Virginia Jensen

Virginia “Ginny” Penick Jensen passed away peacefully August 3, 2025, in San Diego, California at the age of 87 years old. She was born in Oshkosh, Nebraska to Fred Walker and Vivian Cochran Penick. Ginny spent her childhood in Lewellen and was an excellent student, thespian and musician. As a senior she was chosen to compete in the All-State Music Festival in Lincoln where she placed first in the piano competition. She graduated as Valedictorian from Lewellen Rural High School in 1954 and was awarded a Regents scholarship to the University of Nebraska.

In 1956 she married Robert L. Jensen of Big Springs, and they continued their university studies in Lincoln. Together, they had two daughters and the family lived in many different states enjoying the Navy life. She embraced each move as an adventure and instilled that spirit in her daughters. She was a loving, devoted and completely selfless mother and grandmother.

She and her daughters moved to Ogallala in 1971, and she embarked on a career in corporate finance with TRW. Her career once again ignited her adventurous love of travel and this took her from Ogallala to Corpus Christi, Texas and later, a move to Chicago, Illinois. Chicago life suited Ginny perfectly. She could often be found in a museum, an art gallery, a botanical garden, attending a Broadway play, an outdoor concert or the Lyric Opera.

Her master gardening skills were unparalleled, and her personal garden was a neighborhood delight. If she planted it, it would grow! Her yard was featured in the Junior League’s Garden Walks of Elgin. Her beds were a spectacular mixture of both English cottage cutting gardens and an overwhelming array of fruits and vegetables.

A life-long member of the Methodist Church, she was. an extremely active parishioner of Epworth United Methodist Church. She was a member of the Church Council, Staff-Parish Relations Committee and served as the church wedding coordinator, and many other volunteer positions. Ginny was the consummate volunteer and always considered others’ needs as an opportunity for service. She cared deeply about social justice and gave back to her community constantly. Whether it was filling shoe boxes with much needed supplies for people in need in South America, or packing trailers bound for Appalachia, or volunteering regularly at the Elgin PADS homeless shelter (even staying through the night to keep watch). Ginny was always there to lend a helping hand.

Ginny loved spending time with her daughters and their families. One of her favorite annual summer traditions was meeting her family at a beach cottage in Pensacola, Florida and watching her grandchildren frolic in the sand. She watched them grow from toddlers to teens on that beach. She travelled abroad and was always intrigued by new cultures. One of her favorite memories was travelling to England and seeing Queen Elizabeth II while touring Windsor Castle (we like to think that one of QEII’s favorite memories must have been seeing Ginny!). 

She is preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Rebecca Penick Higdon and her aunt, Myrtle Cochran Patty. 

Ginny is survived by her daughter, Marcia “Jen” Brandenburg and son-in-law, Glenn of Middleburg, Florida and her daughter, Susie Warriner and son-in-law, Mike of Escondido, California. Her six grandchildren include Christopher Jensen of Gainesville, Florida, Matthew Warriner of Los Angeles, California, Jeffery Warriner of Mexico City, Mexico, Kate Brandenburg of New York, New York, Jordan Brandenburg of Gainesville, Florida, Erin Brandenburg of New York, New York and one great-grandson, Madox Jensen. 

She will be greatly missed and forever loved.