Milton R. “Milt” Jenner

Milton R. “Milt” Jenner

September 7^, 1930 – June 15, 2021

GRAVESIDE SERVICE WITH MILITARY HONORS: Friday, July 2^nd at 9am followed by MEMORIAL SERVICE at 10:30am at Lutheran Church of the Master, 2617 S. 114^th Street.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for distribution to charities that support Alzheimer’s Research and assist homeless Veterans.

 To view live broadcasts of the Graveside and Memorial Services, please go to www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “View Live Cast” button on our home page.

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Our loving father, Milton “Milt” R. Jenner passed into the arms of Jesus at age 90 on June 15, 2021 at Hillcrest Country Cottage Estates in Omaha, Nebraska. 

Milt was born on September 7, 1930 in Ashley, North Dakota to his parents Gottlieb and Elsie (Graff) Jenner.  Milt was a farm boy raised out in the country outside of Ashley.  He was the youngest of three children and had two older sisters, Irene and Leona.  His constant childhood companions included “Shep”, his German Shepherd Dog, and “Beauty”, his paint horse.

Milt was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church.  On May 31, 1949, he graduated from Mott High School in Mott, North Dakota, where he played the trumpet in the band, was involved in theater plays at school, sang tenor in the choir, and was a straight A student.  

Milt served in the North Dakota Army National Guard.   He joined on March 1, 1948 at age 17.  He was a member of HHC, 164^th Infantry Brigade.  Between November 1949 and May 1950, he attended the Cable Splicer, Telephone and Telegraph Course at Camp Gordon in Augusta, Georgia.  In January 1951, Milt was activated as a replacement troop and sent to Camp Rucker, Alabama.  Not long after, the armistice with Korea was signed, and replacement troops were no longer needed.  He was discharged on February 29, 1952.

Upon his return from active duty, he found employment with Northwestern Bell Telephone Company.  Milt served first as a telephone lineman, installing phone lines throughout North Dakota.  This was no easy task, given the rather harsh weather in North Dakota. 

Shortly after hiring on with “Ma Bell”, Milt met the woman he would cherish for the rest of his life, Audrey Gravning, through a friend of his. Their first date was at a dance in Lemmon, South Dakota.  The dance continued for 66 years.  They were married at Richland Lutheran Church near Hettinger, North Dakota on June 5, 1955.  On July 19, 1956, their first child was born, a daughter, Debra Kaye in Hettinger, ND.  A son, Terry Lee, joined the family on December 31, 1959 in Fargo, North Dakota.

Milt worked 34 years with the Bell System.  After 3 years as a lineman, he joined the Construction Department, where he worked in Grand Forks, North Dakota until 1957, when he was transferred to a directory sales position in Fargo.  In 1960, Milt and his young family moved to Bismarck, North Dakota where he served as Communications Supervisor.  In 1961, the family moved back to Fargo, as Milt had been again promoted to Sales Training and Results Supervisor.  In 1963, he was promoted to Sales Manager.  Then in 1968, Milt was again promoted to a Marketing Director position in Omaha, Nebraska.  He served in management here in Omaha until his retirement on March 1, 1986.

Milt enjoyed distance running and preferred the 10k.  He worked almost 30 years part-time at Miracle Hills Golf Course and enjoyed golfing and playing tennis with mom.  He was an accomplished woodworker who loved dogs and horses.  He was a faithful member of Lutheran Church of The Master since 1968, following Jesus while serving on the church council, The Angel Tree Project, and other ministries. 

Milt was preceded in death by his parents, Gottlieb and Elsie Jenner; two sisters, Irene Fink and Leona Schmitt; sister-in-law, Peggy Gravning; nieces, Adeline Schwalbe, Leslie Gravning; nephew, Lyle Fink; brothers-in-law, Gerald Gravning, Lynn “C.J.”Gravning, Otto “Leonard” Fink, and Emanuel Schmitt.  He is survived by his loving wife, Audrey; daughter, Debra Jenner-Billington (Steve) of Unadilla; son, Terry; grandsons, Ian “Bill” Billington (special friend, Darci López) of Lincoln, NE, and David Billington (Emily) of Lincoln, NE; granddaughter, Krista (Jenner) Johnston (Tim) of Bellevue, NE; great-grandchildren: Taylor (Billington) Hood of Austin, TX and Hunter Johnston of Bellevue, NE; sisters-in-law, Corinne Fossen (Dave) of Windsor, CA, and Janys Kruse of Bloomfield, Minnesota; many nieces and nephews.