Elaine Ruby (Duin) Jenson of Twin Valley passed away peacefully on Saturday November 9th at Ecumen Nursing Home in Detroit Lakes.

Elaine was born on April 3, 1934 to John and Fannie (Boots) Duin in Graceville, Minnesota. She was the middle child between older brother David and younger brother Edward. They made their home in Johnson, Minnesota until the family moved to Wahpeton, North Dakota in 1940. Growing up she helped her father in the road construction business, remembering pailing out water by hand at the construction sites to enable the heavy equipment to move in.

She graduated from Wahpeton High School with the class of 1952 and remained in contact with many of her classmates and attended many of their class reunions over the years. She attended North Dakota State School of Science for a short time, then finding work as a bookkeeper for Liligaards Equipment in Wahpeton.

She met a good looking cowboy named Don Jenson thru mutual friends, and they were married on June 13th 1959 soon welcoming a daughter, Cindy in 1960 and then David, Number 1 Son in 1963. The family moved to Twin Valley in 1969 so Don could get a start in the ranching/farming business when Elaine then focused on raising the kids as Don continued to drive truck hauling heavy equipment for a construction company. She kept a large garden to help feed the family and did a lot of canning over the years. Her garden favorite were the fresh peas, as many never made it to the house.

Elaine enjoyed bowling and Bingo often taking her mother-in-law and the kids to Bingo games in Twin Valley, Gary and Ulen. In her later years Elaine really enjoyed her weekly trips to the casino in Mahnomen with Don and then Dave after Don passed away.  She enjoyed using her promo points and being able to visit with everyone that would sit down next to her. Her favorite machine was the "The red headed girl" machine.

She took pride in her red hair and would let it grow and then donate it to Locks of Love. She was also very proud of the fact that she had the opportunity to see two United States Presidents in her lifetime. She was able to see President Truman when he came through Wahpeton on the campaign train and Ronald Reagan when he was still an actor at the Soap Box Derby Championship that her brother Ed was competing in, in Akron, Ohio.

Elaine is survived by her daughter, Cindy and Son David (Jodi) all of Twin Valley. Grandchildren Andrea (Nathan) Hoff of Richwood, MN, Bryan (Kayleigh) Bjorgen of Ortonville, MN, Michaela (Mark Winchell) Jenson  and Nathan Jenson of Phoenix, AZ

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, son-in-law Blaid Halverson as well as her brothers David and Edward Duin.

A visitation will be held Thursday, November 21, 2024 from 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm, with a prayer service beginning at 6:30 pm, at the Anderson Family Funeral Home in Twin Valley. Funeral Services will be held Friday, November 22, 2024 at 11:00 am, at the Wild Rice Lutheran Church, rural Twin Valley.