Virginia Mae Jensen: July 25, 1930 – July 13, 2016

— from Leith Templin —

Virginia Mae Jensen, photo courtesy of Orcas Historical Museum

Virginia Mae Jensen was born in Bellingham, Wash. on July 25, 1930 to Axel and Alda Jensen. Her parents brought her home to Orcas where her father was the caretaker of the Helen Loggie property, near Eastsound and to meet her siblings Gordon and Betty. They lived there until she was five years old when the family, including a new brother, Robert, moved to the property of her grandparents, Moritz and Nico Swanson, near Buckhorn Road in Eastsound, Wash.

Virginia lived there for the remainder of her life.

At 12, she started working in Eastsound beginning with the Outlook Inn, then on to the Bungalow Restaurant. At 16 she went to work for Karl and Jessie Templin at Templin’s Store where she worked for 26 years. Beginning in 1972 she spent the next 32 years making sure the Episcopal Church in Eastsound stayed clean and bright.

During that phase of her work and until her death she became dedicated to doing research of old island families, properties and institutions. She dedicated hundreds of hours to pouring over old photographs, documents, newspapers and other materials at the Orcas Island Historical Museum and the Orcas Island Public Library. She was very proud of her work and loved being a part of helping people learn about their ancestors.

On any given day one could set their watch by her movements throughout town with her always being at the Island Market deli at 3:30 sitting at her table having conversations with various people.

Virginia died on July 13th, 2016, twelve days before her 86th birthday at United General Hospital in Sedro Wooley, Wash. She is survived by her brother Robert L and his wife Melva and many long time friends on Orcas Island.

A memorial service for Virginia will be at the Senior Center on July 30th at 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The Orcas Island Historical Museum Saving Orcas Voices project.