It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Louie H. Senecal of West Rutland, Vermont. He passed away peacefully at home with his wife and seven children by his side on June 26, 2021. Louie was in his 86th year. Louie is predeceased by his cherished grandson Conrad Carruth II and his granddaughter Jessica Wells. He is also predeceased by his three brothers Clayton, Leland, and Herbert Senecal, and his sister Gladys Burney. He is survived by his beloved wife of 68 years, Elaine (Tish) Senecal (ne Hemenway), their loving and devoted children, and their spouses; Debra & (Conrad) Carruth, Louie & (Mary) Senecal, Michael & (Marcia) Senecal, Douglas & (Stacia) Senecal, Karleene Senecal, Kathleen Senecal, and Diana & (Hal) Peters. Louie is also survived by his kind-hearted sisters Bea Nemeth, Kay Herrick, Fran Reynolds, and brothers Harold and Kenneth Senecal, as well as many special nieces and nephews. Louie was the proud grandfather to twenty-one grandchildren, thirty-four great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren. He was fondly known as Papa and was fiercely loved by all. Louie was born just after Christmas on December 27, 1934, in the snow-filled village of Shrewsbury, Vermont. He was the fifth of ten children born to Frank and Elizabeth Senecal (ne Niles). The family moved to Danby then settled in Tinmouth, Vermont, and started a family farm. Life on the farm was filled with happiness, and some hardship, as was often the case in those days, but Louie always reminisced and shared wonderful stories about those years spent on the farm with his parents and siblings in a home filled with music. After he was grown and started a family of his own, he often returned to the farm with Tish and his children. It was life in Tinmouth that would shape the man he became -- a hard-working family man with a life-long commitment to family and friends. Family and friends were his greatest joy. Louies home was a gathering place for those he loved -- weekend afternoons and evenings were filled with country music, endless games of cards, a perpetual pot of coffee, yard games, laughter, and a herd of grandchildren with boundless joy and energy bouncing through the house or yard. All were welcome at Louie and Tishs home. Food is love and Louie shared his love with others by feeding them. Holiday meals were epic events filled with family; his Thanksgiving turkey gravy is famous and the flavor is something many of us aspire to achieve each year. He also baked some of the best bread in town; freshly baked bread with a bit of mayonnaise, layered with a garden-fresh tomato or cucumber, and voila, a simple and perfect lunch by Lou. In his early adult years, Louie had a love of speed and stock cars. He pursued that passion tearing up the old dirt tracks across Vermont and competing at Devils Bowl Speedway; he was quite a contender back in the day. Weekend evenings at Devils Bowl were a family affair and many life-long friendships were formed in those years. Lous love of music started early on at the farm. He was a self-taught guitar player and he and several of his siblings were talented vocalists and guitar players. He taught his siblings how to play and encouraged his own children and grandchildren to pursue the guitar. Gatherings were always filled with music, and at some point during the day, guitars were found and a circle was formed resulting in an impromptu concert. Throughout the years he and Tish attended many bluegrass festivals across New England with friends who were like family. He was known by many in the festival circuit, and as his health began to decline he was sorely missed. When his children and grandchildren were grown, Louie and Tish took to the open road in their RV to explore our beautiful country. As the lyrics to the song America the Beautiful go, they traveled under spacious skies, they passed by amber waves of grain, they visited mountains of majesty, they crossed the fruited plain, and they visited family and friends from sea to shining sea. They truly enjoyed all of their travels through the years, but Vermont was home, and they were always happy to return to the warm embrace of family. John Denver said it best, country roads, take me home, to the place I belong". Husband, Father, Papa, Brother, Uncle, and Friend -- Louie Senecal was a man of integrity and he will be greatly missed. A celebration of life will be held on July 10, 2021, at The Southside Steakhouse, 170 S Main St, Rutland, VT 05701 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Louies name to the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (Vermont). Arrangements under the direction of Ducharme Funeral Home Inc. Please visit www.ducharmefuneralhome.com to view a full version of this obituary and to send online condolences to the family. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Louie H. Senecal, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. Memorial Service Southside Steak House Saturday, July 10, 2021 2:00 PM 170 South Main Street Rutland, VT 05701