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Barb J. Jensen, 86, of Fort Dodge, passed away peacefully Saturday July 22, 2023, at the Marian Home, surrounded by loving family.
Funeral services will be held at St Olaf Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge, Iowa, this Friday at 10:30 AM with Rev. Emily Sauer officiating. Burial will follow at North Lawn Cemetery. A visitation will be held at Laufersweiler Funeral Home from 4-7 PM on Thursday evening.
Barb is survived by her husband, Howard; sons Scott (Tiffany Chenault) Jensen of Boston, MA, Andrew (Stacy) Jensen of Marietta, GA; daughter Jolynn (Mike) Sunken of Fort Dodge; grandchildren, Nate (Candace) Sunken, Rebecca (Austin) Read, and Enzo Jensen; and great grandchildren Maren Sunken and Linden Read.
Barb is preceded in death by her infant son, John Edward Jensen; parents Arthur and Alice (Bramer) Routledge, sister Pat Forsberg, brother-in-law Robert Forsberg, and nephew Will Forsberg.
Barbara Jean Routledge was born on August 13, 1936, to Arthur and Alice Routledge in Sioux City, IA. She was raised and educated in Sioux City, graduating from Sioux City Central High School. She then attended Morningside College in Sioux City for a year before transferring to and graduating from Augustana College in Sioux Falls. She and Howard Jensen were united in marriage on June 17, 1961. The couple lived in Omaha, Sac City, and Hampton until establishing their home in Fort Dodge in 1967. For several years, Barb worked for Social Security as a claim representative. She then worked for the Fort Dodge Community School District as the librarian at Hillcrest Elementary School for 15 years until her retirement from the school system in 1996. She also owned and operated the Jensen Lettering Service in Fort Dodge for many years.
At home, Barb was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, and was elated to become a great-grandmother just months ago. She touched the lives of so many people with her warmth, generosity, humor, and kindness. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and indeed, all those who knew her.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her name to the Almost Home Animal Shelter in Fort Dodge (https://www.almosthomeiowa.org/how-to-help).