Byron News: Another Byron Eagle has flown

It is always sad to hear of a friend passing. A few days ago, we were informed that Waldo (Wally) Jensen has left us. Mary, his sweet wife, had posted a few weeks ago that he had been hospitalized with heart failure.

He was able to come home and be with his sweet wife of 70 years and family. Wally turned 93 in January.

I knew Mr. Jensen as a student in his math class. He had great patience with those of us who didn’t share his “numbers passion.” I observed over the years that he was measured in his manner. He had a reputation as an honest and honorable person.

I remember him being involved in a group called Byron Improvement Group. He was the treasurer for some time and had a strong sense of fairness and doing the right thing. That group was formed to promote growth in Byron and help with town projects. My mom, Dorothy, worked with him in that group and had such admiration for his strong efforts to work together for others.

Many saw the result of he and Mary’s efforts to beautify Byron by example. They always had a beautiful yard on the corner at the two-story house going east out of Byron directly across from Memorial Park. It didn’t happen by chance. When the weather turned nice, they were outside daily tending their plot. They planted a garden and groomed their apple orchard well into their 80s. I remember seeing Wally up trimming branches in his apple trees early in the morning. He was 80 at the time.

Wally had a little barber shop in a part of the building on the spot where our 307 Meat market now stands. After schooling he returned to his hometown and stayed until almost into his 90s when he and Mary reluctantly closed the door on their Byron home and moved to Idaho to be closer to family. They have been missed here. I add a quote from one of his sons: 

“I have never heard him brag about his accomplishments. But he was accomplished. A father of six, who will all vouch for my comments. When he was growing up, he and his younger brother were nicknamed the righteous brothers; he earned that title by his actions. He made a decision very early in life to honor God and his parents. He was not born that way; rather, he made himself that way. He was a state champion in both football and basketball. I never learned this until my senior year in high school.

“He served his country in the Korean War. He served his God, he served as a bishop, he has served in numerous callings in his church and he served the same way in all of his assignments. … Heart and soul. His greatest talent is he has been a phenomenal teacher, not only as a high school teacher but in all aspects of life including how to treat a lady. 

He never taught me about enduring to the end, but he has shown me and done so with grace and with his boots on.”

That is a beautiful tribute from son to father. We send love and condolences to Mary and family and friends. Wally’s funeral will be on Friday morning, July 12, in the Byron chapel.  

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Now that a successful Mustang Days has come and gone, we are gearing up for Byron Days July 12 and 13. A few new activities this year are the Food Truck Wars, which will be held July 12, Friday evening, along with the family carnival and a family dance with a DJ.

On Saturday we have added a Battle of the Bands and Classic Car Show to our usual Saturday activities. Fourteen choices of food vendors. The Bulls and Bows 4-H club will be sponsoring a hotdog stand at the ballpark. The volleyball and cornhole tournaments, marketplace vendors, parade, tug-of-war and more, ending with the spectacular fireworks. Come and enjoy.