Bob Jenson

Robert Eugene Jenson (May 11, 1931 – January 6, 2018) was a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oregon. He served in the Oregon House of Representatives representing District 58, which encompassed Union County, Wallowa County, and portions of Umatilla County. District 58 included the cities Pendleton, La Grande, and Enterprise. Jenson served in the Oregon House since 1997 until 2015. At the time of his retirement, as the member with the most seniority, he held the honorary title of Dean of the House.

Jenson was born on a ranch in Omaha, Nebraska in 1931. He received a bachelor of science degree and master's degree in United States History from Montana State University. He served in the United States Air Force from 1950 to 1954 and then worked as an airport commissioner.

Jenson moved to eastern Oregon in 1967 and taught at Blue Mountain Community College for 26 years. He also taught high school for 4 years.

In 1996, Jenson ran as a Democrat for the seat in the Oregon House of Representatives vacated by Chuck Norris, who did not seek re-election, defeating Republican Don Armstrong. In 1998, Jenson changed his party affiliation to Independent after becoming dischanted with what he considered extreme environmental positions of the Democratic Party. He was re-elected to the House as an Independent in 1998, and then a year later, became a Republican.

He was re-elected as a Republican in 2000, and won re-election to the House every two years until 2014, when he did not run for reelection.

Jenson and his wife Evelyn lived in Pendleton. They had four children. He died from cancer on January 6, 2018, at his home in Pendleton.