Jens C. Jensen, 68, a widely known Ellensburg resident, was instantly killed when a Northern Pacific passenger train struck his automobile at the grade crossing on South Main street yesterday afternoon. His car was hit at 4:45 P.M. by the second section of N.P. passenger No. 5, running two hours behind the first section, which arrived at 2:45 P.M.
Driving north on his way home from the George Kontos place across the Yakima river, Jensen had almost cleared the crossing when the passenger’s engine struck the rear of his 1926 model Overland sedan. The road angles across the tracks and the train struck the car in the rear on the right side and drove it about 25 yards up the highway.
The right side of the car burst apart, although it apparently did not turn over, and Jensen was thrown free alongside the track. He died from head injuries.
Parts of the car struck signal standards beside the track, but the vehicle itself went into a ditch beside the road. Not a single tire was blown and the left side was virtually undamaged.
Jensen had lived in Ellensburg almost half a century. Born in Denmark in 1875, he came to the United States when he was 18 years old and to the Kittitas valley when he was 20. He was married here 39 years ago to Miss Helen Blair, who survives him.
For 22 years he was employed as a driver by the Carter Transfer Co. Recently he had been employed on the Northern Pacific section, but had laid off and was working for his section foreman,George Kontos, yesterday.
Besides his widow, he is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Isabel Clark and Miss Lena May Jensen of Ellensburg; Mrs. Sophia Livermore of Kalispell, Mont., and Mrs. Agnes Crawford of Port Orchard; three sons, Hans Jensen of Bovill, Idaho, Cpl. Frank Jensen of the U. S. Army, stationed at Nashville, Tenn., and Cpl. Roy Jensen of the Army, stationed at Santa Monica, Calif., and a brother, Andrew Jensen of Ellensburg. Funeral arrangements have not been completed. Taken from a newspaper obituary.
Jensen Funeral Funeral services for Jens C. Jensen, who was killed in an automobile – train crash here Tuesday, will be held Monday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock at the Honeycutt chapel, with Rev. Teddy Leavitt officiating. Burial will be in the I.O.O.F. cemetery.
Contributed by: Cathy Cadd