Svennungsen and Schenck named carnival royalty

Mark Svennungsen has been crowned King Ullr LV and Sue Schenck is the new Queen of the Snows for the 2014 Whitefish Winter Carnival.

Svennungsen was born in Shelby at a very young age. He moved to Whitefish in 1967 after earning his Doctor of Optometry degree in 1967 from the Los Angeles College of Optometry.

All through college, he hoped he would have the opportunity to start an optometry practice in Whitefish. Once established, it was not long until the “Fathers of Whitefish” invited Svennungsen to get involved.

He served as president of Whitefish Rotary Club and the Whitefish Golf Association, was a board member of the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce and North Valley Hospital, and was elected to the Whitefish City Council and Whitefish School Board.

For the past 10 years, Svennungsen has helped Whitefish Shines decorate for Christmas.

He had the privilege of being Prime Minister to King Ullr XXIV in 1983.  

Svennungsen enjoys golfing — but not the increasing handicap — camping and fly fishing, but is not much of a threat to the fish.

He also looks forward to working with the crew building sets for plays at the Whitefish Theater Company.

Svennungsen and his wife, Nancy (Queen of the Snows XLVII), raised three children in Whitefish. Kirk and family live in Bainbridge Island; Kari and family in Avon, Colo. and Derek and family in Charlottesville, Va.

They have four grandchildren.

Schenck is a Whitefish native. Both her grandfathers arrived in Whitefish in the early 1900s to forge a living on the railroad.

A Whitefish High School graduate in 1970-something, she attended the University of Montana studying economics and came back home to Whitefish to raise her daughter, Chelsea.

She later married Karl Schenck and their blended family included children Ericka, Kate and Chelsea.

They have four grandchildren: Erin, Henry, Edwin and Simma.

Schenck fondly recalls years of involvement with the Whitefish Theatre Company, both theatrical exploits and time on the board of directors.

She has volunteered with Shepherd’s Hand Clinic, Whitefish Winter Classic, Habitat for Humanity and most recently the North Valley Food Bank Fundraising Committee.

Whitefish Winter Carnival, which has the theme, “Viva Las Vegas,” culminates with a grand parade and day of festivities on Feb. 8.