Kenneth J. Henseler

Kenneth John Henseler, age 95, of Yankton, South Dakota, died on Sunday, March 10, 2019 at his home. Private family memorial service is Saturday, March 16, 2019 at Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with Tweeter Henseler officiating, followed by military honors provided by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post No. 791. The family will receive friends from 2:30 to 4:30 PM on Saturday, March 16 at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home. Kenneth John Henseler was born June 28, 1923 to Nick and Eldora (Michels) Henseler in Marshfield, WI. His family later relocated to Worthington, MN where Ken graduated from high school in May, 1941, the year Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. He enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and took his basic training in Farragut, ID. He then attended medical training there, hoping for assignment to a large sea-going ship, but was assigned to a rifle company of the First Marine Division as a frontline Corpsman (he Marine Corps took Navy personnel for their medical help since they did not train their own medics). After repeating basic training with the Marines, he was shipped overseas to the South Pacific where he joined up with a rifle company of the First Marine Division and participated in four major island assault invasions and campaigns. Ken earned a meritorious citation for action on the final invasion of the Japanese-held island of Okinawa in 1945. He returned to the states following the war and finished his college degree in three years at Augustana College, Sioux Falls, SD. He completed his Masters degree in 1957 at South Dakota State University and earned 35 post-grad hours at various universities -- Montana, Oregon, North Dakota and South Dakota, attending numerous summer school workshops and classes. He married Donna Millard, daughter of the Rev. Paul and Leah (Walker) Millard, Worthington, MN, on August 14, 1951. He took a teaching position at Brandon High School in 1951, and later, became High School Principal. During that time their three sons, Kevin, Todd and Jay, were born. After 10 years in Brandon, in 1961 he became Principal at Yankton High School serving in that capacity until he retired in 1985, after 24 years at the YHS helm. He served as President of the South Dakota High School Principals Association in 1968, and in 1984 was named South Dakota High School Principal of the Year by the same organization and was recognized by the South Dakota legislature. In 1971 he was the recipient of the S.D. Personnel and Guidance award. He also earned a John Hay Fellowship in Humanities, which allowed him to take graduate classes at the University of Oregon. Ken also served on the board of the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges. After retiring from education, Ken spent a short time in the real estate business and then was elected to the Yankton County Commission, where he served three 4-year terms. After that he and Donna devoted their time to country living at Riverrun, their dream home on 96 acres overlooking Lewis and Clark Lake. He thoroughly enjoyed surveying and traveling the hills, meadows and woods of his land and loved seeing his "friends," the wildlife inhabitants - deer, coyotes, turkeys, foxes, raccoons, various large birds and the occasional rarely-seen animal or bird. He was an avid bird watcher and was successful in keeping Eastern Bluebirds as year-round guests and visitors to his heated birdbath. This, of course, led to many stories told to his grandchildren about the “six animals and birds down in the woods” -- Woody Rabbit, Squirrely Squirrel, Cautious Coyote, Tommy Turkey, Dino Deer and Bernie Bear. He loved it when one of the “grands” would say, “Grampa, tell us a story about the animals down in the woods.” No matter how tired, he always accommodated them with a story. Ken and Donna were longtime breeders of show dogs. They began in the 1960s, raising Bassett Hounds, producing some American Kennel Club (AKC) champions. They transitioned to raising and showing English Bulldogs, and then found the breed they truly enjoyed, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers. Ken and Donna raised, showed and sold many AKC champions, and were recognized as one of the top Wheaten breeders in the world. Even after they cut back, they continued to keep several “Wheaties” around Riverrun as devoted companions. Ken contributed time and money to volunteerism, including many local blood drives, where he spent hours recruiting donors. He served on the Yankton County library and county historical society boards (as Yankton Co. Commission representative), and thoroughly enjoyed his political party activities, which included annual picnics at Riverrun. As part of his birding activities, he served as County Coordinator for the Bluebirds Across Nebraska organization. He maintained membership in several military fraternal organizations, including life memberships in the Minnesota Chapter and National Chapter of the First Marine Division Association as well as the Yankton VFW Post 791, where he served a term as Commander. He was also a member of the Yankton American Legion Roy Anderson Post 12. Ken is survived by his three children, Kevin (Mary), Sioux Falls, Todd, Omaha, NE, and Jay (Lori) Henseler, Yankton; seven grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren, one brother Gene, Bellevue, WA, two sisters, Elaine Roberts, Sioux Falls, and Marge Miranowski, Slayton, MN; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Pat and Don Koenig, Bella Vista, AK; and of course his canine amigo and longtime buddy Toby, his faithful Shih Tzu. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Donna, who died in April 2011, and four brothers, Neil, Don, Ozzie and Cy Henseler. Memorials can be directed to the Heartland Humane Society or the Pathways Homeless Shelter. To send an online message to the family, please visit www.wintzrayfuneralhome.com.