Carrol Gene Jantzen
1940-2013
Gene Jantzen passed into the waiting arms of the Lord on November 20, 2013. He was born on October 28, 1940 to Orville and Esther Jantzen in Leedey, Oklahoma. He was their first wedding anniversary present. He went to school in Jones for first grade and then Edmond for second thru 11th grade. He moved to California for his senior year of high school. He graduated from Vedrugo Hills High School. He then went to Glendale Junior College to study drafting. His first job was with Lockheed Aviation as a drafting engineer.
In 1965 he married the love of his life, Joanne Miller. She passed away in 1968. He then went to work for Northrup Aviation and worked for them until the Apollo missions were complete. He met and married Linda Ann Flemming in 1971.
They moved to Seattle, Washington where he worked for Boeing until his retirement in 2004. Gene loved anything to do with airplanes. He was a voracious reader. Often times he would read a book on his lunch break. He was a great artist working in pen and ink to oils. He loved nature and worked with the Boy Scout troops in his area teaching hunting, knife skills, swimming, canoeing, and rope tying. He loved good music and had a wonderful collection of albums and CD’s from different genres of music.
He had no children but he loved teaching them things. One of those things is “you can do anything you set your mind to do.” Gene was born without the lower half portion of his right arm, but he still played all sports and did everything he set his mind to do. Gene’s marriage to Linda was dissolved and he was now alone.
His health began to fail due to diabetes and he had to go on dialysis. In 2009, he fell and tore his knee up and could no longer care for himself. Judy and Terri went to Seattle and convinced him to move to Oklahoma where they could care for him.
After moving here, he became a member of the Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints Church in Edmond where he helped mentor young men. He loved them and they loved him.
He is survived by his sister, Shirley Elaine “Terri” Powell and husband Ron; sister, Judy McNerney and husband, John both of Edmond; brother, Dwight Jantzen and wife Patricia of Niceville, Florida; nephews, Jeff Dilley of Cape Coral Florida; nephew Todd Dilley of La Guna Nigel, California; nephew, Steven Dilley of Edmond, OK; niece, Kerri Buchanon and husband Gerald of Norman, OK; niece, Traci Edwards and husband Randy; niece, Jana Petty and husband Jeff both of Edmond, OK; and many more great nephews and nieces, cousins and aunts and uncles.
Services for Gene will be held on Monday, November 25, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at Matthews Funeral Home Chapel in Edmond. Visitation is Sunday, November 24, 2013 from 2 – 6:00 p.m.
Services are under the direction of Matthews Funeral Home in Edmond.
I went to school with Gene and so sorry to learn of his passing. It was interesting to read about his life and to know he accomplished many great things. My thoughts and prayers are with the family.