Alta Marie (Dean) Kensinger, 88, of Grand Island, died Saturday, January 31, 2015 at Golden Living Lakeview.
Funeral services will be at 11 am Friday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. Pastor Paul Canady will officiate. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 5-7 pm Thursday at Livingston-Sondermann.
Memorials are suggested to the Special Olympics.
Alta Marie (Dean) Kensinger was born November 19, 1926 in Shelton, NE to Bert and Edna (Lough) Dean.   Alta received her education in Shelton and graduated in 1943.
Alta married Wesley W. Kensinger on August 16, 1947.  They made their home in Grand Island.  To this union a son, Daniel Dean was born.
Upon graduating from high school Alta moved to Grand Island and began her career at Northwestern Bell Telephone. She ended her career there after 35 years of service.  She retired in 1981.
Alta was an active member of Evangelical Free Church and was a participant in the Singing Christmas Tree for many years.  She was also a member of BP Women as well as Extension Club, Telephone Pioneers, and the Platte Duetsche.  She was also a Coach and an active member of the Special Olympics of Nebraska and the Local Grand Island Chapter, the ARC and the Studebaker Club, as well as a volunteer at Stuhr Museum.
Alta enjoyed flower gardening, bowling, her many dogs,  coaching her Special Olympic athletes, sewing, genealogy, collecting china plates, & spoons, traveling and spending time with her family and Wesley's across the country, including many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.  She also greatly enjoyed their weekends with Dan at home and traveling to car shows their friends in their Studebaker Club.
Those left to cherish her memory are her son, Daniel of Grand Island.  Her sister in law, Helen Dean (Denman) of Sloan, IA.   A sister in law, Dianna Dunning (Thomas) of Grand Island, a brothers in law, Jack Wiese (Beatrice) of Grand Island and Harold Beran (Doris)of CO, and caregiver and niece Wendy Wiese DeNoyer of Grand Island as well as many other nieces and nephews. And her beloved dog, Toy.
Those preceding Alta in death are her husband Wesley, her parents Bert and Anna Edna (Lough) Dean, her brothers Denman and Ervin, two infant brothers and her sisters Opal Deen and Nora Jane Waite.  Her father and mother in law Warren and Thelma Kensinger, her sisters in law Doris Beran, and Beatrice Wiese.

Funeral services will be at 11 am Friday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. Pastor Paul Canady will officiate. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 5-7 pm Thursday at Livingston-Sondermann.
Memorials are suggested to the Special Olympics.