Obituary of James M. Sennish

James M. Sennish, well-known Kelleys Islander, died Tuesday, February 1, 2011, at 6:33 p.m. He had been hospitalized since December 10, when he broke his hip in a fall. Jim Sennish dearly loved Kelleys Island, where he spent every summer, growing up, and where his family had resided for many generations. Jim was born December 19, 1922, in Cleveland, Ohio. A graduate of Cathedral Latin school, he was a track runner and World War II veteran. As the tail gunner in a B17, one of the famed Flying Fortresses, he flew 32 missions over Axis-occupied Europe. The night his crew first arrived at their base in Foggia, Italy, other planes were straggling back from the big raid on the Ploesti oil fields in Romania. So many men were killed, and so many planes shot down, on the Ploesti raid, that no more missions could be carried out for two weeks. Jim said he missed taking part in that raid by luck, "just luck." After graduating from Baldwin-Wallace College, he married Anne Cleary. He spent his working years in the graphic arts industry in Detroit. A 53 year resident of Farmington, Michigan, he was the father of: John Cleary Sennish, wife Robbie, of Coldwater, Michigan; Mary Caroline Sennish, husband Kyle Paine, of Kelleys Island; Jane Hamilton Sennish, of Kelleys Island; Joseph Kelley Sennish, of San Jose, California; and Frank Hamilton Sennish, wife Kim, of Bonita Springs, Florida. His grandchildren are James Sennish, of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Missy Sennish, of Kawaihae, Hawaii; Andrew Strang, wife Jessica, of Chicago, Illinois; Corey Strang, wife Sarah of Godalming, Surrey, England; Holly Strang Diamond, husband Mark, of Coldwater; and Tommy Strang, also of Coldwater. Great-grandchildren are: Dominic Diamond, Sofia Strang and Kendall Diamond. He is also survived by loving nieces and nephews in the DeBoard family. Share a memory of Jim with his family by signing the guestbook.