- Date Of Birth: November 19, 1933
- Date Of Death: March 27, 2015
- State: Arizona
Theodore Earl “Ted” Jensen, age 81, of Surprise, Arizona passed away on March 27, 2015. Owing to his Scandinavian heritage, Ted was also affectionately referred to as “Swede” by close friends. Ted was born to the late Sigurd and Agnes (Peterson) Jensen on November 19, 1933 at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois. In addition to his parents, Ted is also predeceased by his sister, Lois (Jensen) Winar.
Ted graduated from Oak Park – River Forest High School and attended the University of Illinois. An Army veteran, he proudly served at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the mid 1950’s. On June 6, 1959, Ted married the love of his life, Shirley, and they spent 55 years together. In the early 1970’s Ted and Shirley made a life changing move from the Chicagoland area to Arizona. After a three year respite, owning and working a small ranch in Northern Arizona, the family relocated to Scottsdale.
Ted had a love of the West and the outdoors since childhood, taking the family on many westward adventures, including horseback riding and jeep excursions of the Rocky Mountains. Ted also enjoyed hunting and had a passion for aircraft and flying.
Despite a few stints in the Los Angeles area for his professional endeavors, Ted always loved and returned to his adopted desert home. A mechanical and electrical engineer by trade, Ted worked for several firms over his 40+ year career, chief among them were Sanford Ink in Bellwood, Illinois, Siemens, (formerly Dickson Electronics) in Scottsdale and Mesa, Arizona, and Unique Industries in Sun Valley, California. He retired in 1998 from W.L. Gore and Associates. Ted possessed a uniquely keen technical mind and had talented hands. Holding several patents for machine design, he had the enviable talent to build or repair just about anything! When he was not refurbishing an engine, or renovating a motor coach; he and Shirley were spending many happy years traveling across the United States.
Ted leaves behind his loving wife, Shirley (Sirovy) Jensen; daughters, Cynthia McMullin (Donald), Kristina Fredericksen (Rick); grandsons, Jonathan and James McMullin, several nieces, nephews, cousins and many life-long friends.
