Obituary of Ralph Duane Jensen

May 24, 1965 - November 29, 2024

Ralph D. Jensen, 59, of Elk River, passed away at his home on November 29, 2024. A memorial service will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Emmanuel Studios (1775 Old Hwy 8 NW #111) in New Brighton, MN. Visitation will take place prior to the service, beginning at 9:30 AM.

Ralph Duane Jensen was born on May 24, 1965 in Glenwood, MN to Lawrence and Maxine (Bahe) Jensen. The youngest of four and the only boy, Ralph grew up on a farm one mile south of Belgrade—Silver Cloud Ranch. He helped run the dairy farm alongside his family and raised and trained many teams of horses with his father. Ralph loved working with animals, woodworking, giving hay rides and sleigh rides, attending weekly auctions with his dad, and so much more. The Ranch, which he called home for many years, held a special place in his heart, as did the Belgrade community, where everyone knew and loved him. Always kind and thoughtful, Ralph was someone who never spoke a bad word about anyone.

After graduating from Belgrade High School in 1983, he went on to earn a degree in accounting and finance from the University of Minnesota-Morris. He spent much of his career working nights at the YMCA so he could be home with his kids during the day. Most recently, he worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs in debt reconciliation. Ralph was a hard-working and passionate individual, proud to be part of the “gold team.”

Ralph created many cherished memories with his children over the years. From summers at Valleyfair and weekends at the Ranch, to countless trips to Menards, volleyball games, bowling tournaments, and XL Dairy Queen blizzards while watching movies at home, Ralph always prioritized time with his kids. He loved to share stories about them with everyone he met. Ralph was eager to welcome his first granddaughter in January. We are thankful that Jessie’s grandkids got to call him “Grandpa” before he could have a grandchild of his own.

Ralph is survived by his children: Erica (Adrian) Smithee, Lucas Jensen, and Alexandra Jensen; his partner, Jessie Ruckle, along with her children and grandchildren; and his three older sisters: Vicky (Jeff) Ampe, Marla Jensen, and Julie (Keith) Aeikens. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, extended family and of course his fur child, Bentley. He was preceded in death by his parents, Maxine and Lawrence Jensen.

Ralph was passionate about preserving memories—through stories, photos, or videos. We believe he would want you to love and cherish each moment with your family and remember tomorrow is not guaranteed.