Joyce M. Lenz

Joyce Marie Wilcke Jensen Lenz

June 10, 1930 - February 24, 2020

Joyce Marie Wilcke Jensen Lenz, 89, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, made her peaceful spiritual transition on Monday, February 24, 2020.

Joyce Marie Wilcke was born on her family’s farm on June 10, 1930 near Miles, IA, the third child of Marvin P. Wilcke and Marie L. Andresen Wilcke. She was born the same day as a foal from her father’s favorite mare. Joyce was her parents’ only daughter; she grew up in rural Iowa with her three brothers, Leland, Ronald, and Kenneth. Joyce often recalled that when the roads in Miles snowed over, her father would hitch up a sleigh to bring her and her brothers to school.

Joyce graduated high school as class valedictorian and promptly attended college at Iowa State University. It was there that she met the first love of her life, Arthur Jensen. After graduating college in 1951 with a B.S. in Childhood Development and Home Economics, she worked for a year as a nursery school teacher in Washington, D.C. Joyce and Arthur were married on July 6, 1952 in Miles, then moved to the mountains near Springerville, AZ where Arthur was employed by the US Forest Service. Living in these mountains was one of Joyce’s fondest memories.

The following year, Joyce and Arthur moved to Albuquerque, NM, where their first child, son Eric, was born (1953). The Forest Service kept the young family on the move, next to Berkeley, CA, where daughters Kristine (1955) and Kari (1957) were born. The family relocated in 1958 to Alexandria, VA. While living there, Joyce’s beloved Arthur died unexpectedly in October 1960 in a plane crash outside Missoula, MT. Following Arthur’s death, Joyce and her children moved to Clinton, IA to be near family.

Joyce married her second husband, Walter Lenz, on December 27, 1966 in Clinton, IA. Walter’s position with Caterpillar led to the family’s relocation to Morton, IL in 1967. Upon Walter’s retirement in 1976, Joyce and Walter moved to North Liberty, IA, where they enjoyed golf, bridge, and Hawkeye football, spending winters in McAllen, TX. Joyce and Walter then moved nearby to Walter’s family farm outside Lone Tree, IA. Joyce cared for Walter until he passed away in February 1996.

Joyce met Kenneth Lange at Zion Lutheran Church in Iowa City, IA. On October 25, 1997, they were united in a commitment ceremony vowing a lifetime of love and devotion to each other. Joyce and Ken moved to Green Valley, AZ, in 2003. The two traveled frequently and built a community of friends through neighbors, Joyce’s bridge groups, and the Desert Hills Lutheran Church. For her 80th birthday in 2010, Joyce chose to travel down the Danube River with Ken, her children, and their spouses. Ken passed away in November 2015. In December 2017, Joyce moved to Santa Fe, NM in order to be close to and cared for by her daughter, Kari.

Joyce loved being a homemaker, mother, and grandmother, with her children and grandchildren being the joys and loves of her life. She was a duplicate bridge life master, accomplished bowler, and avid golfer. She connected with friends and family through her love of cooking, baking, bridge, and board games, especially cribbage. Joyce is remembered for her quick wit and joking nature, a personality she shared with everyone she met until the end.

Joyce is survived by her daughters, Kristine Orr (Steven) of Victoria, TX and Kari Jensen (Thomas Hitch) of Santa Fe, NM; daughter-in-law Deb Jensen of Lebanon, OR; grandchildren Scott Orr, Kiersti Orr, Miranda Hadamik (Brad), Jubal Jensen, Aura Jensen-Curtis, Sonja Campbell, and Fiona Jensen-Hitch; great-grandchildren Jadyn Campell-Welch, Quincy, Hollis, and Jensen Hadamik; her younger brother, Ronald Wilcke (Gloria); numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Joyce is preceded in death by her spouses, Arthur Jensen and Walter Lenz; her partner, Kenneth Lange; her son, Eric Jensen; her parents, Marvin and Marie Wilcke; her grandson, Shelby Orr; her infant brother Robert, older brother Leland (Dorothy), and younger brother Kenneth (Ruth) Wilcke.

We would like to extend a special thank you to the caregivers at Pacifica Senior Living in Santa Fe for their loving care for Joyce over the past two years. A family remembrance for Joyce will be held at a later date in Miles, IA; more details to follow. If you wish to donate in Joyce’s memory: Iowa State University Alumni Association (contact Jamie Stowe, [email protected], 515-294-7441) Desert Hills Lutheran Church Foundation (online donation, or mail to 2150 S. Camino del Sol, Green Valley, AZ 85622), or a charity of your choice.