'Flying with angels'

On Wednesday, December 27, over a hundred people gathered at the Waseca Municipal Airport’s FBO Hangar to honor a Waseca local who was a friend, family, an avid flier, and a faithful person to many: Maynard Richard Stensrud.

Stensrud, 67, was the airport’s Fixed Base Operator who provided aviation support services including managing fuel, parking, and hangar space. He passed away on April 14, 2022, due to injuries he sustained in an accident at the airport. First responders found him with serious injuries; he died shortly thereafter while receiving treatment. 

Resolution 2022-22, which allowed the city to rename the airport “Maynard Richard Stensrud Field,” was approved at the April 19, 2022 council meeting. It was one of the final things former Mayor Roy Srp wanted to do before retiring from the city.

He credited the idea to one of Stensrud’s long standing friends, Bill Corum. “He suggested that the city name the airport after him,” Srp told the crowd. “He put it in my head and heart to get it done at city hall.”

Srp gave a touching tribute to Stensrud in his speech, saying that Stensrud’s character and personality were such that he was one of very few people he never heard say “the F word.”

Srp then named other “F words” which did apply to Stensrud, including “friend” and “fun.” “Stensrud rode his bicycle like he was a kid again,” he claimed. “It was so cool to see him around town.” He then mentioned the word “flying.”

 “My youngest granddaughter wanted to go up in the worst way,” Srp mentioned. “Maynard suggested that we better do that. It sadly didn’t work out.”

Perhaps the two biggest F words Srp brought up were “family” and “faith,” two things that he said were the most important to Stensrud. “Any of us that knew him know he always talked about the family, whether at home or at the airport,” Srp said. “Once in a while, I talked to him, and he always had a positive perspective on the kids.” On the word, “faith,” Srp said, “He had such a faith. I can still feel him here.”

A former Waseca Public Works Director also shared a few words on Stensrud’s faith and work ethic. “He was one of the greatest Sunday school teachers around,” he claimed. “All I know is when he was working here, this was the one place I never had to worry about. He spent a lot of time working here. Maynard was a very close friend of mine. I appreciated him.”

Srp finished his speech imploring people that if they ever have trouble or needed advice, they should ask themselves, “What would Maynard do?”

Stensrud’s love for God, his family, and flying has left a lasting impression on many people in the Waseca area. With the city naming the airport after him, his legacy will be forever cemented. “We all know that he’s up in heaven flying with all the angels,” Srp concluded. “Thank goodness we named the airport after Maynard.”