GEORGE EASTON SENKLER II

Senkler, George Easton, II Of Carlisle, MA died peacefully at home on January 16, 2014 after losing a fifteen month battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 79. He was surrounded by his loving family and his faithful dog, Lucy was at his side. He leaves his devoted wife, Brigitte, four daughters: Susan (Sukey), Lisa, Heidi and Jennifer, three sons-in-law: Joe, Steve and Len, and one grandson, Henry. He is predeceased by his son, George Easton Senkler III. Born in St. Paul, MN to Susan W. and Albert E. Senkler, George spent his childhood in the mid-west. But after his father's untimely death from leukemia in 1947, George moved back to his mother's hometown of Concord, MA with his mother and two sisters, Susan and Abigail. His secondary education was completed at Middlesex School in Concord and graduated from Harvard College in 1956. After college, he served 3 ½ years with the U.S. Army Counter-Intelligence Corps in Germany where he met Brigitte, his future wife. They were married in 1962 and raised their four wonderful daughters on their property in Carlisle, where they have lived for almost 52 years. In 1948, George's mother married Farnham Smith of Concord, a widower with two daughters, Susan and Lydia. George took over the management of the Smith family's small retail lumber and hardware business Concord Lumber Corporation in the fall of 1963. He led the business on a four-decade long period of steady growth and was devoted to those who worked for him. In 1997, he established an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) which, upon his retirement in March of 2001, turned over the management and ownership of Concord Lumber and its four divisions to his 130 employees. George supported the lumber industry as a whole as a volunteer in various capacities. For more than 25 years, he served as Director and then President of Cooperative Reserve Supply Inc., a dealer owned buying cooperative. And for more than thirty years, he was an officer and director of Timber Owners of New England. He was also a Corporator of the Middlesex Savings Bank and a director of the Federal Savings Bank of Waltham. In 2012, he was honored by his peers in the lumber industry with a lifetime achievement award for his role as both Director of the Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association and trustee of several industry insurance trusts. George also felt very strongly about community service. He was Director and President of the Concord Chamber of Commerce, Concord Family Service, Concord-Carlisle Parents Association, the Concord Rotary Club, the Community Agencies Corporation, and was most proud of his many years as trustee and then chairman of the Concord Carlisle Scholarship Fund. He also served on the boards of the Concord-Carlisle Community Chest and the Concord Museum. In their spare time, George and Brigitte raised their children, horses, dogs and cats and traveled to many corners of the world. Europe was always their favorite destination whether it be hiking in the Alps, cruising on the Mediterranean or traveling from city to city pursuing their shared love of classical music and opera. During retirement, George enjoyed spending time at their vacation property in Central Vermont, working with his grandson on his large model railroad layout or going hiking, cross country skiing and snow shoeing with Brigitte. George leaves a legacy of mutual love and respect for all whose paths he has crossed during his long and productive life. A memorial service and reception will be held at the Middlesex School Chapel, 1400 Lowell Rd, Concord, MA 01742 on February 15, 2014 at 3 PM. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Concord-Carlisle Scholarship Fund, 34 Walden St., Unit 217, Concord, MA 01742 or www.ccscholarshipfund.org. Burial services will be private. For guest book www.deefuneralhome.com.