Robert N. Sensanbaugh

Robert N. Sensanbaugh, 100, of Jenison, Michigan, formerly of Sioux City, went to be with his Lord and Savior on March 17, 2025.

Services will be on Tuesday, March 25 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 612 Jennings Street, with Rev. David Zirpel and Rev. Kenny Hsu officiating. A luncheon will immediately follow the service. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 7-8 pm on Monday, March 24 at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel.

Robert Newell Sensanbaugh was born on July 26, 1924, in Sioux City, Iowa, the only child of Newell and Elizabeth (Suter) Sensanbaugh. After the death of his father when he was two months old, Bob was raised by his widowed mother. He grew up in Sioux City and attended Cooper, McKinley, Everett, and St. Paul’s Lutheran elementary schools, West Junior High School, and graduated from Central High School in 1942. After graduation, Bob worked in the mail cage at Swift and Company until enlisting in the Army in March 1943 as a rifleman in the 90th Infantry Division. As a World War II veteran, he saw action in three major battles-Normandy, Northern France, and the Rhineland. He served under General George Patton in the Third Army and earned the Combat Infantry Badge, ETO Ribbon with three battle stars, and the Bronze Star. He was honorably discharged on August 14, 1945, VJ Day.

Thanks to the G.I. Bill, Bob attended Iowa State Teacher’s College (now the University of Northern Iowa) from Sept. 1945-Nov. 1948, graduating with a Business Education major. He later earned an M.A. in Educational Administration from Colorado State College of Education (now the University of Northern Colorado) and an M.A. in counseling from the University of South Dakota.

Bob began his teaching career in Hull, Iowa in January 1949, teaching business education. At Hull schools, he met fellow teacher and future wife Aletha. They married on August 15, 1954, in Lester, Iowa. Bob and Aletha moved to Sioux City in 1957 where Bob taught Social Studies at West Junior. In 1961 at West Junior, he became the first full-time counselor in the Sioux City school district. He was later a counselor at Riverside Junior High School and at East High School. Bob was student council advisor for many years at both West Junior and Riverside Junior. He briefly retired in 1986 before taking on a temporary counseling position at North High and then continued his career as Counselor and Elementary Principal at Whiting Community schools. Bob also was an adjunct instructor in psychology at Morningside College and taught bookkeeping and accounting at Western Iowa Tech Community College in the Adult Education Division for over 25 years.

Bob worked in education for over 50 years, spanning 7 decades (40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s). He saw many changes over the years but never lost his love for his students and his conviction of the value of education.

Over the years, Bob had many side jobs to help pay for his education and support his family. He was a rodeo clown, lifeguard, census taker, clothing specialist at J.C. Penney, and more. Since Bob experienced scarcity in his early life, he strived to provide his family with abundant love and sufficient worldly goods. Bob loved ice cream, cookies, roses, being outside, wordplay, Aletha’s cooking, geography, and, most of all, he loved his family.

Bob was a life-long member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. He taught Sunday School, was a member of the Finance Committee and Evangelism Committee and served as an Elder and a Stephen Minister. He and Aletha also enjoyed Mr. and Mrs. Club at St. Paul’s and Wednesday Golf Group. He was a member of the Sioux City Noon Lions Club and was named Lion of the Year. Bob and Aletha loved to travel and gifted their children with many summer vacations in their small Winnebago camper. They had been to all 50 states and Europe as well.

Survivors include children Cindy (John) Wycoff of Haslett, MI, Craig Sensanbaugh of Austin, TX, Connie Sensanbaugh-Stearns (Ron) of West Des Moines, IA, and Cristy Sensanbaugh-Sauter (Karl) of Allendale, MI, five granddaughters: Stephanie Milosavlevski (Ted Methner), Shanna (Ben) Novosel, Sarah (Mike) Dalton, Katherine Sauter, Elizabeth Sauter, four great-grandchildren (Cole, Carter, Caleb Dalton, Ryan Novosel). He was preceded in death by his wife, Aletha.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Lutheran Hour, the Lions Club, or Goodfellow Charities (from whom Bob received Christmas presents as a child).

Although small in stature, Bob was a giant of a man.