William F. Jentzen

William Fredrick Henry Jentzen, age 92, of Westside, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at Manning Regional Healthcare Center in Manning, Iowa. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, March 21, 2008 at Zion Lutheran Church in Arcadia with Rev. Paul Frank officiating. Visitation will be held at the church from 9:00 A.M. on Friday until the time of service. Organist for the service will be Mrs. Michael Davis and soloist will be Mr. Skip Raridon singing “The First Song of Isaiah”. Other hymns "How Great Thou Art", "Amazing Grace", and "The Old Rugged Cross" will be sang by the congregation. Casket bearers will be Brandon Jentzen, Jim Jentzen, Mark Rickers, Kim Brockman, Alan Leuders, and Arlan Leuders. Honorary casket bearers will be Lester Popp, Merlin Rickers, Clayton Dohse, Ralph Gehlsen, Dewey Hargens and Keith Leuders. Burial will be in the Arcadia Cemetery. The Dahn & Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll is handling arrangements. William Fredrick Henry was born to Otto Herman Nicolaus Jentzen and Helene Betty (Stark) Jentzen on October 3, 1915 at his parents farm in Carroll County, Washington Township. William (known as "Bill") was the seventh child of nine children and he had three brothers and five sisters: Louis William, Emma Marie Elfrieda, Helene Sophia Henrietta, Esther Minnie, Amanda Alvine, Ella Margaret, Henry Johannes Otto, and Alvin Virgil Hugo. He was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Arcadia, Iowa, and attended county school in Washington Township through the eighth grade, and then worked full time. Bill grew up in a large family with traditional German heritage. He was taught to work long hours and to do his share of the labor-intensive farm work using horses. On October 23, 1938, Bill was married to Vera Mae Ransom at the Lutheran Parsonage in Elk Point, SD. He worked his entire life as a farmer in the Arcadia-Westside area, and thoroughly enjoyed growing crops and raising farm animals. After getting married, Bill and Vera lived a short time at the Otto Jentzen homestead before moving to a nearby farm 3 miles east from the Five-Mile House at Westside. From 1957-1975, they lived and worked his uncle Henry P. Jentzen's farm located one mile north of Arcadia. In 1975, Bill and Vera moved back to the Westside farm to raise cattle and read REC electrical meters in the local area for about 18 years. Bill enjoyed having fun with good friends, neighbors, and relatives while playing pinochle or ballroom dancing. During his primetime years, he participated in many card parties and local dances. In June 2007, Bill moved into the Manning Plaza. He was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church in Arcadia throughout his lifetime. Bill was preceded in death by his parents; wife Vera; brothers Louie and Alvin; sisters Emma Hansen, Henrietta Kruse, Esther Hacker, and Amanda Kruse; brothers-in-law: Hugo Hansen, Edward Kruse, George Hacker, Arthur Kruse, Wilbur Fuchs, Earl Ransom, William Ransom, Clarence Ransom, and George Ransom; sisters-in-law: Sophia (Thomsen) Ransom and Arlyce (Strand) Ransom. Bill is survived by one son William Jr. and wife Brenda (Koeller) of Kennewick, Washington; one grandson Brandon Jentzen of Kennewick, Washington; sister Ella Fuchs of Carroll; brother Henry Jentzen and wife Florence (Boyer) of Pleasant Hill, California; three sisters-in-law: Norma (Musfeldt) Jentzen of Carroll, Lucile (Groen) Ransom of Wall Lake, and Betty (Hammer) Ransom of Denison. He has many nephews, nieces, and cousins in the Carroll and Crawford County area.