Howard Senske
Posted By Ballard Sunder Funeral Home On December 1, 2015 @ 2:03 pm In 2015,Obituaries | 65 Comments
Howard Senske, of Jordan, was welcomed into Heaven the morning of December 1, 2015 at the age of 71. He was a wonderful man and will be deeply missed. A visitation will be held Friday, December 4, 2015 from 3:30-7:30 PM at Hope Lutheran Church in Jordan. A Celebration of Life Service is Saturday, December 5, 2015 at 10:30 AM with visitation one hour prior at Hope Lutheran Church. Reverend Steven Thompson will preside.
On June 9, 1944 Erwin and Irene Senske celebrated the birth of their son, Howard Victor Senske. Howard was a playful and adventurous child. He and his friends were told to never go out on the lake in the Gaylord Park, but they ignored this rule. They built a raft which they hid from their parents, and used their raft to make trips across the lake to an island where they searched for arrowheads. Howard’s lifelong love for nature probably began on those rafting trips.
He also developed a strong work ethic and many of his “Do It Yourself” skills as a boy. He began working at his father’s gravel construction business and also helped out at his mother’s laundromat. During high school Howard was an accomplished athlete and captain of the football, basketball and track teams. But his biggest accomplishment in high school came in his sophomore year when he began dating Charlotte Peterson.
After graduating from high school, Howard attended Gustavus Adolphus College where he studied Biology and Earth Science. Only a week after his college graduation, Howard married the love of his life and high school sweetheart, Char. They exchanged wedding vows on June 4, 1966 at St. Bernadotte Lutheran Church in rural Lafayette. They were blessed with two wonderful children, Peter and Heather.
Howard was eager to begin his teaching career. He worked in Hector, Minnesota and the Imperial Valley of California before settling in Jordan. While in California, Howard earned his Master’s Degree in Education from San Diego State University.
Both Char and Howard worked in the Jordan School District for many years. Howard taught science to junior high and high school students. He taught courses in Biology, Earth Science, Photography and led many canoe trips on the Minnesota River. Howard was a beloved teacher and when he retired, he was honored by the school and students when they named Senske Trail after him.
Howard was a man of strong faith, and was a charter member of Hope Lutheran Church in Jordan. He was on the church council, served on building committees, was a member of the choir and acted as the building liaison when the new church was built. He even made and donated the beautiful stained glass windows that are still in the church today. Community was also very important to Howard. He owned a local business for more than 30 years. Wine & Spirits sponsored countless community events. Howard was an active member of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce and served on the bank board for Valley Bank.
In retirement, Howard was able to pursue some of his other interests. He enjoyed doing anything that allowed him to be outdoors. He loved to fish, canoe, golf, ski and garden. Char and Howard liked to go camping together, and especially enjoyed trips to Fall Lake in Ely. They also took the grandkids on an annual camping trip, and Howard passed on his love of nature to each of them. Howard spent a lot of time working with his hands. He was a “Do It Yourself” kind of guy and was skilled in so many different areas. He built custom furniture, stained glass, and even built a swimming pool in their backyard. He really enjoyed helping out with remodeling projects at both of his children’s homes. He volunteered many hours to build, rebuild, or repair things at Hope Lutheran.
Although Howard had many hobbies and interests, family was the most important thing in his life. Howard was a loving husband, wonderful father and the best grandpa to Tor, Bryn, Grace and Caroline. His grandkids were truly the light of his life, and he treasured every moment he spent with them.
Howard’s family is now left to honor his life and carry on his legacy. He will be remembered by his wife, Char Senske; son, Peter (Carrie) Senske and their children, Tor and Bryn; daughter, Heather (Josh) Kinkeade and their children, Grace and Caroline; sister, Janice (Don) Petrick; many nieces and nephews, loving relatives and dear friends.
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So sorry for your loss. Mr. Senske was one of my favorite teachers. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
My thoughts and prayers are with the Senske family. I am so sorry for your loss.
Thoughts and prayers for all of you. What an amazing teacher and person… God bless.
Scott
Howard Senske was everything that God wanted him to be. So now, he has earned the right to sleep.
“Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Howard. Sleep in Heavenly Peace.”
I am so sorry for your loss! My thoughts and prayers go out to you. Howard Senske was such a great guy and a really fabulous teacher! I will always remember his great smile and laugh!
Char and family
Howard was such a great roll model we all have learned from his time here with us. He was a great man and will leave a void in many people’s lives. Just remember he is in a much better place watching over you.
Mr Senske was a wonderful teacher of mine.My condolences, RIP.
Mr. Senske was a great teacher! He had the ability to make you feel as if your contribution to class was as important as any other student. That you had value and the ability to learn. I always looked forward to his class. He will be missed! My prayers are with all the family and friends during this time of sorrow.
I’m so sorry for your loss. He was a great teacher and I can still hear his fabulous laugh. My clear memory of him though is from seeing him at church with his family. His love for his family was very visual. The world lost a great guy.
so sorry to hear of the lose of Mr Senske. I had my photography class with him and I just remember the fun he put into it with all us students. All my siblings and I had him as a teacher over the years we were all in Jordan High.
May the Lord bless and keep his family as they morn their loss.
I am so sorry to hear this news. Thinking of your family during this difficult time.
Char and family,
Peace and love to you all. May God continue to be your strength as He is Howard’s comfort.
Mary and Dale
So sorry to hear about your loss. He was a great teacher and had a deep love & appreciation for Hope Lutheran Church. Besides having him as a Science teacher, I also have many fond memories of him and Hope Lutheran Church – I remember the Hope Lutheran Camping trips & getting help with the stain glass windows for our Confirmation Class. He will be remembered by people of all ages…….I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
My thoughts and prayers are with you Senske family. Mr. Senske was a wonderful man and teacher…he will live on in the memories of so many!
My condolences to the Senske family. He was a favorite teacher to many, including myself. He had a great smile and an infectious laugh. He made science and photography interesting and always challenged his students. Many of my fondest memories of JHS are from being one of his students. He was a wonderful man and will truly be missed.
I am deeply sorry for your loss, of a great man. He was very funny and always made learning fun. You will truly be missed by so many .
Very sorry for your loss. He meant a lot to me growing up in high school. He was one of my favorites. I have many good memories looking back at the lessons he taught in class. Not just academic, but personal life lessons. Thank you Mr. Senske.
I am a parent of former students, and I was on the School Board when he was teaching at JHS. I remember his enthusiasm for teaching, and his fairness toward his students, and his common sense approach in a filled classroom. My condolences to his family. He was, indeed, one of the best.
Thoughts and prayers to the family for such a great loss. Howard was a wonderful and kind man. We pray for peace and comfort.
Thoughts and prayers to the Senske family. Mr Senske was a great teacher and a great person. He will be missed.
Our prayers to you Char and your family. Howard was a wonderful man and will be missed by many. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Larry & Rita friederichs
So sorry to hear of the passing of such a special member of God’s community. You and your family are in my prayers.
One of the greatest teachers to walk the halls at JHS. He was very talented at making learning fun. He will be missed by many. Prayers for the Senske family. Deeply sorry for your loss.
I was very sorry to hear this news. Sending prayers to the entire Senske family during this difficult time.
Marcus
So sorry to hear of Howard’s passing. Such a great loss to the community for which he loved. A great teacher for my children. Always very kind and respectful to everyone I am so sad for such a great leader and Christian for all who knew him. My thoughts and prayers are with you Char and your family.
A wonderful man will be welcomed into heaven. Our prayers are with his family. He was a great teacher to our children.
Wow!! What great memories he gave me!! Always kept you on your toes! A true blessing he was to all!! My sincere regret for your loss!! Many prayers to the family! Miss your stories Mr. S!
I will always remember him fondly. As a teacher myself, I try to emulate the great ones that I had growing up. I count Mr. Senske as one of my favorites.
I am so sorry for your loss. He was a great man and teacher! He made learning fun and interesting. Sending many prayers to the Senske family.-Kate
My deepest, heartfelt condolences on your loss. May memories of a lifetime of love and laughter ease your sorrow and help you find peace.
Char and the Senske family,
I am so sorry. I have such great memories of Howard! He was such a role model of true integrity. His smile always made me smile. I hope in the days to come the memories you share will bring you comfort.
God Bless.
Love,
Lisa Ruehling
Mr. Senske was a great teacher, he will be missed. RIP
With heavy heart , I take pen in hand to write this. Howard (Howie) and I were not best buds but we were good friends. I remember while playing football I hurt my leg and was on the ground Wimpy (Gary Zachow) was the first to come to help, second was Howie. He was totally concerned that I was o.k. That has always stuck with me. Charlotte you have my sincere sympathy and my deepest respect, may God watch over you and your family.
Neil Wise
My thoughts and prayers to you Char and family. So sorry for your lost. Another wonderful man passed on to Jesus much to soon. Diane Dietz
Mr. Senske will be deeply missed. He is an inspiration.
So sorry for your Loss
Mr. Senske was definitely one of the best !
He sure made learning fun, and his Kindness, patience and laugh were first to come to mind remembering this awesome man.
I am very sorry for the loss of such a wonderful man. Mr. Senske was a fair and kind teacher. May angels surround you during this time.
I’m so, so sorry to hear of the loss of one of Jordan’s most beloved teachers and community members. My heart goes out to the Senske family during this difficult time.
We extend our deepest sympathy to the Senske family. We will all miss the sunshine he brought to us at the Food Shelf with his big heart, loving kindness and cheerful smile. He was a wonderful and caring person, one we will never forget. He had run the race well and the Lord has now welcomed him home with joy and celebration. May the Lord send His peace, comfort and assurance to the family at this time. Our hearts and prayers are with you.
I send my heartfelt condolences. What an amazing person he was. I feel lucky to have known him.
While I know there is nothing that can take away the pain and sadness of losing your beloved Husband, Father and Grandpa, know that God can and will strengthen you through this most difficult time. Remain in your Faith, hold cherished memories close to your heart and know that heaven has gained another angel. Mr. Senske, Howard has definitely left a legacy…from his own family, to those of us who were blessed to be his students and touched by his strong spirituality at Hope Lutheran, or even his steadfast dedication throughout the Jordan community…he was an authentic, genuine and Godly man. It was a blessing to be a part of his life, touched by his wisdom and kindness. May you recall these moments about him, and may they bring comfort to you, and give you strength for years to come. May you lean in to God’s unconditional love and faithfulness when the pain consumes you for he is always with you and will renew your strength to face each new day. Godspeed Mr. Senske – you were a Good Man.
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not grow faint.” Isaiah 40:31
My heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the Senske family. What a wonderful man Howard was. I am blessed to have been able to call him friend.
I am so sorry to hear about Mr. Senske’s passing. I had him as a teacher at Jordan High School. Mr. Senske was one of my favorite teachers and I had such respect for him. My thoughts and prayers are with the family. What a nice person he was!!
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Senske family. We were lucky to know Howard through our friendship with Peter & Carrie and will remember him for his infectious laugh and for all the things he helped Peter build and fix! May all of those happy memories of Howard bring you peace.
Howards in a Wonderful place now. He was a Good person that did allot of good things and left a positive influence on allot of folks. He’ll always be in our hearts and minds forever an bring a good memory to mind when we think of him.
Dear Senske Family,
When I moved to Minnesota I was a true fish out of water. Howard’s smile and words of wisdom were a lifeline for me. You both are a really classy couple. I admire you so much.
Char and family, My sincere condolences are with you as you prepare to celebrate Howard’s life on Saturday. You have so many wonderful memories of your husband, father, and grandpa. I remember him as a thoughtful classmate and friend. He will be missed. We are all blessed to have known him.
Charlotte and Family,
We are so sorry to hear of Howard’s illness and passing. We have had many friends pass away at an early age. It seems God takes the best people early. You are in our thoughts and prayers. We are sorry we won’t be able to attend the funeral. My birthday is on December 5th and the neighbors have planned a birthday party/breakfast. This has been planned for many weeks.
I had the pleasure of having Mr. Senske as a teacher for Science 7 and Advanced Biology. One of my fondest high school memories was the day Mr. Senske took the class hunting for Morels on the trail behind school and cooked them for us the next day with toast points. I still make a point to hunt Morels and show my children because of this one event, but there were more. I also enjoyed teaching briefly with Howard and seeing him at various events. A special note about who he was as a teacher relates to Pete. Pete – you were in my class, and while I know this now and “knew” it as a child, you were Mr. Senske’s son. A true measure of his teaching was he made me feel important even though his own child was in the room- everyone of us mattered to him. I am sure you are a lot like him , Pete. I am sorry for your loss. Prayers for your hearts during the season and beyond.
I am so sorry for hear of your loss! My thoughts and prayers are sent to you at this time of grieving! Mr. Sense was such an amazing teacher! His love of teaching and sharing his experiences with his students will always be remembered!
Michelle
Char and family, our thoughts and prayers go out to you all. Howard was the kindest man and he was a great Science teacher during my high school years. He is at peace now, but will truly be missed!
Hugs to you all.
Char and Family, Howard was the kind of person you meet in life and is unforgettable. His infectious laugh was one of a kind. I will remember him as being a kind teacher, active listener, and intelligent. I can remember to this day how exciting he made the experience of going out behind the old high school and explore in the “Senske Trail”. By far one of my favorite teachers at JHS. His life was cut way too short for a man who embraced his surroundings with such passion. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
So sorry for your loss – may you find some peace in comfort in each other and surrounded by those that loved your dad so much. Take care and know you are in our hearts.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you!
I have been reading through your condolences, Char & kids, and they are all so ‘spot-on’. I especially loved what Lisa Dahm had to say…she said everything that I wanted to say! Howard was SUCH a special man! You two were the “Perfect Couple”, in my eyes! Also I sent the obituary to daughter Melissa (Nelson) by email
and she wrote back saying “That was a beautifully written obituary! What a special man. His classes were my favorite, actually most people’s favorites. I learned a lot from him.” I am positive that ALL of his students are either saying or thinking this! I spoke to Donald Kopperud today. He and Darrell Nelson were such good friends, and we talked of Heaven, and how all the Saints rejoiced when both Darrell and Howard were called “Home”…because Heaven is our REAL home, Char, and we will get to join them at HOME, some day. “In the BLINK of an eye!.” With tears of love in my eyes, I write this most sincere condolence to all of you. “May God Lift up his Countenance upon you, and give you PEACE.” Shalom, and Amen.
I am sorry to hear about your father. You are in my prayers.
Char and family,
You are in my thoughts and prayers. Howard was a wonderful person.
Charlotte Hanson
So sorry to hear of your loss,your family is in our thoughts and prayers.
With sadness I heard of Howard’s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Char, Janice and all of the Senske family. It’s very difficult when a loved one is taken from us too soon, especially when they are so loved by family and community. I pray your memories of Howard and the wonderful things he brought to your lives will sustain you through this difficult time and bring you smiles and joy as you go on with life. It was wonderful to read about Howard’s life (after high school) as well as the loving and respectful comments from his students. I hope you will hold on to all of those thoughts when you celebrate his life and know that they are but a small fraction of all those who care about you and your family. Blessings and Aloha, Jan Bembenek Barosh.
Mr. Senske will definitely be missed. He was an excellent teacher and one of my favorites in school. My deepest sympathies are with the Senske family.
Sending you our sincere sympathy. Howard was such a kind and wonderful man. We feel fortunate to have known him. And Char. Our hearts go out to you. He left such a wonderful legacy.
To The Senske Family, Our Heartfelt Prayers go out to you, Mr Senske was a Very Nice Person, WE know the Pain you are feeling, he will be forever in Your Memories ♡♡
Char – Our heartfelt sympathies for your loss.
Gerry and Jennie Schmitt (Pete and Lois’s daughters)
Char and Family,
As December 1 approaches, memories of Howard and his legacy of kindness, learning, inspiration, and purpose must be refilling your hearts with the images of his smiling face and purpose-filled life. Such a Christ-inspired life is never extinguished. It is forever sealed in the treasures of Paradise and rekindled on earth bright and beautiful in the memories of all he served and inspired as teacher, friend, family member, and citizen of earth and a Heaven. Rest and rise when you are again called Howard!
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My prayers are with the Senske family. Howard was a wonderful man. Hopefully every person is blessed with at least one teacher that made a huge difference in their lives. For me, Mr. Senske was one of them. He loved science and instilled that love in his students. He also wanted the best for his students. I will never forget him handing me back a test with my consistent “B” at the top, looking me in the eye, smiling, and saying “Do you ever study?” “No, sir.” “If you would study just a little bit, you would always get A’s. You need to learn to challenge yourself. Don’t just coast on good enough. Do your best.” It made a huge impression on me. Later I was blessed to work with him at JHS. The smile and the kindness I remembered as a student was still there, and given just as freely to his coworkers as it was to his student. I have no doubt this wonderful man will be greatly missed. My prayers are with you.