Gloria Henriksen (Jensen)

Gloria Louise Jensen Henriksen was born at Volin, SD on June 22, 1933 to parents Axel and Clara (Nelsen) Jensen and passed away on August 5th after a short battle with cancer.
Gloria was baptized on December 26, 1933 at the Danish Lutheran Church, Gayville and was confirmed April 10, 1949 at the Danish Lutheran Church. She attended all twelve grades at Meckling School. After graduating in 1951, she did office work for Stupenagel Hatchery, Yankton; Rheinholt Brothers, Sioux Falls; and the Denver Book Co., Denver, CO. In January 1953, Gloria went to work for Western Contracting at Gavins Point Dam in Yankton.
She met her husband, William (Bill) Henriksen, on Memorial Day and they were married September 27, 1953 at the Danish Lutheran Church. To this union two sons were born, Daryl in 1954 and Gerry in 1958. She was a full-time devoted housewife who loved to cook and sew for her family. She often joked that by the time she sat down, the three men had eaten everything away from her. She helped with chores, field work and raised many chickens and also sold dozens of eggs. Gloria loved music and could play the piano, organ, and accordion. She and Bill could be found most Saturday nights at a dance.
Gloria was an active member of the Pleasant Valley Lutheran Church, where she taught Sunday School, was a Choir Director, and was very involved with the Women of the ELCA Group and the quilters. She attended many ballgames over the years watching her sons Daryl & Gerry and in later years her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also loved watching TWINS baseball and got to go to Target Field. She loved playing cards and was always lucky at the Casino. She loved getting together with her friends in the “Do Nothing” Club.
Gloria was very proud of her Danish Heritage. Over the years she and Bill traveled to Denmark five different times to visit their Danish relatives. The best trip was taking their two sons and their wives in 1997 to show them the homes of their grandparents. At Christmas she always prepared a Danish meal and served her grandchildren’s favorite dessert, Aeblekage.

Gloria was preceded in death by her husband Bill in 2016, her parents, and her brother Harvey Jensen. She is survived by sons Daryl & Donna Henriksen of Wakonda and Gerry & Karen Henriksen of Yankton. Five Grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren: Katrina (Mitch) Ozenbaugh and Wyatt, Karolyn & Cynthia of Ohiowa, NE; Kimberly (Tyler) Koch and Ty, Luke, & Macy of Brookings, SD; Paula (Clint) Mannie and Cohan, Milania, Marianna, & Cillian of Fergus Falls, MN; Kyle Henriksen of Williston, ND; and Kevin (Caitlin) Henriksen & Ryder of Wakonda. She is also survived by her two sisters Hazel Wek of Sioux Falls and Doris Swedin of Vermillion; sister-in-law, Claudette Jensen of Gayville and many nieces and nephews.

Due to the current health conditions, private family services will be held at 10:00 AM Monday, August 10 at the Pleasant Valley Lutheran Church with burial to follow at 10:45 PM in the church cemetery which will be open to attend and please social distance. In Lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Avera Hospice. Hansenfuneralhome.com.