George Senger Sr., 96, of Merrimac, passed away peacefully at home on August 13, 2016 surrounded by his loving family. George was born in 1920, the oldest child of German immigrant farmer John and Rosella (Schwartz) Senger of Plain. He spoke only German until he went to school at age seven. George was toughened in his boyhood by a series of amazing events that helped him succeed in life. He was hit by lightening 3 times -- the first time at age eight, when his Mom asked him to unplug the phone as a storm was coming. Lightning struck and threw him across the kitchen. At age 14, when thunder and lightning startled his team of horses, he was trampled and pounded into the sides of a muddy creek and was bedridden for weeks, coughing up mud. Once on his long walk to school, he was snagged by a passing Model T and dragged for a distance before the driver stopped.

At age 16 his family moved to the Durward's Glen area, and George and his brother Lawrence went into logging, lumber and timber production. During WWII, George served in the Army under General Omar Bradley. As a member of the 3186 Signal Service Battalion, he used his German skills to report to commanders on enemy communications, and fought to establish frontline communications. During the Battle of the Bulge, when all were ordered to dig a shallow foxhole in frozen ground, he urged his buddy Harry to "dig themselves a grave, 6 feet deep". One Panzer spotted them, drove over their foxhole, made a half turn on them leaving them for dead, but the hard frozen ground saved them from complete burial. After 3 days he emerged with frostbite, but found hundreds around him dead. George went on to fight the Battle for the Rhine, and assisted in the liberation of Buchenwald. He was shipped to the Pacific Theater, fought in the Philippines and after suffering a terrible fever, was shipped to Japan through a typhoon and served as a peacekeeper following the A bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
George returned to the US in January, 1946 on the USS Exchequer, the same ship that had taken him to Europe. Back on the farm, he worked with family and neighbors to build a Catholic church community at Durward's Glen. He resumed his timber production work with his brother Lawrence for several years, then started his own sawmill operation. George met the love of his life Betty Eastman at a dance and they were married Sept. 2, 1950 in LaValle. They raised a beautiful family of eight children, and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with their many grandchildren and extended family. Always working in the woods, George enjoyed bringing home wriggling gunny sacks full of snakes and wildlife to educate all the neighbor kids, and returned them to the wild the next day.

Ever civic-minded, he and several others founded Merrimac's Volunteer Fire Department. George served as Merrimac Village President and Supervisor, and on the Sauk County Board. He continued to operate Senger Forest Products, worked at Badger Ordnance as a maintenance supervisor, and in the 60's created a campgrounds, beach and boating area (Senger's Camping) that he ran until, at age 79, he was diagnosed with Parkinsons. George and Betty enjoyed a rich social life with their many dedicated campers.

George battled Parkinsons for 17 years and through the long struggle, remained sharp and physically strong. He continued to enjoy deer hunting with family until age 95, as well as many family events. He enjoyed trips to visit his children in FL, TX, VA, the Bahamas and even Singapore, as well as German cousins in Bavaria. Hard work was the hallmark of his life. In the end George said, "there is still so much I want to do" and in death he is doing it -- George dedicated his body to medical research at the UW Madison. George was a dedicated and loving husband, father and friend who led a remarkable life. We couldn't have asked for better.

George is survived by his wife of 66 years Betty Eastman Senger, eight children, their spouses and numerous grandchildren, Linda (Travis and Parke) Cooper, George Jr. (Shannon and Elliot), Dorothy (Dennis, Lindsay and Lauren) Imwold, Marty (Melissa and Stacy Graf), Ken (Roxanne, Daniel and Derek Smith), Tom (Gina, Aryn, Amanda and Nehemiah), Stan (Rae, Ryan and Miranda), and Ron (Shelly, Katie and Nathan), his sister, Catherine Otto of Bentonville AR (formerly of Sun Prairie), his sister-in-law Catherine Senger of Baraboo, as well as numerous nieces and nephews, and cousins in Plain, WI and Bavaria, Germany.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four siblings, Lawrence, Valentine, Francis and Bernadine; and in-laws Patricia (Francis), Ted Wilkinson and Harold Coltharp (Bernadine), and George Otto (Catherine).

The Senger family wishes to thank the many caregivers from the VA Hospital, BrightStar, The Good People, and Agrace Hospice, as well as many devoted friends and neighbors who provided care and support for George. Their support allowed us to honor his wishes to remain at home and donate his body to medical research at the UW Madison.

A Celebration of Life will take place Saturday, August 20th at the Merrimac United Methodist Church, with visitation from 10 to 11 a.m. and Memorial service at 11:00, followed by lunch at the Merrimac Fire Department. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider a memorial to the Durward's Glen OLRG Ltd, Merrimac Fire and Rescue or the Merrimac United Methodist Church.