Harvey F. Jensen

Harvey F. Jensen died in hospice minutes before the change from Daylight Saving Time on the morning of November 4, 2012. His family likes to think he chose the dual time frame just to make things interesting. Dishing out the unexpected and clever was one of Harvey's most endearing trademarks. You could ask him the simple question, ""How are you?"" -- and get a slew of unpredicted replies, including ""Miserably well."" ""Ostensibly cantankerous."" ""Meticulously resourceful."" Harvey was born on December 8, 1925 in Portland, Oregon, to Fritz Harvey Jensen and Frances Catherine Wenzinger. The family made it to Denver during his 8th year. The curly redhead grew up in various residences and farms in the Denver-Sullivan area beside his younger sister, Dorothy ""Dot."" Harvey graduated from St. Francis De Sales High School in 1943. He was named ""Head Francilian Boy"" during his senior year. While milking cows with his father on the morning of December 7, 1941, Harvey learned of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor via a breaking radio news update. He had no idea where Pearl Harbor was located at the time; but by late 1943 Harvey joined the Navy and found himself on Hawaiian soil. The Radioman Second Class (RM2C) served on the USS Wasatch (Air to Ground Communication Ship) and other vessels in the South Pacific until April 1946. Upon honorable discharge, Harvey learned the University of Denver was launching a School of Architecture & Planning. He used his GI Bill of Rights to attend the four-year program during which time he studied under many well-known architects and artists, and even met Frank Lloyd Wright during a visit in 1950. Harvey spent the following decades as an architect and associate working with Jim Johnson, Seracuse-Lawler and other Denver firms before starting his own company in 1982, Construction Quality Assurors, which he considered one of his most relished endeavors. His restoration projects included the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in anticipation of Pope John Paul II's visit to Denver in 1993. Harvey's retirement years included rounds and rounds of golf with his favorite sporting buds at Kennedy Golf Course and Windsor Gardens, yearly excursions to South Bend, NE, to spend time at the lake with family and friends, getaways to San Antonio to celebrate holidays with kin, and annual WWII reunions with members of the CASCU (Commander Air Support Communication Unit.) In his own writings, Harvey said he considered it amazing that ""this SOB (Sweet Ole Buzzard)"" had managed to more or less stay intact through his seventies and eighties. Harvey is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 51 years, Rosanna Jensen. He is survived by four daughters, Nadee Jensen-Kopec (Tom), Natalie Petersen (Eric), Janice Jensen (Bob), Julie Jensen-Teneyuca (Robert); four grandchildren, Kurt and Neal Kopec of Denver, Max and Scout Petersen of Omaha; one sister, Dorothy Jensen Burke of Fruita; sister-in-law Mary Rita (Jim) Hagan, and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. A Vigil/Rosary service will be held at All Souls Catholic Church in Englewood on Wednesday, Nov 7 at 6:30PM. Funeral Mass on Thursday, Nov 8 at 10AM is followed by a celebration of life reception at All Souls Church, interment at Fort Logan National Cemetery at 1:15, Area ""C"". In lieu of flowers, the family appreciates donations to one of Harvey's favorite charities, Father Woody's Haven of Hope, 1101 W 7th Ave, Denver, CO 80204.