Weldon Lorenzo Jensen

Weldon Lorenzo (Ren) Jensen was born July 10th, 1936, in Brigham City, Utah and passed away April 6th, 2025, in Fort Collins, CO. His parents were Weldon Peter Jensen and Mary Woozley Jensen. The family moved to a farm in St. John, Idaho near Malad City, Idaho when he was five years old. He graduated from Malad High School in 1954.

Active in sports, he was honored as Outstanding Athlete his senior year of high school and voted student body president. Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University/CSU) in Fort Collins, offered him a scholarship to play basketball; he played there for four years. During his sophomore year, Ren married Sharon Evans from Malad, in the Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Ren and Sharon moved to Fort Collins to enable Ren to complete his education at Colorado A&M. Post-graduation, Ren entered the U.S. Army, earning the rank of Captain; being stationed in Fort Riley, KS; Fort Benning, GA; Fort Jackson, SC and Fort Carson, CO.

After the Army, Ren and Sharon, and two of their three children, Kirk and Calie, moved permanently to Fort Collins, where after a while their third child, Kristy Lee was born. Upon arrival to Fort Collins, Ren had a job waiting for him at Valley Steel & Wire Company, where he worked for 56 years. He eventually became Vice President & General Manager.

Ren was a loving husband, devoted father, cherished son and brother and friend to many. He was exceptionally active in the LDS Church, holding various positions of leadership throughout the years.

You had to know Ren very well to be aware of how generous a person he was. He and Sharon provided great financial support to their family and others. It is not possible to list the organizations and charities they have contributed to.

He never lost his love and passion for CSU, especially CSU Athletics. Ren served as President of the Alumni Association, Founding Chairman of the 1870 Club, and volunteered for countless positions at CSU. Ren and Sharon were winners of the Larry LaSasso Spirit Award in 1988, and the CSU Alumni Association presented Ren with the Jim and Nadine Henry Award in 2002.

Surviving Ren is his wife Sharon, son Kirk (Christy) Jensen, daughters, Calie (Mike) Pierce and Kristy Mainwal; sister, Cherrel Budge and her children; sister-in-law, Kathy Evans and her children; grandchildren Eric Schrader (Michelle and Jackson), Kyle Schrader, and Alexa Mainwal; eight step-grandchildren and 18 step-great grandchildren. Preceding him in death were his parents, Weldon and Mary Jensen, his in-laws, Fay and Erma Evans, his brothers-in-law, Gary Evans and Lawrence Budge and step-great grandchild, Lucia Priddy.

A Celebration of Life will be held on July 10, 2025, from 2 to 4pm at Iris & Michael Smith Alumni Center, (NE Corner Canvas Stadium), 701 W. Pitkin Complimentary parking in Lot 475 (see red outline). Access from Prospect via Meridian. Access from Shields via Pitkin.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Ren Jensen to support the Ren and Sharon Jensen Alumni Innovation Endowment (#88805) at Colorado State University. Please make checks payable to "CSU Foundation" and in the memo line or in a separate note, please share that your gift is in memory of Ren Jensen to benefit the Ren and Sharon Jensen Alumni Innovation Endowment.  Gifts can be mailed to CSU Foundation; P.O. Box 1870; Fort Collins, CO 80522-1870.