Gary Jensen

Gary Lorenzo Jensen was the third of seven children born to Harold Carpenter and Adeline Flukiger Jensen. He was born on New Year's Day morning at 12:15 a.m. in a one room apartment above what was the Bedford Creamery. He later asked his mother if she had received some type of reward for possibly delivering the first child of 1933. Grandma responded, "We're in a depression and people can't worry about such trivial things."

Dad is a proud descendant of the Danish and Swiss ancestors that immigrated to the harsh, but beautiful Star Valley area in the 1850's. He attended Bedford Elementary School and later Star Valley High School. He shared a bedroom with his 3 brothers in the old Flukiger home. While times were tough across the nation, the Jensen family had plenty of meat, potatoes and vegetables, all types of wonderful dairy products…the best cheeses, curd and ice cream.

Dad's fond memories of his youth include going to the Afton Rodeo every 4th of July and also racing horses at the annual County Fair. He loved to shoot guns and play marbles with his older brother, Hal. He cherished the evenings when he was allowed to go fishing with his dad and he became an excellent fly fisherman.

Dad had a rich, base singing voice and was chosen by his choir teacher to get the lead part in the school operetta, performing as "Shangila" the Indian Chief…It was his first solo and he was so proud to have his picture put in the yearbook. Dad enjoyed singing in various choirs throughout the years and it was a special memory for him to perform as The Savior, Jesus Christ, in a Christmas musical program.

Dad was a natural athlete and he felt very discouraged to not be able to participate in school sports, as he was expected to milk the cows every morning and night. He so badly wanted a "letterman's jacket" that a punching bag was hung in the chicken coop where the brothers practiced boxing. After participating in community matches they were able to receive their coveted jackets.

The Jensen family relocated to Sacramento, California during Dad's senior year and he vividly remembers being made fun of for being a "country boy" and getting in a couple of fights as a result. Gradually, he learned to fit in and made friends with some terrific LDS kids that he still fondly remembers.

In 1950 Dad was called to serve a 2.5 year mission to Copenhagen, Denmark as an 18 year old. He grew to greatly love the Danish people, and he would become emotional when he shared stories about a poor Danish family living in a worn down cottage above their livestock…a way for staying warm. They had little to offer and he was served horse meat for the first time. Dad became very proficient with the language and in his words, was "accused of being a true Dane" by the time he left.

After returning home, he was immediately drafted into the Army and served for 2 years in Poitiers, France. He ranked #1 for aptitude in Morse Code and became a High Speed Radio Operator for the course of his service. He was also designated "Expert Rifleman."

While working on his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences at Brigham Young University, Dad took notice of a girl in his accounting class. He remarked on her beauty to a classmate, who quickly told him, "She wouldn't date you if you were the Prophet's son!" Gary eventually married that pretty girl from the backwoods of Texas, our Mom, Hazel Joanne Best in the Salt Lake Temple and they would became the parents of 5 children.

Dad received his Masters Degree at BYU and then his Doctorate Degree at the University of California, Berkeley and wrote his thesis on the Alfalfa Weevil. Dad always acknowledged our mother for her endless encouragement in these pursuits and for working to put him through school without ever complaining.

Dad's first position took our family clear back to beautiful New England where he was Assistant Professor at The University of Massachusetts. After seven years, a transfer was made to Montana State University, where he became full professor of Entomology. In addition to teaching, he frequently worked with farmers across the western states, inspecting potatoes for disease and also working with some national parks like Yellowstone and Glacier with their beetle infestation problems. The license plate on Dad's car fittingly read, "Bug Dr."

Dad's great love of nature…all varieties of natural outdoor settings, all species of animals, insects and especially birds… impacted us all during our childhood. He was a beautiful painter and often used a microscope to paint intricate depictions onto canvas, rock or slices of deer antlers. Dad also became skilled in polishing and cutting gem stones and setting them into rings, earrings and necklaces.

Dad was playful and sometimes full of mischief. We all enjoyed taking road trips and hearing all the shenanigans and pranks he pulled as a young boy…tipping over outhouses and cows in the field. He would jump on the trampoline with us, read bedtimes stories and act out the parts with dramatic flair and voice changes. He would send us to school with tarantulas for "Show and Tell"… knowing it would alarm the unsuspecting teachers. He would show up at our school to check us out, so that we could go fishing or bull frogging with him. We loved camping with Dad and listening to him play the harmonica around the campfire and under the stars.

A special experience before he began his decline was taking Dad to the Star Valley Temple and helping him seal some of his ancestors together as families. We discovered many patrons in the room were indeed some sort of relation to him and they fondly remembered the Harold and Adeline Jensen family.

In August 2025, Gary's five children, Jill, Kirk, Juli, Joi and Jodi, held a "Celebration of Life" service so that friends and family could visit and pay their respects while he was living. It was well attended and a sweet experience to honor our good father.

Gary Lorenzo Jensen gently passed away on February 20th, 2026. Dad will be buried with his sweetheart in the Veteran's section in Sunset Hills Cemetery in Bozeman, Montana, where a small graveside service will be conducted.