Lyle,  I would like to thank you for allowing me access into a world I until then only watched from a far.  I brought a baby bird to NEA, and my life changed on that day. I spent much of the next four years at that park, learning as much as possible.  I later went into a 10 year career in veterinary medicine.  I have never stopped loving or treating wildlife. I am so grateful to have been given the chance to learn and experience so much.
Jen and Peggy, I am truly sorry for your loss. 
Joy

So sorry to hear about your wonderful husband.  He was one-of-a-kind, very kind to me when I was a child, I hung out at his Pleasant St. house before NEA where I got to handle the animals. I'll never forget when he called my father to bring me over to see a "kitten" and it was a baby Bengal tiger!  He was really an inspiration, a great guy whom I loved to have a beer with periodically when I was passing through town, and we'd talk for hours about the Amazon. He'll be greatly missed by many people and animal friends.  Take care of each other and best to your family during this rough time.  Linda Camplese (nee Borgatti)

My names frank and i work with peg peg , i can honestly say pegs one of the most unselfise people  i know , when here husband lyle was very sick , she step up to the plate like she always does and helped another family that was mourning the death of there daughter , but thats peg always helping others, lyle was a lucky man to have such a wonderful wife and i know they will be together again in the after life. . I knew lyle a little by seeing him at the restaurant and he was always ready to say Hi how your doing or offering help. he,s in a better place now, and i wish nothing but the best for peggy his wife hang in there peggy, and i,m sorry for your lose. your friend always frank , rest in peace lyle wish i knew you better.....

Lyle, you were a unique individual to say the least. We love you and will never forget you, and our good times together.

A man that respected, appreciate and loved nature. Lyle was an amazing friend / man that encouraged children through hands on experiances to do the same... I was very lucky to have known  Lyle my entire life. Our hometown of  Ipswich should feel honored to have known  such a  loving kindered spirit  as Lyle Jensen, I Know I am! Thank you Lyle for showing me that we are idividuals that can and should walk through life enjoying the beat of our own drum regardless of age and expectations of others... ..oxooxoxxo

My thoughts and prayers are with your family. Lyle is the reason I am passionate about animals. He gave me my first job when I was young at New England alive. I will never forget him and what he taught me. He lived a wonderful life and I will never forget him.

Uncle Lyle, thank you for the years at New England Alive and everything you taught me. Your heart was so generous. I admire that you lived life as your own person and without regret. I love you! May your soul be at peace.
Your legacy will live on in our family and in all the lives of the people you touched!  I have never met another person with so much charisma and personality as you had.  You will be missed!

Lyle, I will always remember your warm smile, the twinkle in your eye and the love you brought to so many lives.  You will be dearly missed my friend. God rest your soul, you're finally at peace.

i am an animal rescuer......when people ask me....why i do what i do...i dont know what to say......but i know the first animal rescue person in my life was lyle jensen....he lived next door to us...and was a animal rescuer, rehaber for wild animals....i always say that the seed that was planted in my brain that started my animal rescue work, was lyle....i know lyle is in a place with all the animals he helped over the years.....thank u lyle
T PAQUIN, CORDES JUNCTION AZ

I will always remember Lyle with a laugh & a smile. Always left me laughing! He was as eccentric as anyone could ever be, but he was always happy. Was always ready with a story about his adventures & then his life with Peggy to tell, which was also an adventure. He loved her so much.  He lived his life his way. He truly lived, loved dearly & laughed, & did what he wanted. He did it his way.   What more can anyone ask for in their life? He will live on! In everyone he touched!

Jen,
My heart is saddened knowing the loss you must feel. I remember the day when we got the news that you were going to come into this life. The excitement, the tears of joy your mom and dad felt was like a miracle...and you truly were a miracle child. The love your dad had for you was unconditional. Your dad had much love for all things in life. My fondest is what a great Santa he was at Christmas. If you were his friend and you had kids his blue Mustang would appear and out came Santa. Each house he got a little happier if you know what I mean. His love of animals no matter how big or small will be remembered by all. You had many pets growing up, Toto the monkey, Flower the Skunk, the dogs, cats, birds. Even the wildlife were all pets to him. NEA is what his life was all about. He will surely be missed by all the hearts he has touched. 

To Peggy and family, although I have never met you, knowing Lyle and reading the tribute and pictures you posted only shows how special he was to you. My thoughts and prayers are with you all during these sad days. Lyle will forever be remembered for his kind heart and soul.

My Dear Husband,
Thank you for the incredible journey that we travelled together. Life with you was an adventure that I would not have missed out on for anything in the world. We had a lot of fun, enjoyed many different aspects of life together and I learned so many things from you, I will remember and treasure always. You enhanced my life and helped me feel the world and nature through my heart. You loved life, nature, animals and me, with everything in your being, and for that I thank you. You believed you were one with nature..........and with all the love you gave to all creatures great and small, I believe you were. Thank you for the wonderful ride..................love Your Dragonfly....Peggy

Lyle was my inspiration for a deep love of animals..As a young girl,my family and I would go to Peg & Lyles home even before NEA opened, and I just remember the animals he had everywhere. I had to touch & feel them all. I remember Yogis love bite to my sneaker. My family would happily take the overflow of orphaned raccoons, squirrels, possums from Lyle. We have pictures of 7 or 8 raccoons running on our front lawn with our dogs.He had compassion beyond belief and taught me to do the same, how to care for them, and then be release them back to nature, knowing that is where they belonged...to this day, I get calls from people to take a bird, baby bunnies, squirrels. Thank you Lyle for giving me that gift. To the Jensen Family, my heart & prayers go out to you all. Deepest condolences, Robyn Kippin Lafata

Lyle was one of a kind, as everyone that knew him knows.
we visited his animal sanctury in ipswich many times with our kids
and loved it.
he will be missed by us and a lot of people  god bless
dave and sandy o'connor

Your one of the best friends i ever had.I'll never forget you.

One of kind, a true friend I will never forget. Rest in peace Lyle.

I was so sorry to hear about your loss... my thoughts are with you all.

Many years have passed since the Jensens lived in South Dakota and we were little cousins playing in the stairway hall of their home in Brookings. I remember fun times then and as a teenager when my famiy visited the cousins in Massachusetts, and Lyle & Chuck showed us the sights of the towns! Time passes, and we move on in our lives, but family remains constant in our hearts.  My thoughts and prayers are with all of the family during this time.  May your thoughts be filled with good memories and your hearts with love.

The animal world was a lonelier place the day Lyle left this earth.  His love of animals and the care he gave each one as if they were his children always touched me when I worked with him at NE Alive.  Not only did I get the best workout I have EVER had in my life but I got a new appreciation for animals. He is now continuing his protection of those animals in need from heaven and he will be sorely missed.  My deepest condolensces to you, his family, and please always know that he was loved and will be missed!! Lori Guernelli ( Haverhill MA)

A one of a kind man. We are all better having known him. May God be with you all. Thank you Lyle!

May Lyle rest in peace. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Lyle was a good friend to me and was very nice to my dad when he was sick, he took time for my dad even though he was going through his own troubles. I always believed in Lyle and what he was doing.
I am going to miss him so very much.
I hope he finds peace and true happiness on the other side.Lyle was a true friend in every meaning of the word.
        With Sympathy and Love
          Diane Fessenden-Cassidy

Jen, Peggy & Family ~ My deepest & most sincere condolences to you all. I am honored to have so many amazing memories of Lyle that began almost 20 years ago. He always had a way about him that would brighten up anyone's day! I've always thought of him as my 2nd dad, and Jen love you like a sister. I am blessed to have been able to tell him just a few weeks ago how much I loved him. Stay strong, as he would like us all to stand proud! In loving memory "Lyle", your legacy will live on forever ~

Lyle was a special person.. He will be remembered in many ways . He loved teaching the kids about the wildlife and was a person i have know all my life ... May God Be With all of his family at this time..

Jennifer & family So sorry to hear about your Dad's passing.  He was a great person.  My daughters and I had many birthday parties at New England Alive  with all the  animals he had in his care---my kids loved it there! Lyle always had a smile and friendly conversations with everyone.  God Bless Pat Emery

To Lyle's family:
I am very sorry to hear of your loss, Lyle was such a wonderful, caring man.  He touched so many lives, and inspired many.  He will be missed greatly

To My "Massachusetts Cousins" - My sympathies.  I am sure Lyle will be missed.  I can't guess how much room there is here to write, but I have just begun.  My memories of Lyle and Chuckie too, go way back as far as I can remember - about the age of 5.  I remember Lyle as Junior.  We two always found something to get us into troble with or parents and usually Junior and I would get the giggles and then our parents would let us get up from our dunce chair in the corner.  One time we made a lot of snow balls and placed them all on the rear bumper of my dads '49 Chevy.  We were called into the house - for supper i think - and forgot about our "ammnition" for snowballing Chuckie and Valerie.  The snowballs were still there in the morning - solid as a rock on the bumper.  When dad finished combining the oats and I finished unloading  it during August 1963, my family took a trip to the east coast and visited relatives out and back for 2 1/2 weeks.  We did stay in Ipswich for 3-4 days.  That was the last time I saw Lyle Jr.  He drove me and Valerie around the area and to the ocean.  That was probably the best part of our vacation - most of the other relatives just fed us!  A few years ago after Lyle Sr passed away, Lyle Jr. called me and said he might come to SD.  He didn't and I wish now he had.  I sounds like his animal farm was a really good thing for the community where he lived.  That whole family of Aunt Christa's is/was a fun bunch of cousins and I think about many of them often.  Again, my sympathies - with love to all  my cousins.  Kathi Green Loban

RIP Lyle. You will forever be remembered and loved. I will never forget my summers spent with my daughter at NEA. It was her favorite place in the world. It was better than any zoo i have ever taken my kids to.You taught so many children the value of our wildlife and we are eternally grateful.Thank you for all you did for the animals and our children. NEA was the best place in the world.

Jennifer & Family,

So sorry to hear of your loss and wish I could be there to help celebrate your Dad. Please know my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Love,
Alison

My deepest sympathy to Lyle's family,and my thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of sorrow. Lyle was such an amazingly inspiring man, having spent many many summers at N.E.A playing with the new chicks to completing my internship there my junior year at E.A.T.I which to this day was the most amazing summer of my life... i can only say say thank you to Lyle for profound life lessons, cherished memories and adventurous stories that I share with anyone who will listen. Lyle will forever remain very much apart of the living world by all who have been fortunate enough to cross paths with him. Rest In peace Lyle <3

Lyle's rehabilitation center was across from the day care where I was director.  He was such an asset to our program and was greatly missed by the community when he moved away!  I'll never forget his kindness to animals and people alike.  He was a gem and the world is less kind without him!

Peggy,
What a wonderful photo tribute to Lyle. He was a wonderful guy.  Our thoughts are with you.

Thank you Lyle for teaching me my whole life. And for being there for me through good times and bad. You are allway's in my mind and Heart. And you are deeply missed and will never be forgotten. My friend and family, ILove You

Peggy, Lyle truly was a wonderful man wasn't he? I wish that I had gotten to know him better. I had no idea what he had such a passion for animals. Your friend seemed to have summed him up best when she said he was Grizzly Adams and Crocodile Dundee rolled into one. God Bless you and your family during these sad times.

Rest in peace Lyle. You were an awesome cousin and an even better godfather. I will always remember the times we spent at Bensons Wild Animal Farm, Canobie and York Zoo. Going to Pearly's Store for candy and all of our family outings. The Jensen family will have a large hole in it from now on. I hope you find peace and happiness with your family and friends in heaven. We love you Jen and Peggy.

My deepest sympathies to Lyle's family and friends. I am so happy to have known him since a young child. Having the privilege of living across the street I was over there every chance I got volunteering. Lyle tough me so much about domestic and the wild animals and made me the Animal Geek I am today. May he R.I.P and he will forever be in thoughts and prayers

To Jennifer and Casey and Livia and Lindsey, We are very sorry for your loss.  You will find GREAT peace in his memories and life lessons.  If you need anything please call.

The Jensen`s and Fox`s together are why Yogie had so many friends along the way. Lyle you will missed, but never forgotten.     Love Ya All, Deb Robbins " Plymouth,IN.

I knew Lyle since I was a little girl in Ipswich Ma, a friend of the family. Always our Grizzly Adams always would help you out and his love for all animals. I have never and dont believe I will ever meet anyone like him in my life! Condolences to all his family. He is home know with all the animals!!!

God Bless you Lyle and God bless your family. Rest in Piece. Bob & Eric.

Peggy and family, my thoughts and prayers are with you, may you find peace in your memories and in the love you shared.

Peggy, our thoughts and prayers are with you through this difficult time.  We know you have your family and friends with you for comfort and support.  Lyle was a wonderful man and will be greatly missed.
Lynne & Steve

I think had I known Lyle our love of animals and wildlife would have made us friends.  With heartfelt sympathy, Sheila

To Peggy and Lyles' family, my prayers are with all of you. It was always a pleasure talking to Lyle about his adventures especially the one in New England. Lyle is still now with all those animals. Peggy, if there is anything you need, don't hesitate to call me. My deepest condolences to all.

John Pacheco "JP"

To Peggy and Lyles' entire family, my prayers are with all of you. It was always a pleasure talking to Lyle about his adventures , especially the one in New England. He is now still playing with all the animals. Peggy if you need anything, don't hesitate to call me. My deepest condolences.

John Pacheco "JP"

Peggy,
Our sincere condolences to you and all your family.  And to Lyle, you were a wonderful individual and God bless you for having served our country.  We're gonna miss ya and " can I see your lisence and registeration."  You will be missed.
Richie & Penny

Lyle was part of my memories growing up. New England Alive is something I always miss. I am thankful to have know Lyle. My prayers go out to the family and friends who will miss him greatly. Wish I made it to the Amazon with you Lyle!

John Gianakakis Jr. (JJ) & Family

Lyle lived life to the fullest and was a great adventurer.  I remember him saying many years ago that he would go to his grave knowing he had done everything in life he wanted to do.  
May you rest in peace, Lyle.  Everyone who met you will remember you well.  I know the town of Ipswich, Mass will always remember the great things you did for the town, and your great spirit.
My sincere condolences to Lyle's family..

To Lyle's Family:
I was so sorry to hear of Lyle's passing and I know that he will be sorely missed.  He was a larger than life character - Grizzly Adams and Crocodile Dundee rolled into one!  May you all find peace in the happy memories you have of Lyle.

OBITUARY

Lyle C. Jensen Jr.

January 26, 1946 – March 24, 2011

Garden Sanctuary Funeral Home & Cemetery

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