Melody Jensen

Funeral services for Melody Jensen were held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, April 17, 2023, at Kirk Funeral Home of Rapid City, SD. Burial was in the Black Hills National Cemetery. Kirk Funeral Home of Rapid City, SD, was in charge of arrangements. Melody Ann Jensen, age 57, passed away on April 11, 2023, at Monument Health Hospice House, following a 7-year battle with metastatic breast cancer. Melody approached this part of her life’s journey with steadfast perseverance and strength. Melody was born in 1966 , to Jerry and Linda (Blasius) Jensen in Chamberlain, SD, and was baptized in the Catholic Church with Carol and Darold Thomas, as her godparents. Melody grew up with her three siblings, Jerri Lynn, Sandy,and Shawn, and spent her summers riding horses, cruising her bike downtown, and frequenting the swimming pool. Later, she became a lifeguard and taught many children to swim.

Math and history were Melody’s favorite subjects and she loved playing the xylophone in concert band and the drums in pep band. She graduated from Gregory High School in 1984, and went from being a Gorilla basketball player to a Hardrocker when she started college at the School of Mines in Rapid City, SD.

Melody always knew she wanted to go to the School of Mines from a young age, and she later graduated with a bachelor of science in engineering in 1989. She was involved in the Society of Women Engineers, and said she remembered entering a classroom as the only female among 20 men. Upon graduation from college, Melody’s first job was in Tampa, FL, returning to South Dakota a few years later to be closer to family. Melody was an accomplished and respected engineer for over 20 years.

She bought a home in Rapid City in 1999 and later met her life partner, Donald Steele, that summer at Boot Hill. Melody and Donald were married on April 13, 2001. Melody was a stepmom, advocate, and friend to Donald’s kids Sam, Christina, Jennifer, and Shannon, mother to Jacob and Tucker, and grandmother to ten grandchildren: Kaydence, Owen, Brennen, and Claire Aldren; Chance, Matty, Austin, and Taylor Lusher; and Aden and Maddison Steele.

Melody and Donald’s work took their family across the world. Though Melody spent most of her career at Ellsworth Airforce Base, she relocated to Okinawa, Japan, as the chief engineer on Fetuma and Camp Schwab from 2005 to 2008. The family would often pile into the Isuzu Trooper, head to the beach, and tour around the island. “We would take off on a Sunday afternoon and just start driving.” Melody, Donald and the boys relocated to Guam for a short stint in 2020 before she moved home and retired.

Melody enjoyed reading, crocheting, beekeeping, raising chickens, gardening, canning, and cooking.

She is survived by her husband Donald; her children: Sam, Christina (Frank), Jenn (Kelly), Shannon, Jacob, and Tucker; her parents Jerry and Linda; and her siblings Jerri Lynn (Frank) Kenzy, Sandy (Mike) Steffen, and Shawn (Bobbi Jo) Jensen.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents Virgil and Frances Jensen and August “Gus” and Alby Blasius.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Women in Science & Engineering program at the South Dakota School of Mines. To make gifts in Melody’s memory, checks can be sent to South Dakota Mines CARA. Please note in memo that it is in memory of Melody Jensen. The address is 330 E Kansas City St, Rapid City, SD 57701. To give online, go to https://cara. sdsmt.edu/donate. In the designation drop down, select ‘other’. A box will open to note gift is in memory of Melody Jensen.