Shawnie Jensen

Shawnie was born October 24, 1935, in Burley, Idaho, to Gordon Hansen and Gladys Lyons Hansen. She was the second child in a family that grew to six children. She lived a happy child in Burley. One cold day, there was great excitement in the town. Shawnie's Uncle Orrin arrived. He trained pilots in WWII, so he just flew his plane to Burley to see his mother. Two military men had to stand in the cold guarding the airplane. Shawnie always felt sorry for them.

When Shawnie’s youngest brother Craig was born, they became fast friends. That continues to this day. In high school, she met Richard Jensen. They were married a few weeks after Shawnie graduated. Her babies came close together and she adored them all. Getting them all dressed up for Easter Sunday was fun for her. Shawnie sewed for her children. She made sweet little smocked nightgowns for all of her children and for countless other babies as gifts. She was so skilled at making them she didn't need a pattern. She just cut them out and sewed them up and they were always perfect. Shawnie also liked to clothe her grandchildren. Her grandson Tom remembers Grandma taking him and his brothers to the King's store and dressing them right there in the aisle. He didn't mind it at the time, but now that he's in his forties he hopes no one finds out. One Christmas she bought all of the grandsons matching bomber jackets. One of the granddaughters was a little jealous, but Grandma bought the girl's beautiful dresses. She even bought son-in-law Bill a suit one time because she thought he needed it.

Shawnie was unfailingly kind and generous to a fault. She was a fantastic cook with the skills to make a delicious meal out of next to nothing. And she was the finest gravy maker you would ever meet. Sometimes, life was tough but she NEVER failed her family at mealtime.

Shawnie was always a mother. She mothered her younger siblings. She mothered her own five children and wanted tried to take care of them right to the end. She stood behind them to urge them on and stood in front of them to protect them from the bad things of the world. At the end, they stood in front of her to keep her safe.

Shawnie is survived by her husband, Richard, and their five children: Kerry and wife Karyl, Kevin, Julie and husband Bill Whitesell, Laura and husband Ben Cale, and Elizabeth, known as Betsy; 13 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; siblings Ken, Larry and wife Janice, Susan Hartle, Brad and wife LaRae, and Craig and wife Carol. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gordon and Gladys Hansen, sister-in-law Bonnie Hansen, and brother-in-law Ron Hartle.

The family would like to thank the staff at Horizon Home Health & Hospice for going above and beyond in their care for Shawnie.

Shawnie was never ashamed or hesitant to let people know she is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The world is a little less pleasant with Shawnie gone.