With Aunt Sergene’s passing, I thought I would make some of the photographs I have of her and her life available. I am wrapping this around the language of her obituary.
Sergene was born 2 February 1932 in Preston, Franklin, Idaho. She is the sixth of twelve children born to Mary Louise Wanner and William Fredrick Andra. My Grandmother, Colleen, is the fifth and was four years older than Sergene.
Sergene standing, Ross, Donald, Jon Wanner, unknown, Kay Wanner all kneeling, and Larry, Dennis, Sharon Johnson, and Dale Andra
Sergene in school
Colleen, Larry, Ross, Dale, Sergene about 1945
Sergene graduated from Preston High School in 1950. She was a cheerleader and the Preston Night Rodeo Queen where she was pictured on Roy Roger’s horse, Trigger Jr., on the cover of the Preston Rodeo program in 1949.
Sergene in High School (I only have a scan of a copy, hopefully some day I can have a scan of an original)
Andra Family Portrait, 1947; back (l-r): Bill, Golden; middle: Sergene, Millie, Colleen, June; front: Don, Larry, Bill, Dale, Mary, Ross.
Immediately after high school she married a guy from Malad who turned out to be quite abusive. Sergene defended herself and quickly had the marriage annulled.
Sergene married Bert B Sorenson 22 August 1950 in Nampa, Canyon, Idaho. Two children were born to the marriage, Scott B Sorenson (1951) and Andrew S Sorenson (1953). Bert worked for Mountain Bell.
June, Millie, Mary, Colleen, Sergene, about 1956.
Sergene, Scott, Bert, Andrew Sorenson in Preston about 1957
1959 Andra Reunion, Phyllis (Don), Utahna (Golden), Sergene, Mary, Colleen, Millie, Edith (Bill).
Bert, Andy, Jackie Jonas, Sergene about 1964
Bert, Sergene with Jackie Jonas in front, and Andy Sorenson about 1964
June, Millie, Colleen, Sergene mid 1960’s
Andra Reunion, 1967, Sergene, Colleen, Millie, June, Mary.
Sergene purchased The Wig Wam in Burley in 1969. She purchased the Ponderosa Beauty Salon in 1973 and the Merle Norman Cosmetics store in Twin Falls in 1976. She only purchased the businesses, not the buildings in which they were located. The Ponderosa closed in the 1980’s and the salon with it. I don’t know when she sold or gave up the Twin Falls store. She ran the Burley location until she retired from it in the early 1990’s. It was a sort of forced retirement as the restaurant next door caught fire and Sergene not to make the repairs to her building but just close shop.
Times News, 18 May 1976
Sergene with her parents in the late 1970’s
Colleen, Millie, June, Sergene, 1977.
Sergene and Bert in the early 1980’s
Millie, Colleen, Sergene
Sergene had a knack for golf and bowling. She participated in the Idaho State Amateur Golf Tournament for 53 consecutive years. She was honored as the Burley Municipal Ladies Golf Association champion from 1956 to 1986. She regularly participated on the Idaho Women’s and Chapman couple’s golf circuits. She also served as a member of the Idaho Couples Golf Association.
Bert and Sergene in the late 1980’s
Bert passed away 4 March 1991 in Burley, Cassia, Idaho.
Sisters at a funeral, 9 March 1991, Burley, Idaho, Colleen, Sergene, June, Millie.
Sergene and Colleen in San Diego
Sergene married Harlan Brent Jensen 13 November 1991 in Elko, Elko, Nevada.
Harlan and Sergene Jensen in the mid 1990’s
Millie, Sergene, and puppies
1998 Andra Reunion, Milie and Vance Beck, Sergene Jensen, Colleen Lloyd.
Harlan passed away 4 February 2002 in Burley.
Sergene then spent considerable time with her dear friend and companion Edward Neil Dean from that point forward. They were close friends and golfing buddies.
Sergene, Neil, and Vance Beck in 2007
Sergene and Neil at Lava Hot Springs in 2008
Ross, Don, Larry, Sergene, Neil Dean at 2010 Andra Reunion
Sergene passed 14 February 2013 in Lake Havasu, Mohave, Arizona.
Sagacity 