Obituary for Vernon Arthur "Vern" Jensen
Vernon Arthur Jensen, of Ann Arbor, died on November 20, 2022, at the age of 99. He was born March 8, 1923, in Muskegon, MI to J. Arthur and Cecelia B. Jensen, and was the older brother to three sisters, Esther, Mary, and Marcia. The family was active in the Calvary Baptist Church of Muskegon, a foundation that Vernon would stand on during the challenges he faced during World War II, and for the rest of his life.
At the age of 19, Vernon enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He served as a gunner and radio operator aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress and was shot down over Yugoslavia. After parachuting to safety and narrowly evading capture by the Germans, he met up with other allied military personnel, and together they were guided to freedom by the Partisans of Yugoslavia. The 500-mile journey lasted from March 18 to May 2, 1944. Upon his return to America, on May 24, 1944, he married his high-school sweetheart, Bonnie Jean Canning. He then returned to duty aboard a C-54 transport plane, serving in the Pacific theater until the war’s end.
Vern attended Wheaton College on the GI bill, and later earned his Master’s degree from the University of Michigan in education administration. He worked as an admissions officer at UM from 1965 until his retirement, and supervised athletes’ admissions for many years. He liked to quip “You can thank me for admitting Tom Brady”! Vern was a UM football season ticket holder for many years and made multiple drives with Bonnie out to the Rose Bowl.
A stalwart member of First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor, Vern was active in small groups and Bible study, and attended just about every single event the church hosted. For many years, until age 97, Vern washed dishes every Tuesday for the church’s Vespers ministry. In his final years, he was especially close to the family of Erin Smith and Clay Scott who hosted him for dinner twice a week
Vern was preceded in death by Bonnie, their daughter Sara Lynn Moffett, and his sisters Esther and Mary Alice. He is survived by his sister Marcia and several nieces and nephews.
There will be a memorial service for Vern at First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor - 517 E. Washington Street, Ann Arbor on Saturday, December 10 at 1:00 pm.
Donations in Vern’s memory may be made to First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor (www.fbca2.org/give/), Wheaton College (www.wheaton.edu/giving/), InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (www.intervarsity.org/), or to the charity of one’s choosing.
At the age of 19, Vernon enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He served as a gunner and radio operator aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress and was shot down over Yugoslavia. After parachuting to safety and narrowly evading capture by the Germans, he met up with other allied military personnel, and together they were guided to freedom by the Partisans of Yugoslavia. The 500-mile journey lasted from March 18 to May 2, 1944. Upon his return to America, on May 24, 1944, he married his high-school sweetheart, Bonnie Jean Canning. He then returned to duty aboard a C-54 transport plane, serving in the Pacific theater until the war’s end.
Vern attended Wheaton College on the GI bill, and later earned his Master’s degree from the University of Michigan in education administration. He worked as an admissions officer at UM from 1965 until his retirement, and supervised athletes’ admissions for many years. He liked to quip “You can thank me for admitting Tom Brady”! Vern was a UM football season ticket holder for many years and made multiple drives with Bonnie out to the Rose Bowl.
A stalwart member of First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor, Vern was active in small groups and Bible study, and attended just about every single event the church hosted. For many years, until age 97, Vern washed dishes every Tuesday for the church’s Vespers ministry. In his final years, he was especially close to the family of Erin Smith and Clay Scott who hosted him for dinner twice a week
Vern was preceded in death by Bonnie, their daughter Sara Lynn Moffett, and his sisters Esther and Mary Alice. He is survived by his sister Marcia and several nieces and nephews.
There will be a memorial service for Vern at First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor - 517 E. Washington Street, Ann Arbor on Saturday, December 10 at 1:00 pm.
Donations in Vern’s memory may be made to First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor (www.fbca2.org/give/), Wheaton College (www.wheaton.edu/giving/), InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (www.intervarsity.org/), or to the charity of one’s choosing.