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NCCE
Bids Farewell to a Beloved Friend
and Exemplary Educator
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Eric
Christian Jensen (1942-2003) passed away on October 10,
after a courageous battle with cancer. Eric was the soul
of volunteerism, and was a mentor to many teachers and students.
More importantly, Eric was a valued friend, a respected
educator, and a beloved family man. He will be missed by
his family, his colleagues at Wenatchee School District
and his friends at NCCE.
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Eric was a lifelong resident of Wenatchee, Washington. After graduating
from the University of Washington in 1965 with a B.A. in History,
Eric married his lifelong friend, WHS classmate, UW alum, and sweetheart,
Myrna Mahugh on August 28, 1965. Eric and Myrna enjoyed 38 loving
years together and brought up three children, Koll, Marya, and Todd,
all graduates of WHS and UW. He spent fifteen years as a classroom
teacher, ten years as library media specialist, and eleven years
as the director of media and technology for the Wenatchee School
District. Both Eric and Myrna dedicated years of service to NCCE
on our Board of Directors. Eric's
decades of visionary leadership established his reputation throughout
the Northwest as a passionate and dedicated proponent of technology
in the classroom. In addition to his commitment to his school district,
Eric was a tireless volunteer for NCCE. He served as Program Chair
for the 1994 and 2001 Conferences and Equipment Chair for the 1998
Conference. In 1998, Eric was awarded NCCE¹S Technology Educator
of the Year. He was truly a pioneer in educational technology, and
an inspiration to fellow educators.
All those who had the pleasure of working with Eric, and all those
who were his friends will miss his quiet intelligence and winning
smile. He was respected for his integrity and loved for his wit,
his kind friendship and his compassion. Heidi
Rogers, Executive Director of NCCE and longtime friend of the Jensens,
characterized Eric as, “…a lifelong learner who was
willing to listen, willing to learn, and willing to rethink what
was believed to be true. For Eric, learning was the priority; not
power, not authority, not prestige. Eric transcended many of our
familiar categories---football player, librarian, computer geek,
piano player and colleague. Eric’s kind and gentle friendship
was the greatest gift he gave us. In a recent email to me, Eric
closed with the following quote from Beethoven: ‘Never forget
the days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend, as you will
always find me yours.’ I know that I can speak for all of
us here that we will not forget the days or our friend.”A
memorial fund has been established in Eric’s name. The Eric
Jensen Memorial Scholarship fund will be used to recognize individuals
in the greater Wenatchee area who have developed/will develop programs
for innovative uses of technology within their community.Donations
may be sent to:Eric
C. Jensen Memorial Scholarship
Community Foundation of North Central Washington
7 North Wenatchee Avenue, Suite 201
Wenatchee, WA 98801
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ncce@ncce.org