Mary Ellyn Jensen 94, passed away December 1, 2023 at Bethany Home in Dubuque, Iowa.

Family and friends may gather from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on February 9th, 2023, at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Dubuque, Iowa. A service will be held at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Samuel Felderman. Private burial will be in Dubuque Memorial Gardens immediately. following. Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, Dubuque, Iowa is assisting the family.

She was born November 15, 1929, in Des Moines, Iowa to Ora D. Orr and Elizabeth Orr. She graduated from Lincoln High School in Des Moines.

Mary Ellyn was married to Dale Van Ginkel in 1949 and the union produced 4 children. Beckie (Gil) Spence of Dubuque, Suzan (Richard) Staley of Flower Mound, Texas, Mary Jo (Dean) Fehl of La Porte City and Robert (Joanie) Van Ginkel of West Branch, Iowa.

They owned and operated Van’s Royal Blue Supermarket in La Porte City for a number of years before moving to West Branch, Iowa to open an antique business.  They later divorced. Mary Ellyn and her second husband Gordon Jensen were respected antique dealers and loved to travel.  He preceded her in death in 2007.

She was a founder of Creative Expressions Workshops in Dubuque; throughout her life she owned and operated several antique shops.  She loved attending auctions and refurbishing and decorating her homes.

Mary Ellyn was a unique individual and enriched the lives of countless others in many ways.

She was the loving grandmother to her grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers Raymond and Richard.

Memorials may be directed to Bethany Home, Unitarian Church or a charity of your choice in her memory.

The family wishes to express their sincere thanks to Bethany Home for their kind and loving care of our mother. Hospice of Dubuque was a blessing in her final days.