James "Jim" Arthur Jenson

James Arthur (Jim) Jenson of Roseville, Minnesota passed away on Saturday, May 17, 2025 at the age of 87. He was surprised by a recurrence of lung cancer that had gone unrecognized too long, was very aggressive, and finally, mercifully quick.

Jim was born on July 21, 1937, and grew up in the tiny farming hamlet of Bode, Iowa, a son of the congregation of St. Olaf Lutheran Church. He loved music and sports, and had 12 fellow graduates in his high school class. Jim cared very strongly about people and having a deep Christian faith was drawn to the ministry. He entered Luther Seminary in 1959 and while a student married Corinne Kent of Mora, Minnesota just before she became a Registered Nurse.

After residency in Billings, Montana, where the young couple had their first child, Matthew, Jim settled into the role of pastor in rural Montana, serving the ALC parishes in White Sulphur Springs and Wilsall. Jill was born during this time. In 1966, the family moved to Somers, Montana, where Jim served as pastor at Eidsvold Lutheran Church and as chaplain at a nearby military base for 7 years. Amy was born at this time, and Jim and Corinne built a modest cabin on Flathead Lake before Jim’s next call. The cabin became a focal point for the family for the next 45 years.

Then came Great Falls, Montana, and a move out of the parish and into an ALC district office as assistant to the bishop. Jim and his family flourished there for another 7 years before moving back to the Twin Cities in 1980 to serve with the ALC national church office. A stint with the national office in Chicago coincided with Jim’s journey with the church through a time of considerable change. He and Corinne came back to the Twin Cities in 1992 and Jim took the position of Vice President for Seminary Relations at Luther Seminary. Jim retired from Luther Seminary in 2002, and fully retired after a few years as a consultant. All three children have lived in the area for decades, and the families gathered often.

Jim built his life around strong small-town values, emphasizing the importance of community, identity, and the stewardship of our common inheritance. He got a lot of satisfaction from being generous of heart and spirit and giving to any who needed help.

Besides living with a strong sense of purpose, Jim also greatly enjoyed both adventure and sports--both as a participant as well as a fan. He played all the school sports, but stood out in wrestling in college. He’s been an avid golfer his entire life. He was an outdoor enthusiast, enjoying hunting during his Montana time, and fishing, downhill skiing, and all manner of boating (with a soft spot for sailing) ever since. Travel tickled him too.

From his earliest days, music played a huge part in Jim’s life. He focused on singing, which he loved his entire life, but also was capable playing the piano, the trombone (college days), and the guitar (folk music days). He enjoyed listening as much as performing, but seemed to prefer live music.

Jim loved to share time with friends and loved ones, and enjoyed teaching what he had learned. He increasingly needed to support Corinne during the last couple years, and felt good about that effort.

Jim and Corinne were active members of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church for 31 years, and sang in the choir for 27 years.

James was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Evelyn Jenson, and his wife, Corinne Jenson. He is survived by his children, Matthew Jenson, Jill (Barry) Rohweder, and Amy (Peter) Danio; and his grandchildren, Leah (Erik) Jansa, Natalie (Sonny) Anderson, and Molly Rohweder. Funeral services are at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi, MN on June 4 at 11:00am. Visitation begins at 10:00am. Live streaming will be available at www.saintandrews.org. If you would like to make a gift in Jim’s memory, please consider St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 900 Stillwater Rd, Mahtomedi, MN 55115; ELCA World Hunger, 8765 W Higgins Rd, Chicago, IL 60631; Luther Seminary, 2481 Como Ave, St Paul, MN 55108; or another worthy cause helping people.