Margaret Ann Kensinger

The Mass of Christian burial may be viewed by clicking on this link. http://portal.midweststreams.com/services/displayvideo/853 OBITUARY Margaret Ann Ryan was born September 12, 1930 in Hutchinson, MN, the daughter of Walter and Naomi (Calundan) Ryan. She was raised in Corvuso, MN and in Cedar Mills, MN. For her junior year Margaret moved to St. Paul, MN where she lived with her aunt, Helen Ryan. Margaret graduated from Hutchinson High School. Margaret returned to St. Paul where she worked for the Brown & Bigelow paper company and Great Lakes Coal & Dock. During this time she attended the Minnesota School of Business to become a legal secretary. While in St. Paul, Margaret met Robert Kensinger. The two were united in marriage on August 28, 1954 in Manannah, MN. They were blessed with five children, Katherine, Leslie, Robert, Thomas and Mark. They lived in Columbus, OH, for about two years. In 1957 Bob’s work brought the family back to Minnesota and in 1959 the family moved to their new home in Brooklyn Center. After her children were grown a bit, Margaret took a job for about two years as the cook at the St. Alphonsus rectory. Following that she worked for many years as the receptionist in the church office. She loved working with the people, staff and priests of St. Alphonsus; bringing laughter and care to her job and receiving laughter and care in return. She retired in the mid-1990’s. In 1996 Margaret moved to Randolph, MN to be closer to her daughter and took a part time job as a secretary at a real estate agency. In 2006 Margaret moved to Ramsey, MN to live with her son, Tom. Most recently, Margaret has been living in St. Cloud, MN. Volunteerism was important to Margaret. She served in her church guild for many years and served as president of the Altar Rosary Society. She volunteered for many events at the Church of St. Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center. Margaret was one of the first to volunteer and later work in a paid position, at the Community Emergency Assistance Program (CEAP), that was sponsored by many of the churches in Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park. Margaret also volunteered a great deal of time to the Boy Scouts of America, serving as a den mother for many years. Later she helped with scout picnics and other scouting events. She drove thousands of miles hauling canoes, duffle bags, equipment and scouts to and from camping events. Margaret contracted polio in the early 1950’s and later suffered post-polio syndrome, a condition not well understood. For the rest of her life she suffered from neck, back and leg pains. Margaret was a very strong person, both physically and mentally, with an uncommon tolerance for pain. Margaret loved to read books; her favorite author was James Michener. She also loved traveling. She and Bob travelled to nearly every state in the union and also Canada and Mexico. Following Bob’s death in 1981, she continued her travels with her children. She liked to sport her Irish heritage, and in 2010, she traveled to Ireland to celebrate her eightieth birthday. Margaret always had a jigsaw puzzle laid out. Many years ago she completed a 9000 piece puzzle and was currently about three quarters through a 12,000 piece puzzle. Going fishing was also something she loved. She could spend hours sitting in a boat with her children on a calm fall day pulling in the limit of sunfish. Being the saint that she was, she also spent hours cleaning fish. Margaret enjoyed doing craftwork. One of the most special gifts one could receive was her sequined Christmas tree skirts, custom designed, and filled with hundreds of hours of labor, thousands of sequins and about a million barrels of love. Margaret enjoyed entertaining and hosted many hockey parties and other parties in her home. She was an excellent cook and loved hosting the holidays for her family. Margaret was very proud of her family and any occasion that gathered them together was important. Margaret loved her grandchildren and loved keeping up with her grandchildren’s lives and adventures. Being able to watch their lives unfold and blossom was something for which she was very grateful. In her final years, the memories of her great grandchildren were special treasures that she clung to. She always stood by her children and would do anything she could for them. Her children loved her for this and for all she taught them. More than anything else of this earth, Margaret loved living with Kathy and Tom and having Lee, Robert and Mark come to visit. On December 6, 2015, Margaret, surrounded by her family, died at the age of eighty five years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob Kensinger; her sister, Joan Ryan; her nieces, Peggy Ryan-Christian and Theresa Ryan; and her nephew, Greg Olson. Margaret is survived by her daughter, Katherine Kensinger and husband, Norman Kolstad, of Underwood, MN; her sons, Lee Kensinger and wife, Ellen, of Detroit Lakes, MN, Robert Kensinger and wife, Joanne, of Alexandria, MN, Tom Kensinger of Ramsey, MN and Mark Kensinger and wife, Kathy, of Big Lake, MN; grandchildren, Todd Wachendorf and wife, Jessica Dickau, Ross Wachendorf and friend, Lily Olivo, Bryan Wachendorf and wife, Rachel, Jacqueline Fenwick and husband, Austin, Amanda Kensinger and friend, Casey Donlin, Emily Martinez and husband, Jareth, Elyse Wachendorf, Andrew Kensinger and friend, Jodi Weisel, Matthew Kensinger, Samantha Kensinger and friend, Dillon Smith, Christopher Mairs and wife, Lacey, Nicholas Mairs and wife, Amanda, Matthew Kolstad and Nate Kolman and wife, Kristen; great grandchildren, Darius Fenwick, Stella Fenwick, Minka Martinez, Nora Martinez, Zoey Dickau, Wyatt Wachendorf, Isaac Kolstad, Wesley Papp, Dylan Kolman, Brandon Papp, Bram Mairs and Briar Mairs; brother, James Ryan and wife, Ardythe, of Pine City, MN; sisters, Marlys Olson of St. Cloud, MN, Jean Schmitz and husband, Mike, of Cokato, MN and Jan Ryan of St. Cloud; numerous nieces and nephews and their spouses; and dear friend and caregiver, Melia Liedman. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 AM Monday, December 14, 2015 at the Church of St. Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center with the Very Reverend Father Harry Grile as the celebrant. Interment will follow in Mound Cemetery in Brooklyn Center. Casket bearers include Melia Liedman, Mary Schmidt, Patty Jo Peterson, Melinda Anderson, Jacqueline Fenwick, Amanda Kensinger, Emily Martinez, Elyse Wachendorf and Samantha Kensinger. Honorary casket bearers include Todd Wachendorf, Ross Wachendorf, Bryan Wachendorf, Andrew Kensinger and Matthew Kensinger. Visitation will be Monday, December 14, from 10 AM to 11 AM at the church. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the World Health Organization Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Margaret Ann Kensinger

September 12, 1930 - December 6, 2015