William Leland Jensen Papers

William Leland (Lee) Jensen was born on July 27, 1907 in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Jensen grew up in Albert Lea, attending Albert Lea High School and later studying economics at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. Jensen married Doris Verne Phelps, whom he met while at Carleton, in 1932. They had one daughter (Nancy Lee) born in 1934 and one son (William Phelps) in 1937.

During World War Two, Jensen served as a Regional Director for the War Production Board, overseeing operations in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana, one of 12 regional offices across the country. The WPB was responsible for overseeing the production of war materiel, allocating scarce industrial resources, and rationing civilian use of gasoline, rubber, and other important materials. He continued to serve this role in the Civilian Production Administration (the postwar sucessor to the War Production Board) until 1947 when he resigned to return to private business.

Jensen remained in Minneapolis thereafter, participating in various civic and business organizations. Jensen died on April 29, 1998 after suffering a stroke and is buried next to his wife Doris at Lakewood Cemetery.