George Thomas Jenkins, Jr.

George Thomas Jenkins, Jr.

August 27, 1941 ~ October 30, 2019 (age 78)

George "Jeeb" Thomas Jenkins, Jr., age 78, of Bemidji, Minnesota began his journey to the spirit world on Wednesday, October 30th, 2019 from the Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, ND. He was born on August 27th, 1941 in Winnie Dam, MN, the son of Elizabeth (Quincy) and George Jenkins, Sr.

George attended school and graduated from Deer River High School in 1959. Shortly after graduation he enlisted in the United States Navy. Upon returning home from the Navy, he attended and graduated from Haskell Jr. College with a carpentry diploma. His work experience includes moving furniture in the Minneapolis area for the Cedar Van Lines, he was a carpenter for the Leech Lake Reservation for several years, where he helped construct some of the tribal buildings. Before retiring, George spent 27 years working as in mechanical maintenance for Leech Lake Gaming. He was a proud lifetime member of the Native American Church.

On June 11th, 1983, George married Carol Bowstring. Together they had two children, George Thomas Jenkins III and Marya Kay "Tum" Jenkins. Some of George's hobbies include attending powwows, playing cribbage, traveling with his family and gathering wild rice. He looked forward to his yearly goose and deer hunting trips as well as his annual trip to Valley Fair. George liked watching old westerns all types of sports, but especially football and basketball and was an avid Minnesota Vikings, Twins and Gophers fan. His most favorite things to do was spending time with his children and grandchildren and attending family gatherings. He had a great sense of humor and really enjoyed teasing and joking around with people. While George liked all kinds of different foods, his favorites were fried walleye, fry bread with peanut butter or real butter, wild rice, peanut butter sandwiches, oatmeal with bacon grease, mac hotdish and baked beans. George will be sadly missed by all who knew his smiling face.

Family that George is reunited with are his daughter, Marya "Tum" Jenkins; his parents, George and Lizzy Jenkins, all but one of his brothers and sisters.

Those left behind to cherish his memory are his wife of 36 years Carol Jenkins, his son, George III; grandchildren, Allisyn, Tailyn, Cedes, Kalina and Petey; brothers, Tony Jenkins, Sr. and Perry Funmaker, several nieces and nephews; his foster children, Samantha and Miranda; his foreign exchange student from Spain, David; sister-in-laws, Marilyn, Betty and Sherry; brother-in-laws, Jake, Joe and Kelly and other family members.

An overnight wake for George will begin at 6:00 p.m., Sunday, November 3rd and continue until his 2:00 p.m. funeral service on Monday, November 4th all to be held at the Ball Club Community Center in Ball Club, MN. Tony Jenkins, Sr. will be the officiant. Laying George to rest are Dale Bohn, Anthony Jenkins, Jr., Phillip Johnson, Leon Jenkins, Jake Bowstring, Travis Gale, Mike Egan and Danny Ruiz. His honorary pallbearers are all his family and friends. Interment will be in the Tuttle Cemetery at Winnie Dam, MN.

George's care has been entrusted to Northern Peace Funeral Home of Walker. Online condolences for the family may be left at http://www.northernpeace.com