Dale Arlin Jensen, 79, of Amery, Wisconsin, passed away on Friday, April 19, 2024, at the Amery Hospital. He was born to Eugene Wesley Jensen and Elizabeth Caroline (Jackson) Jensen on April 6, 1945, in Frederic, Wisconsin.
His parents farmed in the Alabama community in Laketown Township, Luck, Wisconsin. They then bought a farm near Amery where he attended grade school at Volga until 1953. Then they bought a farm near White Ash Lake where he then attended Blake grade school. He graduated from Unity High School Class of 1963 and then from UW-River Falls in 1967 with a bachelor of science degree in agriculture.
Dale was active in 4-H and FFA winning the FFA State Farmer degree and the Northwest Wisconsin district dairy judging contest.
Dale and Teressa Anderson were married on June 12, 1965, at the Lorain Methodist Church near Indian Creek. They farmed with his parents for two years before purchasing a farm on Hwy. 8 near Range in April of 1969. Their three children, Kirsten, Trent and Kent, grew up in the barn, chasing cats and crawling under gentle Guernsey cows.
The farm hosted many county and college judging teams, Amery Farm City Days breakfasts, twilight meetings, Congressman Al Baldus, and county, state, national and international Guernsey groups. He was excited to visit Guernsey breeders in Australia, England, Island of Guernsey and Canada to see the influence of his breeding across the globe. He loved showing cattle at county, state and World Dairy Expo. When it was time to disperse the cattle, private sales helped others, including Hoards Dairyman Farm, to develop direct market products promoting A2A2 Golden Guernsey milk.
Dale served on many local, state and national boards and committees: Polk County ASCS committee, director and president of Equity Co-op, Amery, Barron-Polk Guernsey breeders, Wisconsin Guernsey Breeders, the American Guernsey Association, Polk-Burnett DHI and Ag Source Foundation of Wisconsin. He was director of Farm Service Co-op, Turtle Lake, and Dairy Belt Guernsey sire selection committee, and was on the board and vice president of Luck Mutual Insurance. Dale was also a member Polk County Fair Society and Dairy Shrine. Throughout his life, he received many awards including: Master Breeder American Guernsey Association, Amery JC Young Farmer, Distinguished Leadership and Ag Source Foundation. During his children’s school years, he was a 4-H general leader and softball coach. Dale was a member of Georgetown Lutheran Church and served on the council most of his adult life, and he also was sexton of the Georgetown Lutheran Cemetery.
Dale was preceded in death by his parents; in-laws, Robert J. and Esther Anderson; brother-in-law, Johnnie Anderson; and sister-in-law, Lynn (Bean) Anderson.
He is survived by his wife, Teressa; children, Kirsten (Kevin) Klugow, Trent (LeAnn) Jensen and Kent (Heidi) Jensen; grandchildren, Kayla (Kevin) Walter, Karen (Paul) Mashak, Kooper Klugow, Jordan (Morgon) Jensen, Chelsey Jensen, Krista (Josh) Johnston and Dawson Jensen; step-grandsons, Christian, Sam and Riley Johnson; and great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Zebulon, Jeremiah and Beckett Mashak. Dale is also survived by his brothers, Neil (Janice) Jensen and Lyle Jensen; his sister, Marie Jensen; and other loving friends and family.
A visitation will take place on Wednesday, April 24, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Williamson-White Funeral Home in Amery. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 25, at Georgetown Lutheran Church, Fox Creek, with visitation one hour prior to the service. Lunch will follow the funeral service and burial will take place at a later date at the Georgetown Lutheran Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to: Polk County 4-H leaders Foundation (Dairy), WGBA (Arnie Knight Award), Georgetown Lutheran Church or the American Cancer Society.
To sign an online guest book and view a video tribute, please visit williamsonwhite.com. Arrangements were made with the Williamson-White Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Amery.
