Topic starter
05/02/2009 1:28 pm
Dear friends,
I´ve just received the sad news that former DQ chief Dennis Shenk has found his peace early this morning. His sister was with him. Dennis has donated his body to science. There will be a memorial service in West Lafayette, IN, in the week of Feb 16th.
To quote John Hartford:
"Where does and old time engineer go
After he's cooled her down?
Gone up the hill to never come back
On the quiet side of town?
Does his soul live on in the engine's song
As the striker checks the gear?
Is he still afloat on an old steamboat
After he's gone from here?"
Our deepest sympathy to his family!
Carmen
05/02/2009 2:12 pm
The river fraternity has sadly lost another one of its finest. Always friendly and ready to talk "steamboats" with those who shared his passion, I last enjoyed an all too brief visit with the Chief when he came to the museum for Judy's Streckfus program this past summer. A consummate steamboat engineer and fine man, he certainly will be missed by his multitude of friends up and down the rivers. My condolences to his family and a long whistle salute to his memory.
05/02/2009 2:36 pm
Chief Dennis' chicanery
One time shortly after putting the cookies aboard the DQ at our lock, I got an email from Dennis, thanking me for the cookies, explaining that they had taken a 'detour' from their intended route. I had labeled them for the pilothouse and pursers' office, thinking I didn't know anyone in engineering that trip. But the ever-alert and clever Chief rose to the occasion for his crew! When Chief lived in New Orleans, he lived under a house on Dauphine which was quite similiar to my BK house. But Dennis' apartment was the entire ground floor level, not just under the back porch. He was an 'oldtime engineer' and will be missed. The timing of his death almost appropriately coincides with his beloved DQ's journey...
05/02/2009 3:13 pm
The Delta Queen Steamboat Company made one of their best decisions when they hired Dennis Shenk on the crew of the new Steamer Mississippi Queen in 1976. In my opinion he was the most vital member of the crew in those trying days of getting the first steamboat built in 50 years to work properly. He dedicated his life to keeping steamboats running. I will always thank him for that and be proud to have called him a friend. My condolences to his family.
05/02/2009 3:28 pm
Dennis was one of the first DQ crew members that I could call a friend. I was in awe of him, and I'd like to believe that he sensed that in me. He always went out of his way, both on the DQ, and via e-mail to explain to me how the DQ worked, about stuff that only an engineer could get excited about, Dennis explained on "an equal" basis. There was never a hint of condescention, he wanted nothing more than me to be comfortable around him, so that the discussions would continue. He always started his responses to me via e-mail with "this is fun..." The post I did a few days ago about cold starting the DQ boilers was information to me from a very patient man explaining to this novice how things are...
He was never Dennis to me...he will always be The Chief 🙁
05/02/2009 6:18 pm
Chief Dennis was my friend. I knew it was bad--he had not returned the last couple of calls I'd made, and he ALWAYS returned my calls. I had hoped to make it over there, and will be eternally sad that I did not get to visit. When I first met the Chief, I'd been on the boat a few weeks, and made friends with the engineering staff already. They decided to goof on me, and told me this new chief coming on ate women and small babies for breakfast, and would not tolerate me hanging around his engineroom. The first time Chief Dennis barked at me, I barked right back. That was that. From then on, we passed books back and forth, discovered we shared a love for the same Lindt dark chocolate/orange zest bar--and he introduced me to the bakery in Paducah. That's one reason the engineers always got cookies from there. Dennis, I'll miss you, my friend.
05/02/2009 7:13 pm
Dennis was a real friend and a wonderful person. I don't find the right words to express how much I'll miss him. So instead I'd like to post a picture from the good old times on the Delta Queen: Chief Dennis Shenk, Capt. Mike Williams, Mate (now Capt.) Larry 'Buford' Wilkinson. (from left; picture by Judy Patsch)
Franz
05/02/2009 9:45 pm
I have the greatest respect for Dennis, but I have much higher praise than that for him. My father had the greatest respect for Dennis and thought him to be a fine steamboat engineer. I don't think I need to say anything else.
06/02/2009 2:22 am
Requiescat in pace Chief Shenk....
Good memories of Dad & I chatting with him in the DQ engine room over a morning cup of coffee...
06/02/2009 4:03 am
Today at 12pm a steam whistle broke out here in Louisville in salute to Chief Dennis....one long and two shorts. Granted it was being operated on compressed air in a pipe organ shop...but, it was an authentic steamboat whistle!
Farewell Chief...may you rest in peace and keep all the steamboats in the sky ready for us when we too arrive!
~Travis~
06/02/2009 5:51 am
I only had the opportunity of meeting him a small handful of times, but I was all of about 13 years old and back then, getting on the Queen didn't take a motion of congress. I'd meet the boat in Louisville when she was in town. I was trying to build a large remote control model of the Queen and Chief Dennis was more than helpful, I'd even go as far to say eager to help. I met him in the engine room naturally and he showed me around explaining the engines, took me down to see the steering gear and some other spaces not normally seen in the engine room. Later he took me to his office and pulled file after file, and if he thought it would be useful, we copied it. I left the boat with tons of diagrams, and plans, much of it I didn't understand at the time, and today I cherish those artifacts. Chief took the time to show an interest in this young "kid" and the impression it left on me is long lasting and helped grow the fascination and love I have for the Queen and steamboats in general. He was a super nice guy and you could really tell he was doing what he loved and lived for! I wish I had the chance to get to know him better like many of you did, but I'm thankful for the few exchanges we did have. God Speed.
06/02/2009 5:54 am
Though Dennis and I first met over 30 years ago when he was a maintenance man on the MQ, I never knew him as a Chief Engineer until we ate lunch together at the Officers' Table on the DELTA QUEEN just over two years ago at Decatur, Alabama-- the same day I bought the SUN*FISH. Who would have known he had such a short time left?
May you rest in peace, Chief, "on the quiet side of town".
My deepest sympathy to Dennis's family and especially to his grandkids he talked so much about.
Topic starter
07/02/2009 9:11 am
Memorial Service
A memorial service for Dennis will be held at Hippensteel Funeral Home, West Lafayette, IN, on Thursday, Feb 19th, at 7 pm. Visitation will begin at 6 pm.
Carmen
Topic starter
10/02/2009 6:37 pm
Obituary - Chief Dennis Shenk
Here´s an obituary for chief Dennis Shenk published in the Journal & Courier.
Carmen
10/02/2009 9:45 pm
Ty Carmen for the Obituary. I Knew Dennis for 32 years, he was 2nd electrician on the MQ when I came on as a deckhand in 77. I met him the second day I was aboard. Saw him move up the ladder and saw him struggle with a few things and helped him out whenever I could. He did the same for me. Dennis was an awesome person and I'll never forget him.
11/02/2009 5:38 am
Hey Dennis if you can read this please tell Fred Klein, Rusty Smith, Bert Nass, Capt. Arthur J Mac Arthur, Capt. Rip Ware, and Capt. Ernest E. Wagner that I said hey.
20/02/2009 3:04 am
Ode to Dennis Shenk friend and legend
I will remember Dennis for his love of classical music and coffee in the morning, his roll of quarters for the newspapers in every port, his "barking" at the crew at tenuous times, his distaste for crew food and rap music, his love of icecream, sushi, and steak, his pack of cigarettes untouched in the freezer, his love of scooters, his gruff laugh. Dennis had a good ear, fondness for cats, and he humored me a lot. He was generous to a fault and the best damn Chief Engineer there ever was. Dennis you are greatly missed
Shelby your crew mess companion, co port explorer and Former Maitre'D Delta Queen Shelby
Carmen;15542 wrote: Dear friends,
I´ve just received the sad news that former DQ chief Dennis Shenk has found his peace early this morning. His sister was with him. Dennis has donated his body to science. There will be a memorial service in West Lafayette, IN, in the week of Feb 16th.
To quote John Hartford:
"Where does and old time engineer go
After he's cooled her down?
Gone up the hill to never come back
On the quiet side of town?
Does his soul live on in the engine's song
As the striker checks the gear?
Is he still afloat on an old steamboat
After he's gone from here?"Our deepest sympathy to his family!
Carmen
04/04/2010 11:06 am
Dennis Shenk
Farewell, Chief Dennis, Thank you so much for your encouragement, support and friendship over those many years on the Delta Queen; On a rising river, north of New Orleans, there's a paddlewheeler, and through the night she steams;the full moon glows, the willows wave, the forest sighs, as the Delta Queen rolls by...