Ivan Jergenson is one of the two living former mayors of Commerce City. Ivan was Mayor in 1965 and 1966. The other former mayor is Harold Kite.

Ivan Jergenson was born on 46th and Clayton Street in Denver and grew up in the area. He tells people that he didn't get very far because he only lives two miles from where he was born.

Ivan went to school in the old Swanzee Elementary School. It has been replaced now. He also attended school at Cole Junior High and Manual High School. Ivan remembers when 46th Ave. was a dirt road that sloped down for sled riding. Now 46th Ave. is the busy highway I-70.

Ivan and Winnie Jergensen were married in 1941. They lived in Oakland, California for two and a half years, where he worked in the shipyards. But his job in the shipyards didn't last because Uncle Sam had another job waiting for Ivan as a Seaman in the Merchant Marines. In the season of 1943 Ivan Jergensen played football with the Oakland Giants for a year. He was paid $50 a game. Winnie worked in the shipyards while they were in California and for Gardner-Denver after they got back to Colorado.

Ivan and Winnie moved back to this area in 1946 after he was released from the service. They lived in a home across from the Commerce City City Hall. The City Hall was a little frame barracks building where the playground is now located. Ivan was on the Commerce City City Council for eight years.

Speaking of those council meetings Ivan remembers that "Sometimes the meetings were long. We were jammed in that building and people were looking through the windows, trying to hear what was said. A lot of the people that were on the council are now gone."

At that time no money was paid for Councilmen and the only trips they took were to Glenwood Springs. Anyone who is now on the Commerce City City Council for over five years is pensioned. Ivan states that he is the only Councilman eligible for pension but he doesn't receive it because that rule wasn't in effect when he served on the council.

Ivan worked for 22 years for the Rocky Mountain News Circulation Department. He is a hard worker and had three jobs for four years. He worked in the mornings for the newspaper, was employed by Prudential Insurance Co. and helped Joe Christensen at the Model Farm Dairy in the afternoons.

Ivan started the Ivan Jergenson Insurance Co. in 1960 and still works at the company on most mornings, although his son now runs the agency.

For a time Winnie and Ivan Jergensen lived north and west of the old Derby Depot. At that time Tom and Bessie Burden were the station masters. They received living quarters in the depot as part of their wages. As the train went by mail was put on it.

Ivan and Winnie have two boys and one girl, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Ivan characterizes it as a population explosion.

Ivan is an old car buff who has restored eight vintage cars. He has a U.S. Mail truck that he got from Christensens many years ago. It was on the occasion of a 40th anniversary party for the Christensens when Ivan happened to see a mail truck. He took it home and restored it. It has been in the Commerce City Memorial Day parade. Ivan is active in the El Jebel Keystone Kops and has a red car that is seen each year in the parade. An old paddy wagon used by the El Jebel Keystone Kops came from the Christensen Hog ranch. When Ivan found it there was a tree growing up through the body of the car. Brinks had a towing service and Ivan had them tow it for him so he could restore it. He did a Duracell commercial with the paddy wagon.

The El Jebels do kids parties for companies such as R.T.D. and Martin Marietta. They raise money for children for the Shrine Hospitals. The nearest Shrine Hospital is in Salt Lake City.

Winnie and Ivan enjoy traveling.

"He's a hobo at heart," says Winnie. Two years ago they were featured in the Commerce City Beacon as they traveled on the Queen Elizabeth II. They had the honor of talking to Bob Hope.

The Jergensens have been married for 55 years. Five years ago they celebrated a Danish 50th Anniversary. Danish tradition means that friends wake up the anniversary couple, (supposedly wake them up, although they are already awake and waiting.) Singing and serenading follow and the couple invites the friends in to eat Danish Rolls or Vienabord (Vienna bread.) Friends put up an arch and cover it with the date of the marriage of the lucky couple, flowers and greenery.

Ivan and Winnie have been to Denmark ten times. They have traced their family history in Denmark and some of the family traveled to America for the Jergensen's 50th wedding anniversary.

The couple have gone with Ports Of Call on an around the world cruise that lasted 26 days.

One of Winnie Jergensen's hobbies is collecting little "junk." Winnie and Ivan are members of the Messiah Lutheran Church on 18th and Colorado Blvd. Ivan and Winnie Jergensen have led a full and rewarding life.