Edward John Lens
August 31, 1933 ~ May 6, 2018
Ed Lens, 84, Brandon, formerly Valley Springs and Beaver Creek, died Sunday, May 6, 2018, at the State Vets Home in Luverne.
Visitation with family will be 5-6:30pm, Thursday, May 10, 2018, at Risen Savior Catholic Church in Brandon, with Scripture Services and a Rosary Prayer at 6:30pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30am, Friday, May 11, also at Risen Savior followed by Full Military Honors. Inurnment will be at Holy Name Catholic Cemetery in Rock Rapids.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Edward John Lens was born August 31, 1933 on a farm near Larchwood, IA, to Charles and Agatha (Underberg) Lens. He attended and graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Larchwood. Ed then came to Sioux Falls to work for John Morrell’s before and after enlisting in the Army and serving during the Korean War. He worked on the beef kill line for more than 18 years.
On August 20, 1957, Ed married Patricia Brandt in Rock Rapids. The couple resided in Sioux Falls. Ed and Patricia bought a farm near Valley Springs where they farmed for the next 35 years, raising cattle, hogs and harvesting grain. Ed was a member of the Rock County Pork Producers and the Minnesota Cattlemen’s Association. He had a supplemental painting business. In 2014, Ed and Pat moved to Brandon.
Ed was a very loving, caring, and gentle man with a great sense of humor. He had a big heart and would help anyone. He enjoyed his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren very much. Ed was a handyman who loved to build and tinker with things. He was very wise mechanically and very sharp with numbers. Ed loved to meet people and visit with them for hours. Ed and Pat went on many traveling endeavors, including camping throughout the country and traveling to Europe, Hawaii and Mexico.
Besides the cattle and hog associations, Ed was a long time member of St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Luverne and currently a member of Risen Savior Catholic Church in Brandon. He was also a very involved member of the Knights of Columbus.Ed was a long-time member of the Valley Springs American Legion and a life time member of the Luverne VFW.
Ed will be greatly missed by his wife of 60 years, Pat, Brandon; three children, Michael (Jeanne) Lens, Brandon, Kimberly (Bruce) Pedersen, Dakota Dunes, SD, and Kathleen (Jose) Nunez, Eagan, MN; seven grandchildren, Brock (Jessica) Tim, Amanda, Tony, Kaitlin, Leslie, and Nicole; three great-grandchildren, Hollis, Parker, and Baylor; and five siblings, Jim (Colleen) Lens, Burlington, IA, John Lens, Carmel, CA, Wayne Lens, Creston, IA, Dave Lens, Grand Junction, CO, and Alice (Gerry) Moeller, Rock Rapids, IA; and two sister-in-laws, Karen Lens, Harrisburg, and Jane Albers, Rock Rapids, IA.
Ed was preceded in death by his parents, and six siblings, Raymond, Leonard, Robert, Lavonne and two infants, Margaret and Charles.
You have my deepest sympathy.