My Mother's Mother

Helen Lola (her birth certific reads Dowes) (she was born out of wedlock so she was known as Breadhead) (she was adopted by a couple names Raymond) (her step father was a Jorgensen) - so Helen Lola Broadhead Dowes Raymond Jorgensen and finally Jensen.

Grandma was born 3 March 1907, in Aurora, Sevier, Utah.Her Grandfather arranged for her adoption to a couple from Blackfoot, Idaho. Her mother was not of age and un married so, yes it was legal her mother later married and found her and she was raised from about the age of 9 (when this picture was taken) by her birth mother and step father. She married John W. Jensen in 1924 she was 17 he was 43. She would often tell us "it's better to be an old man's sweetheart, than a young man's slave".

Grandma had a "heart condition" so was never very active, although she managed to raise 5 children. She was good with her hands, I guess we call it "crafts". She did crochet, knit, tatting, oil paint, and many other things that were popular in her day.

She was very fun to be with, she was a smoker, and she liked her coffee in a glass. I remember her with a "glass" of coffee and a cigarette most of the time. I visited her as a child during the summer a couple of times and later as an adult I stayed with her after she had a surgery. She liked to watch wrestling on T.V. , and once in a while she had opportunity to go to the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City to enjoy it. She also liked mystery programs on radio.

She was a good cook, a dump cook like me I guess. I asked her to give me her receipt for Danish Dumplings one time and she said we would just have to make some to get it right. So I followed her around the kitchen writing down everything she did, a dash of this, a pinch of that. I did that several times to learn how to make different dishes.

Here is John W. and Helen Lola Jensen on their wedding day. 29 Jan. 1924. They made their home in Richfield, Sevier, Utah.

Here is the Jensen Family about 1940. Back row is Lars, Guila, Jack, Grandma, Grandpa, Beverly and Afton Jensen.

I thought I had a photo of her just before she died in June 1976, but it's not on the hard drive, so I will have to save that for later.

I hope you enjoy my grandmother, we all loved her very much. I remember going to her home for Thanksgiving and sometime Christmas, quite often she would be in our home for holidays as well.

There is much more I remember about her, she had a deep base voice and my grandfather sang tenor. I loved to hear them sing together, and they sang the wonderful old music you don't here today ie: Let me call you sweetheart, Big rock candy mountain, and many others.