Dear Friends and Family of Ejler Jensen, It is with deep sadness that we share with you Ejler Jensen’s passing on August 27, 2014 at 102 years of age. His transition was very peaceful. In the past several years, although bed-ridden, he was happy and content, spending much of his time reading his Bible, listening to gospel music and welcoming visitors. He loved small pleasures – fresh picked strawberries, Hawaiian chocolate covered macadamia nuts, brightly colored flowers. Your cards and letters, and occasional visits, were highlights of his days.
Most of his life was dedicated to serving others – as a pastor, a hospital administrator, counselor. His focus was on helping others in any way possible. As a family it has been wonderful to see him open up and share his gentle, funny spirit as well as learn so much more about the man we call Dad. His trademark wave and ‘well hello there!’would often lead into stories of his youth and family heritage. In his final moments, even though in a deep sleep, he lifted his hand and waved! He was a man of great courage, creativity and perseverance.
Ejler was born on June 26, 1912 in Gleichen, Alberta, Canada to Danish immigrants Mette and August Jensen. His father August was a developer of irrigation projects for the Canadian Pacific Railways. Ejler spent his early years in the small prairie town of Standard where his family ran a livery stable and drayage business as well as the first auto sales business in the area, selling Fords. Ejler became well known in the area as a wrangler with great talent for breaking in horses.
The Jensen family went from a hard but prosperous life to complete ruin through the Great Depression of 1929-1930, suffering near starvation and depletion of all their resources. The family became itinerant farm workers, living in a 12×12 shack, sleeping beneath horsehide robes during the frigid winters. They were occasionally visited by religious book salesmen and as a result of those relationships the family joined the Seventh-day Adventist church. The pictures and stories of mission projects all over the world captured Ejler’s imagination and he determined he would some day become a missionary.
Ejler attended Canadian Junior College from 1936-1939. He expressed his love of music by playing drums in the college band and also enjoyed playing the guitar, violin and in later years, a saxophone. When his family emigrated to Modesto, California, Ejler transferred to Pacific Union College where he graduated in 1942. He met Iona Clark, the daughter of biology professor Harold Clark, at PUC and they were married on May 27, 1942.
Ejler became a pastor and he and Iona spent their early married life in Nevada, Utah and then Alaska where daughter Linda was born. Ejler’s territory covered all of Alaska and he relied on veteran bush pilots for transportation. He survived several emergency landings/crashes and being lost in blizzards in the wild frozen wilderness.
In 1948 Ejler’s dream came true and he and Iona accepted the invitation to become missionaries to Japan. Following a 3-week trip on a derelict freighter, they arrived in Yokohama. To receive Japanese residency permits they enrolled in language school and spent two years becoming fluent. In early 1950 they were asked to be the first missionaries to the island of Okinawa. They leased land in the village of Shuri and opened a small clinic with one nurse while they built a home and then a church. Post-war Okinawa was a land of deprivation and opportunity. It took many miracles to find building materials. In 1952 daughter Yvonne was born in a tiny Quonset hut on a military base. (Photo: one of his early baptisms, EnkoYokomizo)
The clinic expanded to overflowing and at the end of the 1950s Ejler designed and built a new clinic; two years later it was expanded to a full hospital and now is the premier private hospital on the island.
In 1960 the Jensens were asked to move to Tokyo where Ejler was administrator of the hospital and pastor of the church on the same property. After six years of service they moved to Penang, Malaysia to serve with the hospital and church community on the island. The Jensens returned permanently to the United States in 1969. Ejler worked for several years at the St. Helena Hospital in Deer Park, CA. He and Iona spent the rest of their retirement years in the Napa Valley.
His two brothers Harold and Anker, his sister Alfreda and his wife Iona Clark predeceased Ejler. Daughters Linda Jensen and Yvonne Truby survive him as well as sons-in-law Lou Marines, Bill Truby and Fernando Canales, daughter-in-law Joann Truby, 4 grandsons (Fernando and Sylvan Canales, Bill and Brandon Truby, their wives Stephanie Canales, Pati Le and Amy Truby), 3 great-grandsons (Julian and Christian Canales, Jayden Truby) and one great-granddaughter (Rayne Truby). His ashes will be interred at St. Helena Cemetery in the Clark family plot in a private ceremony.
Ejler loved his family and friends. Your letters, cards and visits over the years brought so much joy into his life. He has lived a very long life that inspires each of us. We are grateful he is at peace.
With love, Linda and Yvonne
Email Addresses: ljlightworker@gmail.com and yvonnetruby@gmail.com
Mailing Address: Yvonne Truby, 206 Bernadine Place, Napa, CA 94558
Linda Jensen, 999 Wilder Avenue #903, Honolulu, HI 96822