Richard Senneff

Richard Joel "Dick" Senneff, 80, of Asheville and formerly of Brevard, passed away on Wednesday, September 6, 2017. Dick was born in Mason City, Iowa on July 4, 1937, the son of Richard B. Senneff and Ruth Bourne Senneff. Dick Graduated from Iowa State College in 1959, where he met his wife of 56 years, Nancy Ellen Divine. He then attended the University of Illinois to obtain a Graduate Degree in Accounting. Dick and Nancy were married on September 10, 1960 and moved to Chicago where Dick began his 31 year career with Arthur Andersen & Co. He was subsequently transferred to New Orleans where they lived for 20 years. While in New Orleans he was president and chairman of The Junior Achievement Program and spent 18 years as an instructor with the Graduate School of Banking of the South, held annually at LSU.

Upon retirement in 1991, he vigorously pursued his gardening hobby with volunteering at the Longue Vue Foundation and the New Orleans Botanical Garden at City Park.

In 1993, Dick and Nancy moved to Brevard, North Carolina where Dick was active in the First United Methodist Church serving as Chairman of the Finance Committee and as a Trustee.

He will be most remembered for his flower garden by the church entrance, which he tended for 18 years with plants grown in his own greenhouse. Dick volunteered at the North Carolina Arboretum for 18 years, was a Master Gardener Volunteer and served for several years as President of the local Rock Garden Society. In 2015 Dick and Nancy moved to Givens Estates in Asheville.

Dick is survived by his wife, Nancy; son Mark Senneff and wife Angelica of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; daughter Lisa Jones and husband Dan of Greeley, CO; his brother Don Senneff and sister Diane Larson; and grandchildren Alyssa, Nicky and Samantha Senneff.

A Memorial Service for Dick Senneff will be held Friday, September 15, 2017 at 2:00 PM at First United Methodist Church of Brevard with Rev. Mike Holder officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church of Brevard Foundation, 325 N. Broad Street, Brevard, NC 28712.