Lester Jens

Visitation: Sunday, February 1, 2004 at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Terry

Prayer Service: Sunday, February 1, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the chapel of Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Terry

Funeral Service: Monday, February 2, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. at the Community Presbyterian Church in Terry

Interment: will follow in the family lot of the Prairie County Cemetery in Terry

Longtime Prairie County rancher, Lester Jens, died Thursday, January 29, at the Prairie County Nursing Home.

Lester Luverne Jens was born on March 1st 1914 in Williston, North Dakota. He was the only child of August and Ella Jens. The family migrated to Montana two years later and made their home on the west side of the Powder River 20 miles south of Terry. He attended Sutherland School through the 8th grade and boarded in Terry during his high school years. He excelled in sports, especially football, graduating in 1931. Lester worked at various jobs during the "dirty thirties" accumulating a nest egg in order to marry his high school sweetheart, Adele Falkenstern, January 14, 1939. Their only child, Larry was born in 1941. They worked on the Roddie McAulay-Chris McRae ranch north of Terry and then the Allie Bradshaw Ranch near Locate. In 1943, they bought the Preller place on Conns Coulee adding adjoining property in later years. They raised Hereford cattle there until retiring in 1988, when they moved into Terry. He had been a resident of the Nursing Home for 2 years. A devoted husband, father, and grandfather,

Lester is survived by his wife of 65 years, Adele, his son, Larry, and wife Judy; two grandchildren Dale (Krisi) Jens and Laurie Frohlich; great grandchildren, Carlie and Casey Frohlich and Dalton and Dharbi Jens.

Lester was an active member of many community and state organizations. He was a Prairie County Grazing Board member for 39 years, a member of the Montana Public Lands Council, the State Association of Grazing Districts and the Prairie County and Montana Association of Conservation District Boards. He served on the District 5 School Board, Prairie County Planning Board, and Hospital Board. He belonged to Montana Stockgrowers Committees and the Range Riders Museum Board. He was a member of the Community Presbyterian Church for 46 years and served as an elder and a trustee. Lester belonged to the Terry Masonic Lodge and the Order of the Easter Star.

Lester is one of the last of the old cowboys of the area. He loved ranching, and the cowboy life and enjoyed telling stories of earlier times. In later years, he wrote a column for the Terry Tribune retelling those stories that was avidly read and enjoyed by many. He was often contacted for historical details of the area. He was always an avid Terry sports supporter. He played the fiddle and guitar and enjoyed music until his last days. The western scenes he painted and the leather items he flower-stamped were admired by all who saw them.

Visitation will begin Sunday, February 1, 2004 at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Terry. A prayer service will be held on Sunday, February 1, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the chapel of Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Terry. Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 2, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. at the Community Presbyterian Church in Terry. Interment will follow in the family lot of the Prairie County Cemetery in Terry.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the charity of one's choice.