapel; 501 N. Douty Street, Hanford, CA 93230 559-584-5591. A Celebration of Life memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 2, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Hanford; 505 N. Redington Street, Hanford, CA 93230 (559) 584-4075. A private burial will take place at Reedley Cemetery District, Reedley, California.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be sent in Dr. Jensen’s name to First United Methodist Church of Hanford; 505 N. Redington Street, Hanford, CA 93230 (559) 584-4075, U.C. Berkeley School of Optometry; 397 Minor Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 (510) 642-9537 or to the Boy Scouts of America; www.aplacetogive.scouting.org