Virginia Marie Jenson

It is with great sorrow that we must announce the passing of Virginia Marie Jenson, beloved wife, mother and grandmother. Virginia, known as Gena to many of her family and friends, was born in Frankfort, IL in October 1943. She was the daughter of the late Robert R. (Bob) and Mabel E. Loyd. Though she was born and grew up in Illinois, Virginia moved with her family to Newark, DE in 1951. Virginia attended and graduated from Newark High School in 1961 and from the University of Delaware with a Bachelors of Science in Biology in 1965. She worked as a medical technologist at the Perry Point VA Medical Center in Port Deposit Maryland and later, after training to operate a new “state of the art” medical blood preparation machine, she worked for a New Castle Delaware Lab preparing patient blood samples for medical analysis.

In April 1977, Virginia married Bernie Jenson and moved to Nottingham Green in Newark, Delaware where they added to their family with the birth of their daughter Kristina in April of 1978 and then Kathleen on Christmas Day, 1979. In addition to being a full-time mother to her two young daughters, Virginia continued to work part-time until the summer of 1983 when the family was transferred to Mendon, NY. She was active in the local Mendon community working with the local Girl Scout troops and even helping to build playgrounds at the girls’ kindergarten and elementary schools as well as at a community park near the Mendon Fire House and local church. In 1987 the family was transferred to Landenberg Pennsylvania. There Virginia took an active role in her daughters’ Avon Grove PA elementary & middle schools, volunteering as the librarian and in the computer lab helping students learn to work with computers and with their writing projects. She was very active as an assistant Girl Scout troop leader for her girls’ troops. When her children were applying for colleges, Virginia chose to go back to work starting a job with the Records Department in the University of Delaware’s Development Office. She continued to work at the University until she retired at the age of 68.

On quiet evenings, Virginia enjoyed reading, playing solitaire and Mahjong or doing crossword puzzles. Passionate about gardening, she took great pride in designing and maintaining the gardens throughout the grounds of her home. She enjoyed identifying birds and plant species. Another of her passions was genealogy, spending many hours through the years researching, organizing and updating both sides of her family tree. Before the birth of each of her grandchildren, Virginia crocheted a special baby blanket to bring them home from the hospital in and made blankets for all of the babies born into her extended family.

Generous and selfless to a fault, Virginia always put others before herself. She was fiercely devoted to family. Along with her sisters, she cared for her mother who lived to the age of 95 and her father who lived to almost 101. Her grandkids loved spending time with her because she was the kind of grandma who would get down on the ground and play, make art projects, play games, take them exploring to learn about nature, talk about anything and just listen.

Virginia passed away on May 31, 2023 bravely battling cancer. She beat ovarian cancer the first time in 2007 with a fierce determination to meet her first granddaughter and gained an incredible 16 years in which she was able to see all four of her grandchildren born and raised. She will be deeply missed by her husband of 46 years, Bernie Jenson; her two loving daughters and honorary son whom she also loved as her own: Kathleen Jenson and Kristina and Matthew Frosch; the grand-children she adored: Victoria (15), Savannah (14), McKenzie (10) and Greyson (3); her sisters Barbara Stevens and Beverly Smith as well as numerous nieces, nephews and their children, all of whom she loved dearly. Virginia loved her inherited family as strongly as her own and will also be missed by her Jenson clan, brother and sister-in-laws: Fred & Debbie, John & Kathy, Wini & Gary, Terry and all their families.

All those whose lives she touched are welcome to attend a visitation to be held from 11:30am-12:30pm on Wednesday June 14 at Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 121 West Park Place, Newark, DE. A graveside burial service for family will follow at Gracelawn Memorial Park, 2220 North DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE. Afterwards, starting at 2:45, we welcome family and friends to a celebration of Virginia to be held at the Deerfield Golf Club, 507 Thompson Station Rd. Newark, DE 19711.