Obituary: William Paul Zsenyuk
William Paul Zsenyuk (May 28, 1935 – April 11, 2025)
William Paul Zsenyuk passed away on April 11, 2025. Those who wish to honor and celebrate Bill’s life are invited to join his family for a Hungarian Celebration of Life and luncheon on Saturday, June 7 at noon at Manchester Mill on the Water, 201 E. Main Street, Manchester.
Bill was born on May 28, 1935 in Detroit to Hungarian immigrants Sandor (Alex) Zsenyuk and Borbala (Barbara) Klarik Barkai. Hungarian was his first language, learning English from his brothers attending school before him. He attended the University of Detroit and Wayne State University where he studied Police Administration. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard.
On August 28, 1954, he married his lifelong love and partner, Aileen Alannah Murphy, and they celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary before her passing in October, 2024.
Bill played and coached baseball, golf and hockey, encouraging his children to participate, but also enjoying those sports into his retirement. He and his son hunted together at their family cabin, and he instilled a respect for firearms safety in his children. He encouraged his children to participate and try any sport that interested them including snow skiing, water skiing, swimming, track and field, and did not accept that his girls could not participate in anything they wished. He insisted his daughters become umpires for Little League when they were generally not included in typical male positions. He continually reminded his children that he expected them “to be leaders, not followers.” He never missed an opportunity to tell his family how much he loved them and that he was proud of them.
Bill was especially proud of his law enforcement career and remains a highly respected and beloved Chief of Police and to this day, folks will stop his family to tell them how he changed their life with a kindness, with listening, or counseling them.
He and his wife wrote and published a book on his career through Amazon “On My Watch: From Police Cadet to Police Chief” which continues to receive high reviews.
Following his military service, Bill started his career as a Detroit Police cadet, soon becoming a patrolman and worked in Internal Affairs, Organized Crime, Liquor, Vice & Gambling, worked in “the Big Four cruiser,” and Communications. He earned over 30 merit citations there and after rising through the ranks in Detroit, accepted the position as Police Chief in Manchester and later served in a dual role as Village Manager. There he developed the Explorers Program and encouraged young men and women to participate. He also developed the Substance Abuse Awareness Committee, the JOLT Program, and served on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross, and the Emergency Medical Services Committee. He also worked on the Manchester Senior Citizen’s Transportation Committee. Bill also served as a Hungarian interpreter for many state and federal agencies.
“Chief Zsenyuk” was legendary for his commitment to mentoring young police officers. Despite criticism from his contemporaries, he sponsored many women through the police academy. Many of these officers went on to have outstanding law enforcement careers.
He later became the Police Chief in Milan and retired from his position there. After retirement he continued Consulting to jurisdictions to help find qualified Police Chiefs.
Bill valued his community. While he would receive speaker fees throughout his career, he required the organization send his fee to St. Jude’s Children Hospital. He was active on many Police Review Boards, was a Host Parent for Youth for Understanding.
One of his special hobbies was ice hockey. He was the catalyst for an all law enforcement hockey league that continues to this day. Chief Zsenyuk organized benefit hockey games between the Washtenaw County Police Hockey Team and the Detroit Red Wing Alumni for many years. Proceeds from these games benefited the families of Police Officers killed in the line of duty and the University of Michigan Hospital Burn Unit.
In retirement, Bill and his wife moved to Las Vegas, where he remained active in the community, participating in local theater, golfing, playing baseball, and attending many club outings. He enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere of Las Vegas and all it had to offer. In 2018, they returned to Michigan.
In addition to his beloved wife, Aileen, Bill was preceded in death by his parents and brothers and their wives, Alex (Ruth) and Steve (Mariann), his niece Susan and nephews Alan and Paul, his sister-in-law Karen. He will be greatly missed by his children, Michael (Dorothy), Annette (David), and Maureen (Daniel); his grandchildren, Laura, Christopher (Megan), Sean (Jade), Brian (Theresa), William (Yazmin), and James; his brother-in-law, Brian (Cindy); and his 11 great-grandchildren, as well as his nieces and nephews.
A special thank you to Chelsea Senior Center and their Ease the Day staff, Mary Ruloff formerly of Comfort Keepers, the staff at GasLight Village in Adrian, as well as the Chelsea Police and Fire Departments who always made an effort to say hello and treat him and his wife with admiration and respect. He (and his family) appreciated their recognition.
Memorial contributions may be made to Chelsea Senior Center, earmarked for Ease the Day Program, 512 Washington Street, Chelsea, MI 48118, or your own local Senior Center.
He cited “The Man in the Glass” many times:
“When you get what you want in your struggles for self, and the world makes you king for a day, then go to the mirror and look at yourself, and see what that man has to say. For it isn’t a man’s father, mother or wife, whose judgement upon him must pas The fellow whose verdict counts most in life, is the man staring back from the glass. He’s the fellow to please, never mind all the rest, for he’s with you clear to the end. And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test, if the man in the glass is your friend. You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years, and get pats on the back as you pass. But the final reward will be heartache and tears if you’ve cheated the man in the glass.” (Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr)
William Paul Zsenyuk
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