Larry Jensen

LARRY THOMAS ALUMBAUGH JENSEN

JUNE 19,1942~ DECEMBER 19,2021

Larry was the son of Emmett Leon Alumbaugh and Mary Frances (Allen) in Carthage, MO. Larry’s father was killed in the war when Larry was two.  He spent his next 10 years with his mom and his father’s parents on the farm.  His mother later married Victor Jensen in 1953 and moved to Grand Junction, CO where Larry graduated from GJHS.

June 1960: Larry joined the USAF and was part of the 72D Combat Defense Squad.  He was a graduate of USAF Medical Unit & Air Policeman courses stationed in Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico.

Larry took Victor’s name until he joined the Air Force in which he had to take his birth name Alumbaugh back.  While in the service, Larry came across an article that stated that if you were adopted, you would not lose your Gold Star benefits.  Larry clipped out the article and sent it to Victor. Victor was so touched by the note, he immediately went to the courthouse and started the adoption paperwork to adopt Larry.  On June 11,1962 it was official that Larry was now Larry Thomas Jensen. Larry would tell this story and get choked up every time he told it. Victor was not only his dad but his best friend.

After being Honorably Discharged from the USAF. He moved to Grand Junction and attended College at Mesa Junior College where he met Marjorie Ann Colton and married. He would go on to have a respectable career running several companies. Together they had two daughters, Nicole Dawn, and Stephanie Diane. Marjorie passed away with cancer at 43.

Larry worked for a recycling company in Brighton, CO until his father Vic decided to start a margarine plant in 1973. Larry, his brother Ed joined the family business, Jensen Foods. Later they were bought out by Shamrock Foods. The business still exists today in Brighton, CO.

Larry partnered with a classmate in a Security business. He was working at the Avalon where he met Dianna at a business after hours.  They talked for a short while only to find out that Larry knew her parents and sold margarine to her dad who was a butter maker.  A few years later they married and became the margarine/butter blend family.

Dianna and Larry were part owners of One Source Lighting. They sold out and opened Dianna’s Lighting Design 2010 - present.

Larry suffered from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). He passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital with all his children and family at his bedside.  He was strong in his faith, had a big heart, and seemed as if he never met a stranger. He was considered the neighborhood “network” guy who always knew of someone that could help others. He was an avid reader, loved Hockey (AVS) football, poker, fishing, he kept a beautiful yard and enjoyed playing bump (board game) with friends and family. He never complained about doing dishes or laundry, but he disliked picking up sticks!!

Larry is survived by his wife, Dianna; daughter’s Nicole (Dave) Garcia, Stephanie (Ryan) Bowler, of Grand Junction, CO; brother Ed Harvey, MO; Stepson’s Casey (Donna) Collier, Monument, CO; Corey (Lara) Collier, Carbondale, CO; Stepdaughter Hilary (Nicolas) Tompkins, Windsor, CO; Stepdaughter, Michale Jeanne (Scott )Ohde; Twelve Grandchildren, and Stepmom, Veda Jensen.

Larry was preceded in death by his wife Marjorie Jensen, his parents Victor and Mary Jensen and his biological father Emmett Alumbaugh.

A celebration of Life will be held on January 21, 2022, at Fellowship Church at 10:00am with lunch to follow.  Afterwards, a funeral with Military Honors will be held at 1:00pm at the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery, Grand Junction, CO

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to be made to the ALS Foundation https://www.als.org/donate