Peter E Jensen

Dr. Peter Jensen, MD, a happy, kind, fun loving, intelligent, and adventurous gentleman bid farewell to his loving family and earthly struggles on January 20, 2024. He passed away peacefully at his Boise home. Despite the dark and rainy Saturday, Peter opened his eyes and saw the light as the sun came out and the Lord usher him into heaven.

Born on May 14, 1945, at Jacksonville Naval Hospital, he grew up in Caldwell, Idaho with his younger sister Karen and three brothers Steve, Jeff, and Greg. Peter graduated with distinction from Caldwell High School in 1963. He attended Oregon State University (BS) followed by the University of Oregon Medical School where he earned his medical doctorate (MD 1970). He did his residency in ophthalmology (eye surgery) at the University of Washington. Peter earned many academic distinctions including being elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha medical society and earning the “Golden Cane” award for academic excellence and outstanding compassion for patient care. He also received the honorary owl pellet (regurgitated bones and fur left behind after by owls after digesting the rest of their meal) in a crystal container because Peter was able to regurgitate more medical facts than all his classmates. This prized treasure fascinated and disgusted guests in his office for decades to come. Peter maintained lifelong friendships with many of his college and medical school classmates. Peter was an Air Force Flight Surgeon in Colorado and joked he had the easiest assignment caring for young healthy AF pilots. This fostered his lifelong admiration for fighter pilots and close bond his stepson, Max, an Air Force F15e pilot. He earned his Life Fellow achievement in American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2013, celebrating 35 years of contributions.

While at the University of Oregon Medical School, Peter met Andrea Baardson. They married in 1967 and had 2 children, Erik and Johanna, who they raised in Nampa. Peter was a devoted father, his children’s biggest fan, and was later very involved with his stepchildren as well. His love for his grandchildren knew no bounds. He filled their lives with warmth, affection, love of play and adventure. In early 2002 he met and fell in love with Victoria Horst Poppler. After a long and romantic courtship they married in 2005 on the ancient roman library steps in  Ephesus, Turkey.  They had a wonderful life together with many adventures in Boise, Ketchum, and around the world.  

Peter’s zest for life extended far beyond his career.  An avid and skilled outdoorsman he felt most at home in the beauty of nature. He loved golfing, skiing, backpacking, cycling, hunting, and trail riding on his Tennessee walking horse, Booker. His adventures took him all over including: Montana, Wyoming, and the Rocky Mountains, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, Australia, the Indian Ocean, and Africa. Peter loved people, parties, gatherings and organized and participated in many Triathlons. He liked to tell stories about the early days riding on the chairlift at Bogus Basin with J.R. Simplot (who donated the mountain to become Bogus Basin) and stomping down the snow with his boots for a free lift ticket before Bogus had a snow cat to groom the runs. He was enormously disappointed that Sun Valley stopped giving free passes to seniors 70 and older the year he turned 70. That didn’t stop him from skiing most every day until he suffered a hemorrhagic brain bleed on March 13, 2023. With Victoria dutifully by his side and with God’s help, Peter worked hard to rehabilitate for the next ten months until he passed from complications on January 20, 2024.

Dr. Jensen practiced ophthalmology in Nampa until December 2022. He was loved by his patients for his dedication, compassionate bedside manner, and a large cache of silly jokes. He was a pillar of Eye Physicians of Idaho where he partnered white Dr. John Ross, Dr. Jorge Martinez, and later his daughter, Dr. Johanna Jensen. Peter felt blessed and proud that his daughter was inspired by him to become an ophthalmologist and join him in practice. Together they continuously adopted new technologies to better help their patients. At his retirement Peter estimated he had restored the vision to over 6000 patients with cataract surgery, undoubtedly improving their lives immensely.

Peter leaves behind his beloved wife, Victoria; his adoring children and stepchildren, Johanna, Erik (Karin), Louis (Denver), Sunny (Burton), Maximillian (Virginia), grandchildren, Annika, Ingrid, Andy, Roger, David, and unborn baby girl, his sister, 3 brothers, nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents Stanley and Doris Gimbel and Uncle Bob Jensen, MD all of whom inspired Peter to pursue medicine and his niece Allison Jensen.

Please join us for a celebration of life February 25, 3-5pm
The Arid Club
1137 W River St
Boise 83702
Business attire please
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to https://www.safeplaceministries.com.