Elmer J Henry

Elmer J.(Hank) Henry

93 of West Roxbury

Passed away peacefully on January 1st in the place he liked best, as he wished, his home of a half-century with Barbara (Gould) his beloved wife of 65 years at his side. He leaves his sons, Charles (Lorraine) of Larchmont, N.Y., Christopher (Mary Beth) of Middleton, WI, beloved son Courtney Christian predeceased Hank in 2001. Hank leaves four grandchildren: Elizabeth Henry (Richard) Segal of Brooklyn: Matthew (Morgan) Henry of Long Island City, N.Y.: Martha Meyer of Wayzata, MN: Katie (Erik) Sorensen of Otsego, MN and two great-grandchildren: Olive Segal and Brycen Sorensen. 

Hank, born and raised on the wonderful wide-open land of S.W. La. where the canopy of blue sky arched on the horizon to touch the land, he was the son of Estelle (McLean) Henry and Wilbert Henry of Morse, La. A sister, Diana (Henry) Broussard of Kaplan La, survives.

Hank was a graduate of Southwestern La. Institute of Liberal Arts and Technical Learning in Lafayette, La. Being a member of the ROTC program during college, Hank was soon commissioned as a Lt. with the U.S. Air Force where he served for 3 years in France at Dreux A.F. Base. It was while there that he met Barbara in Paris as she was teaching in France. There they fell in love and were married at St. Theresa's Church in West Roxbury in 1960. Soon after, they lived in America's then City of Love, New Orleans and it was here their son Charles Andre was born. Their happy, important, but short stay in New Orleans was followed by their becoming life-long, grateful West Roxburyites.

Ever a teacher to his core, his professional career took him to the Brookline Public School System for 30 years, mainly at the Edith Baker School in Chestnut Hill where Hank taught Industrial Arts and coached the Basketball and Baseball teams. Having been a passionate and respected baseball player in his High School, and life-long Baseball enthusiast, the chance to work with his students was very meaningful. Just a few weeks before his death, Hank received notes from some of those students telling him how he was their favorite teacher and sent a photo of the baseball team with their coach. This was a lovely tribute in Hank's last weeks. Long-lasting friendships with students are always a gift of being a teacher.

Hank's artistic eye and creative hands were generously shared with his students in their building projects over the decades.

Another area of his sharing his skills was his teaching in the Adult Evening Wood-Working classes, a time he very much enjoyed, both in the products designed and built as well as working with creative and eager-to-learn adults.

Learning/reading was a dynamic part of his being from an early age when he read by oil lamps before Roosevelt's electrification program arrived. It was reading that took him away from all about him - as the poem goes: "There is no frigate like a book, to take us lands away." Hank would read to our sons those authors - Jack London, Zane Gray, James Fenimore Cooper and Edgar Rice Burrows whose works taught and fascinated him, and in a way, never left. 

Living so close to the generous earth at a time before there was a tool for everything, Hank learned and gained a seemingly natural ability to do - and fix - and create and own a wealth of knowledge of nature and the natural world. We always felt he would find a solution to any problem or challenge and he seldom failed. It was great - a security we probably didn't appreciate because it just seemed normal.  What we did love was the ice-skating rink - with lighting - he created in our large yard at 715 Lagrange St. and a life-size Igloo for Chris and Courtney - all at a time when winters met their definition.

Beyond the enormity of practical abilities, he had a treasure trove of other gifts. His gift with music was just part of his soul; he had the gift of playing without sheet music popular songs of the century and a variety of genres. There was a piano at the home of his beloved grandfather, so at 5 years old when he would stay there he began with - yes, twinkle, twinkle.......... While we heard only his piano playing in our home, it was during his high school years that the Clarinet was his love and he was the Clarinetist in a trio that played on the local radio stations on the weekends. In Hank's young world "everyone played some instrument and music was like the air.” And, so, Hank brought his strong voice, his playing talents to us all where he was the only one making music. To Hank's very last days, he had a trove of names of musicians/ singers whom he kept Alexa playing, and she gratefully kept up with him. 

Just as music was a part of his soul, so too, was his gift of story-telling - I think he inherited a thread of the long-ago Southern Front porch story tellers. He had a deep well of stories personally unique, pictorial, of an age long ago and far away.

As Hank's father, among his many positions in the town of Morse, ran the movie theater, movies were a magnetic pull in Hank's youth and from them, as with his readings, he learned of a world, captivating and different. How many were the movies I would sit and watch at home for a while with Hank, he could recite the dialogue before it was spoken. Of course, Casablanca was at the top of his very favorites, and he loved the line, "We'll always have Paris," because he felt it was so, for us, The Westerns were not far behind, where the dialogue was often first spoken by Hank before being heard from the characters. What a personal computer he had - and it never seemed to crash.

Yet, as fully engaged he was in so many aspects of life, none competed with everything that was related to Charles, Chris and Courtney. He truly loved being a father and he took it very seriously. From the very early years being outdoors in the yard, he had made intriguing pieces that were a challenge for play; the teaching that was omnipresent in the most meaningful, yet always eagerly received manner by the three C's. For six years, Charles had Hank's singular attention which benefited Charles and a was a joy for Hank and gave him an immeasurable sense of fulfillment. The arrival of Chris and Courtney simply increased a very welcomed commitment and challenge to his teaching and being their coach, be it academics or a sport activity.  All Hank gave to helping the boys be the best they could be was rewarded by their being such through their years at Roxbury Latin and College. Hank eagerly embraced the enriching role as an R.L. parent and later served as Co-Head with Barbara of the Parents' Auxiliary for one of the 13 rewarding years that were ours until Charles, Chris and Court were graduated. 

Yes, there was a quiet feeling of pride for Hank to see his sons reach a level he could not have imagined in his youth, though he was an all A's student (as seen among saved papers) and President of his small Senior Class. 

Hank's life was always about doing the right thing and a commitment to what he saw as his responsibility and from this he derived his pleasure. Hank's last big smile before he closed his eyes was his hearing my telling him "I'm going out, Hank, to start the car and take it for a spin to be sure the battery is charged." He always saw this as his responsibility - he was now content that it was being taken care of. 

Hank’s family would like to acknowledge the incredible care afforded to Hank by Old Colony Hospice. The family is particularly grateful for all the genuine kindness his wonderful nurse, Kerri Foley, provided to Hank through his medical journey from his diagnosis at Dana Farber until his passing, and for the warmth and gentleness provided to Hank by his home health aide, Jacqui Olivera, in his final months.

He lived his life fully, embracing all challenges occasioned by purpose and need. May he now have Peace.

On Saturday, January 17, at The Robert J. Lawler & Crosby Funeral Home, family and friends are invited to honor and share thoughts of Hank from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. An hour of remembrances will follow. In lieu of flowers, a donation to The Roxbury Latin School, or a charity of your, choice is preferred.