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The Family of Merton and Betty Jane (CRICHTON) JENSEN

2__[Elihu] Merton JENSEN
     b. 1 Apr 1911, Blair Twp., Washington County, NE
     child of: Henry Chris & Esther Maria Nicolina (JACOBSON) JENSEN
     d. 31 May 1998, Omaha, Douglas County, NE
     Buried: Blair Cemetery, Blair, NE (86/2/10) Go to Tombstones

   m. 7 Oct 1939, Omaha, Douglas County, NE (See Original Documents for License)

3__Betty Jane CRICHTON
     b. 14 Jan 1920, Omaha, Douglas County, NE
     child of: William Seaman & Ethel Jane (ADAIR) CRICHTON
     d.
     Buried:

Other Marriages: None

Children:
2.1 Judith Lynn JENSEN     b. 2 Aug 1940
2.2  Julie Jane JENSEN        b. 9 Mar 1943
2.3  Valerie Jean JENSEN    b. 13 Feb 1949 d. 17 May 1949
       Buried: Blair Cemetery, Washington County, NE
       (86/2/?) Go to Tombstones
2.4 Deborah Sue JENSEN     b. 11 Jan 1951 (see #1)

Synopsis:

Merton:

Grew up in Blair, NE on farm 2 miles north of Blair on Hwy 73 (now Hwy 75).
Graduated Blair High School 1928. University of Nebraska at Lincoln 1928-29, played football. Dana College, Blair, NE from 1929-32 and graduated from college. Played football for Dana and was part of the only undefeated team in the college’s history. He was later inducted into their Football Hall of Fame.
Assisted Nebraska All-American Football player John “Choppy” RHODES in coaching high school football in Blair, NE where he met Choppy’s sister-in-law, Betty. They were married in 1939.

In 1991, they sold the acreage containing the farm house and outbuildings and moved to a housing condominium in Blair, NE.
The unsold farm land was then farmed by cousins Gordon KEMPCKE and his two sons, Paul and Phillip.
All three of Betty and Merton’s daughters attended Cuming City School where Merton, like his father before him, served on the School Board.
All his life, Merton believed his first name to be Elihu. He hated it. When applying for Social Security, he obtained his birth certificate which
read: “No Name Jensen.” From that day, he dropped Elihu and went solely by Merton Jensen.

Betty:

Grew up in Omaha, NE.
Attended kindergarten at age 4 because her mother couldn't handle her. She often ran away after school rather than coming home and, when
sent one year to Catholic school, was invited not to return because she made Holy Water. By the age of 10, she was in 6th grade.
Her mother was ill for much of her life with "goiter" and Betty spent many summers and school breaks with her older brother, Lynn, and his wife,
Goldie, in Howells, NE.
Her mother died when Betty was 10 and she was sent to live with her brother in Howells, NE. She attended 6th grade in Howells.
Lynn was an electrician for Bell Telephone (where he met Goldie) and responsible for providing lights for the Howells Dance Hall - at the time, the
largest dance hall west of the Mississippi River. He uses lighting effects, colored lights and a reflective ball. Lawrence Welk used to play for
dances at the Dance Hall and Lynn would run the lights. Betty remembers going with him and seeing Lawrence Welk in person.
She returned to Omaha the fall of her 7th-grade year, to live with her father until he married Ethel Cline. They had a series of housekeepers which were never very satisfactory.
Her father and Ethel Cline eloped over Christmas in 1936 when Betty was 16 and she lived in Omaha with them in Ethel's house on Wirt Street. Within 2 months, her sister, Marjorie, had taken her to live with them in Lincoln where she graduated high school.
Attended Omaha Technical High School but graduated from Lincoln, NE High School 1938. Her brother-in-law, John "Choppy" Rhodes had stopped by the house to visit and found Ethel throwing a tantrum (across the bed, kicking and screaming and beating her fists, crying and yelling) and found out that Ethel and Betty did not get along (putting it mildly). He immediately packed her up and took her to live with he and Marge in Lincoln.
Betty attended University of Nebraska 1938-1939.
Marjorie and Choppy moved to Blair while Betty was at the University. Choppy had coached Merton at the University and asked him to assist with the High School Team. Betty came to live with them in the summer of 1939, met Merton and never returned to the University.

Source: Dale W. & Deborah J. MORROW, Merton JENSEN, Betty (CRICHTON) JENSEN

RESEARCH RECORD

BIRTH/BAPTISM/PARENTS/CHILDREN RECORDS

Births: Merton: 1 Apr 1911, supplied by the subject
Betty: 14 Jan 1920, supplied by the subject

DEATH/OBITUARY/CEMETERY RECORDS

Obituary: Merton JENSEN, 87, of Blair, died May 31, 1998, at Immanuel Hospital in Omaha. Services will be at 3 p.m. Thursday at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Blair. Burial will be in the Blair Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be 7-9 p.m. Wednesday at Campbell-Aman Funeral Home in Blair. Merton JENSEN was born April 1, 1911, in rural Blair to Henry C. and Esther (JACOBSON) JENSEN. He graduated from Blair High School and Dana College. On Oct. 7, 1939, he married Betty CRICHTON in Omaha. He farmed in Blair area until retiring in 1978. He had been a county assessor and worked with the ASC Office. He was a past member of the Blair Lions Club, past president of the Blair Golf Club, 60-year member of the Blair Masonic Lodge and member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. He was Dana College’s first inductee in the Football Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Betty; three daughters and sons-in-law, Judy and Roland CLARK of Blair, Jane and Joe WARMAN, of Beltsville, MD, and Deborah and Dale MORROW of Severn, MD; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, one daughter, Valerie Jean; one brother, Clarence; and two sisters, Cora Mae and Mary Ann JENSEN. Memorials are suggested to the Blair Rescue Squad. Campbell-Aman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

MARRIAGE/DIVORCE RECORDS

Marriage: 7 Oct 1939, supplied by the subjects

FAMILY BIBLE/RELIGION AFFILIATIONS RECORDS

Members: St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Blair, NE, supplied by the subjects

EMPLOYMENT/MILITARY/ORGANIZATIONS RECORDS

Merton: played Triple A baseball throughout the Midwest during the depression and for several years after his marriage. He farmed 2 miles north of Blair, NE until 1978. Belonged to the Lions Club for many years, the Golf Club (where he was president), and was a member of the Masons for 60 years. Information supplied by the subject and the obituary.

WILL/ESTATE/DEEDS/COURT RECORDS

Merton and Betty set up a living trust and invested all assets in the trust. Property and assets passed to Betty upon Merton’s death and upon Betty’s death, grandson Chris will have the option to buy the farm at fair market value. In the event he does not want to buy it, it will be sold. Proceeds from the sale, as well as other assets will be divided equally among the three daughters. Source: Betty JENSEN

CENSUS/CITY DIRECTORIES/TAX LIST RECORDS

1930 U.S. Census: Cuming City Twp, Washington County, NE, p. 6A, Enumeration Dist: 89-5,
Supervisor's District No. 3, Enumerated on April 23-24, 1930 by Ira G Baxter
Dwelling 109/Family 109
     Jensen, Henry   Head   Home owned/rented? G Radio Set? R Live on a farm? Y   Read/Write? Y
                                        State: 69 Country: 07 Nativity: 0 Occupation: Supt Drainage District 73X1
                                         Class or Worker: W Veteran? No   Farm Schedule #97
                                         M W 47 Married at 24 b. NE Father: Den   Mother: Den
                 Esther Wife     F    W 44 Married at 20 b. NE Father: Swe Mother: Swe
                 Merton Son   M W 19 Single             b. NE Father: NE    Mother: NE

MIGRATION/CHRONOLOGY/MAP REFERENCE RECORDS

INTERVIEW/ARTIFACTS RECORDS

END OF RESEARCH RECORD

2.1__Judith Lynn JENSEN
     b. 2 Aug 1940, Omaha, Douglas County, NE
     child of: Merton & Betty Jane (CRICHTON) JENSEN
     d.
     Buried:

m. 10 Apr 1968, Blair, Washington County, NE

2.1s3__Roland Neal CLARK
     b. 14 Mar 1937, Mondamin, Harrison County, IA
     child of: Kermith Johnson and Ada Margaret (HEWITT) CLARK Go to Tombstones
     d.
     Buried:

Other Marriages:
Judy m. 1.1s1__Gordon SICK 1959, divorced 1959 (two months later); no children
m. 2.1s2__Gary GREENFIELD, child of Harold
and Sadie (GEORGE) GREENFIELD; 2 children
Roland CLARK has two children by a previous marriage

(Stepchildren)
2.1s3a Kevin CLARK
2.1s3b Kermit CLARK
(Children)
2.1a Chris Sterling GREENFIELD         b. 27 Jan 1962
2.1b Carri Sue GREENFIELD               b. 26 Mar 1963
2.1c  Stephanie Crichton CLARK             b. 7 Dec 1973

Synopsis:

Judy was raised on the farm in Blair.
Attended Cuming City country school through 8^th grade. Graduated from Blair High School.
Worked for Mutual of Omaha where she met Gary GREENFIELD. After their marriage, they lived in Omaha and then Rapid City, SD where Carri was born.
Judy and Rollie live in Blair (2002). Rollie retired from Vickers Manufacturing in Omaha and currently (2002) works at Cargill Manufacturing in Ft. Calhoun. Judy owns a tanning salon in Blair.
Obituary: Blair Newpaper, Monday, June 27, 2005: Ada M. CLARK, 95. Ada M. CLARK, 95, of Le Mars, Iowa, died Wednesday, June 22, 2005 at the Brentwood Good Samaritan Village in Le Mars. Funeral services were Saturday, June 25, at the First Baptist Church in Le Mars. Interment was at the Calhoun Cemetery near Missouri Valley, Iowa. Ada Margaret CLARK was born Aug. 20, 1909, on a farm near Geneva, to George E. and Inez H. (PORTER) HEWITT. She attended country school near her home and in Woodbine, Iowa, before graduating from Mondamin High School in 1929. On Nov. 1, 1930, she married Kermit J. CLARK in Missouri Valley. They farmed in the Modale and Mondamin, iowa area. Not only was Mrs. CLARK a homemaker, but she also assisted her husband with all the aspects of their farming operation. Mr. CLARK died in 1966, and Mrs. CLARK remained on the farm until 1970 when she moved to Le Mars. She became a resident at Brentwood Good Samaritan Village on March 10, 1997. During the farming years, Mrs. CLARK was an active member of the Baptist Church in Mondamin. She taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and served her church in many areas. In Le Mars, she was active in the First Baptist Church. She was a member of the Christian Women's Club, delivered Meals on Wheels to shut-ins, and volunteered her talents with arts and crafts at the Plymouth County Home. She was very artistic and enjoyed painting and sketching, writing poetry, all types of needlework, and cake decorating. She is survived by her daughter, Edith GOODCHILD of Le Mars; two sons and daughters-in-law, Norman and Maralyn CLARK of Temecula, Calif., and Roland and Judy CLARK of Blair; 11 grandchildren; and numerous great and great-great grandchildren. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by an infant granddaughter, M. Jean GOODCHILD; two sisters, Geneva TODD and Frances BEK; and a son-in-law, Freddie J. GOODCHILD.

Source: Dale and Deborah MORROW, Judy CLARK

2.1a__Chris Sterling GREENFIELD
     b. 27 Jan 1962, Blair, Washington County, NE
     child of: Gary and Judith (JENSEN) GREENFIELD
     d.
     Buried:

m. 1 Oct 1989, Blair, Washington County, NE

2.1as__Terry WHITE
     b.
     child of:
     d.
     Buried:

Other Marriages:
Chris and Terry divorced in 1991; no children.

Children: None

Synopsis:

Chris graduated from Blair High School, Blair, Washington County, NE.
Graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE with a degree in Agricultural Economics.
Worked for the Federal Land Bank, beginning in NE and then as a loan administrator in Minneapolis, MN.
Works (2006) for Union Bank in Lincoln, NE as a Vice President.

Source: Dale and Deborah MORROW, Chris GREENFIELD

2.1b__Carri Sue GREENFIELD
     b. 26 Mar 1963, Rapid City, Pennington County, SD
     child of: Gary & Judith (JENSEN) GREENFIELD
     d.
     Buried:

m. 7 Oct 1988, Blair, Washington County, NE

2.1bs__Rick Lynn BENDER
     b. 5 Nov 1963, Seward, Seward County, NE
     child of Kenneth Carol & Sandra Marie (LUETH) BENDER
     d.
     Buried:

Other Marriages: None

Children:
2.1b1 Cole Sterling BENDER b. 9 Nov 1993, San Ramon, Contra Costa County, CA
2.1b2 Christian Anthony BENDER b. 12 Jun 1996, Omaha, Douglas County, NE

Synopsis:

Carri graduated from Blair High School, Blair, Washington County, NE. In 1981, she starred in the Blair High School production of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes." Two articles appeared in advance of the production in the Blair Enterprise and Pilot-Tribune and are reproduced here. The actual articles can be found in Original Documents. 19 March 1981. Curtain Opens Next Thursday on Blair High's "Anything Goes." Caption under the opening picture states: "Doing the chorus line kick - Left to right: Tami Tuggle, Carrie GREENFIELD, and Denise Lang. In back: Maria Brandes and Kelly Gregerson." Curtain opens Thursday on "Anything Goes." This year's musical production at Blair High School will open next Thursday, March 26 at 7:30 p.m. at Blair High Auditorium, and will be held the following Friday and Saturday evenings at the same time. Rehearsals and set construction are in their final stages, with a special emphasis on choreography. Dan P. Hays, a free lance actor and dancer from Omaha, has been assisting Directors Tim Fischer and Jean Hundtoft with the musical numbers in the production. Set construction is under the direction of Mike Letheby. The name of the musical is "Anything Goes". The scene is the S.S. American, sailing from New York to England. On board the ship is American heiress, Hope Harcourt (Joy Flynn), who is sailing with her fiance, Sir Evelyn Oakleigh (Eric Brown), and her mother (Paula Chapman). Others on the ship include Bishop Dobson (Tom Sorensen); Elish J. Whitney (Tim Sully), who is a Wall Street broker and ex-evangelist; Reno Sweeney (Carri GREENFIELD), and her "bevy of beauties". Whitney's flunkie, Billy Crocker (Dan Hunt) comes on board to save his friend, Hope, from marrying Sir Evelyn. Billy is accompanied by Public Enemy No. 13, Moonface Martin (Brent Frahm), and Moon's girl, Bonnie (Molly Sorensen). Unfortunately, Billy and Moon must stay incognito throughout the cruise. To save Hope, Billy joins forces with Reno, who agrees to try to seduce Sir Evelyn and show Hope what a cad he really is. Instead, the plan fails because Billy is mistaken for Public Enemy No. 1. Later, however, the truth about Billy is revealed when he confesses at a revival meeting that he is not a gangster and is arrested with moon for impersonating a celebrity. Will Moonface and Billy go free? Will Hope still marry Sir Evelyn? Attend "Anything Goes" at Blair High, on March 26, 27 and 28 at 7:30. Tickets may be purchased at $2.00 for adults or $1.00 for students, or they can be purchased at the door for 50 cents more. Caption under cast picture states: "Song and dance routine - Left to right: Amy Simpson, Carri GREENFIELD, Dan Hunt, Lisa Johnson and Tami Tuggle. Caption under combo picture states: Janet Carlsen on piano, and Tony Davis on drums are part of the group which will accompany in "Anything Goes". Kathy Herder is turning pages for Janet. 23 Mar 1981. Hop Aboard The Ship Where "Anything Goes." In 1935 "arms and the men" were diversely represented on Broadway. At the Broadhurst Theatre, a young actor named Humphrey Bogart was fascinating audiences as Duke Mantee, an escaping gangster-killer, in "The Petrified Forest". A few blocks uptown at the Alvin Theatre, another theatrical enterprise, involving a fugitive gangster was also delighting audiences. It was the musical comedy called "Anything Goes", and among its cast of characters was Moonface Martin, Public Enemy Number 13. The stars of the 1934 production of "Anything Goes" were Ethel Merman, Victor Moore, and William Gaxton. The present period revival of "Anything Goes" opened at Manhattan's Orpheum Theatre on May 15, 1962--nearly thirty years after the Alvin Theatre premiere. Audiences and critics were again reveling in its altogether unlikely plot, its whimsically introduced songs and dances. This 1962 revival starred Eileen Rodgers, Mickey Deems and Hal Linden. Col [sic] Porter's rich melodies in the original production numbered only eight songs--then the revivalists added to these eight, six of Porter's top tunes that now are a part of "Anything Goes". Nearly fifty years after its launching on Broadway, "Anything Goes" hits the local stage. Carrie GREENFIELD, Brent Frahm, Dan Hunt, the supporting cast of thirty two, combo members, production staff and others--encourage YOU the AUDIENCE to come aboard the "S.S. American" docked at the Blair High School Auditorium, March 26, 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. for Blair High's production of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes". Caption under the trio picture states: "Reno Sweeney (Carri GREENFIELD), Moonface Martin (Brent Frahm) and Billy Crocker (Dan Hunt) team together in a scene from "Anything Goes". (Photo by Lisl Schwartz).
Carri and Rick graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with marketing majors.
She and Rick worked for the same insurance company although they had known each other in high school as well.
Carri and Rick lived in CA but returned to Omaha to be near family.
Rick is the vice-president of the insurance company for which they worked.
They returned to California and live in Ranchos Palos Verde.
Carri is a Life Coach.
Cole plays lacrosse and develops inventions.
Christian takes voice, piano and dancing, performs in television commercials and plays soccer.

Source: Dale and Deborah MORROW, Carri BENDER

2.2__Julie Jane JENSEN
     b. 9 Mar 1943, Omaha, Douglas County, NE
     child of: Merton & Betty Jane (CRICHTON) JENSEN
     d.
     Buried:

m. 28 Aug 1971, Oxon Hill (now Ft. Washington), Prince George’s County, MD

2.2s__Joseph Robert WARMAN
     b. 28 Mar 1938, Washington, DC
     child of: James Robert & Mildred (OFFUTT) WARMAN
     d.
     Buried:

Other Marriages: None

Children: None

Synopsis:

Jane was raised on the farm 2 miles north of Blair. Attended Cuming City country school through 8^th grade.
Jane graduated from Dana College, Blair, NE in 1965 with a major in English Education and minors in Spanish and French. She taught English and Spanish (including to her sister, Deb) at Blair High School from 1965-1969.
In 1969, Jane moved to Salinas, CA and lived with her Aunt Marjorie RHODES until she obtained a job in the Fresno, CA college library. In 1970, she obtained a job in computer programming with the Federal government and moved to Long Branch, NJ for training at Ft. Monmouth, NJ.
Following her training, she went to work for Harry Diamond Laboratories in Washington, DC where she met Joe in 1971. Harry Diamond Labs relocated to Adelphi, MD and Jane and Joe purchased a house in the Calverton subdevelopment of Beltsville, MD where they still live (2007).
Joe retired in 1993 as the Chief of Internal Review and Audit Compliance for the Army Laboratory Command (a successor to Harry Diamond Laboratories) after more than 30 years in the Federal government.
Jane left Harry Diamond Labs and worked for the National Institutes of Health and then for the National Institute of Standards and Technology as a computer specialist and systems analyst. She retired in 1996.
They are both active (2006) in the Henson Valley Christian Church in Fort Washington, MD (formerly, Oxon Hill), where they were married. Jane is also active in the University of Maryland’s Senior University and is a volunteer at the National Zoo in Washington, DC as an interpreter in the Great Ape exhibit.

Source: Dale and Deborah MORROW, Jane WARMAN

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