Gerald Oliver Jensen

Gerald Oliver Jensen, 78, passed away on November 2, 2017 at his home in Fort Totten, ND. Gathering of family and friends from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at Seven Dolors Catholic Church, Fort Totten with a Rosary and Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. The procession to Fort Totten will leave on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. from the City Plaza.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, November 9, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in St. Jerome’s Cemetery on November 17, 2017.  Buzz was born on August 3, 1940 in Batesland, SD to his parents Ben Jensen, Sr and Helen Knight. He was raised in Batesland and attended his early years of school at the Holy Rosary Mission School in Pine Ridge, SD. Buzz attended the Indian Police Academy in Roswell, New Mexico and was a member of their first graduating class in 1964. After graduating, he married Carol Barker with whom he had two daughters, Debbie and Janice Jensen. In 1965 he began his career as Police Officer. As a BIA Police Officer he traveled and moved to numerous places in the US. In 1969 he moved to the Devils Lake Sioux Tribe and served as the Captain of the Police Department for many years. While in Fort Totten, he met and married Mildred Chase, and had 3 children. In 1974 his job took him to Fort Thompson, SD where he worked as an officer and from there moved with his family to Elko, Nevada for work. In 1979, Buzz and his family moved back to the Spirit Lake Reservation, where he made his home up until his death. In 1980, Buzz and his family opened up a well known summer resort on the banks of Devils Lake, Arrowhead Resort, which provided the Lake Region Area with 7 years of great family memories and activities for themselves and their families. The resort was shut down due to the high rising waters of Devils Lake. Buzz then went on the road and traveled as semi driver for 8 years. He also worked for the Fort Totten School District as a bus driver for many years after that. Buzz retired after that and spent his last years doing what he loved to do. Buzz was a big fan of the local basketball teams, boys and girls, and followed them everywhere to watch them play. Buzz wasn’t from Spirit Lake, but lived there over half his life, he was a good man and had many, many friends. Everyone knew him in their own special way, he liked to visit and always acknowledged everyone he knew and greeted them with smiles and jokes. He will be greatly missed by many. Buzz is survived by his brothers, Ben Jensen, Jr., Mission, SD, Carl Jensen, Sr., Pawhuska, OK, Jonathan Badwound, Sr., Martin, SD and his sister Vera Houtin, Sioux Falls, SD, his sons, Scott Chase and Jerri Jensen Sr., St. Michael, ND; daughters, Deborah Jensen, Eagle Butte, SD, Janice Jensen, Box Elder, SD and Janifer Jensen, St. Michael, ND. Grandsons, Ben (Desiree Zentz) Jensen, Albuquerque, NM, Wayne (Kayla) Jensen, Box Elder, SD, Bradly, Scottie and Jerri Jensen, Jr., St. Michael, ND. Granddaughters; Brandi (David) Snider, Fort Totten, ND and Jada Jensen, Grand Island, NE. Great-Grandchildren; Emma Jensen, Albuquerque, NM, Louis Snider, Bismarck, ND, Dominik, Blake and Arianni Delepaz, Fort Totten, ND and Ayona and Rodrick Jensen, Box Elder, SD. His special family with Carol Black, her children, Wayne and Jen, and their 5 children, Dusty (Shirley) and their 5 children and Brook (Justin) Black and their 5 children including his little buddy Christine “Big Girl” Yankton. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ben Jensen Sr., mother, Helen Knight. Serving as Active Pallbearers are, Bradley Jensen, Scottie Chase, Brian McKay, Jaylen Black, Elton Greywater and Jonathan Badwound Jr. Acting as Honorary Pallbearers are all of Buzz’s friends, there are just so many people, everybody he met through the years, in some way, made an impact in his life.