Russell B. Jorgensen, 81, died May 11, 2012 at his home near Springfield, MO. His Memorial Mass will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dawson, NE at 10:00 AM on June 9, 2012.

Russell was born on March 14, 1931 in Hershey, NE to George and Gladys Jorgensen. He was raised on a farm near Hershey and graduated from Hershey High School. After serving briefly in the U.S. Navy, he attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln where he obtained B.S. and M.S. degrees in engineering. He married Nancy Watton on March 5, 1962 and they moved to the Los Angeles, CA area where their three children were born. He worked at North American Aviation as an aerospace engineer on the Apollo 11 project and then became a college instructor while pursuing a Ph.D. at UCLA. In 1972 he returned to his farming roots when they moved to a farm near Stella, NE. In 1984 he resumed his career in aerospace engineering at Lockheed Martin in Denver, CO. He and Nancy retired to Dawson, NE until recently moving to the Springfield, MO area.

Russell enjoyed the sense of accomplishment he derived by creating and fixing things as an engineer and farmer. This was also true of his leisure time, as he personally undertook major renovations of several of their family homes.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Levern and Dave, and sister Verla.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy; brother, Clerance Jorgensen of Phoenix AZ; son Blaine Jorgensen and his wife Brynne, grandchildren Emily and Amanda of Arvada CO; son Brent Jorgensen and his wife Marcy of Tecumseh NE, step-grandchildren James, Melissa and Tiffany; and daughter Lisa Jorgensen of Springfield MO.
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