Martin Nels JENSEN

1930 - 2018  (88 years)

• Name	Martin Nels JENSEN
  Birth	12 Mar 1930	Wainwright, Alberta, Canada
  Gender	Male
  _UID	734F38AEABDF493C92327E4B83E3DB31B63B
  Death	23 May 2018	Hinton, Alberta, Canada   [1]
  Notes	Two obituaries recall Martin Nels Jensen's life: 1. written by his daughter Judy on Facebook on 31 May 2018. In December 2019 this could be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/groups/376750485677477/permalink/1902033983149112/ but was no longer available when I looked in November 2024. 2. appeared on the webpage of funeral directors Town & Country Funeral Services: "Heaven just gained a musical angel with the passing of Martin Nels Jensen on May 23, 2018. Nels was born in Wainwright on March 12, 1930 and it seems like from the day he was born he had a fiddle in his hand. He was taught at a very young age by his father to play many instruments but was most well known by all as a fiddle player. He started playing at 14 with his dad's band and never quit. He and his wife Thelma brought their band "The Western Echoes" to Hinton in 1972 when they moved here to start his job at the studmill that had recently started operations. Nels retired in 1989 to travel throughout North America. They made thousands and thousands of miles and just as many friends and fans as they were asked to play their dance music everywhere they went. He played right up until December 2017. Nels was predeceased by his parents, Carl and Lillian Jensen. He is survived by his loving wife Thelma, his children Dwayne (Suz) Hallett, Pat (Bob) Kapatch, Dale (Emy) Hallett, Judy (John) McGougan and Julie Jensen and their families. At Nels' request there will be no service at this time, but his family is planning a music jam to celebrate his life at a future date. Everyone is welcome, musician or not." The following was written by Donald Suter (1929 - 2015) and appeared on a Suter family history site in Decemeber 2019: "There used to be some good dances in the old Carrot Creek hall. My brother, Walter, used to play in a band with Carl and Nels Jensen. Everyone who went to the dances in the late forties at Carrot Creek will remember their music. They played lots of good old time square dances. When they got about forty-eight couples up for a square dance the floor in that old hall would bounce up and down about a foot and a half. What a good time we used to have there! I remember one time my brother, Bob, and I went there for a dance. When we paid our admission at the door to get in we also bought a raffle ticket on a chicken. Later that night when they made the draw they pulled Bob's name. The funny part of it was when they gave Bob the chicken, it was still alive and in a sack. It was a big red rooster so Bob and I left the dance to walk home carrying the rooster. We were staying over at the old home place (where the Ray Keyes family live now). It was a two mile walk and as we walked along the road every once in a while that old rooster would crow. When we got home we figured that was the end of a perfect day."
  Person ID	I1752	North Suffolk, Suffolk
  Last Modified	13 Jan 2026

  
  

  Father	Rasmus "Carl" JENSEN,   b. 16 Jul 1891, Støvring, Denmark d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Lillian Minter,   b. Mar 1891, Huntingfield, Suffolk d. 14 Jan 1955, Edson, Alberta, Canada (Age 63 years)
  Marriage	1929	Wainwright, Alberta, Canada   [2]
  Family ID	F609	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Mary SVEDBERG
  Marriage	25 Jun 1949	Canada   [1]
  Children	1. Judy Marie "Jude" JENSEN   2. Julie JENSEN   3. Danny JENSEN
  Family ID	F612	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	10 Dec 2019

  
  

  Family 2	Thelma UNKNOWN
  Family ID	F613	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	10 Dec 2019

  
  

• Event Map

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  Birth - 12 Mar 1930 - Wainwright, Alberta, Canada  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  Martin Nels Jensen 1930 - 2018 Photo which appeared on Martin's obituary.

  
  

• Sources

  [S208] Jude McGougan Facebook post of 31 May 2018. [S289] Alberta, Canada, Marriages Index, 1898-1944 at ancestry.com.