Betty Slack Jensen

Betty Slack Jensen, 90, of Kearney, formerly of Gothenburg, Nebraska, died December 5, 2015 in Kearney, NE.

Ione "Betty" was born on October 4, 1925 on the Will Schick place on Fox Creek to Forrest and Blanch (Weismann) Grunden.

Betty grew up on farms north of Curtis. She attended schools in Frontier and Lincoln Counties, graduated from Nebraska School of Agriculture (NSA) in Curtis, NE in May 1943.  She taught elementary school in Lincoln County from 1943-1945.

On December 26, 1944 she married Sanford “John” Arville Slack.  They lived on a farm 22 miles south of Maxwell.  In August 1959 they moved to a farm 3 miles West of Gothenburg.  She lived there until moving to Northridge Retirement Community, Kearney, NE on October 4, 2003.  Her husband John Slack passed away on August 28, 1985.  She married Aksel Jensen on April 17,1990. Betty was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Women’s Society where she served as a leader for several years.  She was also a member of the LC Extension Club. She enjoyed gardening.  She loved flowers and many years had huge gardens and canned the vegetables.  She also enjoyed cooking and baking and trying new recipes, playing cards, embroidering, square dancing and traveling.  She was very involved in operating the family ranch and farm.  She loved nature and had a great respect for the land and enjoyed taking care of the cattle.

Survivors include her husband:  Aksel V Jensen, three daughters:  Janice (Don) Gaudreault, Keystone, NE;  Diane (Bruce) Johnson, Eaton, CO; and Sandra(Neil) Hawley, Garden City, KS; daughter-in-law:  Paula Slack, Seward NE; step daughters Jane (Gary) Marshall, Fresco, TX and Carol (Jim) Voss, Running Springs, CA; 11 grand children, 9 step grand children, 21 great grand children,  12 step great grand children; her brother: Harvey (Myrna) Grunden and a sister-in-law Marilyn Slack Phillips; along with many Nieces and Nephews, friends and relatives.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband: Sanford (John) Slack,  her parents, son:  John F Slack, sister: Audrey Krone, brother-in-law:  Ed Krone, brother:  Harold Grunden; along with 8 brother-in-laws and 8 sister-in-laws.

Visitation will be held at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Gothenburg, Nebraska; Friday, December 11, 2015, 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm with the family present from 5:00-7:00 pm.

Services will be held at First United Methodist Church,Gothenburg, NE, December 12, 2015 at 10:00 am with Pastor Joel Plisek officiating.

Interment will follow in the Gothenburg Cemetery, Gothenburg, Nebraska.

Memorials may be given to the First United Methodist Church, Gothenburg, NE or The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson Research.