Jerry J. Senzig, 78, of Shawano, “went home” on Thursday evening, Oct. 18, 2018, at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee, where he had been a patient for the past month.
Jerry was born on June 29, 1940, in Landstad to the late Willard and Florence (O’Connor) Senzig. He graduated from Bonduel High School in 1958. During his junior and senior year of high school, the Milwaukee Braves invited him to County Stadium for 16 two-day workouts. The following fall, he attended Oshkosh College. The Braves again invited him to their minor league spring training at Waycross, Georgia, where one of his teammates was Joe Torre. Joe eventually beat Jerry out as the Eau Claire catcher. Soon after, Jerry hurt both of his legs and was released. Jerry returned home and moved to Clintonville where he worked at the FWD and Nelson Sales and Service selling cars. He also played with the A’s. In 1960, the Detroit Tigers signed him to a contract where he playing in Belmont, North Carolina, and Jamestown, New York. He then decided his legs weren’t strong enough, so he went back to Clintonville to play with the A’s.
In 1960, Jerry met his bride-to-be, Kathleen Peeters, whom he married on Oct. 7, 1961. Following their marriage, Jerry went to work for Thorp Finance, then Wisconsin Finance. In 1966, he borrowed money from his father to purchase a TV and appliance business on Main Street in Shawano. From there, he purchased a two-story building at 214 S. Main St. and expanded the business into furniture, TVs and appliances. Jerry then purchased the old Super Valu Store (now known as City Hall), remodeled it and put more furniture in it. Finally, he decided to build a new store on Green Bay Street, known as Senzig’s Furniture, TV and Appliance. In 2003, Jerry sold the store to his son Todd and retired.
Jerry was very involved in the city of Shawano and Shawano County, serving on the Revitalization Board, BID, the Chamber of Commerce where he served as president and the Shawano County Board of Supervisors for one term. He enjoyed golfing and fishing, but most of all coaching baseball. He just loved to see the boys and girls progress under his teaching. Jerry coached Little League, Babe Ruth and Shawano Legion. He also started and managed the Shawano Lakers with the help of Edward “Shorty” Krenger, Franklin Jesse and Milton Ludolph. For the past 10 years, Jerry and Kathy lived half of the year in Arizona, but always came back to Shawano in the summer to golf, fish and enjoy their grandchildren.
Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 57 years, Kathy, of Shawano; his sons, Gregory and Trini Senzig and their children, Samantha (Dillon) Senzig and Johnathan (Andrea) Schneider, Todd and Wendy Senzig and their children, Maria (Adam) Senzig and Allison Senzig, and Troy Senzig and his children, Connor Senzig and Katelin (Derek) Senzig, all of Shawano.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Janice (Douglas) Maltbey.
A funeral Mass for Jerry J. Senzig will be celebrated on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Shawano. The Rev. Tom Farrell will be the celebrant. Entombment will be at Sacred Heart Mausoleum in Shawano. Visitation will begin on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at Mickelson Funeral Service from 4-7 p.m., with a parish wake service at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue on Saturday at the church from 10 a.m. until the hour of Mass. In lieu of flowers and plants, memorials are preferred in Jerry’s name to the Shawano Youth Baseball League.
Mickelson Funeral and Cremation Service of Shawano is assisting the family with arrangements. Please share online condolences at www.mickelsonfs.com.
The family thanks the staff at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee and the emergency room staff of ThedaCare-Shawano for their kindness, compassion and care.