Jens Kure-Jensen, of Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, died February 18, his wife of 68 years was by his side. Born February 20, 1930 to Astrid Kure and Jens Christian Jensen, Jens grew up in Copenhagen, Denmark. During the “Winter War” between Finland and Russia, the family lived in Finland, returning in 1942 to Denmark during the German occupation.
In 1952 Jens married Lise Andersen Kjaer while finishing his mechanical engineering studies at Copenhagen’s Polytechnic Institute. After two years of service in the Royal Danish Navy, the couple moved to Baden, Switzerland where Jens worked in steam turbine engineering at Brown, Boveri & Company. Three years later Jens continued his career in power system engineering by moving to the United States and joining General Electric Company in Schenectady, NY and later GE power systems in Lynn.
The family, now including two daughters, settled down for Jens to add a master’s degree in electrical engineering at Union College, for becoming US citizens and for Jens to participate in the First Reformed Church’s consistory for many years.
Jens enjoyed hiking and become a “46er” by climbing all the Adirondack mountains above 4000 feet.
Summers were for sailing. Jens learned to sail as crew and then skipper on his father’s yacht in Copenhagen and the Baltic Sea. With a boat of his own, Jens took up sailing and racing on Lake George and Lake Champlain, training his daughters in the process.
Cruising followed in the Virgin Islands and Down East, often with friends or family on board.
Jens and Lise retired to Manchester-by-the-Sea where Jens joined the First Parish Church Board of Trustees and oversaw “Raise the Beam,” church repainting and other major restoration projects. Every winter, he assisted seniors as a volunteer AARP Foundation Tax-Aide.
Jens was a longtime member of the Harbor Advisory Committee and Conservation Commission. He aided restoration efforts for the iconic Powder House atop the Powder House Hill Reservation.
Jens left behind his wife Lise, daughters Sanne Kure-Jensen and Dorrit Becker, grandchildren Lisa and Jeffrey, sister Annelise.
