Jack Dean Sensintaffar

Jack Dean Sensintaffar, of Emporia, Kansas passed away on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Newman Regional Health. He was 79.

Jack was born on April 26, 1947, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Wilson and Ruby (Gunter) Sensintaffar. He grew up in Blackburn, Skeedee and Ponca City, Oklahoma. He graduated from Ponca City High School in 1965 and went on to attend Northern Oklahoma College, majoring in electronics. Jack married Ruth Marie Alford on July 13, 1967, in Winfield, Kansas, and entered the United States Army later that same year. After completing basic training in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Signal Center and School, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, for Advanced Training. His first overseas assignment was the Vietnam War Zone with subsequent tours of duty in Fort Riley, Kansas, the Panama Canal Zone, Fort Devens, Massachusetts, Korea, Camp Humphries and Sinop, Turkey, as well as training assignments in Germany. His medals included two Army Commendation Awards, and two Meritorious Service Medals. He retired in August of 1987 as First Sergeant, E-8 after serving twenty plus years in the United States Army. He entered Federal Civil Service in September 1987, with duty at Fort Devens, Mass., Vint Hill Farms, Virginia, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he retired in May 2009.

His lifelong interest in amateur radio, music and playing the guitar served him well in retirement. Much loved by his children and grandchildren he was always the go-to-guy to fix toys, clocks, computers and electronics of any nature. His background in electronics not only propelled him through his military and civilian career, but saw him engage in endless, successful home projects. A quiet, thoughtful man with an infectious laugh, his absence will be deeply felt by all who knew and loved him.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilson and Ruby (Gunter) Sensintaffar, son Robert Michael Dunn, and sister Faye (Sensintaffar) Perry.

Jack is survived by his wife of 59 years, Ruth Marie Sensintaffar, two children, Peggy Dee Brown of Wichita, Kansas and Julia Ann Bucklin of Milford, New Hampshire, son-in-law Melbourne Bucklin of Milford, New Hampshire, and daughter-in-law Jane Dunn of Emporia, Kansas. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, sisters Anna Bryant of Pawnee, Oklahoma, Sheree Guest of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Jenette Pershall of Grapevine, Texas, brothers, Roy Sensintaffar of Owasso, Oklahoma, and Carl Sensintaffar of Skiatook, Oklahoma.

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