Kendra Kay (Jensen) Ziegler

Kendra Jensen Ziegler died peacefully at her home in Horace, North Dakota, August 23, 2017. She was born in Des Moines, Iowa on August 19, 1950. She was the third child of Rupert B. and Enid M. (Kreamer) Jensen. She grew up in West Des Moines, Iowa until her family moved to Overland Park, Kansas in 1962. There she graduated from Shawnee Mission West High School and then attended Kansas State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical Laboratory Science in 1972. Following graduation, she earned a certification (MTASCP) in Medical Technology at Trinity Lutheran Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. While living in Overland Park, Kansas, she worked in Pathology Laboratories at Trinity Lutheran Hospital and Shawnee Mission Medical Center. After moving to Fargo, North Dakota in 1980 she worked at Dakota Medical Center, retiring after 33 years of service in 2013. At the time of her retirement she was Director of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology for the Western Region of the Dakota Medical System. She was a long-time member of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry and worked her entire career to improve the profession of Medical Technology.

While an undergraduate at Kansas State University, Kendra met her future husband, William Mitchell Ziegler. They met in organic chemistry when he intervened to put out a small fire at her laboratory bench. Their romance blossomed and they were married August 19, 1972 in Kimballton, Iowa at Bethany Lutheran Church. This church was served by Kendra's grandfather, The Reverend H.L. Jensen, shortly after he was ordained at the turn of the last century. Since Kendra and William shared the same birth date - August 19th - seldom was an anniversary overlooked in forty-five years of marriage. They made their homes in Overland Park, Kansas, and Horace, North Dakota. Among Kendra's many accomplishments were sustaining a home during the many deployments her husband made with the North Dakota Air National Guard. She was, and will always be remembered, as an honorary Happy Hooligan. Both Kendra and William enjoyed their family, traveling, and collecting antiques.

Kendra was preceded in death by her father Rupert and her brother Blake Jensen. She is survived by her husband, William; her mother, Enid (Kreamer) Jensen of Hebron, Nebraska; her son Preston and his wife Susie (Jacoby) Ziegler of Grand Rapids, Michigan; her brother, Jonathon (Patti) Jensen of Carleton, Nebraska and many nieces and nephews.

Internment will be held in Kimballton, Iowa at a later date.

Memorial gifts should be made to Roger Maris Cancer Center or Hospice of the Red River Valley.