Yvonne Senger
November 10, 2016
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Service Details
Yvonne Marie Senger was born January 11, 1937 in Des Moines to Ralph and Margaret Stephenson. She passed away at her home on Thursday, November 10, 2016 at the age of 79.
Yvonne is survived by her children, Cynthia (Dennis) Marshall, Debra Senger, Rebecca (Carl) Sexton, Jacqueline Senger-Romp, John Senger, Melissa Marley and Timothy Senger; grandchildren, Jessica (Justin), Erica (Mike), Lauren (Brent), Christi (Troy), Angela (Isaac), Michael, Joseph (Swan), Denielle (Jason), Adam (Erica), Ryan (Heather), Jason (Amber), Joshua, Zachary, Kayleigh, Logan, Dominique (Nick) and Xavier; 29 great-grandchildren; siblings, Mary Picray and Nick Bishop; and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Robert, Ralph, Ilene, Leslie and Evelyn; and her former spouse and father of her children, John “Jack” Senger.
Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, November 14, 2016 at Glendale Cemetery.
Condolences may be expressed at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com
Debra Senger
11/19/2016
Thank you Mary, Jan, Bryan for your kind thoughts and prayers.
Kathy you are forever, in our hearts & family..
Kathy Picray-Simpson
11/13/2016
Sending hugs, and much love to my cousins in the Senger family.
Our moms brought us together and in doing so, gave me wonderful memories of some awesome kids!
I had great times, enjoyed new experiences, and had four wonderful 'sisters' in Cindy, Debbie, Becky, & Jackie.
Years later, John, Missy, & Tim would become my first exposure to babies & baby trappings, and later to the hilarious, adoreable, and 'occasionally relentless' antics between older and younger siblings.
And while John, Missy, and Tim were busy being babies and toddlers, us girls (a little older now) would be sharing tales of boys and puberty and early make-up use. For all of that, and for 'sisters' I will always treasure, I have my Aunt Yvonne to thank.
When we were very young, the Senger girls and I often spent time together on weekends, and over summer vacations.
Living on the east side, my mom would drive me to the west side, to the Senger house, to spend weekends during the school year, and weekdays during summer vacations.
We shared great times, great toys, great neighbors, and great games. We told stories, poked fun at each other, played telephone, and competitively grossed each other out.
Aunt Yvonne would fix us lunches of Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup from pouches, not cans, along with Peter Pan Peanut Butter sandwiches sliced down the middle, not diagonally.
Saturday nights, after Uncle Jacks yummy BBQ Chicken, Aunt Yvonne would create for us an assembly line of soapy bath water for sharing and pink spongy curlers for our newly washed hair.
We would defy bedtime using flashlights under our blankets, telling scary stories and sharing gossip from our kid world.
Some summer weekends, whole families would gather at the Senger place and like a three ring circus, there would always be something different happening in every room of the house! ...always food, drinks, cards, jokes, laughter, and fun. Both Uncle Jack AND Aunt Yvonne enjoyed entertaining!
Its only been in recent years that Ive come to realize the generosity of my Aunt Yvonne to include me in the kid chaois that was her life.
For example, nurturing me, a then homesick five year old at a lake cabin a full day away from home could not have been easy or fun!
And Although I dont remember many profoundly intuitive interactions with Aunt Yvonne,
I 'do' recall that occasional arguments 'did' occur between us girls, requiring her adult mediation skills. There were also 'medical' mishaps at times which often involved bicycles, knees, a little TLC and bottles of mercurochrome.
Today I realize that Aunt Yvonne was always watching out for us, allowing us growth through exploration, and even validated our spirit with laughter at our giggly girlish antics (I will always cherish her laugh).
All of those snipets and adventures of childhood, like the stuff written about in stories, like the Brady Bunch of the sixties, were made possible by my Aunt Yvonne.
She was a wife, a homemaker, a mother, a sister, a daughter, a chaufeur, a hairstylist, a nurse, a bartender, a cook, a seamstress, Mrs. Claus, grandmother, and Aunt. For the world, she dressed very nicely and always styled her hair. The family car was a smart looking beige station wagon with wood look door panels.. oh the fun we had piled in that car, taunting other drivers, and riding the snake curve!
And for her family, Aunt Yvonne chose beautiful dishes, lovely linens, and beautiful furnishings (even her phone receiver enjoyed a lovely silver metal scrolled sleeve). Despite Jack's Brittanys or the little white poodle, Prince, Aunt Yvonne entertained and kept her beautiful home spotless, all while managing a small army!
She lived in the moment and appeared very hip and trendy
(I 'still' aspire to immitate her and own a huge white flocked Christmas tree, one day!)
Ive never known if Aunt Yvonne had hobbies or envisioned much for herself beyond her home and family... like career or travel, for example. But for wearing so many hats, and despite managing so many people and things, she was a great cook, enjoyed playing cards, had a unique laugh, and remained uncomplicated.
As her children grew up and moved away, life changed for Aunt Yvonne.
I never witnessed her lifestyle as an empty nester, but I do know, personally, how hard it can be to reinvent yourself when your family grows up and life ultimately becomes just 'you'.
A life spent caring for a family becomes very quiet when they all move on, and it must've been deafening for Aunt Yvonne.
But from her spy tales of grandkids in clothes she deemed 'inappropriate for the weather', and from the complexity of Christmas shopping for an ever-expanding army of grandchildren, it seems she just kept doing what she had always done so well, caring for her family.
Years ago, when ill health happened to Aunt Yvonne, she cheated death with strength and stubborn determination.
In later years Aunt Yvonne seemed frail, but only in appearance. In conversations with her, she remained alert, feisty, and opinionated.
Time marches on, loved ones leave us, and new chapters in our lives are written. But whatever happens in 'my' life, there will always be a place in my heart and in my memory of Aunt Yvonne that will never disappear.
I hope my cousins know how special they all are to me, because we shared a very wonderful childhood, during a very wonderful time, with a pretty amazing person, their mom, and my Aunt Yvonne.
I realize that life isnt always as it seems and that families arent perfect. I have great memories thanks to your family, and I will always feel connected to you all.
I pray for your family, for peace and for love among you, and offer my sympathy to each one of you in the loss of your mom... I will miss her always. ~kathy
Jan Rouse
11/13/2016
Cindy, so sorry to hear of your loss. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. Please let me know what I can do for you
Mary Belieu
11/12/2016
May peace be with you.
Bryan Mehmen
11/11/2016
May god be with your family Melissa at this time of grief. Sending my love to you all