Karen Margrethe Jensen Arens, aged 87, of Newport Beach, and formerly San Marino, passed away peacefully on August 1, 2020, after succumbing to the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. She lived a great life. Karen was born in Skive, Denmark on March 9, 1933. Karen was the youngest of four children to Niels-Severin Jensen and Ruth Dagmar Provensen. Karen is predeceased by each of her siblings, Poul Jensen, Johannes Jensen and Ingrid Hammer. Karen immigrated to the US in 1961, but she never lost her Danish heritage. Karen loved Denmark and she returned time and again during her life to visit beloved friends and relatives and delight in the country’s familiar culture. Karen was trained as a nurse in Denmark, and after achieving her nursing credential in California, began working as an R.N. at Hoag Hospital in 1964. In later years, she worked as a salesperson for the family coupon redemption business, servicing clients in central and coastal California. In October 1964, she met the love of her life and husband, John Arens. She and John were married in April 1966 in Skive, Denmark and they remained side-by-side for 53 years. Karen and John raised two wonderful sons, John Jensen Arens and Michael Edward Arens, in San Marino, before returning to Newport Beach once the boys had finished up college.
In 1992, Karen and John embarked on their greatest adventure. Pursuing John’s lifelong passion for sailing, they sold the family home in San Marino, and purchased Andrea, a 36-foot Danish-built racer/cruiser sailboat. Over most of the next four years, Karen and John cruised the Mediterranean, visiting the Balearics, Sardinia, the Amalfi Coast, Ionian Greece, Aegean Greece, Southwestern Turkey and Rhodes.The success of their Mediterranean adventure led to another four years on a Swedish-built, 35 ft. boat, also called Andrea. This cruise commenced in 1998 from the island of Trinidad, with anchorages north in the Windward Islands, Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands and the U.S. via the Intracoastal Waterway. John and Karen ultimately cruised up the East Coast, stopping in New York and then on to points north all the way to New Bedford, Mass. Karen loved adventure, sports and driving long distances. She had many groups of friends from all the places she called home — Denmark, Newport Beach and San Marino. She was social, action-oriented, and fun-loving. She was known to challenge teenagers at a stop light in her 5.0-liter, Ford Mustang. She is survived by her husband John H. Arens of Newport Beach and her sons John Jensen Arens of San Rafael, CA and Michael Edward Arens of Newport Beach. She is also survived by five grandchildren John Robert Arens (21), Allison Grace Arens (19), Reilly Elizabeth Arens (18), Michael Mason Arens (14) and Madeleine Ruby Arens (11). Karen also leaves cousins, nieces and nephews in Denmark, Canada, California and Oregon. She is deeply loved and will be missed. Due to COVID-19, services will be held at the Danish Church in Yorba Linda at a date to be announced. In lieu of sending flowers, please consider a donation to UCI Mind, the UC Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders.
