Harry was born in Brooklyn, NY to Henry and Agnes McClane Jentzen. His grandparents, John and Johanna Jentzen came from Germany in the 1850s. He was the younger brother of Agnes and the older brother of Jackie.
He was a graduate of Erasmus Hall High School. As a teenager he worked in a candy store, and as an usher at the now infamous Ebbets Field.
In the late 1940s he began working at American Can Company. He served in WWII as a radioman 3rd class, from April 6, 1943 to December 10, 1945. His brother Jackie, who was in the Army, died at age 19 from wounds received while fighting in the Philippines. In May 1945, Harry took leave from active naval duty to attend a memorial mass for Jackie.
In 1950 he married Marilyn Mitchell and they made their home on Winthrop Street in Brooklyn, where they eventually had four children. After the birth of their last child, they moved further out on Long Island, where he took the LIRR to work everyday. In 1972 he was transferred to the American Can Company plant in Austin, MN. This move was quite a culture shock since his family had always lived in New York.
In the early 1980s he was force-retired after 33 years. He had never missed a day of work. Instead of retiring, he took another full-time job.
He struggled with heart disease, having had his first "heart incident" in 1969, at age 46. In 1982 he had a second heart attack, and his doctors said he would never leave the hospital. After a one month stay, during which he mostly communicated by writing on a tablet, he finally came home but with only 17% of his heart intact. His heart issues could not be solved by a pacemaker, and back then he was ineligible for bypass surgery due to his age.
Miraculously he lived for another seventeen months. On May 17 he collapsed at home - a plumber who happened to be working at the house called 911. He was taken to St. John's Hospital, and a few hours later the decision was made to remove his breathing apparatus.
He died seven weeks before his youngest son's wedding. He never learned that his first grandchild was to be born (to his oldest son) eight months after his death.
He was the last surviving member of his family. His parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins all passed before him. He was survived by a wife and four children.
Harry was born in Brooklyn, NY to Henry and Agnes McClane Jentzen. His grandparents, John and Johanna Jentzen came from Germany in the 1850s. He was the younger brother of Agnes and the older brother of Jackie.
He was a graduate of Erasmus Hall High School. As a teenager he worked in a candy store, and as an usher at the now infamous Ebbets Field.
In the late 1940s he began working at American Can Company. He served in WWII as a radioman 3rd class, from April 6, 1943 to December 10, 1945. His brother Jackie, who was in the Army, died at age 19 from wounds received while fighting in the Philippines. In May 1945, Harry took leave from active naval duty to attend a memorial mass for Jackie.
In 1950 he married Marilyn Mitchell and they made their home on Winthrop Street in Brooklyn, where they eventually had four children. After the birth of their last child, they moved further out on Long Island, where he took the LIRR to work everyday. In 1972 he was transferred to the American Can Company plant in Austin, MN. This move was quite a culture shock since his family had always lived in New York.
In the early 1980s he was force-retired after 33 years. He had never missed a day of work. Instead of retiring, he took another full-time job.
He struggled with heart disease, having had his first "heart incident" in 1969, at age 46. In 1982 he had a second heart attack, and his doctors said he would never leave the hospital. After a one month stay, during which he mostly communicated by writing on a tablet, he finally came home but with only 17% of his heart intact. His heart issues could not be solved by a pacemaker, and back then he was ineligible for bypass surgery due to his age.
Miraculously he lived for another seventeen months. On May 17 he collapsed at home - a plumber who happened to be working at the house called 911. He was taken to St. John's Hospital, and a few hours later the decision was made to remove his breathing apparatus.
He died seven weeks before his youngest son's wedding. He never learned that his first grandchild was to be born (to his oldest son) eight months after his death.
He was the last surviving member of his family. His parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins all passed before him. He was survived by a wife and four children.
Inscription
RM3 US Navy
World War II
Gravesite Details
Burial Date: May 21, 1984
