Mabel Iva Jenssen, 83, a loving and caring mother, grandmother and great-grandmother peacefully passed on Monday, December 18, 2017 after an ongoing and progressive illness at Comforts of Home in St. Croix Falls, WI. Â She spent her final days and hours with family and friends.Â
Born on March 2, 1934 in Amery, WI she was the youngest of six children of Theodore and Grace (Armstrong) Bergstrom. Baptized in 1935 at the United Brethren Lutheran Church, she grew up in Turtle Lake, WI on the family farm helping her four brothers and sister with daily chores and participating in 4-H. She was confirmed at the Elim Evangelical Lutheran Church, Range, WI in 1948 and graduated from Turtle Lake High School in 1952. Mabel graduated from the Polk County Teacher College in 1954 with her first job teaching the 1st grade in Clayton, WI. Mabel was selected to attend the 25th anniversary of the National 4-H Camp in Washington D.C. in 1955 representing the state of WI along with three other youth. This was one of the program’s highest honors and a highlight of her 4-H experience inspiring her children and grandchildren to participate and achieve in the 4-H program.Â
On June 15, 1957 she married Dahle Jenssen of Luck, WI at the Elim Evangelical Lutheran Church after a courtship beginning at a Luther League event at the Pipe Lake roller skating rink. Mabel joined Dahle on the family farm, while continuing to teach as a 2nd grade elementary teacher in Luck, WI and then serving the Head Start Parent Child Center at LaFollette and Blake Lake Schools as director and child development specialist.  In later years she continued to serve the community working for World Book Encyclopedia, first as an educational sales representative and then as the district manager.Â
While on the farm she helped Dahle by driving tractor, milking cows and caring for the young calves and beef livestock while enjoying her garden and baking. Her passion and love for children continued with her own children raising them actively in church, school and the 4-H and Farmers Union programs.  She served the community’s youth as a Sunday and Bible School teacher, a 4-H club general and project leader and a Farmers Union Youth leader for many years. She chaperoned 4-H youth trips to Madison, WI and Washington D.C. Additionally, she devoted seventeen years working on the Polk Burnett Electric Cooperative’s Operations Round Up committee, beginning in 1999. For the Bone Lake Lutheran Church, Mabel was active in the Faith Circle and helped with serving meals at their church food stand at the Polk County Fair to raise funds annually. It was a break in the summer farm work to prepare and serve food while enjoying the fellowship with friends and neighbors. She enjoyed growing blue ribbon garden vegetables to show at the county fair. Mabel loved watching her children show their 4-H projects and in later years, her grandchildren’s projects. She was very proud to share with others their activities and achievements.Â
Over the years, Mabel and Dahle found time to enjoy activities like square dancing and traveling on family vacations. Her favorites included Walt Disney World Florida, Dallas, TX, Washington D.C., Yellowstone and Glacier U.S. National Parks and Banff National Park in Canada. Annually the family enjoyed a special outing to the Minnesota State Fair. Other travel locations included visiting family in West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois and Minnesota.  At home the holidays were special as Mabel was a generous giver, always thinking of others and ensuring plenty of food was on hand for family and friends in the Swedish smorgasbord tradition. This was keenly evident at Dahle and Mabel’s 50th wedding anniversary in a double celebration with her brother, Lester and his wife, Virginia with many from the community sharing in the food and memories surrounded by family. Â
Mabel will be remembered as a humble hostess, always thinking of others, thoughtful, concerned and proud of her family. May she be blessed with new health and healing in heaven.  She will be dearly missed by family and friends. Â
Mabel was preceded in death by her husband, Dahle after 59 years of marriage; her parents; son, Freddy; brothers, Theodore, Floyd, Lyn, Lester; sister, Violet (Grant) Wright; and sisters-in-law, Frances (Maynard) Falb and Lavonne (Earl) Nelson. Â Â
Left to mourn her passing are children, Kathy (Jeff) Weisensel and Steven (Lucie) Jenssen; grandchildren, Ashley (Scott) Sturm, Kelsey (Brandon) Nelsen, Lindsey (Dave) Paczkowski, Melissa Jenssen and Michael Jenssen; great-granddaughters, Sophie and Olivia Sturm; sisters-in-law, Mary (Russell) Berg and Virginia (Lester) Bergstrom; and nieces and nephews.Â
Funeral services will be held Friday, December 22, 2017 with visitation at 10:00 AM followed by the service at 11:00 AM at Bone Lake Lutheran Church, 1101 255th Avenue, Bone Lake Township, Luck, WI, followed by interment at Bone Lake Cemetery. Pastor Ann Fenlason will officiate the ceremony. All are welcome to attend and celebrate.Â
Pallbearers are Michael Jenssen, Dan Bergstrom, Nathan Potempa, Scott Sturm, Brandon Nelsen and Dave Paczkowski. Honorary Pallbearers are Russell Berg, Alvin Tyler and John Bazey.Â
Her family requests donations for the Lord’s work be sent to the Bone Lake Lutheran Church on Mabel’s behalf.Â
The family wishes to extend their sincere appreciation to the staff at Comforts of Home in St. Croix Falls and Adoray Home Health and Hospice for their care and attention to Mabel in her final days.Â
Condolences may be made at
www.rowefh.com. You are invited to sign the online guestbook sharing memories and photos. Arrangements are entrusted to Rowe Funeral Home in Luck, 715-472-2444.
