Betty Jean (Fiekens) Jensen

Betty Jean (Fiekens) Jensen, 82, of Aberdeen, SD passed away Thursday, July 8, 2021 surrounded by family at her son’s home in Aberdeen. 

Funeral Service is 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 14, 2021 at Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary, Aberdeen, with Pastor Craig Bostian officiating. 

Visitation will be 5:00-7:00 p.m., Tuesday, at the mortuary with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m.

Burial is at Riverside Cemetery, Aberdeen.

Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.  Family and friends may sign the online guestbook and also view the service at www.schriversmemorial.com.

Betty Jean Fiekens was born August 19, 1938 in Willow Lake, SD, to Edward and Nora Maxine (Arwood) Fiekens.   She grew up on the farm with her parents and siblings, attended a one-room country grade-school, and went to High School in Willow Lake, graduating in 1956.  She graduated from South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1960, and later from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan with a Master of Public Health degree. 

In 1961 she was married to Richard Biesheuvel, and they were blessed with three precious children.  Prior to his death, she worked in various hospitals or Public Health departments, depending upon where they were living at any given time.  After graduating from The University of Michigan, she moved to Rapid City, where she was the Supervisor of Nursing in the Pennington County Health Department and the State Consultant for the Health Departments of the surrounding counties. 

Betty and Doyne Jensen were married May 29, 1971, and Doyne promptly adopted the three children.  The family lived in Frederick, South Dakota, which were very precious years for Betty.  After her marriage to Doyne, she worked as a nursing educator for South Dakota State University as faculty and off-campus site coordinator, and later for Presentation College as faculty.  She served as a member of the American Nurses Association and of South Dakota Nurses Association.  Being instrumental in the foundation of the Frederick Ambulance Service, Betty also served as an Emergency Medical Tech for years.  She and Doyne moved to Aberdeen at the end of 2012.  Betty has always put family before herself, many times at great personal expense, choosing to do without so that she could contribute to family.  Betty has taken on every young member of our family as the matriarch after the death of her parents.  She welcomed and relished in the idea of every young member calling her ‘GG’ (Great Grandma), most of whom received homemade crocheted blankets.  Throughout her life, Betty has gone out of her way to be a servant to all who had any needs.  Being an incredible prayer warrior, she set aside dedicated time each day to earnestly pray for all those who she knew needed God’s guidance.

Betty said “I have been greatly blessed with wonderful family members”. They include her sons, Wade (Kim) Jensen and Randy (Arla) Jensen; son-in-law, Jim Schaunaman; grandchildren: Katie Jensen, Shauna (Clark) White, Brandon (Katie Tippert) Jensen, and Amber (Jon) Reiss, Andrew Mattson, Shannon (Brian) Petersen, Amado (Lisa) Saldana; great-grandchildren: Nolan and Nevan Jensen, Seth and Gabriel White, Betty Nora, Ariella Mary, and Edie Amelie, Aaleyiah and Isaiah Mattson, Elliot James and Parker Petersen, Azia Saldana; great-great grandchildren: Evvie, Mylez, and Izzi; sisters: Peggy (Charlie) Cruse, Nancy Mathisrud, and Mary (Harold) Forbes; brother, Leroy (Kara) Fiekens, sister- in- law, Rochelle Fiekens, many precious nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, and wonderful cousins and other friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Maxine Fiekens; husband, Richard Biesheuvel; husband, Doyne Jensen; daughter, Wendy Schaunaman, and great grandson, William Petersen.

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