Margaret (Gnadt) Senne

Margaret A. (Gnadt) Senne, 89, departed this earth with the gift of eternal life on Monday August 5th, 2009. Margaret Augusta (Gnadt) Senne recieved the gift of life on December 18, 1919 at the home of her parents, in Kuenzli Creek, in rural Alma. She was the third of five children born to Fred W and Martha (Heideman) Gnadt. Margaret was educated in a one room country schoolhouse on Kuenzli Creek and graduated from 8th grade on June 1, 1933. She helped on the family farm and was also employed as a housekeeper and a child care provider for several families in Kansas and Texas before her marriage. On June 8, 1940 Margaret married Paul W. Senne at Trinity Lutheran Church in McFarland. To this union, five daughters were born: Ruth, Jean, Joyce, Paula and Mary. The couple celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary in 2007 and just twelve days later Mr. Senne died on June 20, 2007. Mrs. Senne was a homemaker for a number of years and served as bookkeeper for two family owned businesses; The Mill Creek Valley Mobile Home Site and Senne’s Garage, both of McFarland. She and her husband were also Knapp Shoe Sales Representative’s for over twenty years. During her life’s journey, Margaret was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt. She was a gifted cook, housekeeper, and seamstress. Margaret’s creative sewing skills led to her enjoyment of quilt making. Many of those hand sewn projects were presented as gifts to her children and grandchildren. In 1987 she donated a colorful queen sized “chimney sweep” quilt to help support the McFarland Centennial Fund Raising Program. Two of her favorite pastimes were bowling and being chauffeured on leisurely rides throughout the countryside. Mrs. Senne was a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She was baptized on January 20, 1920 and was confirmed on April 9, 1933 at the age of 13. She had served as a Sunday School teacher, vacation bible school instructor and had also been a member of the Ladies Aid. Maragaret is survived by: her five daughters, Ruth Nehring and husband Harold of Wamego, Jean Palenske and husband Francis of Alma, Joyce Mohan and companion Richard Mullins of Basehor, Paula Thompson and husband Randy of Alma, and Mary Havenstein and husband Stanley of McFarland; her seven grandchildren, Janice Nehring of Raymore , MO, Ron Nehring and wife Kelly of Wamego, Julie Whearty and husband Dee of Raymore, MO, Troy Palenske and wife Kim of Abilene, KS, Todd Palenske of Topeka, KS, Shanna Leonard and husband Jarrod of Alma, KS, and Corey Thompson of McFarland, KS; her five great grandchildren, Zachary and Nathan Nehring of Wamego, KS, Chelsey Nehring of Manhattan, KS, and Logan and Morgan Palenske of Abilene, KS; her two brothers, Fred A. Gnadt and wife Viola and Martin Gnadt and wife Mary Lou of Alma, KS; her sister, Laura Barthuly and husband Winston of Paxico, KS; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one sister, Dorothy Keonig, and a son-in-law, Joseph Mohan. Memorials are for Trinity Lutheran Church of McFarland, The Lutheran Hour Ministries or Midland Hospice and may be left in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 126, Alma, 66401.