Sean Schenk, of the Town of Saukville, passed away in the early morning hours of Thursday, November 3, 2016 at his residence. He was 46 years old. Sean was born in New Haven, CT on February 27, 1970, son of Richard Schenk Jr and Margaret O'Neil Schenk. He grew up in Chester, CT, and graduated from Valley Regional High School in 1988. He attended the US Coast Guard Academy and graduated in 1992 with a commission and a Bachelor's Degree in Marine Science. He served as an engineer onboard USCGC MORGANTHAU in Alameda, CA, and as a member of the Pacific Strike Team in Novato, CA. In 1997 he attended the University of Washington, Seattle where he earned a Master's Degree in Oceanography. Sean was able to further indulge his great love of learning as a faculty member at the US Coast Guard Academy where he taught Oceanography for four years. This was followed by a tour of duty at Sector Portland, OR where he served on the Command staff until 2007. Sean then went on to what he considered to be the best job of his career: serving as the Coast Guard Attaché at the American Embassy in Malta. His final assignment was at Sector Lake Michigan in Milwaukee as Deputy Commander. Sean was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 and was medically retired from the Coast Guard in 2014, after 22 years of service. Sean and Katherine McCreary first met at the US Coast Guard Academy, where they were classmates, and they married in Sand Point, ID on April 16, 1994. Their daughter, Hannah, was born in 1998 and their son, Logan, followed soon after in 2000. Sean and his family loved to travel and his career as a Coast Guard officer took them all over the world. He instilled in his children an appreciation for world cultures and an understanding that they have an obligation to be engaged citizens of the world. Sean treasured his family above all else. His children brought him much joy and he reveled in their accomplishments. He guided them with great love and wisdom, teaching them the lessons and values that he lived by: kindness, courage and perseverance, a sense of duty and honor, joy in learning, a love of family, the gift of friendship, living with purpose, being true to themselves, and maintaining a sense of humor through it all. Sean was a man who had many interests. As a scientist and a writer, he was published in professional journals. He enjoyed his time volunteering in the paleontology lab at the Field Museum in Chicago, and he studied Ancient Greek so he could read the Iliad in Homer's native language. Sean was a voracious reader who sought out the library in every town he visited, amassing a large collection of library cards—from his hometown in Chester to the National Library of Malta to the Library of Congress. Sean sustained a life-long love of Jazz and recorded a CD, playing saxophone as part of a Jazz quintet. Sean also dabbled in amateur HAM radio, experimented in the kitchen with world cuisines, brewed beer, designed and built a roll-top desk and bookcases for his home, ran a marathon, wrote stories and poems, loved to sail, was certified in SCUBA, enjoyed photography, believed in the value of hand-written letters, could identify constellations in the night sky and was a devoted Trekkie. One of Sean's greatest strengths was his ability to make friends wherever he went. His friendships spanned decades as well as miles and were numerous and varied. He valued them all. He forged strong bonds in boyhood with companions as diverse as the instruments in their high school band. Together with Sean they played in harmony. Throughout his life they kept in touch and reunited whenever they could. Scientists, artists, musicians, admirals, even nuns were among those Sean considered good friends. Friends in Malta opened their homes and shared their lives with him and his family, and he had a special bond with the Strike Team members with whom he served. Sean is survived by his wife Katherine, and his two children Hannah and Logan, all of Saukville. He is further survived by his mother Margaret "Peggy" Schenk of Chester, CT, three siblings: Deborah (Michael) Lary of Randolph, VT, Richard (Monica) Schenk III of East Haddam, CT and Daisy (Pablo) Schenk-Sanchez of Pahoa, HI, his in-laws Mikel and Rosalie McCreary of West Bend, WI, two sisters-in-law: Karen (Kevin Fimon) McCreary of Anchorage, AK, Sara (Shane) Young of Fredonia, WI, brother-in-law O.B (Deanna) McCreary of Anchorage, AK, and ten nieces and nephews whom he greatly adored: Adam, Emily, Haley, Haddie, Zy, Adrianna, Brian, Tyanna, Ethan and Keira, as well as other relatives and many, many friends. He is preceded in death by his father Richard Schenk Jr. and his grandparents Robert and Nora O'Neil and Richard and Doris Schenk. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 12th at 1 PM at the Eernisse Funeral Home, 1167 Washington Ave., in Cedarburg. US Coast Guard Chaplain Daniel Spies will preside. Visitation will take place at the funeral home on Saturday, November 12th from 11 AM – 1 PM. Another service will be held on Thursday, November 17th at 10 AM at the USCG Academy Chapel in New London, CT. Sean will be laid to rest with full military honors at State Veteran's Cemetery, Middletown, CT. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the music and drama program at Northern Ozaukee School District, the Oscar Grady Library in Saukville or the Northern Ozaukee Schools Scholarship Foundation. The Eernisse Funeral Home, Cedarburg is honored to serve the family. Online condolences may be left at www.eernissefuneralhome.com