(Albuquerque, NM) - Anthony Lee "Papa" Jensen, age 67, passed away peacefully and was called to his Heavenly Home on March 19, 2008 after a courageous battle against congestive heart failure.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 32 years, Sharon Louise, daughter Cynthia Marie, granddaughters, Norah Marie and Samantha Lee, sister Dixie Shepherd of Pocatello, Idaho, "adopted" sister Cheryl Beirne of Whitehall, Montana; cousins Joy Neiman and Kelly and Rick Apgood of Salt Lake City; Jerry and Joan Miles and family of Logan, Utah; niece Cecelia Watson and family of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and many beloved friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Martha Marie and Edward A. Jensen and other beloved family members.
Lee was born and raised in Montpelier, Idaho, and attended Idaho State University with a degree in Design Engineering. He later moved to New Mexico in 1965 where he attended the University of New Mexico majoring in Astrophysics. He was retired from Sandia National Laboratories where he was a Member of the Technical Staff. Prior to working at Sandia, he worked in the aerospace industry designing Minute Man Missiles and rocket boosters.
He loved God, his family, friends, his country and the deserts of the southwest. He loved to fly fish the streams of northern NM and Idaho; he enjoyed flying and he rebuilt and restored a Piper Pacer airplane which he and his wife flew across the U.S. He also flew injured wildlife for Wildlife Rescue. When his health prevented him from flying big airplanes, he built and flew radio controlled airplanes and had owned and operated Pacer Hobby Shop. He and his wife enjoyed camping and traveling in their Montana 5th wheeler RV coast to coast and to their favorite camping areas, Red River, NM, and Tombstone, Arizona; they had enjoyed taking cruises and had traveled to Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, Alaska, Europe and the Panama Canal. Lee was a man of many talents and interests. He was a silversmith, he enjoyed woodworking, making clocks, dulcimers, harps, and telescopes. He tooled leather and did aerial and wedding photography. He loved to cook for family and friends. He designed the Oxy Holder for carrying portable oxygen units. He had been one of the founding members of the Board of Directors for the Albuquerque Aquarium serving as Treasurer. He was a member of the Single Action Cowboy Shooting Society, the Rio Grande Renegades and the Magdelena Trail Drivers. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and served in various capacities in his church including serving as an Ordinance Worker at the Albuquerque Temple. He brought joy, love and laughter into our lives. He was loving, gentle, caring and lived a fulfilled and abundant life of love, devotion and service. He will be sadly missed by all whose lives he touched.
The family would like to extend special thanks to the compassionate and caring medical staff of Presbyterian Cardiac Progressive Care in particular, Dr. Charles Karaian; Dr. David Mayshack and the Palliative Care medical team; and Rev. Beth Gingrich, Staff Chaplain. The family is especially grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers and support of family and friends.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, March 25, at 11:00 a.m. at French Mortuary, 7121 Wyoming Blvd., NE. Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Park.
Happy Trails To You, Until We Meet Again My Love.
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico – March 23, 2008