Joseph Cecil Hensel

Visitation will be held from 5-7 PM Sunday, November 5, 2017 at the Wevley Funeral Home in Sebeka, MN. Funeral Services will be held 11:00 AM Monday, November 6 at the Laestadian Lutheran Church of Menahga, MN. Interment will be at Hay Creek Cemetery. Joseph Cecil Hensel, 61, of Sebeka, passed away Monday, Oct. 30, 2017 in a tragic accident near Morris, in Grant County, Minn. Joe was born July 13, 1956 to Walter C. and Florence G. (Amundson) Hensel at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Park Rapids, the oldest of eight children. Joe was raised on the family farm in Osage Township, Becker County. He attended Osage Elementary School from grades one through six, attending Park Rapids schools for grades seven through 12. He graduated from Park Rapids Area High School with the class of 1974, where he was involved in FFA.  Growing up he helped his family on the dairy farm. After graduating from high school, he worked at Rockcrete Concrete Products in Park Rapids and attended Detroit Lakes Technical School for auto mechanics. He became employed at Doc’s Truckstop in Osage in 1983, working as a mechanic for many years. During the fall, in the evenings and weekends, he hauled potatoes with the trucks he owned.  He worked at Elmer’s Garage in Menahga, before gaining employment in 1999 with Olson’s Custom Farm Services in Sebeka where he was a mechanic before becoming a truck driver. He was employed with Olson’s at the time of his death. On July 22, 1995, he married Natalie Savela in Sebeka. This union was blessed with four children. He devoted his life to being the best husband and father. He enjoyed hunting, playing darts, going on drives on weekends, and visiting with family and friends. He will lovingly be remembered by his wife, Natalie; children, Greta, Andrew “Andy,” Sarah and Alexander “Alex” all still living at home; mother, Florence G. Hensel of Park Rapids; five brothers, Roger (Linda) of Osage, Russ (Angi) of Nevis, Darryl, Duane (Missi) and Greg (Sheila) Hensel all of Park Rapids; two sisters, Evon Hensel and Cathy Hensel both of Park Rapids; sisters and brothers-in-law, Lucy (Roger) Karvonen of Wolf Lake, Jane Kosola of Menahga, Douglas (Karen) Savela of Sebeka, Lorna Rintamaki of Ishpeming, Mich., Curtis (Dory) Savela of Sebeka and Jayson (Amy) Savela of Menahga; mother-in-law Laura Savela of Menahga; numerous nieces and nephews; great-nieces and nephews; cousins; and many aunts and uncles. He was preceded in death by his father, Walter on Feb. 20, 2017; grandparents; numerous aunts and uncles.