James (Jimmy) Robert Jensen 88, a resident of Silver City entered eternal rest Thursday, February 19, 2009 at Fort Bayard Medical Center. A Celebration of his life will be conducted on March 8th at 4pm at Terrazas Funeral Chapels with Father Croft officiating. In early May an additional service will be celebrated in Mitchell, Nebraska at Jones Funeral Chapel with inurnment of cremains at Forest Lane Cemetery in Morrill, Nebraska. James Robert Jensen was born May 8, 1920 in Scottsbluff County, Nebraska to Jens Christain and Winnie Ethel (Parker) Jensen. Following graduation from Liberty High School in 1937, he started farming. On May 7, 1941 he married Lilly Willeen DeVeny. Together, the young couple became a part of the Dutch Flats Community and faced the challenges of farming and raising cattle and sheep in the mid-west. In the blizzard of 1949, over fifty of his lambs were buried in the snow. However, that year the price of wool compensated for the loss! As a father, he always found time for going to the swimming hole, sled-riding tractor style, pitching base-balls, and Father-Daughter trips to Cheyenne Frontier Days and shopping. He was active in the Methodist Church and the Masonic Lodge. After over twenty years of farming, the Jensen family moved to Austin, TX and Jimmy's career turned to driving for Mayflower and United Van Lines. Whenever possible, the Jensen couple saw a great deal of the United States during this time. Following his retirement, he and Willeen moved to Silver City, NM to be near the Bell family. He belonged to Westerner's and Masonic and Elks Lodge. He was a faithful donor to the United Blood Services. Jimmy enjoyed his "miniature farm"-his back yard, reading, doing crossword puzzles, playing cards and fishing. He always had carpentry projects such as a barn for the Bells'. He loved traveling with family and friends, and later took longer trips in the couples' motor home. Often these trips included the roads not always taken by others. His last trip was to northern Denmark to meet and visit his cousins. Throughout his life, he kept a strong tie to the Platte Valley. He was especially proud when the "Cornhusker's were Number 1. He was preceded in death by his wife, Willeen; one sister Frances. He is survived by his daughter, Cecilia Bell and her husband Dr. John Bell; three grandsons, Dr. Michael Bell and his wife Linda; Matthew Bell and his wife Kathy; Mark Bell and his wife Marylee. He is also survived by five great-grandchildren, Amy, Jimmy, John Michael, Timmy and Carmen all of Las Cruces; three sisters, Bertha Libershal of Baltimore, Maryland, Edna Maloy and Erma Carpenter of Austin, TX. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be given to the Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society, P.O. Box 280, Fort Bayard, NM 88036 or the City Library of Morrill, Nebraska. Cremation will take place at Terrazas Crematory. Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels and Terrazas Crematory "Trusted care for the ones you love" ~ (575)537-0777. To send condolences, visit www.terrazasfuneralchapel.com