Vanessa R. (Ellis) Jensen

She was born at Walla Walla General Hospital in Walla Walla, Washington on May 27, 1958, the first child to the Ken and Gerrie Ellis (Boss). Vanessa attended Walla Walla Valley Academy graduating in 1976. She earned a BA in Art from Walla Walla College in 1980 and a BFA in print making at the University of Washington in 1981. She married Roy Jensen in College Place, Washington in December 20, 1981. They lived together in Loma Linda, California, Rapid City, South Dakota and Kirkland, Washington before settling down in Bothell, Washington in 1989. They had two children, a daughter, Sahale, was born in Rapid City, South Dakota in 1988; a son, Erik, was born in Bellevue, Washington in 1991. For nearly 20 years Vanessa was a children's art teacher at Arts Umbrella in Bothell and Cypress Adventist School in Lynnwood, Washington. She decided to retire from teaching when diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and devoted her remaining time to her many creative projects, family, traveling and fighting cancer. Vanessa was preceded in death by her younger sister Pam (Mohr). She is survived by her husband Roy, children Sahale and Erik, and parents Ken and Gerrie Ellis of Lake Stevens, Washington.

A memorial service celebrating Vanessa's life is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Saturday, April 18, 2015 at the Kirkland SDA Church, 6400 108th Ave NE, Kirkland, Washington with a reception to follow. Suggested memorials to the Cypress School Scholarship Fund, 21500 Cypress Way, Suite A, Lynnwood, WA 98036

Burial arrangements under the direction of Acacia Memorial Park.