Ann (Ellefson) Jensen

Ann (Ellefson) Jensen, age 79, of Minnetonka, Minnesota; formerly of Spring Valley, Wisconsin, passed away suddenly Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Visitation for Ann will be from noon until 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 20, 2023, at Keehr Funeral Home, Spring Valley.

A graveside service will follow at 3 p.m. at St. Henry’s Catholic Cemetery in Eau Galle, Wisconsin.

Ann was born October 19, 1943, to Harvey and Carmen (Porteous) Ellefson in St. Paul, Minnesota.  She was baptized, confirmed, and married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Spring Valley, Wisconsin where she attended school and graduated with the Class of 1961. Ann was crowned Lumberjack Queen that same year.

After high school, she continued her education at UW-River Falls and earned a Bachelor’s degree in speech therapy and a minor in art.  She worked most of her career as a speech therapist for the Wayzata Public School district in Minnesota.

On November 27, 1965  she married Byron Jensen.  They were blessed with two sons: Christopher and Nathan.  She was passionate about two things: her family and her students.  She enjoyed being active with her boys and returning to Spring Valley to spend time with family.

Ann was a good listener to all and always had a kind word to make people feel special. It was not uncommon for her sons to hear “Your mom is such a nice lady!”

When asked when she was her happiest, Ann would say it was right after she got married…and also when she went camping with the family in their pop-up camper. In her retirement, Ann enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and friends and volunteering for ICA food shelf.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sister Mary Johnson; sister-in-law Rochelle Painter; father-in-law Lester Jensen; and mother-in -law Bernice Jensen.

She is survived by her husband Byron; sons: Christopher Jensen, and Nathan (Joyce) Jensen; 4 grandchildren: Evan, Katelyn, Carter, and Reed; brothers: Tom (Jan) Ellefson; Terry (Rhonda) Ellefson; in-laws: Diane (Grant) Ness and Jill Anderson; other relatives and friends.

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