Blair Jensen

R. Blair Jensen
November 4, 1938-June 12, 2016

Roland Blair Jensen, “Blair”, has left a legacy of loving, caring, laughing, and joking. Blair was born on November 4, 1938, in Detroit, Michigan, and died on June 12, 2016, in Kansas City, Missouri, at age 77. Blair was the third child of Apostle D. Blair Jensen and Delia Jensen (both deceased) and is survived by his wife of 55 years, Dr. Doris Jensen; his son, Steve; and his daughter, Cheryl; as well as two sisters, Carol Bradford and Dona Vickrey.
Blair grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, excluding a 3 year stint in England where his father served as a missionary.
• Graduated from Raytown High School in 1957, from Graceland College in 1959, and from Central Missouri State College in 1962
• Passed the CPA exam in 1963
• Began his career with the Arthur Andersen Accounting Firm—before it failed; worked for Black, Sivalls, and Bryson for a short time
• Completed his career as a Certified Public Accountant in private practice
• About 20 years ago, went back to school to become a massage therapist and was very active in Healing Touch organizations and events--volunteering his time for such events as Camp Blue Bird for cancer survivors.
Blair was a minister in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS); was a member of the Optimist Club of Independence where he served in a variety of roles including president of the club; was a life-long walker/jogger and participated in numerous 10K runs. He enjoyed traveling, hiking, camping and playing jokes. The family can’t help but laugh when they think of Alka Seltzer, the Alpo special and “blonde” jokes—plop, plop, fizz, fizz. Most importantly, he enjoyed supporting his wife, Doris, as she earned her master’s degree and her Ph.D., and loved to go flying with her when she received her pilot’s license. He spent many hours commuting to southern Missouri and to Arizona over 20 years so Doris could pursue her career. Blair often commented that one way he helped Doris earn her degree was to be certain that she always had quarters available to pay for the parking meter on campus! It’s the little things that count and that help others be successful.
Blair loved his family most of all. He and Steve could spend hours sharing puns, or jokes or ……He was a natural raconteur and had a million stories to share—any time there was a pause in the conversation. Blair and Cheryl enjoyed running in10Ks and ran the Boulder/Bolder several different times. While in the hospital, he became excited about working with his daughter-in-law, Liza, to plant a big garden--but no one was sure who would be expected to do the weeding. Blair and his brother-in-law, Jim Buckley, became so close over the years that they dropped the “in-law” and just became brothers. And, he always tried to support his sister, Carol, and include her in activities with the family.
Blair will be missed—his caring, his loving, his joking, and his laughing. He WILL be missed.


In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Higgins Brothers Surgicenter for Hope. http://www.haitianchristianmission.org/higgins-brothers-surgical-center/