Maynard R. Senf

Services for Maynard Senf, 91, of Fairmont, MN, will be at 2:00 p.m. February 22, 2025, at the Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont with full military honors following the service by the Lee C. Prentice American Legion Post #36 and the Martin County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #1222. Burial will be in Lakeside Cemetery in Fairmont. Visitation will be two hours prior to the time of service from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. February 22, 2025, at the Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont. Maynard passed away Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at Goldfinch in Fairmont. The Lakeview Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Fairmont is assisting the family with arrangements.
Maynard Raymond Senf was born on July 17, 1933, in Estherville, IA. He was the oldest child of Raymond and Alena Senf. Growing up, Maynard enjoyed playing baseball and helping to care for the animals on his family's farm. After graduating from Ringsted High School in 1951, Maynard worked for John Deere troubleshooting tractors off the assembly line and later enlisted in the Air Force. He proudly served as a mechanic on the F-86 fighter jets in the Korean War. Maynard returned to the Fairmont area after completing his service and went to work at Stokely-Van Camp. At a local dance hall in August of 1958, Maynard met and asked a beautiful young teacher to dance. He and his dance partner, Rochelle "Shellie" Bergum, were married on October 23, 1959, and shared 65 years of marriage. They were blessed with two children, Chandler "Chip" and Kent.
Maynard valued hard work and serving his community. He worked at Stokely-Van Camp, Armor Foods, and ConAgra. Early in his career, Maynard worked part-time for the Rose Brothers (Aldor & Herb) building homes in Fairmont. He and his family also owned and operated restaurants including the Sandpiper Supper Club in Armstrong, Iowa for many years. Active in his community, Maynard served as a City Alderman for four terms, as a board member at Interlaken Country Club and Fairmont Youth Hockey Association, as a commadore at the Yacht Club, and as a member of his church council. He took pride in his work and was known for finding and implementing unique solutions to difficult problems. Maynard greatly appreciated the relationships he formed with many coworkers and community members.
Outside of work, Maynard valued and enjoyed spending time with his family. Even while his memory diminished, he remained an avid Minnesota sports fan and animal lover. He rarely missed an opportunity for ice cream and loved a good breakfast at Perkins.
Maynard will be dearly missed by his wife, Shellie; sons, Chandler of Spirit Lake, IA, and Kent (Beth) of Sioux Falls, SD; grandchildren, Ben (Tawnie) of Scottsdale, AZ, Bergen of Washington, D.C., and Solveig of Sioux Falls, SD; sisters, Karen (Dennis) of Estherville, IA, and Kathy (Tom) Johnson of Bend, OR; brother in-law, Jim Miller of Zumbrota, MN; and his nieces and nephews and their families.
Maynard was preceded in death by his parents, and parents-in-law, Bennett "Kent" and Marzella Bergum; brother and sister in-law, Duane and Carol Senf; sister, Lila Johnson; brother-in-law, Kent "Butch" Bergum; and sister-in-law, Wanda Miller.
The Senf family wishes to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Goldfinch Memory Care and UHD Hospice for their compassionate care of Maynard. The family prefers memorials be given to Carl Nettiffee Memorial Animal Shelter in Fairmont, MN or UHD Hospice in Blue Earth, MN.