Viola "Vi" I Senne

Viola “Vi” I. Senne, 87, passed away March 19, 2017. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am Friday, March 24, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, with Rev. Jared Lee officiating. Cremation has taken place. Burial will be held at Mandan Union Cemetery, Mandan. Viola Irene Zimmerman was born September 13, 1929, in Bismarck, the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Rath) Zimmerman. Vi and her parents spent the first eight years of her life living on the farm owned by her grandmother, Friedrika Zimmerman, north of Elgin. Her parents then bought a farm north of New Leipzig, where she would live until she left home. On June 21, 1950, Vi married Hugo Senne, son of Friedrich and Louisa (Mayer) Senne of Hebron. The couple would live on the Senne dairy farm south of Hebron for the first few years of their marriage, before buying a house in Hebron. The couple had three sons together. In 1966, the family moved to Bismarck, where Vi was able to further her education at what was then Bismarck Jr. College. This led to an interesting and educational job with Burleigh County Social Services helping handicapped children. She would later continue her work with handicapped children at the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In later years, she worked part-time at the ND State Historical Society and also cared for the elderly. Vi loved her family more than anything, as she sacrificed much for her sons. Those sacrifices will not be forgotten and will always be appreciated. She also loved spending time with her grandchildren, music, crocheting, visiting, gardening, traveling, and spending time at Lake Tschida. She was introduced to the computer later in life by her sons and enjoyed that as well. She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Darryl (Kenda) Senne, Dugan (Mardee) Senne, all of Bismarck, and Dwight Senne, Sun City West, AZ; two grandchildren and their spouses, Nicholas (Anne) Senne, Bismarck, and Samantha (Travis) Kamphuis, Garrison; one great-grandson, Nico Senne, Bismarck. Through Darryl’s marriage she gained three grandchildren, Kacey (Melissa), Kyle (Kathy), and Brett and six great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Marvin Zimmerman, Bismarck; and her sister, Dorothy Schneider, Lone Oak, TX. Vi was preceded in death by her parents.