July 12, 2018
Plaza Legion Post 119 loses WWII Veteran
By Edna Sailor
Melvin W. Jensrud died quietly recently and left an irreplaceable void in the membership at American Legion Bangen Moen Post 119 in Plaza. He was a member of the post for 72 years. Jensrud was among the last three living WWII member of the post. The two remaining WW II veterans are Odin Tranby and Arnold Postovit.
Jensrud is survived by immediate family members, Cheryl Johnson of Plaza and Mary Lou Stavros of Minot. Jensrud left a detailed journal about his life with them and his service to his country.
Jensrud graduated from Esmond High School in 1941, the year Pearl Harbor was attacked. It is when he first gave thought to joining the military. Those plans took a short detour as he met his future wife, Dorothy Thompson, during a baseball game. She played on the other boys’ softball team.
“I fell in love with Dorothy the first time I saw her,” he wrote.
The couple married in Reno, Nevada in 1942. The couple seemed to know from the very start that they would get married some day. After they were married they ate a hamburger, doughnuts and milk for their wedding dinner and then went back to work.
They moved to Richmond, Calif., where he worked in the Kaiser Ship Yards where he perfected his welding skills as he repaired Navy ships. Dorothy worked in the office there.
Jensrud is survived by immediate family members, Cheryl Johnson of Plaza and Mary Lou Stavros of Minot. Jensrud left a detailed journal about his life with them and his service to his country.
Jensrud graduated from Esmond High School in 1941, the year Pearl Harbor was attacked. It is when he first gave thought to joining the military. Those plans took a short detour as he met his future wife, Dorothy Thompson, during a baseball game. She played on the other boys’ softball team.
“I fell in love with Dorothy the first time I saw her,” he wrote.
The couple married in Reno, Nevada in 1942. The couple seemed to know from the very start that they would get married some day. After they were married they ate a hamburger, doughnuts and milk for their wedding dinner and then went back to work.
They moved to Richmond, Calif., where he worked in the Kaiser Ship Yards where he perfected his welding skills as he repaired Navy ships. Dorothy worked in the office there.
