R.I.P. Uncle Mort. I rented a room in the pink house on 13th back in 1989-90, and Jan turned me on to some of the old garage bands both via his KBOO show and his vinyl collection. A true son of liberty, I learned much from the man in our conversations abt world affairs and music. Thanks Jan. You will be missed.  Greg.

I used to ride the TriMet 40 line bus with "Uncle Mort" at the helm. He used to pass out KBOO program guides to riders. RIP

Vance Pomerening

I am so sorry to hear that Jan has left us.    I was Lana's kinder teacher and Jan was so welcome in the room with all of us.   He loved to read the big books to a group or sit with students to instruct.    I still have a few CDs from Uncle Mort that I played for years and treasure for the music and the time he spent thinking about kids and culture and music.

I will miss him - we often discussed music and compared experiences of our times in Mexico. Allen Julian  KBOO DJ ( Buscando America).

Will there be a ceremony or memorial? Or radio tribute at KBOO? I'm sorry for your loss. I just heard today. I knew Jan mainly through KBOO and met him in the late 1970s.

An avid Boston Red Sox baseball fan most of his life, Jan played baseball from Little League (age 11) to Colt League (age 15), making the All-Stars at age 14 as his league's best pitcher.  One of my deepest memories of that era was watching him pitch an All-Star game versus one of the most powerful All-Star team in Mexico City.  Though he lost the game, all I can remember is watching him strike out one batter after the next in a masterful attempt to keep his team in the game.  Made quite an impression on me at age 10.

A memorial is a celebration, and an opportunity to remember a person's life. Following are some of my memories of Jan. When my bank asks for the answer to a secret passphrase, â€œWho was your best friend in Junior High School?â€, my answer is always â€œJanâ€.
We first met in 1961, when both of our families moved to Mexico City. I can't remember how we first got acquainted, but we did share a lot of activities right from the start: Little League baseball (both our fathers were involved also), the Trail Rangers (a scouting group), the American School. Although we developed different interests and activities as we grew older, we stayed close friends, and spent many a day exploring the â€œbarrancaâ€ behind his house, playing chess during sleep-overs until late, building skateboards out of old skates and wood, paying ping-pong, and listening to music. 
As anyone who knew Jan will appreciate, he always had a unique perspective and approach to things. Maybe that is the mark of genius, to have a fresh perspective that is hard-wired into one's personality. Here are some fond examples that I remember:
In Junior High the school sponsored an Oratory Contest, where students would memorize and present a poem or literary selection. Jan chose the poem â€œCasey at the Batâ€. He strode confidently to the center of the stage, assumed the stance of a baseball umpire, and with a face intense with concentration, began to recite flawlessly. When he got to the line "Strike one," the umpire said, Jan crouched down and belted out the line like a real umpire. Everyone in the audience jumped, and not a few started to giggle. He continued on undisturbed, and at â€œStrike two!â€ the same effect was delivered. The performance was magnificent, and I believe that he won the contest. That took some real bravery, or some real spontaneity!
One season we played on the same baseball team, which his dad Wally also coached, and he was a pitcher, and a good one. Again, however, he had a unique wind-up and delivery that was all his own. He would throw side-arm, with a baffling series of movements that would confound most batters. I don't think that this delivery was an intentional strategy. It was just a part of who he was. His success on the mound, I think, also led to his life-long love of the sport.
His love of music also was legendary, and he became a minor celebrity in the realm of 50's and 60's popular music. He was interviewed recently on â€œWoodstock.comâ€ http://woodstock.com/uncle-mort/, regarding his attendance at this festival in 1969. I have many CD's of his Rockaholics Anonymous show, which I believe was a major focus of his life for a long time. One year in Mexico he gave me a Christmas present, an album called â€œMusic From Big Pinkâ€ by a group called The Band. I'd never heard of them, but it turned out to be one of the greatest albums of all time. He knew what good music was even then.
I had the honor of being the best man at his wedding to ThuHa, and who can forget his rocking out to the oldies at the reception! He mentioned to me many times of his love for ThuHa, and for Lana and Amanda. My business took me to Portland occasionally, and I'm glad I had a chance to stay in touch in person once in a while, in the years that followed.
The mold was broken when they made you. Goodbye old friend. Keep on rockin' in the new world.

My heartfelt condolences to Jan's family, especially Thu Ha, Lana, Amanda and Jeff, Missy and Alex.  The love a father has for his wife and children is eternal, like the love our heavenly father gives us.  May the love of family and friends comfort you and provide peace in the days ahead.

My heart breaks for Jan's family, Thu-Ha, Lana, the siblings and cousins, and especially Amanda, the one I know and love best. Your dad was a character and had a heart of gold. 

His deep, passionate, and quirky knowledge of rock music was unsurpassed. I loved getting customized Rockaholics CDs every Christmas. His devotion to the Boston Red Sox made for analytical conversations that were more spirited and fun than anything in the Boston press--and he lived 3000 miles away from his team!

And, Amanda, he adored you. I remember once when you were a little girl, he gave me permission to bring you along on a roadtrip to the Oregon coast. After you were in the car, seat belt on, he leaned in the window and whispered urgently to me, "Can you drive with your headlights on? even in daylight? that one extra second reaction time is important."

A rare and passionate person. The world is a dimmer place without you, Jan. RIP.

My deepest condolences to Jan's family. Jan was a rare "B" side, a true character and one of the most intelligent people I ever met. Uncle Mort and his appreciation/ championing of obscure rock and roll shall always be with me. Our long chats and e- mails concerning our shared passion for the Red Sox were amusing to me to no end. I will miss you my friend, love your cousin Shawn

My deepest sympathies to Jan's wife Tu Ha, daughters Eve, Amanda and Lana, his friends, and his brothers Jeffrey Wallace and Alexander George.

I will forever treasure my childhood memories of my brother Jan.

OBITUARY

Jan William Senten

October 10, 1950 – June 27, 2014

Ross Hollywood Chapel

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Reminders

Services