Frank Ronald Sennett

Frank Ronald Sennett

"Enjoy all the 'sunshine times' in my life," Frank Sennett wrote on a to-do list, only days after he'd been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in early 2019. While most people would be coping with the crushing blow of his diagnosis in other ways, Frank was, true to character, focusing on the sunshine.

Frank passed away peacefully October 26, 2020, in his home in Lewistown surrounded by family and basking in the sunshine through his front window. Peace and sunshine defined Frank's life. From his gap-toothed Cheshire grin that filled a room with the greatest warmth and comfort to his world-famous hugs, he always made his love apparent. In fact, he stated in a last letter to his family, "I really have not accumulated a great deal of worldly goods, but hopefully some wisdom I can pass along - be kind and love one another. Nothing else really matters other than to enjoy your life as much as you can!"

Frank was born August 9, 1947 in Lewistown to Clinton and Muriel Sennett (Dixon) and was raised in the beauty that only Central Montana can offer, along with his younger brother, Jim, and baby sister, Karen. He attended the University of Montana in Missoula and earned a BA degree in History in 1968. There, he met and married Leslie Crowe (now McClintock). In all their hippiness and happiness. Frank and Leslie had two children, Frank Ronald Sennett, Jr. and Amy Starner (Sennett). Frank and Leslie divorced but remained good friends and a committed family.

In 1969, Frank took a job as assistant secretary of the Montana State Senate and was then named assistant to Governor Forrest Anderson in 1971. In the governor's office, he helped develop and implement a reorganization of state agencies from more than 160 to 20. He went on to serve as deputy director for the Department of Social and Rehabilitative Services. While he had planned on a long career in government, he became disenchanted with politics by the mid-70s. (Though he remained a "die-hard Democrat" until the end.)

Frank turned his caring nature towards teaching and other social work, where he truly found his passion. He worked with troubled youth at Missoula Youth Homes for many years. He wanted to ensure that young people were valued for who they were and that they were given a fair shot. He lit up around young people - and was often referred to as the baby whisperer. As a teacher, he always came up with wild and fun ways to engage his students, including organizing dance parties for his second grade students to "You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd," by Roger Miller. He also used to share positive feedback with his students, and his own children, in the form of "Happy Grams," written on yellow paper like telegrams and always included his trademark drawing of a smiley-face sun.

His story eventually brought him into the arms of Mary Lou Sennett (O'Neil). They spent the early years of their marriage in Oregon. He and Mary Lou moved to Missoula in 1979, where their daughter Katie Mahe (Sennett) was born. Their marriage was full of adventures, including an epic road trip in Central America and culminating in their move to Lewistown to be closer to family. When Mary Lou suffered a fatal brain aneurysm in 1999, Frank felt her loss immensely.

Thankfully, Frank was not meant to travel the world alone—enter Janet Luciano. Janet and Frank were married in 2002 and began traveling the world together. Though they traveled from China to Europe, their favorite destinations were visiting their children and grandchildren. In a letter discovered after his passing, Frank thanked Janet, "for restoring me to life - helping me to laugh and see and appreciate all the beauty there is in the world again. What a wonderful gift for one human being to give to another." Janet took such wonderful care of him in his last years and their love was truly special. He was so thankful for Janet and the addition of her wonderful children, Jocelyn Luciano, Tori Luciano, Hilary Wilson (Luciano), and Patric Palkens, to his life.

Frank was a firm believer in family, no matter what that looked like, and was fond of saying that all of his children came to him in different ways. Frank was a collector of souls. Once he welcomed you in, you were family and he loved his family fiercely.

There are just too many stories of Frank to put in one place—camping on the Oregon coast, spending a summer living in a Montana fire lookout, the massive tropical spider that perched in his hair in Costa Rica, countless road trips (especially those with his life-long best friend Rick Nessan of Billings). He was also an avid fly fisherman and loved to camp and hike. But perhaps he is best remembered for the quiet moments he just spent listening to those he loved.

One of Frank's biggest accomplishments before his retirement was leading a successful capital campaign for a new facility for Snowy Mountain Industries in Lewistown, a subsidiary of Billings-based RSD, where he served as Area Manager. Working with the consumers there was one of his great joys. He had earlier served as director of Head Start in Lewistown, and also helped that program secure a new building. In big and small ways, he always helped in whatever way he could.

Frank is survived by his loving wife, Janet Luciano; his children Frank (Denise) Sennett, Amy (Steve) Starner, Katie (Matt) Mahe, Jocelyn Luciano, Vittorio (Kelsey) Luciano, Hilary (Ryan) Wilson, and Patric Palkens; his grandchildren Nick, Ben, Thatcher, Jacob, Emma, Clara, Gemma, Brady, and Frankie; his siblings Jim (Eileen) Sennett and Karen (Rick) O'Brien; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends (including the four-legged variety). A family memorial will be arranged at a later date.

The space Frank leaves behind is vast, bigger than his favorite place, the Missouri River Breaks, where he requested his ashes be spread. While his family will miss Frank deeply, we have been comforted by his words: "Mourn my physical loss in your own lives as we all do when we lose a loved one, but know the gift of my love and caring will be with you all the days of your lives! Move on from your mourning as quickly as you can and savor all the blessings and beauty of your life!!!"