Maren Kirstine Jensen

Maren Kirstine Jensen, born in Tjørring, Denmark, and a long-time resident of Kitchener, Ontario, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 13, 2024, at Humber River Hospital in Toronto at the age of 88.

Maren is predeceased by Helge Ivan Jensen with whom she bore children Michael (Mark), Tina (Alf), David (Julia), and Kenneth (Stacey) who will carry on her memory with 7 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild as well. "Stinne" is also predeceased by her cherished parents Christian Pedersen Bredvig and Ellivie Emilie (nee Thomsen) Bredvig, and her dear siblings Niels Peder, Esther, and Judith, and is survived by siblings Emil, Lydia, Gerda, Annelise, and Willy, and her cousin Hans Peder Lodahl.

Maren remembered many valued friends who had passed. Maren also valued that her current friends supported her til the end: Alberta Pichet, Mary O'Hagan, Ursula Bolitsky, and Barbara Jensen.

Maren first trained as a nurse at Roskilde Amtssygehus in Denmark and after immigration to Canada repeated the training and certification in English. She worked proudly as a nurse for 20 years - culminating as Head Nurse of Paediatrics at Grand River (K-W) Hospital in Kitchener – following which "Maren K" was thrilled to serve as a real estate agent for 25 years. "Guess who sells Kitchener-Waterloo?"

She was dedicated to helping people - whether to help patients and their parents manage disease, suffering, and their own sanity; or to help clients find ideal homes while protecting them from the risks of the house market and avoiding a lemon.

Maren was an avid gardener over decades, taking joy in growing diverse vegetables, fruit, and herbs. Much of it she served in grand lunch platters of open-faced smørrebrød sandwiches or large meals with fresh warm pie or æblekage. Maren also maintained her whole front lawn as a pollinator garden of perennial flowers and native plants to attract and nurture the wild creatures she loved; it also attracted several nominations from Kitchener in Bloom.

The family extends heartfelt thanks and much acknowledgement of the value of these organizations whose staff provided so much loving assistance over the past few years: Grand River Hospitals - both St Mary's and K-W, ParaMed Home Health Care Services, Community Support Connections - Meals on Wheels, At Raymond's in Conestoga Mall, Hygate on Lexington, The Skovsgaard Real Estate Team, Schlegel Villages at Humber Heights, and Humber River Hospital.

Maren will be inurned at Sunset Villa's Mindepark in Crieff, Ontario beside Ivan Jensen. Her ashes will also be spread at Tjørring Kirkegård alongside her mother Emilie Bredvig, and in Vancouver, British Columbia near the Pacific Ocean.

For advance notice (and access to photo album) please contact the family through marenkj@gmail.com

Please contribute pictures of Maren you may have.

Click here to donate to St. Mary's Hospital Foundation

Click here to donate to Grand River Hospital Foundation 

Click here to donate to Community Support Connections

Click here to donate to Humber River Health Foundation