The Life of Joel
|
Joel Matthew Senesac, 39 of Colchester passed away on Thursday, March 21, 2019 from complications related to a lifelong battle with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Joel was born on June 29, 1979 at the UVM Medical Center in Burlington, Vermont to parents Gerald Arthur Senesac of Vergennes and Suzanne Marie Senesac (Quenneville) of South Burlington. He came into this world directly from God’s hands with a sole purpose to love everyone and everything that crossed his path. He led by example with endless strength, fierce determination and an unmatched perseverance reserved for superheroes, a title that truly defined who Joel was and will continue to be in his eternal life.
Joel leaves behind many aunts, uncles, cousins and extended relatives which lovingly includes the family of Dick Mazza. Although Joel didn’t have any siblings, caregivers Greg Niquette and Margaret Trayah became like brother and sister to Joel. He is predeceased by his paternal grandparents Gerald and Marie Senesac and his maternal grandparents Roland and Irene Quenneville. In addition, the Senesac family wishes to express their extreme gratitude towards all the friends, colleagues and caregivers who have shared their lives over the years with Joel. There are too many to individually mention here, but just know that all of you meant the world to Joel and held a special place in his heart. A lifelong resident of Colchester, Joel graduated Valedictorian of his class from Colchester High School in 1997 with a 4.1 grade point average. To say he excelled in school would be an understatement. His scholarly success continued while attending Saint Michael’s College where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2001 with a degree in Journalism. He may have been a student of academics, but in life Joel was a master teacher. Learning came easy to him and he shared his passion for knowledge with all who knew him. Not surprisingly those in his life became more intelligent, thoughtful and compassionate people just by being in the presence of such a scholar and gentleman. Joel made us into better human beings. Joel’s interests were vast and eclectic. His thirst for knowledge led to a love of television game shows like Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune and anything involving trivia and strategy. He was a big fan of word and jigsaw puzzles and a multitude of other board and brain games. He was nothing if not gracious and humble when he would win every single time. He knew the answers to almost any question which is probably what made him such a star Scholar’s Bowl participant in High School. If Joel did not know the answer to a question, his endless curiosity led him to not be afraid to ask. His ability to find the truth in any story and to express that in writing made him an exceptional journalist and scribe. He wrote for the Colchester Chronicle during high school. While attending St. Michael’s College, Joel did a journalism internship with The Burlington Free Press, where many of his stories made it to the front page. After graduating college, he wrote for their newspaper, alumni magazine and literature for their sport’s department. His resume also included employment writing articles for the Vermont Guardian and Vermont Life magazine. Joel lived his life with a positive attitude. He never let his challenges limit his ability to impact the world. He was a determined advocate for the Muscular Dystrophy Association having served many times over the years as Vermont State Ambassador for the cause. At the age of five Joel became quite the local celebrity when he read donor names off from cards on the local broadcast of the Jerry Lewis’ MDA Labor Day Telethon. He would continue to become co-host of the annual television fundraiser until the day of its final airing raising millions to fight the disease that he lived with his entire life. His advocacy and fundraising efforts didn’t stop there. His involvement with MDA continued with Lock-Ups, Shamrock Campaigns, Burlington Firefighter’s Boot Drops, golf tournaments and annual MDA Muscle Walks under the team names “Just 4 Joel” and “Joel’s Giants”. He was an Olympic-sized force to be reckoned with when it came to raising money and awareness in finding a cure for neuromuscular diseases. Joel loved music. At the age of 11, he began playing the saxophone and continued to play through high school and college in both wind and jazz ensembles. This passionate pursuit led him to a true appreciation for jazz music. He was a dedicated attendee of the Discover Jazz Festival and enjoyed having the opportunity to meet many of his favorite artists and musicians over the years. Joel spent much of his life attending countless concerts, stage shows and movies proving Joel was a true patron of the arts both locally and beyond. One cannot think of Joel without thinking of the Boston Red Sox. His love for the team began at a very young age when he met and had his picture taken with one of his idols, Ted Williams. From there he began building an impressive collection of Red Sox memorabilia which he proudly displayed in his room for all to see. From a fully decorated Red Sox Christmas tree to his huge collection of baseball hats, there was no arguing that he was a super fan through and through. The New York Giants was his favorite football team. One of his favorite moments in his life was when he had the opportunity to attend their Spring training camp in Albany, NY and meet many of his favorite players. Joel loved his sports teams and really appreciated sports and athleticism in general, both watching and participating. Joel never let his physical limitations stop him from participating in life. He received a 2nd degree black belt in the martial art of Moo Gong Do. In his younger years, he was an active member of the Boy Scouts. Other interests included a deep appreciation for his father’s classic 1971 Ford Mustang which he spent countless hours helping him rebuild. Joel gave new meaning to the phrase “mind over matter” and could accomplish anything he put his mind too. He truly was a Giant among men. The people who were touched by Joel’s life are the same people who encouraged and inspired Joel to be the amazing human being he became. Joel gave us reasons to smile and laugh, but most of all, he gave us wisdom to carry forward and memories we will never forget. He will truly be missed. |
|